The Rise and Fall of Little Voice - Diana Vickers stars
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
X FACTOR‘S Diana Vickers will star in the first major West End revival of Jim Cartwright’s multi award-winning play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, which opens for a limited season at the Vaudeville Theatre on October 20, 2009 (previews from October 8).
Described as a savage black comedy-drama, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice is about the diminutive and painfully shy Little Voice (LV), who lives alone in the north of England with her mother, Mari.
Mari’s drunken, overbearing personality has driven LV into seclusion in her bedroom, where she listens to her late father’s records, perfecting faultless impersonations of stars such as Judy Garland and Dame Shirley Bassey.
When Mari’s latest boyfriend, small-time working men’s club impresario Ray Say, overhears LV singing, he puts in place a tragic sequence of events as he pushes her towards the stardom she doesn’t want and is literally terrified of.
Producer Nica Burns said today: “There was no question of reviving this fabulous play in the West End until we had found our Little Voice. When Jim Cartwright, who originally wrote The Rise and Fall of Little Voice for Jane Horrocks, told me he had found the perfect girl – and then dragged me off to Wembley to see Diana Vickers perform as part of the X Factor tour, I thought he’d gone mad! But when I saw Diana I knew immediately he was right; she has a special quality. When she finally agreed – after much persuasion – to come in and read for us, we found out that not only can she sing but she was an intuitive actress as well.”
And playwright Jim Cartwright said: “This young girl is a natural actress. The moment she read the part, it was magic. A frisson ran through the room. Diana Vickers is the real deal. She is Little Voice.”
Burns added: “We are extremely grateful to Diana’s record company for allowing her a break from recording her debut album to take on this exciting role in the West End. I know it wasn’t part of her career plan after the X Factor, but we are delighted she agreed to do it – even if it meant wearing my knees out begging her!”
Diana Vickers, born in Burnley, Lancashire, the sort of town where the play is set, has been singing since the age of 11. Her talent came to light when she entered the X Factor in 2008 and her journey saw her survive nine weeks of live shows. She is taking a short break from recording her debut album to take the role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She recently signed a record deal to RCA records and her debut album is due for release early 2010.
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice will be directed by Olivier Award-winning Terry Johnson, whose West End work as director and/or writer includes One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Hitchcock Blonde, Entertaining Mr Sloane, The Graduate, Dead Funny, Hysteria, Elton John’s Glasses and The Memory of Water. His award-winning production of La Cage Aux Folles is currently at the Playhouse Theatre and will open on Broadway in 2010.
Cartwright’s other acclaimed works include the modern classic Road, Bed, Two and Eight Miles High.
The Rise and Fall of Little Voice premiered in 1992 at the Royal National Theatre, before transferring to the Aldwych Theatre. It was nominated for six Olivier Awards, winning both The Evening Standard and Olivier awards for Best Comedy of the Year.
Further casting and full creative team for the new production will be announced soon.