Thriller Live breaks another West End record
Theatre news
Thriller Live, which is currently booking at the Lyric Theatre until April 17, 2016, has smashed another long-running West End record.
Last night, Sunday, April 12, 2015, the production played its 2,619th performance in the West End and passed the original 1960 version of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! to become the 18th Longest Running West End Musical Of All Time.
And the show has yet another long-running Wet End record in its sight later this year. On Sunday, December 13, at its 2,901st show, Thriller Live will pass Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1978 hit Evita to become the 17th Longest Running West End Musical Of All Time.
The celebrations were led by Former 5 Star lead vocalist and Brit Award-winner Denise Pearson, who made her West End debut in the show in the original cast. She was back in the show yesterday as lead female vocalist – for one day only!
Producers Paul Walden and Derek Nicol said in a statement today: “This is yet another amazing milestone in the history of our show. It is only truly exceptional shows that run this long in the West End and we are grateful to the fans of Michael Jackson, his music and phenomenal dance moves, who have taken the show to their hearts. It is an honour for us to keep the music of Michael Jackson alive and to bring it fresh and new to the next generation of theatregoers.”
Thriller Live continues to set and break records and new territories around the globe. To date it has now performed to standing ovations in 30 countries from South Korea to Norway, South America to China, Australia and New Zealand. A new UK and European tour will launch in the autumn.
Thriller Live brings to life on stage the music of Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five with distinctive high-energy dancing and the pulsating sound of many of pop’s greatest hits. The show blends eye-popping video footage and effects together with dazzling choreography by the show’s award-winning director Gary Lloyd.
Thriller Live was originally conceived and created by Adrian Grant, a long time associate of Michael Jackson, and author of Michael Jackson – The Visual Documentary. It is produced by Paul Walden and Derek Nicol for Flying Music in association with Adrian Grant for Key Concerts.
Image: Denise Pearson, David Jordan and Daniel Odejinmi. Photo credit: Claire Bilyard.