Flashdance to close early

Flashdance The Musical has posted early closing notices at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Based on the 80s movie about an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” by night, the musical features the star of the UK tour, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis.

Producers of the show have confirmed that it will close at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 15 January 2011. The show received mixed reviews when it opened at the theatre in October, with Michael Billington in the Guardian typical of the critical response to the show: “Thanks to Arlene Phillips’s choreography and Nikolai Foster’s direction, the show brims with physical energy and is full of visual invention. All the same, there are aspects of this blue-collar Cinderella story that don’t quite add up.”

Written by Tom Hedley and Robert Cary, with music by Robbie Roth, lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth, Flashdance The Musical is directed by Nikolai Foster with choreography by Arlene Phillips and orchestrations and musical supervision by Phil Edwards. Flashdance The Musical, is based on the Paramount Pictures film and its well-known score includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria and the Academy Award winning title song Flashdance – What a Feeling. Ten original songs have also been created for the musical.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £19.50 on previews to Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

FURTHER INFORMATION

Customers who have booked tickets for the show from 17 January onwards should contact their original point of sale for refunds. Customers who have booked through westendtheatre.com, please contact Encore Tickets on +44 (0) 207 492 1606 between 10am and 5pm Monday to Friday or email hdesk@encoretickets.co.uk with your booking details.

Flashdance – Save £19.50 on tickets

Save £19.50 on tickets to see FLASHDANCE The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Valid Mon – Fri until the 30 November (excludes 25-31 Oct)

Based on the hit Jerry Bruckheimer movie, Flashdance The Musical is a high-octane dance sensation choreographed by Arlene Phillips and featuring an iconic score that includes Manhunt, Gloria and Flashdance – What A Feeling.

Based on the 80s movie about an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” by night, the musical features the star of the UK tour, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis.

The David Ian production is directed by Nikolai Foster with choreography by Arlene Phillips (Grease, Strictly Come Dancing), and the show’s well-known score includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria and the Academy Award winning title song Flashdance – What a Feeling. Ten original songs have also been created for the musical.

“A great recession-buster of a night out” (Daily Mail)

BOOK TICKETS: Save £19.50 on tickets to see FLASHDANCE The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Valid Mon – Fri until the 30 November (excludes 25-31 Oct)

VIDEO: Flashdance the Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre

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Flashdance The Musical – Reviews Round-up

A round-up of reviews for Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Hot on the heels of a West End filling up with shows based on 80s movie, it’s the turn of Flashdance The Musical to get its moment on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Based on the hit Jerry Bruckheimer movie, Flashdance The Musical is choreographed by Arlene Phillips and features a well-known score that includes Manhunt, Gloria and Flashdance – What A Feeling.

As the critics point out, the story is very Billy Elliot: an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh, who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” in a club by night, dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. When she falls for her posh boss, all of her dreams start to come together.

The musical features the star of the UK tour, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis.

Critics were mostly full of praise for Phillips’ choreography and the lead performances, but marked the show down over the revised plot (trying to be darker in places) and of feeling manipulated and hit over the head with yet another movie-into-a-musical.

Read round-ups of reviews from the Guardian, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Express and The Stage below.

Special offer: Save £19.50 on tickets to Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftebsury Theatre in London

Opening this week: Onassis, Flashdance

This week’s West End openings range from classic American drama to modern Greek tragedy, with Pittsburgh flashdancing and West End blues thrown in. Plus the 80th birthday of a Wicked West End theatre.

THE COUNTRY GIRL

Opening tonight, Monday 11 October, at the Apollo Theatre is Clifford Odets’s classic drama The Country Girl, about a once-great theatre star who is given the chance to make a major comeback.

Jenny Seagrove and Martin Shaw reunite on stage after their onscreen appearance in Judge John Deed to star in the show.

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ONASSIS

On Tuesday 12 October at the Novello Theatre Robert Lindsay opens in Onassis, playing controversial Greek tycoon Aristotle in Martin Sherman’s new play. Based on the last years of this life, this powerful drama reveals his passionate and interwoven relationships with Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas, and his son Alexandros. Stand-out supporting performances come from Anna Francolini as Callas and Lydia Leonard as Jackie.

Special offer: Book tickets to Onassis at the Novello Theatre

FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL

Despite technical problems with the rain machine that postponed the start of previews, Flashdance the Musical is set for a trouble-free first night on Thursday 14 October at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Based on the 80s movie about an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” by night, the musical features the star of the UK tour, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis. Grease producer David Ian is the man behind the show, with direction by Nikolai Foster and choreography by the ubiquitous Arlene Phillips. The show’s well-known score includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria and the Academy Award winning title song Flashdance – What a Feeling. Ten original songs have also been created for the musical.

Special Offer: Book tickets to Flashdance the Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

Thursday also sees the opening night for the new venture at the King’s Head pub theatre in Islington: London’s Little Opera House opens with a new version of The Barber of Seville, directed by Robin Norton-Hale. Artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher is promising an exciting season of opera on a small scale including Madame Butterfly as a Bangkok lady-boy.

Book tickets to The Barber of Seville at London’s Little Opera House

THE MUSIC OF THE BLUES BROTHERS – A TRIBUTE

Finally, on Friday 15 October Hartshorn – Hook Productions presents ‘The Music of the Blues Brothers – a Tribute’, the most electric rock’n'roll party of the year. Following spectacular success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer with a month of sell-out shows and 5-star reviews, this raucous live tribute show is now rolling into London. This Tribute is directed by the award-winning Patrick Wilde and is backed by the tightest rhythm and blues band in the city. We tear through the best in American Blues, Soul and Rock’n'Roll classics including Gimme Some Lovin, Think, Minnie The Moocher, Sweet Home Chicago, and Jailhouse Rock. So dig out your sunglasses and get ready to shake your tail feather because this supercharged high-octane Tribute is about to take London by storm.

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APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE

Friday also sees the 80th birthday of the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London. Celebrations have included an all-star charity gala yesterday, Sunday 10 October, featuring the cast of the venue’s current show, Wicked, and past productions including Starlight Express. The Apollo Victoria forms part of a historic year for West End theatres, with a number of venues celebrating their 80th anniversaries this year.

Designed by E. Wamsley Lewis and W E Trent, the Apollo Victoria originally opened as a cinema on 15 October 1930 showing George Arlis movie “Old English”.

Flashdance The Musical starts Saturday

Flashdance The Musical starts previews Saturday at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

After technical problems postponed the start of previews yesterday for Flashdance the Musical, the show starts tonight, 25 September, at the Shaftesbury Theatre, with its press night on 14 October 2010.

Based on the 80s movie about an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” by night, the musical features the star of the UK tour, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis.

The David Ian production is directed by Nikolai Foster with choreography by Arlene Phillips (Grease, Strictly Come Dancing), and the show’s well-known score includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria and the Academy Award winning title song Flashdance – What a Feeling. Ten original songs have also been created for the musical.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £18.50 on previews to Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

SHOWS CLOSING:

Saturday 25 September: The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Vaudeville Theatre. Jeff Goldblum and Mercedes Ruehl end their run in Neil Simon’s brilliant New York comedy.

Shows closing in September

It’s all change in the West End next month as September sees a number of shows bid farewell.

September marks a busy time for Theatreland as a slate of new shows open in town, which means a number of summer hits are closing to make way.

This month, Sam Mendes’ Bridge Project shows at the Old Vic, As You Like It and The Tempest, starring Stephen Dillane and Juliet Rylance, closes on 21 August. They are swiftly followed by La Bete at the Comedy Theatre, which closes on 28 August before heading off to Broadway. The Matthew Warchus-helmed show features a starry cast including David Hyde Pearce, Mark Rylance and Joanna Lumley.

In September, things start to get really shaken up and we lose some of the big summer shows. In a reversal of La Bete, HAIR made its debut on Broadway and then came to London – and you only have until 4 September to see what all the fuss was about and catch the New York cast, including Gavin Creel, before they head home.

Also on the 4th we lose David Essex penned musical All The Fun of the Fair, and dance spectacular Burn The Floor , which is clearing its tango shoes and sequins out of the Shaftesbury Theatre to make room for another big dance show, Flashdance The Musical. This will star Matt Willis and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and is choreographed by Arlene Phillips.

And it’s never just one big dance show that goes: butch and blue-collar Tap Dogs starring Adam Garcia is also leaving the West End the day after Burn The Floor, on 5 September.

The short run of The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, riding high after the BBC’s Sherlock series, will end on 11 September at the Duchess Theatre to make way for Michael Gambon in Krapp’s Last Tape.

And we wave goodbye to Jeff Goldblum and Mercedes Ruehl on 25 September as Neil Simon’s The Prisoner of Second Avenue leaves the Vaudeville Theatre.

BOOKING AND OFFERS

Save £19 on tickets to see HAIR at the Gielgud Theatre

Save £30 on tickets to see All The Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre

Save £21 on tickets to see Burn The Floor at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Save £11 on tickets to see Tap Dogs at the Novello Theatre

Half Price tickets to see The Secret of Sherlock Holmes at the Duchess Theatre

Save £14 on tickets to see The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Vaudeville Theatre

VICTORIA HAMILTON BARRITT in Flashdance The Musical

A new star is born in Victoria Hamilton Barritt, playing Alex in Flashdance The Musical

There’s nothing like having the most famous choreographer in the UK as your champion, but that’s what Victoria Hamilton Barritt’s got.

Arlene Phillips, former Strictly Come Dancing judge and choreographer of just about everything (including Grease, Starlight Express, We Will Rock You, Saturday Night Fever and the forthcoming The Wizard of Oz), said of Victoria when they were casting for Flashdance: “After searching the country high and low and seeing hundreds of girls for the part of Alex, I suddenly remembered the stunning Victoria Hamilton-Barritt who had played a leading role in Saturday Night Fever in the West End and invited her to audition. She is the only girl who we believe can sing, act and dance this role to the standard we need’.

That’s quite something from the “Queen of mean”.

Victoria trained at the Urdang Academy of Performing Arts in London and has worked constantly since, acting, singing and dancing her way through a range of West End shows and UK tours including creating the role of Alex for the UK Tour of Flashdance The Musical, her recent gig as Rizzo in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre, Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Fame at the Aldwych Theatre, Desperately Seeking Susan at the Novello Theatre as well tours of Saturday Night Fever and West Side Story.

Arlene Phillips has also been quoted as saying that in this new production of the show (Arlene has dumped the choreography from the UK tour in favour of a whole new look), she wants “strong girls with strong thighs and strong bodies… I want girls who can spin on their heads and not break.”

We know that Victoria can do it.

Book tickets to Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

MATT WILLIS in Flashdance The Musical

Matt Willis of Busted stars in Flashdance The Musical

Matt Willis may be best known for singing in boyband Busted and winning the 2006 series of I’m A Celebrity… but he’s about to forge a whole new career.

Following in the footsteps of Hear’Say’s Noel Sullivan now starring in Grease, Simon Webbe from Blue in Sister Act and recent Legally Blonde cast member Duncan James from Blue, Matt joins the great migration from pop to stage.

He’s no stranger to acting though, having trained at Sylvia Young’s drama school as a child and winning parts in TV dramas The Bill, Casualty and EastEnders.

But getting a place in boyband Busted took his career in a whole new direction, and he toured the world with the band and then forged a solo career, releasing the singles Up All Night, Hey Kid and Don’t Let It Go to Waste as well as a cover version of The Primitives’ song Crash for the feature film Mr Bean’s Holiday.

Next up was a spot of reality TV and winning the 2006 series I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. This has led to a number of presenting jobs including ITV2′s coverage of the BRIT Awards and as a co-host on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

However, getting back to acting has remained an ambition for Willis and with his starring role in Flashdance The Musical, alongside up-and-coming actress Victoria Hamilton Barritt, he will be hoping it’s the beginning of a big new chapter.

Book tickets to Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Casting: Flashdance at the Shaftesbury

Busted’s Matt Willis and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt to star in Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Flashdance The Musical will shimmy its way into the Shaftesbury Theatre this Autumn featuring the star of the UK tour of the show, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis.

Based on the 80s movie about an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” by night, the show starts previews on 24 September, with its press night on 14 October 2010.

Produced by David Ian (Grease), choreography will be by multi award-winning Arlene Phillips (Grease, We Will Rock You, Starlight Express, Saturday Night Fever, Strictly Come Dancing). She choreographed the recent UK tour but will re-choreograph the West End show from the ground-up.

The musical features a well-known score that includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria and the Academy Award winning title song Flashdance – What a Feeling. Ten original songs have also been created for the musical.

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt is currently starring as Rizzo in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre and created the role of Alex in the UK tour of Flashdance. Other credits include Mamma Mia!, Fame, Desperately Seeking Susan, Saturday Night Fever and West Side Story.

Matt Willis came to fame as a member of boyband Busted and went on to have a solo music career. He won the 2006 series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and has presnted a number of TV shows. He trained at the Sylvia Young acting school. Flashdance The Musical will be his West End theatre debut, fulfilling a long held ambition.

Flashdance is directed by Nikolai Foster and written by Tom Hedley and Robert Cary, with music by Robbie Roth, lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth, and musical supervision by Phil Edwards.

The full cast is: Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Alex), Matt Willis (Nick), Sarah Ingram (Hannah), Charlotte Harwood (Gloria), Hannah Levane (Keisha) and Twinnie-Lee Moore (Jazmin), plus Brendan Cull, Russell Dixon, Sam Mackay, Ricky Rojas, Andrew Spillett and Robbie White, as well as Ivan Blackstock, Tyman Boatwright, Myles Brown, Joseph Conner, Natalie Edmunds, Nicholas Gilligan, Zoe Green, James Hall, Ben Harrold, Emily Hawgood, Kirby Huges, Sia Kiwa, Lindsay Shaw, Maria Swainson, Amy Thornton and Daniel Uppal.

Book tickets to Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London