Booking to 5 March 2016
Bend It Like Beckham The Musical opens in the West End, based on the hit movie.
Smash-hit British movie Bend It Like Beckham is set for a big musical remake this Spring as Bend It Like Beckham The Musical heads in to the West End’s Phoenix Theatre.
Bend It Like Beckham The Musical is directed by the director and co-writer of the movie, Gurinder Chadha, and features music by Emmy, Brit and BAFTA award-winning Howard Goodall (Love Story, The Hired Man) and lyrics by Ivor Novello Award-winner Charles Hart (The Phantom of the Opera). Goodall and Hart have also worked together on musicals The Kissing-Dance and The Dreaming. The show also has a new book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha.
Choreography and musical staging is by Aletta Collins, with set design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Richard Brooker, musical direction by Nigel Lilley and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra.
Bend It Like Beckham is a joyous new musical comedy with vibrant characters and featuring a brand new score with a Punjabi kick!
A talented cast includes hot newcomer Natalie Dew as Jess, Jamie Muscato (The Light Princess) as Joe, Lauren Samuels (We Will Rock You) as Jules and Sophie-Louise Dann as Paula.
Don’t miss this funny, glorious and uplifting adaptation of the much-loved hit film.
Bend It Like Beckham The Musical is currently booking until 5 March 2016 2016 at the Phoenix Theatre.
THE STORY
The show centres on teenager Jess, who wants to live up to her traditional Indian family’s expectations of university, career and marriage, but also dreams of following in the footsteps of her hero David Beckham and playing professional football. When she is spotted playing football in Southall a world of opportunities suddenly open up, but as the day of her sister’s traditional Indian wedding approaches it becomes clear she needs to pick sides.
CAST
Bend It Like Beckham stars Natalie Dew (Teh Internet Is Serious Business, Hamlet) as Jess, with Jamie Muscato (Dog Fight, Sweeney Todd, The Light Princess) as Joe, alongside BBC talent show Over The Rainbow finalist and West End star Lauren Samuels (We Will Rock You) as Jules. Also featuring are Sophie-Louise Dann as Paula, Jamal Andréas as Tony, Preeya Kalidas as Pinky, and Tony Jayawardena and Natasha Jayetileke as Mr and Mrs Bhamra.
Other cast include Sohm Kapila, Buckso Dhillon-Woolley and Harveen Mann as Aunties, Irvine Iqbal and Karl Seth as Uncles, Sejal Keshwala, Serina Mathew and Sharan Phull as Cousins, Rakesh Boury, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Tom Millen, Daniel Bolton as footballers, and Teetu played by Raj Bajaj. The Harriers are played by Michelle Bishop, Lisa Bridge, Chloe Chambers, Genesis Lynea, Kayleigh McKnight, Leanne Pinder, Kirstie Skivington and Danielle Young. Rekha Sawhney and Shahid Khan are the production’s Indian Heritage Singers.
REVIEWS
★★★★★ “A triumph. Prepare to be transported & uplifted. In a league of its own.” Daily Telegraph
★★★★★ “Joyous. An uplifting celebration of multi-cultural Britain.” The Independent
★★★★★ “Irresistible. Wonderfully life-affirming. An end-to-end joy.” Daily Mail
★★★★ “A musical hat-trick of cracking tunes, heart-tugging storyline and excellent performances.” The Times
Show Information
Venue Information
Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0JPNearest Tube or Train: Leicester Square (Piccadilly line, Northern line), Tottenham Court Road (Central line, Northern line)
Nearest Buses: 19, 22, 24, 38, 40, 176
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
Well we thought it was great. Great energy, great fun, good laugh and I left with a smile, and that’s all I want. Would I go to see it again……..well actually I would, it’s not les Mis and it’s not Miss Saigon but it is fun, thanks.
We went last night and really enjoyed the performance. The cast, music, play and stage were all amazing.
A great night out.
Standing ovation at the end that was well deserved.
I saw this show in previews (on the 20th) and was so disappointed that I left in the interval. I was hoping for a high-energy, bhangra-influenced score; instead, the songs were in a bland musical theatre style, unimaginative and unmemorable. The script felt amateurish and some of the staging was downright embarrassing. Most of the audience where I was sat (upper circle) were laughing for all the wrong reasons. I only paid £15 for my ticket; for that price, you can see fringe shows that are far better than this one. I dread to think how I’d feel if I’d splashed out for a full-price seat in the stalls.
Saw this over the weekend with my partner & was v much looking forward to it as I loved the film. Was very disappointing tbh. Was no where near the standard of a west end musical, more like a community play and didn’t portray the film the way I expected. Overall very disappointing and didn’t blow me away like the film did or other theatre shows.
I hope it won’t be Bollywood ?! ?