Casting has been confirmed for big new West End musical Bend It Like Beckham at the Phoenix Theatre including Jamie Campbell Bower, Natalie Dew and Lauren Samuels.
The producers of new West End musical Bend It Like Beckham have confirmed casting for the show, which opens at the Phoenix Theatre this May.
Hot newcomer Natalie Dew will lead the cast as Jess. Natalie performed in last year’s workshops for the show and rumour has it she was sensational.
Natalie’s credits include the Royal Court’s recent play Teh Internet Is Serious Business and as Ophelia in Hamlet for the Northern Broadsides theatre company.
Love interest is up and coming British actor Jamie Campbell Bower who plays Joe. Jamie is best known for his movie roles including the Twilight saga of movies, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallow and Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd.
Natalie and Jamie are joined by a strong cast including BBC talent show Over The Rainbow finalist and West End star Lauren Samuels (We Will Rock You) as Jules, plus Ronni Ancona 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, Kirstie Skivington and Danielle Young. Rekha Sawhney and Shahid Khan are the production’s Indian Heritage Singers. They are accompanied by swings including Kayleigh McKnight.
Bend It Like Beckham is directed by Gurinder Chadha, who directed and co-wrote the original movie, and features original music by Emmy, Brit and BAFTA award-winning Howard Goodall (The Hired Man) and lyrics by Ivor Novello Award-winner Charles Hart (The Phantom of the Opera) and has a new book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha.
The show runs from 15 May 2015 at the Phoenix Theatre, with opening night on 24 June.
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.
The show is produced by Sonia Freidman, with choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins, 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.
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