Death Takes a Holiday at the Charing Cross Theatre

Cast changes have been announced for the West End production of Death Takes A Holiday. Producers have announced details of two planned cast changes in the European première production of the musical Death Takes A Holiday at Charing Cross Theatre. James Gant will take over in the central role of Death from Chris Peluso, who is leaving the production as planned for the UK tour of Funny Girl.  James played Etches in Titanic (at Charing Cross Theatre); Mr Bumble in Oliver! (Leicester Curve); Rohna and Zinnowitz in Grand Hotel (Southwark Playhouse); and was cover Javert in Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre). Gant’s current role of manservant Fidele will now be played by Ken Christiansen, who has been shortlisted twice as Best Supporting Male Performance in the 2016 Offies for The Fix and The Rise & Fall of Little Voice. Death Takes A Holiday, directed by Thom Southerland, has a lush, romantic score by multi Tony Award-winner Maury Yeston (Titanic, Nine) and a book by multi Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone. It is based on the 1928 Italian play of the same name, which also inspired the movie, Meet Joe Black, starring Brad Pitt. See a reviews round-up for Death Takes a Holiday Death Takes a Holiday runs until 4 March 2017 at Charing Cross Theatre. BOOKING Book tickets to Death Takes A Holiday

A reviews round-up for Death Takes a Holiday at the Charing Cross Theatre. Thom Southerland's highly anticipated production of Death Takes a Holiday has now opened at the Charing Cross Theatre. Based on the play that inspired Brad Pitt's 'Meet Joe Black', 'Death Takes a Holiday' finds the Grim Reaper (Chris Peluso) encountering someone who makes him falter in his culling activities. After sparing Grazia Lamberti (Zoe Doano) he then appears at her family home disguised as a Prince to try and understand what makes life so precious and death so feared - and in the process falls in love. Adapted by Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone the musical has a lush romantic score by multi Tony Award winner Maury Yeston (Titanic, Nine). A daring and unusual musical, Southerland's production is beautifully staged as a gothic romance. Yeston's sumptuous score, played by a 10-piece band, is given life by a superb cast of singers led by Chris Peluso and the soprano Zoe Doano, however the weakness highlighted by most is the book and the thinly drawn characters. Death Takes a Holiday runs until 4 March 2017 at Charing Cross Theatre. Here's a round-up of the reviews from The Guardian, Telegraph, Evening Standard, The Stage, Independent and TimeOut. BOOKING Book tickets to Death Takes a Holiday

Casting has been announced for the European premiere of Maury Yeston, Thomas Meehan and Peter Stone's Death Takes a Holiday. Chris Peluso, Zoë Doano and Maxwell Caulfield will lead the cast when it opens at the Charing Cross Theatre in January. American rising star Chris Peluso made his West End debut in 2016 starring as Chris in Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre) and then played Gaylord Ravenal in Showboat (New London Theatre). His Broadway credits include Carole King musical Beautiful, Mamma Mia! and Sondheim’s Assassins. Zoë Doano has just finished a year in the West End playing Cosette in Les Misérables. Before this she played Johanna in the West End transfer of the Tooting Pie Shop Sweeney Todd. Maxwell Caulfield's theatre credits include Nathan Detroit in UK tour of  Guys and Dolls, Singin' in the Rain (Chichester), My Fair Lady, A Little Night Musica, Billy Flynn in Chicago (West End/Broadway) and An Inspector Calls (Broadway).  He is known for US television series The Colby's, Dynasty and the film Grease 2 opposite Michelle Pfeiffer. The production is directed by Thom Southerland (Titanic, Ragtime), with choreography by Sam Spencer-Lane and musical direction by Dean Austin. Death Takes A Holiday is based on the 1928 Italian play of the same name, which also inspired the movie Meet Joe Black, starring Brad Pitt. Set in Northern Italy, just after World War One, Death disguises himself as a handsome young prince to try to understand why life is so precious and death so feared. It premiered Off-Broadway in 2011. The cast also includes Kathryn Akin, Anthony Cable, Trudi Camilleri, Ken Christiansen, Scarlett Courtney, Sophie-May Feek, James Gant, Matthew McDonald, Gay Soper, Ashley Stillburn, Samuel Thomas and Helen Turner. Death Takes a Holiday runs from 16 January 2017 until 4 March 2017 at the Charing Cross Theatre. BOOKING Book tickets to Death Takes a Holiday