Two new smash-hit shows have been added to the line-up at Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s major new touring production of Sunset Boulevard will come to the city theatre from November 6 – 11.
And as part of its first ever UK tour the Olivier award-winning West End show Beautiful will come to Aberdeen from January 23 – 27, 2018. The announcement comes just in time for those looking for a thoughtful and romantic Valentine’s Day gift for that special someone.
APA Chief Executive Jane Spiers said: “We are delighted to announce these spectacular musicals and I’m sure they will be a highlight for musical theatre fans in the North-east. Both feature stunning scores and there’s a real sense of romance to the stories.”
SUNSET BOULEVARD
One of the all-time great musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning masterpiece Sunset Boulevard is a compelling story of romance and obsession.
Ria Jones will play Norma Desmond during the UK tour, following her success as understudy to Glenn Close at the London Coliseum. Ria has recently starred as Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Her West End credits include Fantine in Les Misérables, Grizabella in Cats and Florence in Chess. Her touring credits include Alex in The Witches of Eastwick, Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques – The Musical, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes and The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
The production is directed by Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director at Curve, one of the UK’s leading regional theatres.
Ms Spiers added: “To have Ria Jones as our Norma Desmond is just fantastic and we look forward to welcoming her to the city. Ria received rave reviews and standing ovations for her performance in London and she will bring a real star quality to this production when it arrives in Aberdeen later this year.”
In her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded, silent-screen goddess Norma Desmond lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screen writer Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive world.
Persuaded to work on Norma’s ‘masterpiece’, a film script that she believes will put her back in front of the cameras, he is seduced by her and her luxurious life-style. Joe becomes entrapped in a claustrophobic world until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free with dramatic consequences.
Based on Billy Wilder’s legendary film, with Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s wonderful book and lyrics, the much-loved score includes the title number Sunset Boulevard, With One Look, As If We Never Said Goodbye, The Greatest Star of All and The Perfect Year – all of which will be performed by a full orchestra during the touring production.
BEAUTIFUL
Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of chart-topping music legend Carole King, who started out as an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent.
The story follows King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history.
Along the way, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation, with countless classics such as You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman, Take Good Care of my Baby, You’ve Got a Friend, So Far Away, It Might As Well Rain Until September, Up on the Roof, and Locomotion. Star casting for the tour is to be announced.
Tickets for both shows are on sale to APA Friends from today (Wednesday) and to general bookers this Friday from www.aberdeenperformingarts.com, by phone on 01224 641122 or from the Box Offices at His Majesty’s Theatre and The Lemon Tree. Tickets for Sunset Boulevard are priced from £56 (Premium seats) – £19 inc.bf and tickets for Beautiful are priced from £52.50 (Premium seats) – £22.50 inc.bf.