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AWARD-WINNING ACTOR ALEX
JENNINGS TO MAKE HIS WEST END MUSICAL DEBUT
STARRING AS ‘PROFESSOR HENRY HIGGINS’
ON MONDAY 22 APRIL 2002 Award-winning actor Alex Jennings will take over the starring role of ‘Professor Henry Higgins’ in Cameron Mackintosh’s smash-hit production of “MY FAIR LADY” at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Monday 22 April 2002. Alex Jennings, who will be making his West End musical debut in “MY FAIR LADY”, has just won the Evening Standard Award for ‘Best Actor’ for his performances in “The Relapse” and “The Winter’s Tale” at the Royal National Theatre this year. He also played the title role in “Albert Speer” at the Royal National Theatre and in “Hamlet” at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Other Royal Shakespeare Company starring roles include ‘Benedick’ in “Much Ado About Nothing”, the title role in “Peer Gynt” and ‘Theseus/Oberon’ in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. He has starred in “Bad Blood” and “Too Much Sun” on television, and stars in the film “Four Feathers” which will be released in 2002. ‘Professor Henry Higgins’ will be his first musical role. Cameron Mackintosh’s production of “MY FAIR LADY”, produced in association with the Royal National Theatre, has recouped its entire capitalization in a record-breaking 18 weeks, since opening in the West End. This production of “MY FAIR LADY” originally opened in the Lyttelton Theatre in March this year, where it ran for three months, before transferring to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in July, where it has played to capacity business ever since. Cameron Mackintosh co-produced and co-financed the production at the Royal National Theatre, as well as providing the transfer funds to bring the show to the West End, enabling the entire production costs to be brought in for just over £2,000,000. The National Theatre retained all of the Box Office receipts from its own run at the Lyttelton, and, now that the show has recouped, in addition to its share of the customary West End Producers Royalty, it will receive 25% of the profits from Drury Lane. “MY FAIR LADY” opened to a record-breaking advance of more than £10,000,000 at Drury Lane and, notwithstanding the dramatic downturn in tourism since September with its consequential effect on the West End, has sold out every week. “MY FAIR LADY” broke the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Box Office record for the week ending 1 December, when it took £409,000, and the show continues to play to over £400,000 every week. A new booking period has just opened, with tickets now on sale until 31 August 2002. The musical, with an advance of £6,000,000, has the largest advance bookings in London. “MY FAIR LADY” currently stars Jonathan Pryce as ‘Professor Henry Higgins’ (who leaves on 20 April at the end of his contract), Joanna Riding as ‘Eliza Doolittle’, and Dennis Waterman as ‘Alfred P Doolittle’. The show continues to also star Nicholas Le Prevost as ‘Colonel Hugh Pickering’ and Caroline Blakiston as ‘Mrs Higgins’, and to feature Mark Umbers as ‘Freddy Eynsford-Hill’ and Patsy Rowlands as ‘Mrs Pearce’. Alexandra Jay plays the role of ‘Eliza’ on Monday evenings and Wednesday matinees. “MY FAIR LADY” has book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe and is adapted from Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion” and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture. “MY FAIR LADY” is directed by Trevor Nunn and has choreography and musical staging by Matthew Bourne, with sets and costumes designed by Anthony Ward and lighting by David Hersey. The musical supervisor is David White and the orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with the dance-music arranged by Chris Walker. Nick Davies is musical director and the sound is by Paul Groothuis. “MY FAIR LADY” is produced by Cameron Mackintosh, in association with the Royal National Theatre. |
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