Kelsey Grammer, the Emmy-winning actor most recently on Broadway in the new musical Finding Neverland, will make his London stage debut in a revised version of the Broadway musical Big Fish.
Directed by Nigel Harman, the production will begin performances November 1 and continue through December 31. The cast will feature Grammer as Edward Bloom, with Matt Seadon-Young (Will Bloom), Frances McNamee (Josephine Bloom), Forbes Masson (Amos/Don), Jamie Muscato (Edward), Laura Baldwin (Sandra), Landi Oshinowo (Witch/Jenny Hill), Dean Nolan (Karl), George Ure (Zaki), Sophie Linder-Lee, Gemma McMeel, and Jonathan Stewart.
Based on the John August novel and the Columbia Pictures screenplay—also by August—the musical has a new book by August and a score by Andrew Lippa.
Harman worked with both librettist August and composer Lippa to make the London production more “intimate and humble.” “Our approach has been humanity, not special effects,” Harman told the Daily Mail.
The musical concerns Edward Bloom, an ordinary man and an extraordinary father. “He has always told his son tall tales filled with beauty, love and imagination but when his son confronts him about what is truth and what is fiction, they go on a life-affirming journey that will change them forever,” according to press notes.
The creative team also includes musical supervisor, arranger, and additional orchestrator Alan Williams, set and costume designer Tom Rogers, choreographer Liam Steel, lighting designer Bruno Poet, sound designers Luke Swaffield and Avgustos Psillas for Autograph, video designer Duncan McClean, musical director Alan Berry, associate director Ed Stamboulian, and production manager Richard Bullimore.
Big Fish played a relatively short run on Broadway in 2013. The musical, which arrived in New York following an out-of-town try-out in Chicago, was met with a mixed critical response. Susan Stroman directed a cast that included two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz, who told the "big fish stories" as Edward Bloom, opposite two-time Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (Hello, Dolly!) as Sandra Bloom and Tony Award nominee Bobby Steggert as Will Bloom.
Click here for more information about the London run.
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