David Essex Musical, All the Fun of the Fair, Set for West End

By Mark Shenton
09 Dec 2009

All the Fun of the Fair, a new musical based around the hits of '70s and '80s pop star David Essex and which he also leads the cast of himself, is heading to the West End's Garrick Theatre, where it will begin performances April 17, 2010, prior to an official opening April 28. It is booking initially through Sept. 5.

Originally launched in a U.K tour that opened at Bromley's Churchill Theatre in September 2008, for a run through 2009, the show features a book by Jon Conway, who created the touring musical Boogie Nights. Essex starred in the sequel, Boogie Nights 2, in 2005. It is set around a travelling funfair (county fair), providing the focal point for what press materials describe as "a musical merry-go-round of love, loss, laughter and loyalty, all played out against a stunning score courtesy of the hits of David Essex which powerfully underpin the events as they unfold."

Essex plays funfair owner Levi Lee, who is coming to terms with the death of his wife and the attentions of another woman, Rosa whilst struggling to deal with the tangled love life and ambitions of his rebellious teenage son Jack.

Inspired by David Essex's debut album "All The Fun of the Fair," the show incorporates such songs as "Hold Me Close" and "Gonna Make You a Star" (both of which reached Number One in the charts), "Winter's Tale," "Me and My Girl Nightclubbing," "Silver Dream Machine" and "Rock On," among some 23 Top 30 hits he has to his name. The show is directed by Nikolai Foster, who previously directed Essex in the role of Uncle George in a new touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love in 2007.

Essex was last seen on the London stage in Footloose – the Musical at the Novello Theatre in 2006, when he played the role of Reverend Shaw Moore. He played the role of Jesus in the original London production of Godspell in 1971, when he was aged 23, and later went on to originate the role of Che in the first production of Evita at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1978. He also regularly undertakes solo concert tours.

Music and orchestrations are by David Essex's long time musical director Ian Wherry, with designs by Colin Richmond and sound and effects designed by Steve Jonas. Further casting is to be announced.

To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 579 1974, or visit www.nimaxtheatres.com. For more details on the show, visit www.allthefunofthefairmusical.com