RETURN TO THE LONDON PALLADIUM IN QDOS ENTERTAINMENT’S
DICK WHITTINGTON
FOR STRICTLY LIMITED 5 WEEK FESTIVE SEASON RUN
Initial casting is announced for Qdos Entertainment’s London Palladium production of Dick Whittington. Following the success of Cinderella last year, the production will see the return of Julian Clary who will play Spirit of the Bells, Paul Zerdin as Idle Jack and Nigel Havers as Captain Nigel. Further casting and creative team will be announced shortly.
Dick Whittington will run at the London Palladium for five weeks only over the festive season from Saturday 9 December 2017 to Sunday 14 January 2018.
Dick Whittington is produced by Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for Qdos Entertainment, the team behind last year’s twice Olivier-nominated London Palladium production of Cinderella, which broke box office records for the highest grossing week in West End theatre history. Dick Whittington will be directed by Michael Harrison.
Julian Clary returns to the London Palladium following his triumphant success last Christmas as Dandini in Cinderella. Having begun his career as a camp comic thirty years ago, and despite the fervent wishes of the general public, he shows no signs of slowing down. His TV debut came in 1989 with ITV quiz show Trick or Treat and Channel 4’s Sticky Moments. Julian Clary is a best-selling author, a regular panelist on Radio 4’s Just a Minute and last year toured his one man show The Joy of Mincing.
Ventriloquist Paul Zerdin took the US by storm when he won America’s Got Talent, which was swiftly followed by his own residency at the legendary Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Also a household name in the UK, Zerdin has appeared on The Royal Variety Performance no less than three times, was seen on Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show (BBC1) and last year appeared as Buttons in the London Palladium’s Cinderella.
Nigel Havers is one of the country’s best known actors thanks to his roles in Chariots of Fire, Passage to India, Empire of The Sun, Don’t Wait Up and Man Child. More recently his credits include Coronation Street, Downton Abbey, the hit BBC4 series The Life of Rock, Stop/Start for BBC Comedy Playhouse and Benidorm. His numerous West End appearances include playing Serge in both the touring and London productions of Art. Subsequently he has appeared in hugely successful touring productions of Rebecca, Alan Bennett’s Single Spies and Nick Fisher’s comedy Basket Case, as well as several sell out seasons in pantomime. More recently Havers reprised the role of Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest both at the Harold Pinter Theatre and on UK Tour, and last year played the Lord Chamberlain in the London Palladium pantomime Cinderella.
Nick Thomas is the founder and Chairman of Qdos Entertainment Group. The business that he started in 1982 is now one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Aside from the company’s credentials in pantomime, it is the UK’s second largest regional theatre and concert hall operator, and employs 1,800 full time staff.
Michael Harrison has previously produced over 100 pantomimes for Qdos Entertainment where he is also Managing Director. He has directed 12 consecutive pantomimes at Newcastle Theatre Royal and 7 productions at Birmingham Hippodrome and as a producer in the West End his credits include Gypsy, The Bodyguard and forthcoming productions of Annie and Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein.
Info
9 December 2017 – 14 January 2018
London Palladium, Argyll St, London W1F 7TF
Tickets from £22.50 | All ticket prices include a £1.25 Theatre Restoration Levy
Following a highly-acclaimed pre-West End engagement, the major new musical THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS will open in the West End at the world-famous London Palladium. Previewing from 17 June 2017, the production will open on 29 June 2017.
Leading actor, comedian and presenter Rufus Hound stars as the amazing Mr Toad with EastEnders and Shrek star Neil McDermott as Chief Weasel. The confirmed company will also include Jenna Boyd, Abigail Brodie, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Nicole Deon, James Gant, Evan James, Michael Larcombe, Bethany Linsdell, Ryan Pidgen, Adam Vaughan and Georgie Westall, with further casting to be announced shortly.
On Thursday 26 January, Jamie Hendry and Julian Fellowes introduced members of the cast and creative team at an exclusive launch event held on stage at the London Palladium where Rufus Hound and the company performed a selection of songs from the musical.
Rufus Hound is one of the UK’s leading actors, presenters and comedians, most recently seen on stage in Don Quixote (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre) and as Freddy in the original West End production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre). His other theatre credits include Neville’s Island (Chichester Festival Theatre) and One Man Two Guv’nors (Theatre Royal Haymarket). Television credits include Doctor Who (BBC), Cucumber (Channel 4), Drunk History (Comedy Central), A Touch of Cloth (SKY) and Hounded (BBC). He is also a regular guest on comedy panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC), Would I Lie To You? (BBC), and 8 Out Of 10 Cats (Channel 4).
Neil McDermott is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in EastEnders (BBC). His stage credits include Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Jean-Michel in La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Rolf Gruber in The Sound of Music (London Palladium). Further television credits include The Royal (ITV), Casualty (BBC) and Doctor Who: The Next Doctor (BBC).
Based on Kenneth Grahame’s treasured novel which has captivated generations of readers for over a century, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS has been adapted for the stage with a book by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and Olivier Award-winning composer and lyricist duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
This riotous comedy follows the impulsive Mr Toad whose insatiable need for speed lands him in serious trouble. With his beloved home under threat from the notorious Chief Weasel and his gang of sinister Wild Wooders, Toad must attempt a daring escape leading to a series of misadventures and a heroic battle to recapture Toad Hall.
Featuring eye-poppingly beautiful design, exuberant choreography and a gloriously British score, The Wind in the Willows brings an explosion of anarchy, humour and heart to the world-famous London Palladium.
Tickets will be available from £15, with reduced price preview performances. No additional booking fees or charges are applied to tickets booked via www.WillowsMusical.com.
Produced by Jamie Hendry, MJE Productions and Josh Gilinski, in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with choreography by Aletta Collins, design by Peter McKintosh, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Gareth Owen, wig & makeup design by Linda McKnight, orchestrations by Chris Jahnke and David Shrubsole and musical supervision by Simon Lee.
