Tim Firth's Take That-inspired musical THE BAND, co-produced by Take That, has added six more months to its UK and Ireland touring schedule, now booking through to March 2019. When, oh when, is it going to announce a London transfer? Squeeeeeeeaaaalllll....
Producers – David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and Take That’s Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams – have announced that, due to overwhelming public demand, Tim Firth’s new musical, THE BAND, with the music of Take That, will now play extra dates on its UK & Ireland tour.
THE BAND had its world premiere at Manchester Opera House on 8 September 2017 to critical and public acclaim and has now extended its touring by another six months to March 2019.
The newly announced 2018/19 dates are Cliffs Pavilion, Southend (19 – 29 September 2018), His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (3 – 13 October 2018), Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (16 – 20 October 2018), New Wimbledon Theatre (23 – 27 October 2018), New Theatre, Oxford (30 October – 3 November 2018), Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin (6 – 10 November), Grand Opera House, Belfast (13 – 24 November 2018), The Lowry, Salford (16 – 26 January 2019), Swansea Grand (29 January – 2 February 2019), Orchard Theatre, Dartford (5 – 9 February 2019), Regent Theatre, Ipswich (12 – 16 February 2019), New Victoria, Woking (19 – 23 February 2019), Wolverhampton Grand (26 February – 2 March), Milton Keynes Theatre (5 – 9 March 2019) and Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (12 – 16 March 2019) having previously played there last year to over 40,000 people.
The musical stars Rachel Lumberg as Rachel, Alison Fitzjohn as Claire, Emily Joyce as Heather, Jayne McKenna as Zoe, AJ Bentley, Nick Carsberg, Curtis T Johns, Yazdan Qafouri and Sario Solomon, collectively known as Five To Five, winners of BBC’s Let It Shine, as The Band, Faye Christall as Young Rachel, Katy Clayton as Young Heather, Rachelle Diedericks as Debbie, Sarah Kate Howarth as Young Claire, Lauren Jacobs as Young Zoe, Martin Miller as Jeff and Andy Williams as Dave.
THE BAND is a new musical about what it’s like to grow up with a boyband. For five 16-year-old friends in 1992, ‘the band’ is everything. 25 years on, we are reunited with the group of friends, now 40-something women, as they try once more to fulfil their dream of meeting their heroes.
THE BAND is directed by Kim Gavin and Jack Ryder, designed by Jon Bausor and choreographed by Kim Gavin, with lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, video design by Luke Halls and sound design by Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster. THE BAND is produced by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams.
