Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical is based on a cult Hollywood movie, it’s packed with 90s pop classics from Britney Spears, Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, Natalie Imbruglia, *NSYNC, R.E.M and many more, and it’s having its UK premiere at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe. What else could we ask for?
Marking the 20th anniversary of the cult Hollywood film starring Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair (and also based on the French novel, Les Liasions Dangereuses), Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical is the story of two of Manhattan’s most dangerous liaisons, Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Fuelled by passion and seduced by revenge, the step-siblings bet on destroying an innocent girl. Weaving a web of secrets and temptation, they become entangled in the cruellest game of all: love.
The UK production will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle (Hair, Rain Man, Pippin, Aspects of Love) and choreograped by Gary Lloyd (Heathers, Thriller LIve, Carrie the Musical).
Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical is laced with all your favourite ‘90s pop classics, performed live, including Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn’, ‘I Saw the Sign’ by Ace of Base, Boyz II Men’s ‘I’ll Make Love to You’, *NSYNC’s ‘Bye Bye Bye’, Britney Spears’ ’Sometimes’, R.E.M’s ‘Losing My Religion’, ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ by The Verve and more.
Original film director Roger Kumble said:
“Never in my darkest fantasies would I believe 20 years later, my movie about a pair of hedonistic Manhattan step-siblings would turn into a musical. An amazing musical that even people who hate musicals would love, complete with a soundtrack loaded with the greatest 90s guilty pleasure songs.”
Building on the film’s cult following and success following ts release in 1999, Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin and Roger Kumble created a stage musical version which has enjoyed two sold out runs in Los Angeles. The show made its Off-Broadway debut at Greenwich Village nightclub Le Poisson Rouge where it extended three times and played over six months in New York. The musical is currently on a North American tour.
This 2019 UK premiere is being produced in the Palais du Variété Spiegeltent at Assembly George Square Gardens by Bill Kenwright, who recently produced Heathers The Musical to great success in the West End.