The European Premiere
Press Information
1980-2010 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FINBOROUGH THEATRE
Anniversary Autumn 2010
Snapdragon and Benn Cody in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre presents
THE EUROPEAN PREMIERE
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
ME AND JULIET
Music by Richard Rodgers. Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LIMITED on behalf of R & H THEATRICALS OF NEW YORK.
Directed by Thom Southerland. Musical Direction by Joseph Atkins. Choreography by Sally Brooks. Designed by Alex Marker. Lighting by Howard Hudson. Costume Design by Frances Roughton. Presented by Snapdragon and Benn Cody in association with Neil McPherson at the Finborough Theatre.
Cast includes: Adam Anderson. John Addison. Gemma Atkins. Terry Doe. Daniella Gibb. Robert Hands. Reeda Harris. Dafydd Gwyn Howells. Jodie Jacobs. Peter Kenworthy. Laura Main. Brendan Matthews. Stephen McGlynn. Tom O’ Brien. Olivia O’Shea. Anthony Wise.
Following the huge success of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair at both the Finborough Theatre and in the West End, Me and Juliet is the second UK premiere of a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to be directed by acclaimed young music theatre director Thom Southerland, running for a limited four week season from Tuesday, 5 October 2010 (Press Night: Thursday, 7 October 2010 at 7.30pm) at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre.
A love story, a comedy, a show within a show, and a tongue in cheek satire of ‘showbusiness’, Me and Juliet is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s valentine to the Theatre. When singer Jeanie and stage manager Larry are secretly married, they arouse the suspicion and jealousy of lighting technician and ex-boyfriend Bob. It’s chaos on stage, and unbridled passion back stage, but the show must go on…
Remembered by Broadway aficionados for its infectiously catchy score including the timeless classic No Other Love, as well as for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s groundbreaking innovations in reinventing musical theatre, Me and Juliet ran for a year on Broadway in 1953, and this production will be its long overdue European premiere, and also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Oscar Hammerstein II.
Director Thom Southerland is one of the leading young directors of music theatre in Britain. Prior to the Finborough production and West End transfer of State Fair, he directed revivals of Calamity Jane and Call Me Madam (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), The Full Monty (New Players Theatre), Dick Whittington (Cochrane Theatre) and Hobson’s Choice and Singin’ in the Rain (Broadway Studio). Other productions include – as Resident Director of the Union Theatre – the European premiere of I Sing!, Divorce Me Darling!, Annie Get Your Gun (Time Out Critics’ Choice), The Pajama Game (Time Out and Evening Standard Critics’ Choice) and all-male productions of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore and The Mikado; and – as Resident Director at the Catford Broadway Theatre, Bent by Martin Sherman, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, The UK Premiere of The Diary of Anne Frank, Rent and Mack and Mabel. He has also assisted John Doyle on Man of La Mancha (BAC), Sweeney Todd and Mack and Mabel (National Tour and West End).
Composer Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) was one of America’s most prolific composers. Best known for his partnerships with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II, he composed forty Broadway scores. He was one of only two people to win an Oscar, Grammy, an Emmy a Tony Award and the coveted Pulitzer Prize award. His collaboration with Hart produced shows such as Dearest Enemy, A Connecticut Yankee, On Your Toes, Babes in Arms, Pal Joey and By Jupiter. Their songs included hits like My Funny Valentine, The Lady is a Tramp, Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered and Blue Moon. Rodgers began his collaboration with Hammerstein in 1943, the same year as Hart’s death, and composed the hit show Oklahoma! together, beginning arguably the most successful writing partnership in musical theatre history.
Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for his writing, and was also a celebrated producer and director of musicals for almost forty years. His credits include Always You with music by Otto Harbach; the masterpiece of American musical theatre Show Boat with Jerome Kern; and Book and Lyrics for Carmen Jones, an adaptation of Bizet's Carmen for an all-black cast.
Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote such classic Broadway musicals as Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, State Fair, Allegro, Me and Juliet, Pipe Dream, Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music as well as the musical film State Fair and the television musical Cinderella.
Adam Anderson’s credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour), The Musicians (Newcastle Theatre Royal) and The Demon Headmaster – The Musical (Billingham Forum); John Addison’s many credits include The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (UK Tour),Vice (Arcola Theatre), The Secret Garden (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and A Little Night Music (Menier Chocolate Factory and Garrick Theatre); Gemma Atkins’ credits include Evita (UK Tour), Starlight Express (UK Tour), Fame (UK Tour). Television credits include The Biz (BBC), Blue Peter (BBC) and The Slammer (CBBC). Recordings as a solo artist include Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Making Records); Terry Doe’s credits whilst training include Summerfolk, Curtains, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tipping the Velvet, King Lear, Women of Troy and Agamemnon (Guildhall School of Music and Drama); Daniella Gibb’s credits include Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre), Stephen Fry’s Cinderella (The Old Vic), Mamma Mia! (International Tour), Chess (Oslo Spektrum) and Company (King’s Head Theatre). Television credits include I Dreamed a Dream – The Susan Boyle Story (BBC) and The Queen’s Castle (BBC); Robert Hands’ many credits include Spamalot (Palace Theatre), Chicago (Adelphi Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Comedy Theatre) and Balmoral (The Peter Hall Company). Television credits include Doctor Who (BBC) and Heartbeat (Yorkshire Television). Film credits include Hippy Hippy Shake (Working Title Films), Anna and the King (20th Century Fox), and Shine (Momentum Films); Reeda Harris’ credits include Moonfleece (Supporting Wall), Christmas Cracker (South Bank Centre) and A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine (Shakespeare’s Globe); Dafydd Gwyn Howells’ credits include Bent (Broadway Theatre), Proof (Arts Theatre), Ben Hur (Battersea Arts Centre), A Doll’s House (New Wimbledon Theatre); Jodie Jacobs’ credits include State Fair (Trafalgar Studios), Cats (Arena Tour), Rent (Garrick Theatre), Footloose (UK Tour), Little Shop of Horrors (Duke of York’s Theatre), Evita (Adelphi Theatre) and We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre); Laura Main’s credits include State Fair (Finborough Theatre and Trafalgar Studios), Super Alice Smith (Trafalgar Studios) and On the Island of Aars (Pleasance Theatre). Television credits include Holby City (BBC), Murder City (Granada) and Monarch of the Glen (BBC); Brendan Matthews’ credits include High Society (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Hansel and Gretel (UK Tour) and Elton John’s Concert (Royal Albert Hall). Television credits include The Bill (Talkback Thames). Film credits include Sleepy Hollow (Paramount Pictures); Peter Kenworthy’s credits include High Society (Upstairs at the Gatehouse),The Anniversary (Creative Cow) and Around the World (Sadler’s Wells); Stephen McGlynn, whose many credits include State Fair (Trafalgar Studios), Hairspray (Shaftsbury Theatre), Beauty and the Beast (Disney / UK Productions), Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales Theatre), Evita (UK Tour) and Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre); Tom O’ Brien’s credits include Robin Hood (Norwich Theatre Royal); Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (UK tour); Mamma Mia! (International tour), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Landor Theatre) and Annie (UK tour). Television credits include ABBA - the Mamma Mia! Story (ITV) and Peak Practice (ITV). Film credits includes The Young Victoria (GK Films / Momentum Pictures); Olivia O’Shea’s credits whilst training include West Side Story, Into The Woods, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Witches of Eastwick (Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts); and Anthony Wise whose credits include State Fair (Finborough Theatre and Riverside Studios), The Prince Among Men and Dealer’s Choice (Union Theatre) and Carmen (Welsh National Opera). Television credits include Windscale (BBC), Boon (Central Television) and All Creatures Great and Small (BBC). Film credits include Withnail and I (Handmade Films) and Breaking the Code (BBC Films).
The Press on Thom Southerland’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair at the Finborough Theatre and Trafalgar Studios
Time Out and Sunday Times Critics’ Choice
**** Four Stars The Guardian for both the Finborough and Trafalgar Studios productions
“This is nothing short of a miniature musical miracle.” Mark Shenton, The Stage
“The Finborough is a wonderfully resourceful fringe theatre and somehow creates the feel of what a rather tautological lyric calls “the best state fair in our state”. Benedict Nightingale, The Times
“The triumph of Thom Southerland’s production is to telescope this panoramic portrait of a rural family leaving the farm behind for a few days to visit the Iowa State Fair into the smallest, tightest...theatrical space imaginable, yet filling it with teaming life and bursting with irrepressible choreography and lovely, lilting songs, that are...beautifully rendered.” Mark Shenton, The Stage
“Thom Southerland's bouncy and ebullient production.” Michael Billington, The Guardian
“On the minuscule Finborough stage, with an eye wateringly large cast, the musical’s charms are proudly displayed like the back teeth of a prize hog.” Lucy Powell, Time Out
“As often happens in musicals, pleasure increases in inverse proportion to the size of the space.” Michael Billington, The Guardian
“Choreographer Sally Brooks works wonders.” Mark Shenton, The Stage
“Sally Brooks achieves choreographic miracles on a tiny stage.” Michael Billington, The Guardian
The Press on Thom Southerland
One to Watch… Thom Southerland Whatsonstage.com
“Thom Southerland, the new doyen of musical theatre directors.” Classical Source.com on Mack and Mabel
“The best reviver of musicals around.” Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard on The Pajama Game
“This is great fun delivered quite, quite brilliantly.” Andrew Haydon, Time Out on The Mikado
“The envy of most West End shows...Thom Southerand is doing a whole lot right” Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard on The Mikado
“Thom Southerland is directing and nobody directs musicals like Thom Southerland.” Southwark News
“If money and space are always going to be a tight squeeze, there are no limits to the use of Southerland's imagination... (he is) the very top of the musical theatre tree for resourcefulness over resources and inventiveness over spatial limitations.” Mark Shenton, The Stage on Annie Get Your Gun
PRESS NIGHT: THURSDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2010 AT 7.30PM
PHOTOCALL: TUESDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2010 AT 1.00PM-1.30PM
Finborough Theatre, The Finborough, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED
Box Office 0844 847 1652 Book online at
Tuesday, 5 October – Saturday, 30 October 2010
Tuesday to Saturday evenings at 7.30pm. Sunday matinees at 3.00pm. Saturday matinees at 3.00pm (from the second week of the run).
Prices for Weeks 1 and 2 (5 – 16 October) – Tickets £15, £11 concessions, except Tuesday Evenings £11 all seats, and Saturday evenings £15 all seats. Previews (5 and 6 October) £9 all seats.
£5 tickets for under 30’s for performances from Tuesday to Sunday of the first week when booked online only.
£10 tickets for residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the first Saturday of the run only.
Prices for Weeks 3 and 4 (18 – 30 October) – Tickets £18, £15 concessions, except Tuesday Evenings £15 all seats, and Saturday evenings £18 all seats.
Performance Length: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.
For more information, interviews and images, please contact
Neil McPherson on e-mail or 07977 173135
Press releases and images are available to download from
118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED Telephone +44 (0)20 7244 7439 Fax +44 (0)20 7835 1853
e-mail Artistic Director Neil McPherson
The Finborough Theatre is managed by The Steam Industry. Registered in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee, no. 3448268.
Registered Charity no. 1071304. Registered address: 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED. A member of the Independent Theatre Council.