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THE LIFE

thomas-lee-kidd-bobby-sharon-d-clarke-so

About The Show

 

A thrilling exposé of the darker side of 1980’s New York, The Life is a defiant and heartfelt musical about Times Square before it was cleaned up.  A world of pimps and prostitutes, innocents and opportunists, it’s a gutsy and gritty joyride filled with both pathos and fun.

Queen, a young girl from Savannah, and Fleetwood, a Vietnam vet with a drug habit, are trying to make it in a merciless New York. Queen is forced into part-time prostitution and ‘The Life’ describes how these two lovers move through this dark world until Queen is helped by her one true friend, an older more experienced hooker, Sonja to make her escape. 

On this journey, we meet Memphis, the all-powerful king pimp, the girls he controls, Jojo the hustler, who makes it all happen, and the fresh-faced Mary, straight off the bus from small town Minnesota, only too eager to embrace ‘The Life’.  

 

The original critically acclaimed Broadway production of The Life, opened on 26 April 1997 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. It received 12 Tony Award nominations, winning Best Featured Actress and Actor in a Musical for cast members Lillias White and Chuck Cooper. The Life was also nominated for 9 Drama Desk Awards, winning three, including Best Musical.

Twenty years after it opened on Broadway, the Tony-award winning hit musical THE LIFE by Cy Coleman (City of Angels, Sweet Charity, Barnum), Ira Gasman and David Newman, enjoyed a triumphant London premiere at Southwark Playhouse in a new production directed by two-time Tony Award winner Michael Blakemore

 

The show received stupendous reviews and an impressive 5 off West End Theatre Award nominations, of which it won four: Best Musical Production, Best Female Performance in a Musical – T’Shan Williams, Best Supporting Female Performance in a Musical - Sharon D. Clarke and Best Supporting Male Performance in a Musical Cornell S. John.

 

THE INDEPENDENT 

EVENING STANDARD

MAIL ON SUNDAY

THE SUNDAY TIMES

THE STAGE

BROADWAY WORLD

MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW

LONDON THEATRE 1

JONATHAN BAZ

THE REVIEWS HUB

BRITISH THEATRE.COM

Cast includes:

 John Addison       David Albury       Jalisa Andrews

Matthew Caputo     Lawrence        Sharon D. Clarke

                           Carmichael 

       

Omari Douglas     Aisha Jawando    Cornell S. John

     Thomas        Charlotte Reavey        Jo Servi

    Lee-Kidd

 Lucinda Shaw  Johnathan Tweedie  T'Shan Williams

 

 

Joanna Woodward

JOHN ADDISON pic.jpg
DAVID ALBURY pic.jpg
JALISA ANDREWS pic.jpg
MATTHEW CAPUTO pic.jpg
LAWRENCE CARMICHAEL pic.jpg
SHARON D CLARKE pic.jpg
OMARI DOUGLAS pic.jpeg
AISHA JAWANDO pic.jpg
CORNELL S JOHN pic.jpg
THOMAS-LEE KIDD pic.jpg
CHARLOTTE REAVEY pic.jpg
JO SERVI pic.jpg
LUCINDA SHAW pic.jpg
JOHNATHAN TWEEDIE pic.jpeg
T'SHAN WILLIAMS pic.jpg
JOANNA WOODWARD pic.jpeg

‘Theatrical gold’ 

The Observer

'A gut-churning story of drugs and defiance'

                         Evening Standard

'A superbly sung, rousing, raucous revival’ 

Time Out

Creative Team

 

 

Lyrics

Ira Gasman

 

 

Book

David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman
 

Music
Cy Coleman

Director

Michael Blakemore

Musical Director

Tamara Saringer

Video Designer

Nina Dunn

General Management

David Adkin Limited

Sound Designer

Sebastian Frost

Set & Costume Designer

Justin Nardella

Associate Director

Jenny Eastop

Producer

Amy Anzel & Matt Chisling

Casting

Anne Vosser

Lighting Designer

David Howe

Choreographer

Tom Jackson Greaves

Producer

Catherine Schreiber 
 

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