Business Booming in the West End
‘Oliver!’ continues to do fantastic business for producer Cameron Mackintosh. It has extended its run at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane by a full year and is now booking until the 26th of February 2011.
The production had the West End’s largest ever advance sale of theatre tickets with £15 million taken before it opened. It started previewing on the 12th of December 2008 and officially opened on the 14th of January this year.
It currently stars the winner of ‘I’d Do Anything’, the televised search for someone to play the role of Nancy. Jodie Prenger is joined by Rowan Atkinson who plays Fagin. Omid Djalili will take over from Atkinson on the 20th of July.
The cast also features Burn Gorman as Bill Sykes, Julian Glover as Mr Brownlow, Julius D’Silva as Mr Bumble and Louise Gold playing Mrs Sowerberry and Mrs Bedwin.
Meanwhile, at the Ambassadors Theatre, Stomp has extended its run by a further six months and is now booking until the 4th of April 2010. The show had its West End premiere in September 2002 when it opened at the Vaudeville Theatre. It ran there for five years before transferring to its current home. Earlier this year a revamped version with “surround sound”, music and routines was introduced.