Cast of SUNNY AFTERNOON Records Album; First Tracks Released

Sunny Afternoon, the critically acclaimed new musical, which tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks, has released seven preview tracks from the official cast recording album, released later this month.

All 29 tracks on the album are performed entirely by members of the company, with John Dagleish as Ray Davies, George Maguire as Dave Davies, Ned Derrington as Pete Quaife and Adam Sopp as Mick Avory.

The album was produced by Ray Davies at Konk Studios in London. All songs are written by Ray Davies, with arrangements based on Kinks originals. It will be released on 27 October 2014 and is available to pre-order at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunny-Afternoon-The-Kinks/dp/B00NH8O7LU.

The tracks released today are:

1. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (Vocals: John Dagleish, George Maguire and Company, Electric Guitar: Pete Friesen, 12 String Acoustic Guitar: John Dagleish, Bass: Philip Bird, Drums: Ben Caplan, Keyboards: Elliott Ware)
2. Sunny Afternoon (Vocals: John Dagleish and Company, Electric Guitar: George Maguire, Pete Friesen, Acoustic Guitar: John Dagleish, Bass: Ned Derrington, Drums and Percussion: Adam Sopp, Piano: Elliott Ware, Melodica: Philip Bird)
3. Dead End Street (Vocals: Philip Bird, Elizabeth Hill and Company, Electric Guitar: Pete Friesen, Banjo: Lillie Flynn, Bass: Ned Derrington, Drums: Adam Sopp, Washboard: John Dagleish, Piano: Elliott Ware, Trombones: Dominic Tighe, Tam Williams)
4. Too Much On My Mind/Tired of Waiting for You (Vocals: John Dagleish, Lillie Flynn and Company. Acoustic Guitar: Pete Friesen, Bass: Philip Bird, Keyboards: Elliott Ware)

Further tracks to be released include:

1. Days (Vocals: Dominic Tighe, Tam Williams, George Maguire, John Dagleish, Adam Sopp)
2. I Go To Sleep (Vocals: Lillie Flynn, Electric Guitar: Pete Friesen, Bass: Philip Bird, Piano: Elliott Ware)
3. Where Have All The Good Times Gone/All Day And All Of The Night (Vocals: John Dagleish with George Maguire, Ned Derrington, Adam Sopp, Electric Guitar: George Maguire, Pete Friesen, Acoustic Guitar: John Dagleish, Bass: Ned Derrington, Drums: Adam Sopp, Keyboards: Elliott Ware)

"We used the cast members to play as a band rather than hire session musicians, which is very unusual. Everyone rose to the challenge magnificently. It was the first time they had been in the studio as a group which gave the record a feeling of vitality, energy and innocence of a band just starting out. In a way it was like making an early Kinks album" - Ray Davies

Featuring some of The Kinks' best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola, Sunny Afternoon marks the 50th Anniversary year of the band's debut release.

The Kinks exploded onto the 60s music scene with a raw, energetic new sound that rocked a nation. But how did that happen, where exactly did they come from and what happened next?

Set against the back-drop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 50s and riotous 60s, this production explores the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain's most iconic bands and the irresistible music that influenced generations.

The cast also includes: Carly Anderson, Philip Bird, Ashley Campbell, Ben Caplan, Lillie Flynn, Emily Goodenough, Elizabeth Hill, Vince Leigh, Amy Ross, Dominic Tighe and Tam Williams.

Sonia Friedman Productions commissioned Joe Penhall in 2010 to write the book based on Ray Davies' original story. The company developed the production over the next four years, assembling the creative team and cast that presented Sunny Afternoon earlier this year at Hampstead Theatre under the direction of Edward Hall.

Ray Davies is an influential and prolific rock musician and was co-founder and lead singer and songwriter for rock band The Kinks, and later a solo artist. He has an outstanding catalogue of hits from the earliest 1960s to the present day with estimated record sales in excess of 50 million. He has also acted, directed and produced shows for theatre and television.

Joe Penhall is an award winning playwright and screenwriter. Plays include Some Voices (Royal Court), Blue/Orange (National Theatre and West End), winner of Best New Play at the Evening Standard Awards, Olivier Awards and at the Critics Circle, and Dumb Show, Haunted Child and Birthday (all Royal Court). Screenplays include Enduring Love and The Road.

As Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre, Edward Hall's productions include Wonderland; Sunny Afternoon; Raving; Chariots of Fire; No Naughty Bits; Loyalty and Enlightenment. As Artistic Director of Propeller, his work has toured worldwide, played the West End and Broadway and has won numerous Awards both in the UK and overseas. Other theatre work includes A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (National Theatre); Edmond with Kenneth Branagh (National Theatre); Macbeth with Sean Bean (Albery); The Constant Wife (Apollo); Julius Caesar (RSC); Henry V (RSC) and The Deep Blue Sea (Vaudeville). Television work includes Downton Abbey; Spooks and Kingdom. Edward is an Associate of the National Theatre and the Old Vic.

John Dagleish (Ray Davies) was last on stage in Out of Joint's The Mother. Film appearances include The Monuments Men, Snow in Paradise and Age of Heroes. TV includes Lark Rise to Candleford (3 series), Beaver Falls (2 series), Starlings (2 series) and Henry V, The Hollow Crown.

George Maguire's (Dave Davies) stage appearances include 20th Century Boy (Belgrade Coventry, Wolsey Ipswich), Hair (Piccadilly Theatre), Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story (Charing Cross Theatre), Lift and Ten,Ten,Ten (Soho Theatre). Film includes Spiderhole, Boogeyman 3 and Terror and Utopia.

Adam Sopp's (Mick Avory) stage work includes Symphony (Nabokov Theatre,Waterloo Vaults), The El Train(Hoxton Hall), The Woman In The Moon (Shakespeare's Globe, Glastonbury), Backbeat (West End, USA and Canada). TV includes The Lost Honour, WPC56 and Teenage Kicks. Voice over parts include Harry Potter, Wild Tales, There Be Dragons and War and Peace.

Ned Derrington (Pete Quaife) is a recent RADA graduate. He has appeared in many RADA productions. On TV he has acted in Siblings, Fresh Meat, Holby City and Midsomer Murders.

Sonia Friedman Productions
with Tulchin Bartner Productions, Greg Ripley-Duggan for Hampstead Theatre Productions, Tanya Link Productions, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Glass Half Full Productions, Rupert Gavin present
SUNNY AFTERNOON
In association with Hampstead Theatre and Arlon Productions