BANANAMAN Musical in Development

For the first time ever, Bananaman will soon be live on stage....

"This is 29 Acacia Road. And this is Eric Wimp. He's a schoolboy who leads an amazing double life. For when Eric eats a banana an amazing transformation occurs. Eric is Bananaman. Ever alert for the call to action."

Bananaman the Musical will mark the live action debut of the Man-of-Peel. A hero who has 'the muscles of 20 men and the brain of 20 mussels'. Bananaman is a unique member of the superhero ranks. Our handsome hero may have a jaw line you can see from space and sport the snazziest of tight lycra outfits, but he's not the sharpest tool in the box. In fact, he doesn't even know where the box is.

With supervillains Doctor Gloom and General Blight attempting world domination who can we call? Superman's on holiday, Spiderman's not picking up - our only option, our very very last option is ...Bananaman.

Bananaman the Musical is the live action debut of the Man of Peel, a cult cartoon character from the Dandy and from the hugely popular cartoon series voiced by the Goodies. With a useless hero and some equally clueless villains, Bananaman's winkingly clever, delightfully silly humour has been sealed into the memories of those who saw him first, and will now spark the imagination of a new bunch of Bananafans. It won't be long before we all 'Peel the Power' of Bananaman.

Bananaman the Musical is going to be live on stage for the very first time. An industry-only launch and a banana-based cocktail reception will be held on Tuesday February 2 in London.

To remind yourself of the heroics of Bananaman have a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovvKRRYB22Q

Bananaman began life in the Nutty comic in 1980, and was a flyaway success, transferring to The Dandy before joining the world's longest-running comic, The Beano in 2012. A send-up of the likes of Superman and Batman, he was the subject of the hugely popular TV cartoon that ran between 1983 and 1986 for 3 series and 40 episodes on the BBC and featured the voices of Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie from The Goodies.

With a useless hero and some equally clueless villains, Bananaman's winkingly clever, delightfully silly humour has been sealed into the memories of those who saw him first, and will now spark the imagination of a new bunch of Bananafans. It won't be long before we all 'Peel the Power' of Bananaman.

Please visit www.bananamanlive.com to hear a sample from the show

Bananaman The Musical will be produced by SightLine Entertainment in partnership with DC Thomson.

CREATIVE TEAM

Fred Perry (Director)

Founder of Sightline Entertainment, Fred Perry is a producer, director and actor with 20 years experience within the industry. Production credits include Honk, The Pirates of Penzance, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Just So, The Famous Five, The Country, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Bent and Stiffed. Directing credits include Cinderella - Boom or Bust! (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) A Comedy of Arias (New Ambassadors Theatre), The Caretaker (National Tour), A Slice of Saturday Night (Gala Theatre). As an actor, Fred has worked extensively in TV and theatre including The Honourable Woman, New Tricks, Spooks, Hotel Babylon, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, Eastenders, Scott and Bailey, Beach Party, Falling Apart, Equitable, Massingham in Long Live the Mad Parade
(Ashcroft Theatre), Brindsley in Black Comedy and Simon in The Real Inspector Hound (No.1 National Tour), Tommy in Who's Buttling Anyway (Assembly Rooms), Roderigo in Othello (The Round).

Leon Parris (Writer and Composer)

Leon Parris is an award-winning writer and composer for musicals including Wolfboy, Enid Blyton's The Famous Five, Stig of the Dump and Monte Cristo. He was winner of the Vivian Ellis Best Musical Award and The Really Useful Group award for most promising writer.

Grant Murphy (Assistant Director/Choreographer)

Grant Murphy is an experienced performer and choreographer. Choreography credits include Cinderella (Salisbury Playhouse) Saturday Night Fever (No.1 Tour) Avenue Q (Ovation productions) Crazy For You (Upstairs at the Gatehouse) Apply Within (Pleasance) Our House (BYT); 18 Stone of Idiot - The Johnny Vegas Show (UMTV) Funky Friday (MTV). He assisted Baayork Lee on A Chorus Line (London Palladium) and was tap coach to the Billy Elliot boys.

DC Thomson

DC Thomson & Co Ltd is a private company and one of the leading publishing houses in the UK. The company's headquarters is in Dundee, Scotland, with a London base in Fleet Street. DC Thomson publishes newspapers, magazines, comics and books. The company also has interests in radio, printing, retailing and online services.

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