Philip Rham Withdraws from Southwark Playhouse's GRAND HOTEL

Just a few days before its first preview, there has been a last minute cast change for the new production of the acclaimed Broadway musical Grand Hotel at Southwark Playhouse.

Grand Hotel is produced by Danielle Tarento and directed by Thom Southerland, the award-winning tream behind the musicals Titanic (that recently transferred to Toronto), Parade and Mack & Mabel.

Philip Rham, who also played the Captain in Titanic, has had to reluctantly leave the production because of a family emergency.

Producer DanielleTarento said: "We wish Philip well and are thrilled to welcome to the production the fantastic David Delve to take over and play Colonel-Doctor Otternschlag. We thank David enormously for stepping in at such short notice."

David Delve's many West End theatre credits include playing Squeers in the RSC's epic Nicholas Nickelby in both London and the US; Thenadier the innkeeper in Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre in 1987; Mr Sowerby in Oliver! at the London Palladium, three years in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's, Anything Goes at the Theatre Royal and Carousel at the Savoy.

Grand Hotel, Book by Luther Davis, Music and Lyrics by George Forrest and Robert Wright, Additional Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston, will open for a 6-week season this Friday, 31 July.

Press night is Wednesday 5 August.

The Grand Hotel in 1928 Berlin is bustling with eccentric and sometimes dubious guests: amongst them a fading prima ballerina being forced to dance again; a fatally ill Jewish bookkeeper who wants to spend his final days living in luxury; a young, handsome, but destitute Baron; a cynical doctor suffering from World War I wounds; an honest businessman going bad as he faces financial ruin and a typist dreaming of Hollywood stardom. Over the course of a weekend, their extraordinary stories interweave with each other and the hotel's hard-working staff.

The rest of the 17-strong international cast are: Christine Grimandi, Scott Garnham, George Rae, Victoria Serra, Jacob Chapman, Valerie Cutko, Jonathan Stewart, James Gant, Charles Hagerty, Paul Iveson, Rhiannon Howys, Jammy Kasongo, Ceili O'Connor, Durone Stokes, Samuel J Weir, Leah West.

Creatives: Director Thom Southerland, Musical Supervisor Simon Lee, Musical Director Michael Bradley, Choreographer Lee Proud, Set & Costume Designer Lee Newby, Lighting Designer Derek Anderson, Sound Designer Andrew Johnson, Casting Director Danielle Tarento.

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