Photo Flash: First Look at YARICO, Now Playing at London Theatre Workshop

Yarico is a powerful, epic musical about forbidden love, betrayal and redemption, based on a true story that fired the world's imagination and contributed to the social movement against the slave trade.

Yarico, with Book and Lyrics by Carl Miller, Music by James McConnel and Lyrics by Paul Leigh, will run from Tuesday 17 February to Saturday 14 March at Fulham's new bijou theatre, London Theatre Workshop.

Press nights are: Wednesday 25 February at 7.30pm & Thursday 26 February at 7.30pm

Yarico, an Amerindian beauty, is a young woman with great dreams and a fierce, independent spirit... When Inkle, the third son of a British merchant is shipwrecked on her island, he faces certain death at the hands of the islanders. In a courageous act, Yarico intervenes and saves him from his fate, marking the beginning of an extraordinary love story, which ultimately takes them to the island of Barbados. A story of great historical significance that has languished in time, once revived will remind us of the value of freedom.

Bringing the story of Yarico to the stage has been a 10-year labour of love for producers John Kidd and his daughter Jodie, the model and UK TV presenter, who both have strong connections to Barbados, where they have a family home. To bring this forgotten story to a modern audience, John and Jodie have commissioned Yarico, which is based on the known facts of the original story.

The cast are: Liberty Buckland (Yarico) trained at The Royal Academy of Music. Yarico is Liberty's professional stage debut. Alex Spinney (Inkle) trained at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with a Postgraduate Diploma in Musical Theatre. His theatre roles include: Lewis in Our House (UK Tour), Prince Charming in Cinderella, the Rock n Roll Panto (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre) and as a soloist in Adam Guettel and Maria Friedman in Concert (Ambassadors Theatre). Melanie Marshall (Ma Cuffe) has appeared in several West End musicals including playing Funmilayo in FELA! (National Theatre, New York & world tour); Maria in Porgy and Bess (Trevor Nunn/Savoy Theatre); Miss Sherman in Fame (Aldwych Theatre); Madam Butler & Miss Mamie in Simply Heavenly (Trafalgar Studios). She was The Mikado in Craig Revel Horwood's Hot Mikado (Watermill Theatre/UK tour). Tori Allen-Martin (Nono) was cover Dionne in Hair (European Tour), Lauren in After The Turn (The Courtyard), Mimi in Rent (The Cockpit) and Loveinia in ZIP (The Lion and Unicorn). Jean-Luke Worrell (Cicero) was Little John in Robin Hood (Hackney Empire). Michael Moulton (Bartholomew) featured in the West End musical Daddy Cool(ShaftesburyTheatre) as well as Horrible Histories (UK tour/Hong Kong), Finian's Rainbow (Union & Charing Cross Theatre) Parade (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Exhibit B (The Vaults). Keisha Amponsa Banson (Jessica) theatre roles include West End musicals City of Angels London 25th Anniversary Cast (Donmar Warehouse), The Pajama Game and From Here to Eternity (both Shaftesbury Theatre). Michael Mahony (Frank) recently graduated with a degree in acting from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Suzanne Ahmet (Polly) most recently performed in Women Of Hope, a verbatim piece of music theatre with Arora Arts. Adam Vaughan (Lord Goodley) theatre credits include roles in West End musical's Sweeney Todd (Adelphi Theatre) and From Here to Eternity (Shaftsbury Theatre) and Charlotte Hamblin (Lady Goodley) As You Like It, Twelfth Night and Dickon (all Oxford Shakespeare Company).

Liberty Buckland

Tori Allen-Martin and Jean-Luke Worrell

Liberty Buckland and Alex Spinney

Liberty Buckland and Alex Spinney

Company

Company