Anthony Van Laast Teams Up With Kenneth More For New Musical BOORSKALE

The highly-anticipated professional productions at the Kenneth More Theatre begin this September with Paul Ritchie Tomkinson's musical hit BOORSKALE.

This award-winning musical comedy, set in the small fictional village of Boorskale, Derbyshire, follows the three Darrington sisters, Flo, Vi and Mary, who were all widowed when a double-decker bus ploughed into the 'Cock and Whippet Inn' wiping out the entire darts team. They battle with their septuagenarian lives, with related foibles and triumphs along with their long suffering neighbour Nellie. Hilariously funny; uniquely touching; and wonderful tunes.

The musical, directed by acclaimed Director and Choreographer Anthony van Laast, will see him reunite artistically with Paul Ritchie Tomkinson after many years. They previously worked together in the revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (London Palladium) and the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Song & Dance (Palace Theatre).

As well as penning the show, Paul Ritchie Tomkinson will star as Mary, the eldest of the Darrington sisters. Joining Paul will be West End and Broadway performers: David Alder (Nellie), Patrick Clancy (Flo) and Mark Hutchinson (Vi).

Developed and produced by Anthony van Laast, 2 Left Feet and the Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford, BOORSKALE's production team comprises: musical direction and arrangements by Steven Day; associate direction by Sally Woodfield; orchestrations by Rebecca Kantor and Martyn Tubb; wig designs by Richard Guy Mawbey; set design by Grant Alvarez; costume design by and Hilary Laurence; and production manager, Marc Pearce.

Paul Ritchie Tomkinson (Writer & Performer): "BOORSKALE is a fictional village in Derbyshire and an anagram of LEABROOKS, where I was actually born. I wrote it in 1992, figuring that as I was living in London and couldn't be in Derbyshire, missing it and the family/people so much ... I would bring them to me! After leaving Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet, I moved into musical theatre. The lion's share of my work was under the tutelage of Anthony van Laast. BOORSKALE has been produced twice before. I produced it in 1993, winning The Vivian Ellis Prize and then it was produced at the Palace

Theatre, Westcliff in 2001 with Steven Day as Musical Director. It has taken seven years, to bring the show to this point. David Alder, Patrick Clancy and Mark Hutchinson have been there throughout the apprenticeship. As too, has Hilary Laurence, now designing the costumes and production manager Marc Pearce. I'm thrilled to be able to bring BOORSKALE to the Kenneth More Theatre, not only to work with Steven Day again, but to bring it to the very theatre that he has managed for the last five years with tenacity and dedication. He has turned this Theatre into a burgeoning force to be reckoned with.

With Anthony leading the production team, I couldn't feel more privileged; I'm a very lucky lad indeed!"

Anthony van Laast (Director & Choreographer): "I'm so grateful to Steven Day and the Kenneth More Theatre for giving us the opportunity to produce BOORSKALE. Paul Tomkinson is a fantastic new voice, who has created a truly original and laugh out loud piece of musical theatre."

Steven Day (General Manager, Kenneth More Theatre): "We are delighted that the Kenneth More Theatre's new in-house professional production will start with BOORSKALE. It has been great fun working with Paul and Anthony and, with the cast that we have, the show simply couldn't have a better pedigree."

PERFORMANCES Tuesday 13 - Saturday 24 September 2016

PERFORMANCE TIMES Tuesday - Saturday 7.30

Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday Matinees 2.30pm

TICKET PRICES Tues Eve, Wed Matinee & Sun Matinee - All Tickets £12.00

Wed Eve, Thurs Eve & Sat Matinee - £15.00 & £14.00

Fri & Sat Eve - £18.00 & £15.00

All card payments are subject to a £1 administration fee.

BOX OFFICE 020 8553 4466

ONLINE www.kmtheatre.co.uk

The website for the production is www.boorskale.com

For further information please contact the KENNETH MORE THEATRE on 020 8553 4464

Steven Day: stevenday@kmtheatre co.uk

THE KENNETH MORE THEATRE

The Kenneth More Theatre is a vital cultural and community resource in East London & Essex. A well-known and much loved fixture of the Ilford townscape, it's been a popular attraction since it opened in 1974 and has continued to be the cultural hub of Redbridge for the past 42 years.

In light of the imminent major local authority funding cuts it now must become self-supporting by 2018. The Theatre is facing these challenges head on and revitalising its artistic policy. This exciting new programming will be launched with BOORSKALE.

ANTHONY VAN LAAST - PRODUCER, DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER

Sister Act (London and Hamburg- Olivier Nomination) Mamma Mia! (Worldwide - Dora Mavor Moore Award and Helpman Award Nomination); Bombay Dreams (London and Broadway - Tony Nomination); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (worldwide - Olivier Nomination, Dramalogue Award); Jesus Christ Superstar (UK and Broadway); Song & Dance (worldwide - Green Room Award); Candide (Old Vic, London - Olivier Award for Best Musical); Hair (Olivier Nomination); Siegfried and Roy and EFX with Michael Crawford (Las Vegas). Films: Beauty and the Beast; Mamma Mia! ; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Never Say Never Again; Excalibur; Hope and Glory and Jesus Christ Superstar (Emmy Award). In 1999 Anthony was awarded the MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for Services to Dance.

PAUL RITCHIE TOMKINSON - BOOK AND SONGS / MARY

Born in Derbyshire to a miner Dad and a hosier Mum, he was an exhibition ballroom dancer by the age of eleven and an international gymnast by sixteen. He won a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School and ultimately a contract with the Company. On leaving the Company the lion's share of his work was in collaboration with choreographer Anthony Van Laast (including Song and Dance, Hot Shoe Show and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat). Other West End shows (including Oklahoma), films (including Who Dares Wins), Radio (including Loose Ends) and T.V (including several Royal Variety Performances) make up his C.V. After being published with Particularly Partial to Poetry, in 1992 he wrote and produced Boorskale, winning the 'Vivian Ellis Prize'. Bum. Bust and Belly (contemporary Music Hall Show) was produced the following year. Motley Driftwood (musical) was produced as a vehicle for physically disabled performers at the Orpheus Centre in Godstone. Tricycle (play) was produced. Also, Katie's Christmas Quest (a vehicle for over fifty gymnasts) has been tweaked and is now a children's book Snowflake.

DAVID ALDER - NELLIE

David recently appeared as Jarvis Lorry in A Tale of Two Cities at the Charing Cross Theatre, Sir James Marlow in The Kissing Dance at the Jermyn Street Theatre, the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena, and Colette/Collage at the Barons Court Theatre. Recent pantomimes have been at Potters Bar and the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, where he also he played Sir Watkin Bassett in By Jeeves, which then toured. Other musical credits include Baxter, the Butler, in High Society (two national tours and a season at the Shaftesbury Theatre London), Sergeant Magruder, Anyone Can Whistle (Cardiff Musical Festival); Major General Stanley, Pirates of Penzance (Regents Park and national tour); Baronovitch, The Merry Widow (Holland Park); Peter Pan in Concert (Festival Hall); Mr. Shalford, Half a Sixpence (West Yorkshire Playhouse);

Honk and The Villains Opera (National Theatre). West End credits include: The Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge (The Dominion); the Head Waiter, She Loves Me (The Savoy); Drake, Annie (Victoria Palace); Me and My Girl and Irene (The Adelphi); Les Miserables (Palace); Blondel (Old Vic and Aldwych; Salad Days (Duke of York's); Call Me Madam (Victoria Palace); Leonardo (Strand); Victoria Wood's Talent (Players) and a charity performance of Mack and Mabel (Aldwych).

PATRICK CLANCY - FLO

Patrick has appeared in over one hundred productions. Fifteen original London cast productions including: Blondel (Aldwych Theatre); William McCoy, Mutiny! (Piccadilly Theatre); Brian Pankhurst, The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Savoy Theatre); Aspects of Love (Prince of Wales Theatre); Baker/lssachar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium); Fat Stan, The Iron Man (Young Vic Theatre); Melvin Klein, The Murder Game (Kings Head Theatre); Judge/Uncle Ernie, Tommy Shaftesbury Theatre); Blossom/Lord Aubrey Dymwitt, Doctor Doolittle (Labatts Apollo Theatre); Florence, Boorskale (Players Theatre); Phillipe Claude, The Ultimate Man (Bridewell Theatre); Title Role, Dick Turpin; Loki, The Apples of Youth; Knave of Hearts, Alice (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith); and Max Bialystock, The Producers (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane). Patrick has made numerous guest appearances on television and radio including: Thingummy Jig (STV); The Des O'Connor Show (Thames TV); three Royal Variety Performances (BBC); and The Laurence Olivier Awards.

As a concert and recital soloist he has appeared throughout Europe and the Middle East appearing before celebrated audiences. Original Cast recordings include many of the above shows plus: Garbo; The Go-Between; The Prince & The Pauper; Keaton; and Holiday On Ice.

MARK HUTCHINSON - VI

West End credits include: Oklahoma; Mr.Cinders; Me & My Girl; and Blood Brothers. His long association with Blood Brothers has had him playing Eddie in the West End, Toronto and on Broadway, where he was part of the original Broadway cast and where he won the Drama Desk Award for best featured actor in a musical. Mark was delighted and honoured to be asked back to play Eddie for the last two weeks of its 24 year West End run. Regional credits include: Gypsy; The Boyfriend; The Girlfriend; productions of West Side Story playing Riff and Bernard; and The Full Monty (Key Theatre, Peterborough). Fringe work includes: Is There Life After High School?; Company; Minnie's Boys; A Talent to Amuse; and the title role in Pippin. He has performed his one-man show at the Jermyn Street Theatre and at Lauderdale House in London. Most recently, he played Buddy in Follies at Ye Olde Rose & Crowne in Walthamstow. Mark has directed: The Boyfriend; Mary Poppins; Me & My Girl; Aladdin; The Lion King and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for summer schools at the Key Theatre, Peterborough. He has taught drama at Stagecoach and also worked as a facilitator for Wizard Theatre in Brent and Harrow schools. Mark has most recently been playing the Old Gentleman in a new musical version of The Railway Children.

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