Bad Girls Get Banged Up at The Garrick!

 Following a triumphant run at the West Yorkshire Playhouse last summer, the inmates of HMP Larkhall are now being sent down to London's Garrick Theatre for the West End premiere of Bad Girls - The Musical.    At the media launch held on Tuesday, we were treated to special footage about the production and its journey into the West End as well as a live performance of the one of shows biggest numbers "The Baddest and The Best"  Wardening the launch and keeping the girls in order was Sylvia "Bodybag" Hollamby, played by Helen Fraser. Perhaps most associated with the show, she is sure to ensure fans of the cult TV drama to come along to The Garrick. Helen is the only original TV cast member to come on board with the production. Helen did extensive work on the musical to begin with but did not perform in the production at its premiere last year at The West Yorkshire Playhouse. Many cast members from The West Yorkshire Playhouse run will be reprising their roles for the West End, but sadly not Hannah Waddingham who is still performing expertly in Monty Pythons' Spamalot at The Palace. The role she played, Nikki Wade, will be taken over by Caroline Head. Fear not though, although one well known West End star is not staying with the production, fresh from playing Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot, Sally Dextor will lead the bad girls playing glamour gal Yvonne Atkins. The whole cast is as follows David Burt (Jim Fenner ), Sally Dexter (Yvonne Atkins) , Caroline Head (Nikki Wade) , Nicole Faraday (Shell Dockley) , Laura Rogers (Helen Stewart ), Helen Fraser (Sylvia 'Bodybag' Hollamby) , Julie Jupp (Julie Saunders) , Rebecca Wheatley (Julie Johnson ), Camilla Beeput (Crystal Gordon) , Amanda Posener (Denny Blood ), Chris Grierson (Justin Mattison) , Michael Harbour (The Number One ), Maria Charles (Noreen Biggs) , Lisa Marie Graham (Prisoner 1 ), Zita Frith (Prisoner 2) , Natalie Tapper (Prisoner 3 ), Gillian Hardie (Prisoner 4) ,  Josephine Cook.(Prisoner 5 ), Karen Davies (Prisoner 6 ), Sally Whitehead (Prisoner 7) , Phil Barley (Prisoner 8 ), Rick Savery (Prisoner 9) .   In the brief media clip shown at the launch, Director Maggie Norris comments on how the show will have heart and comedy. Kath Gotts also said how the show seemed ideal to be a musical when you have so many individual characters "banged up" in a small space each having deal with so many different emotions. Executive Producer Tristian Baker ended the clip by saying that Bad Girls will be a fantastic night out!   Bad Girls is designed by Colin Richmond , lighting by Tim Mitchell and choreography by Anne Yee .   Production notes for the production read as "Never shying away from the darker side of prison life, Bad Girls celebrates the warmth, compassion and defiant sense of humour that can triumph even behind bars.  Packed with fresh, funny and original songs, Bad Girls -The Musical will have you doing the time of your life."  Previews start August 16th.  Bad Girls virgins and old-timers alike all welcome – no previous form required.