Photo Coverage: THE TOXIC AVENGER - In Rehearsal!

The citizens of Tromaville are crying out for a hero - enter Melvin Ferd the Third, an aspiring earth scientist determined to clean up the toxic waste problem. But when a corrupt Mayor and her government goons try to stop this heroic feat, Melvin is tossed into a vat of toxic waste and transformed into The Toxic Avenger, New Jersey's first superhero.

'Toxie' is a seven-foot mutant freak with superhuman strength and a supersized heart to match. He's out to save New Jersey, end global warming, woo the prettiest (blindest) librarian in town and get home in time for dinner, in this toxic love story with an environmental twist. Prepare to laugh, scream and sing as 'Toxie' rocks the house and saves the day.

Our photographer Liza Maria Dawson braved rehearsals to take a sneak peek - and these super snaps!

The European premiere of this monster of a rock 'n' roll musical comedy from the Tony Award-winning creative team behind Memphis,

Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, is based on Lloyd Kauffman's 1984 cult classic film from Troma Entertainment. It debuted off-Broadway on April 6, 2009, and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. This production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.

Mark Anderson stars as 'Toxie', The Toxic Avenger. Mark played Elder Thomas in the original West End cast of The Book of Mormon for two years from 2013 - 2015. Other credits include Legally Blonde, Love Me Tender, Mary Poppins, Stiles and Drewe's 3 Little Pigs (International Tour), Once Upon A Mattress (Union Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin (Salisbury Playhouse) and Hello Dolly (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre)

Hannah Grover plays Sarah. Most recently she played the role of Molly in Ghost the Musical (English Theatre, Frankfurt). Other leading credits include Evita, Legally Blonde, and Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat (UK Tours) and Mamma Mia (Prince of Wales Theatre).

Lizzii Hills plays Ma Ferd, Mayor and Nun. Her credits include The Wizard of Oz, Chicago (West End), Karen in Eastenders (BBC), Vanessa in Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures), Guys and Dolls, Crazy For You (Kilworth House Theatre), High Society and The Ratpack (Adelphi, UK Tour).

Marc Pickering plays White Dude. When he was 12, he was put forward for and won the role of Young Masbeth in Tim Burton's film of Sleepy Hollow. He went on to appear in other high-profile films including Calendar Girls and Les Miserables. Theatre credits includeThe Elephant Man, An Incident at the Border (Trafalgar Studios), The Merchant of Venice (Arcola), Honeymoon Suite (Hull Truck), TheGlee Club (UK Tour), The Wizard of Oz (Royal and Derngate) and The Long and the Short and the Tall (Pleasance). Television includes Boardwalk Empire and Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor.

Ashley Samuels plays Black Dude. He played The Doctor in The Book of Mormon (West End) from 2014-2016.

This run at Southwark Playhouse marks the first time The Toxic Avenger has been performed anywhere in Europe.

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