Cast Revealed for Footballers’ Wives Musical at Fringe
The cast has been announced for the Edinburgh Fringe debut of Footballers’ Wives: The Musical. Based on the iconic ITV series and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, Footballers’ Wives is a sassy new musical comedy of waggish excess. Rewind to 2002 when Premier League football was the new rock ‘n’ roll – with the money, glamour and bad behaviour to match. Featuring bold noughties’ fashion, attempted murder, sexual impropriety, drama, heartbreak, comedy, singing, dancing and absolutely no football, this high-energy extravaganza is buzzing with attitude.
The cast comprises Ceili O’Connor (Marry Poppins Revival, Prince Edward Theatre; The Braille Legacy, Charing Cross Theatre; The Wizard of Oz, Gillian Lynne Theatre) as Tanya Turner, as she schemes to save her marriage and the career of her cheating husband. Team Captain Jason Turner is played by Matt Beveridge (Choir of Man, West End; The Frontier Trilogy, The Rabenh of Vienna). India Chadwick (Grease, UK Tour; Three, Dorfman Theatre) is glamour model Chardonnay Lane and Tom Bowen (Get Up, Stand Up, West End; Mamma Mia, West End) joins the production as her fiancé Kyle Pascoe. Completing the line-up is Leesa Tulley (Why Am I So Single, Garrick Theatre; Six the Musical, Tour; Jane the Musical, The Other Palace) as Donna Walmsley; Oliver Evans making his professional musical theatre debut as Ian Wamsley, Ty-Reece Stewart (Thriller Live, Lyric Theatre) as Ronnie Charles/Marcello, Emma Jane Fearnley (Made in Dagenham 20th Anniversary Concert, London Palladium; Betty Blue Eyes, The Union) as Kelly Charles/Magda, Laura Judge (Gypsy, Ilkley Musical Theatre Society) as Hazel Bailey/Jackie Pascoe, Matt Rixon (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, West End; Jack and The Beanstalk, Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre) as Frank Laslett, Leonardo Vieira (Bat Out of Hell, UK Tour; Burn the Floor, Norwegian Breakaway) as Salvo/Guru and Gillian Kirkpatrick (Billy Elliot, Victoria Palace; Sweeney Todd, Adelphi Theatre; Hairspray, The Coliseum) as Nurse Dunkley.
Leesa Tulley comments, I am so excited to be a part of Footballers’ Wives: The Musical at Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year. Being from Scotland, performing at The Fringe has always been pretty high up on my bucket list, and I can’t think of a better show to be doing for my first time! Footballers’ Wives is so 2000’s! All the drama and some really gorgeous songs. AND in The Assembly Rooms?! It’s going to be an amazing summer, I can’t wait!
India Chadwick also comments, I’m thrilled to be joining the Footballers’ Wives cast as Chardonnay – an iconic character from a fabulous time in British pop culture. If the script and company are anything to go by, this summer is going to be a blast! I have some very big heels to fill, but I’m excited to bring some noughties naughtiness, fun and glamour to my first Edinburgh Fringe.
With pitch-perfect music and lyrics by Kath Gotts (Bad Girls the Musical) and book by Maureen Chadwick (original creator of Footballers’ Wives, ITV; Bad Girls, ITV; Waterloo Road, BBC), this brazenly British musical is directed by Anthony Banks (The Girl on the Train, Steel Magnolias) and is primed for serious fun at kick-off.
Based on the WBTVPUK series. Produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
Main Image: Courtesy of Seamus Ryan, Art and graphic design Steph Pyne
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