Sweet Charity - New Wolsey Theatre

Sweet Charity

No performance info available


Sweet Charity Trailer

Meet Charity Hope Valentine

Sweet Charity Teaser

Presented by the New Wolsey Theatre, Sweet Charity features a cast of 17 talented actor-musicians in our biggest autumn musical yet!

The Musical Comedy Story Of A Girl Who Just Wants To Be Loved!

Meet Charity Hope Valentine. A woman who always gives her heart and dreams…to the wrong man!

Despite her dead-end job as a dance club hostess in the dubious Fandango Night Club she still manages to remain an incurable optimist. One day she meets sweet, unassuming Oscar and believes her luck has changed. But has she found true love and will all her dreams come true?

The New Wolsey Theatre proudly presents a new actor-musician production of this classic swingin' 60s, award-winning Broadway comedy with a mammoth cast of 17 talented performers. With brassy, toe tapping hits including Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, The Rhythm of Life and I'm A Brass Band, you won't want to miss this musical comedy story of a girl who just wants to be loved!

This production contains on stage smoking and haze effects.


Cast & Creatives

Katie Birtill — Charity

Katie trained at The Royal Academy of Music on their musical theatre course.

Theatre credits include: Sue in DREAMBOATS & PETTICOATS: THE CHRISTMAS PARTY (Broadway Theatre); Charity in SWEET CHARITY (The New Wolsey Theatre); Monique in THE BOY WHO FELL INTO A BOOK written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn (The Stephen Joseph Theatre); Diva and u/s Shirley and Marion in PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT (UK Tour); Sue in DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS (UK Tour).

Vocal credits include: Featured vocalist for Ramin Karimloo's Road To Find Out tour; Soloist for Cole Porter Classics at The Royal Festival Hall; backing vocals for Russell Watson La Voce Tour and other vocals with Capital Voices.

Katie is also a singer/songwriter and will be releasing the EP FRAGMENTS of her own material soon.

 

Sophie Byrne — Helene

Sophie trained at the Urdang Academy, Covent Garden and the BRIT School (Music Major).

Theatre credits include; Musician in Jerry's Girls (St James' Theatre & Jermyn Street Theatre, London), Dolly in The Threepenny Opera (UK Tour), Julie in Our House (New Wolsey Theatre/UK Tour), Giant's Wife in Jack & The Beanstalk (Theatre Clwyd, Cymru), Some Like It Hotter (UK Tour), Radio Times (UK Tour), A Vote for Father Christmas (Workshop, The Charing Cross Theatre), Robin Hood & Babes in the Wood (New Wolsey, Ipswich), Radio Times (Watermill Theatre), Guys & Dolls (Theatr Clwyd, New Theatre Cardiff, Grand Theatre Swansea, New Wolsey Ipswich & Salisbury Playhouse), Daisy u/s and playing Laura in Dreamboats & Petticoats (Playhouse Theatre, West End), Hold Tight It's 80's Night (Creative Fabriek, Hengelo), Dreamboats and Petticoats (Savoy, West End & 2009 UK Tour), Gotta Sing Gotta Dance (UK Tour), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour and Singapore Esplanade Theatre), Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show (European tour) and Turned on Tap (Queen Elizabeth Hall).

TV credits include; Hallo Berlin, 100 Greatest Musical Hits (German TV), GMTV.

Recording; Original Cast Recording of Dreamboats & Petticoats (Universal Music), Through the Looking Glass (Reed Player), Around the World in Eighty Days.

Cabaret and functions include; Piano/Vocalist at The Montague on the Gardens Hotel, Royal Variety Show Aftershow Party, The Players Bar, Emirates Stadium, Soho Revue Bar, Dorchester, Intercontinental and Hilton Hotels in London.

Music and pit work; Carousel (Arcola Theatre), Jekyll and Hyde (The Union Theatre), The Glorious Ones (The Landor Theatre). Sophie is the creator and musical director of The Daisy Chains- an all-girl all singing and playing 1950's rock 'n roll band.

Katia Sartini — Nickie

Katia hails from North Yorkshire and started her early training at the Richmond Dance Centre, before receiving a full scholarship to and then graduating from SLP College, also gaining her licentiate teaching qualification with the London College of Music.

Katia has recently finished filming Nativity Rocks! Due for release in cinemas Christmas 2018.

Credits include: Miss Rye in Nativity! The Musical (Hammersmith Apollo and UK Tour), Hattie in Kiss Me Kate (Kilworth House Theatre), Fairy Frederica in Sleeping Beauty – Rock Panto (Leeds), Wendy Winters in The Beatles Sessions (Royal Albert Hall and Arena Tour), Nikki in Sweet Charity (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), Ensemble/Cover Miss Eerie in The Tale of Mr Tumble, (Manchester Opera House, CBBC), Ensemble/First cover Eva Cassidy in Songbird (UK Tour), Rubella in Cinderella and Fairy Frederica in Sleeping Beauty (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre), Helen Shapiro/Chelita Secunda in 20th Century Boy (UK Tour), Lead singer in Dancing Queen (UK tour), Phoebe/Assistant MD in Carnaby Street (UK Tour), Vi Petty in The Buddy Holly Story (UK Tour), Ruth in The Remains of the Day (Union Theatre, London). Katia has also appeared in 5 seasons of 'The Good Old Days' at City Varieties, Leeds.

Workshops include: Sarah in Trouble The Musical, Mary in Be Back Soon – The Life of Lionel Bart.

Soundtracks include: Nativity! The Musical original cast album.

As well as stage shows, Katia also performs in various bands including an Acoustic Duo with her Fiancé, Scott, gigging around the UK and Europe. Katia is a keen musician and plays, Piano, Flute, Piccolo and Saxophone to an advanced standard.

Katia is delighted to be part of the cast of ‘Our Blue Heaven’. Having grown up in a football mad house (LFC!) she feels right at home. Katia would like to thank her family and friends for their continuous love and support.

Carmen

Giovanna Ryan — Suzanne

Giovanna graduated from Mountview in 2011 after completing a music degree at the University of Manchester. She has recently completed the UK Tour of Calamity Jane directed by Nikolai Foster.

Other theatre credits; The Glass Slipper at Northern Stage directed by Erica Whyman, the UK tour of James and the Giant Peach directed by Nikolai Foster and Blonde Bombshells of 1943 at the Gatehouse, London. Giovanna is delighted to join the cast of Sweet Charity and to be performing at the New Wolsey Theatre.

Elisa Boyd — Frenchy

Elisa trained at the University of Birmingham and ArtsEd. London. Theatre Credits include: The Borrowers (Northern Stage), Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show (No.1 Tour), A Christmas Carol (Trafalgar Studios), A Big Day For The Goldbergs (New End Theatre), Sunset Boulevard (Watermill, West End), She Stoops To Conquer (Birmingham Rep), ISL laboratory (Almeida/Sydney Theatre Company) Amadeus (Wiltons Music Hall), Five Thirty, Gift Of The Magi (Kings Head), Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (No.1Tour), Take Five (Trafalgar studios), Juliet in Romeo And Juliet (UK Tour).

TV: Orchestra (Tiger Aspect) Good Job, Thanks! (USA) FILM includes: London To Brighton, Sogni D’oro, Art In Heaven, Children Of Sorrow, Lola Malady, Standing Room Only, The Sun Always Shines, Galatea. Last year she wrote and directed her first film and is currently editing her second. This Christmas she will be performing at the Rose Theatre Kingston in A Christmas Carol.

Lindsay Goodhand — Betsy

Lindsay trained at Kingston University and Trinity School of Music.

As a singer and multi-instrumentalist, Lindsay's theatre credits include Return to the Forbidden Planet (Daegu Opera House, South Korea), Jack & The Beanstalk (Theatr Clwyd), Craig Revel Horwood's Strictly Confidential (UK Tour, Phil McIntyre Entertainments & BBC), Aladdin (Liverpool Playhouse), Laughter In The Rain (The Neil Sedaka Story, UK premiere and national tour, Bill Kenwright Ltd), Golden Moments and The Burt Bacharach Songbook (Netherlands tours, David Graham Productions), UK Pink Floyd Experience (national tour), Celtic Journey (part of Stephen Gately's Memorial Gala at the Palace Theatre, West End) and An Evening with David Hasselhoff (indigO2).

On television she has performed with David Hasselhoff on itv1's This Morning, and with David Hasselhoff and Rod Stewart on itv1's Piers Morgan's Life Stories.

Lindsay is excited to be performing at the New Wolsey Theatre, close to her family in Ipswich.

Paul Kissaun — Herman

After starting out acting in musicals in the mid-80s Paul was diverted into the music business when he was asked to join The Flying Pickets which saw the release of three albums and numerous European singles. Although he still makes the occasional appearance with the group he officially left in 2001 in order to write music for theatre and television. This included the theme for CITV’s Jim Jam and Sunny and Florries Dragons (Playhouse Disney) and music for The Hive (ITV), Boo and Wibbley Pig (BBC). Record appearances include Evita (original soundtrack),Vox Pop and Politics of Need (Flying Pickets), and Everybody Wriggle (Jim Jam and Sunny)

Paul’s acting includes appearances in Wind In the Willows (National Theatre) Alice in Wonderland (RSC) and in As You Like It for Cheek By Jowl and Big Jule in the national tour of Guys and Dolls. Other theatres include Open Air Regents Park, The Young Vic and The Watermill, Newbury.

On screen Paul has been in The Bill, How We Used To Live, Coronation Street, Batman Begins and The Muppets Again. Paul directed the music for the last three Christmas shows at Theatre Royal Margate. More recently Paul is currently working on his follow up solo album to Rude Gospel called LA Blue which is set for release early next year.

Sarah Scowen — Ursula March

Theatre: Ursula March, Sweet Charity and Cinderella, Cinderella (New Wolsey Theatre); Miranda, Return to the Forbidden Planet (as well as UK tour and Daegu Opera House, South Korea); The Blonde, Gun Metal Blues; Maggie Saunders, Lend Me A Tenor; Sarah, Godspell; Janet, The Rocky Horror Show; Bianca, The Taming of the Shrew; Gloria, Pick Yourself Up; Courtesan,  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Shelley, Ladies Down Under; Jasmine, Camp Horror; Lucy Steele, Sense and Sensibility; Princess Aurora, Sleeping Beauty; Woman in Red, A Murder Has Been Arranged; Shelley, Ladies' Day; Alice, Dick Whittington (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch); The Girl Next Door, The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea and Grosvenor Sister, Radio Times (Watermill); Mona, Chicago (Oldham Coliseum); Grosvenor Girl/understudy Amy, Radio Times (UK tour); Frederika, Sleeping Beauty (Theatr Clwyd); Agnetha in ABBA Gold (UK tour); Journey of Jazz (Sadler's Wells); Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz; Peggy, Godspell (Thameside Theatre).

Television: Credits include featured actor, Visit England commercial; featured singer, T-Mobile advert in Trafalgar Square.

James Haggie — Oscar Lindquist

Dan de Cruz — Daddy Brubeck

Dan gained a BMus (Hons) from the University of Surrey before going on to train on the post-graduate course at Guildford School of Acting.

Dan has recently been Musical Supervisor for CAKE opening at the Lyric Theatre and Associate Musical Supervisor for La Bamba! A Musical at the Peacock Theatre and on tour, working alongside Alfonso Casado Trigo.

He has worked extensively around the UK as a Musical Director: most recently on the UK tour of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Just So and Kiss Me, Kate! at the Watermill, Our Blue Heaven at the New Wolsey Theatre and as MD and Arranger on Justin Fletcher’s show – Justin’s Band

Other recent work includes the UK No.1 tour of the hit musical, Jackie – The Musical, Dick Whittington at the Wyllyotts, Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding Hood at the City Varieties, Assistant Musical Director for the critically acclaimed production of Made In Dagenham at the Queen’s Theatre/New Wolsey Theatre, and Musical Director & Orchestral Arranger for Aladdin, at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, which was voted one of the Top Ten Shows of 2015 in London Theatre 1, Seussical the Musical, Chicago, The Wedding Singer, On The Streets, Little Shop of Horrors, The Dracula Spectacular, FAME, Back to the 80's, The Pirates of Penzance, Annie, Guys and Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph, Oliver, The Mikado, A Christmas Carol, Captain Noah, The Evacuees and Sago The Clown.

Dan also has appeared on stage in shows including: Sinbad, Made In Dagenham, Sweet Charity Beauty and the Beast, Dick Whittington, Mods and Rox (New Wolsey); Lemon - The Musical (Arts Theatre); The Man Who Stole The Circus (Isis Theatre); Run For Your Wife, They're Playing Our Song (Queen's Theatre); Cinderella, Aladdin (City Varieties); Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet (Stafford Castle); Buddy Vs The Killer (Raffles, Singapore); Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood (Theatre Clwyd); My Fair Lady, West Side Story (Aberystwyth Arts Centre); Dawlish Road (Soho Theatre); The Far Pavilions, Time's Up (Shaftesbury Theatre); FAME (Palladium).

Kieran Bailey — Panhandler

Kieran has being playing piano and drums since the young age of 6. He began to take an interest in singing and acting in his teens before going on to study at Tech Music School in London.

His music career has included recording and performing with artists such as Charlotte Church (UK/USA/Canada Tour), Magenta (Europe/Canada Tour), Jamie Smith's Mabon (European Tour), Rhydian Roberts (X Factor), Steve Balsamo, Sion Russell Jones and Christina Booth to name a few. He has also completed numerous cruise chip contracts for P&O Cruises backing cabaret artists and the onboard Headliner's Theatre Company. When in his native South Wales, Kieran runs a successful function band called Face Value and works as a freelance Piano/Vocalist whilst also recording his own music. As a pit musician Kieran has played for many productions including Avenue Q, Rent, Carousel, We Will Rock You and Les Miserables.

TV/Radio credits include Fontygary (BBC3 Pilot), Can i Gymru (S4C) Watertower Music Video for Charlotte Church, Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol (S4C), Twrw Yn Y Ty (S4C), Rhydian (S4C), Jonathan Ross Show (ITV), Children in Need (BBC), The Saturday Night Show (RTE Ireland), Roy Noble Show (BBC Wales) and Rhondda Radio FM (as a presenter).

Theatre credits include Chris Slade in TOM (Workshop and UK Tour), Keith in Jackie the Musical (Gardyne Theatre, Dundee), Domestos in Sleeping Beauty (New Wolsey Theatre), Clifford in Unsigned (Etcetera Theatre, London) and Pianist in Eye of the Storm (Workshop, Neath).

Kieran is thrilled to be back at the New Wolsey Theatre as part of the production of Sweet Charity.

Rachel Nottingham — Rosie

Rachel was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and trained at Drama Studio London.

During training she played Catherine Hilton in Call It A Day (Grove Court Theatre), Claire Clairmont in Bloody Poetry (Criterion Theatre), Rosalind in As You Like It, Queen Elizabeth in Richard III, Millamant in The Way Of The World and Andromache in The Trojan Women.

Rachel’s theatre credits include; Carnaby Street (No. 1 UK Tour / Squareleg Entertainment), Daisy in Dreamboats And Petticoats (No.1 UK Tour / Bill Kenwright Ltd.), Lydia Bennet & Caroline Bingley in Pride And Prejudice (Italian Tour / European Arts Company) and Alice Fitzwarren / Fairy Bow Bells in Dick Whittinghton (Bigfoot Arts Entertainment).

On screen, she has appeared in a number of feature and short films including; Zombie Resurrection (Charmed Apocalypse Pictures), Duet (Stage Factory, Seoul), Who Cares (Ney Productions) and Dead Beautiful (d-d films).

Rachel is an accomplished singer and musician, playing saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) and flute.

Christopher Fry — Cop

Christopher trained in Acting at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Theatre credits include Joey the Lips/Billy/Mickah in 'The Commitments’ at the Palace Theatre West End. Brian in 'Avenue Q' Noel Coward Theatre West End. Glen Miller in 'Bugle Boy', UK Tour. Rusty Charlie in 'Guys and Dolls' at the New Wolsey/Theatre Clwyd/Salisbury Playhouse. Nim/Host in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' and Benvolio in 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Stafford open air Shakespeare festival. Glen Miller in 'Bugle Boy' UK Tour. 'The Hot Mikado' at the Watermill Theatre. 'Oh What A Lovely War' at the Bolton Octagon. Frank in The UK tour of 'Dreamboats and Petticoats'. Red West 'This is Elvis' Kenwright UK Tour. 2 'Rock and Roll Pantomimes' at Theatre Clwyd and City Varieties Theatre

TV credits include Michael Lee in 'Eastenders'. 'New Tricks' and 'State of Play' BBC Television. Christopher has also featured in various Commercials on TV and Radio throughout the UK.

As a musician Christopher is highly skilled in Jazz Trombone. He has been working professionally as a trombone player for over 15 years working with established London funk band ‘The Killer Meters’ and long running blues/jazz/afro reggae band Big Chief. Christopher has also featured on many albums for other artists as a session player and is regularly gigging all round the British Isles with function bands including the Buzz Lightweights and Funk Federation. In 1999 Christopher was chosen to play with the BBC Concert Orchestra live on radio and has also supported and played with the great Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone and Graham Central Station. Christopher has played at both Ealing and Brecon jazz festivals and at established venues such as London’s Jazz Café, 606 Club, and last year at Ronnie Scotts with the Steve Taylor Buddy Rich Tribute Band.  Christopher also plays a cracking butternut squash in the LVO (London Vegetable Orchestra)!

Matthew James Hinchliffe — Charlie

Matthew James Hinchliffe trained at the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

Recent theatre credits include: Buck/Dance Captain in Calamity Jane (No.1 UK and Ireland Tour), Ensemble/Dance Captain U/S Motel/Fyedka/Mendel/Rabbi/Avram in Fiddler on the Roof (No.1 UK and Ireland Tour), Frank in Miss Nightingale (workshop), Rodney/Ensemble in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Watermill Theatre), Ensemble/Swing in Chess the Musical (No.1 UK Tour & Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto), Emcee in Cabaret (European Tour), John Darling in Peter Pan - the musical and Swallow/Councillor 2 in The Happy Prince (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Moulin Rouge (MV Aeagean Odyssey), Dancer/Puppeteer in Maestro (Henley Festival), Rapunzel’s Prince in Into The Woods and Finnur in Hagridden (Embassy Theatre), Terry/Ensemble in Merrily We Roll Along (Crescent Theatre, Birmingham), Ensemble in West Side Story (Birmingham Hippodrome) and Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (White Rock Theatre).

His instrumental skills include; clarinet/bass clarinet, flute/piccolo, soprano/alto/tenor/baritone saxophones, piano, accordion, oboe, recorders and ukelele. Recent musical credits include: Carnival of the Animals (Riverside Studios, London), The Glorious Ones (Landor Theatre), Dick Whittington, Aladdin and Cinderella (Hall for Cornwall, Truro), As Vast as the Dark of Night and Light of Day (Whitstable), The FlyBoys, The Merry Poppets and various other Corporate Events. He has worked with numerous chamber wind ensembles including Arcobeleno Venti and has also played with the CBSO, whilst also touring in Germany and Belgium. Matthew was selected and performed as a guest soloist to Her Majesty the Queen during her Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.

Matthew is delighted to be joining the cast of Sweet Charity and would like to thank his family and friends for their continued love and support.

He will next be performing in Sunset Boulevard at the Bridewell Theatre in London.

Follow him on Twitter @MatJHinchliffe

Greg Last — Barney / Assistant Musical Director

Greg trained at Rose Bruford College on the unique Actor Musicianship course graduating in 2006.

Greg's recent MD Credits include: MD for Return to The Forbidden Planet (UK tour & Daegu Opera House, South Korea), MD for Gun Metal Blues (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch), MD for Sleeping Beauty (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch), MD for Dick Whittington (Queen's Theatre), MD for They're Playing Our Song (Queen's Theatre), MD for Jack and the Beanstalk (Queen's Theatre).

Other Theatre credits include: Witches of Eastwick (Watermill Theatre), Max in Lend Me a Tenor (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch), Rosencrantz and Guildernstern Are Dead (Chichester Festival Theatre and Haymarket, West End), Dreamboats & Petticoats (UK Tour), Laughter in the Rain (UK Tour), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Duchess Theatre and UK Tour), The Lady or the Tiger (Orange Tree Theatre), Voices (Quondam Theatre), Girlfriends (Battersea Arts Centre) and Golden Music Moments (European Tour).

Television credits include: This Morning (Granada) and Brainiac: Science Abuse (ITV for Sky 1).

Radio credits include: Friday Night is Music Night (BBC Radio 2).

Greg spends a lot of his time studying other instruments including the Double Bass, the Tuba and the Trombone. He also works as a composer and musical director. His works include The Happy Prince (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch), the children’s musical The Lonely Library (TIE tour) and Pinocchio for The Met Theatre in Bury. The show was voted number four of the top five family shows in the country by The Times newspaper.

Huge thanks go out to Greg’s parents and especially to his wife Catherine, daughter Martha and son Ben.

Jeffrey Harmer — Vittorio Vidal

West End: Alfredo Du Lac, Eurydice (Whitehall).

Other theatre: DL, Feelgood and Henry Perkins, Funny Money (Vienna's English Theatre); Vittorio Vidal, Sweet Charity (New Wolsey Theatre); Andy Stephens, Susan Boyle's manager in the new musical I Dreamed A Dream (national tour); Clyde, The Witches of Eastwick (Watermill); Abanazar, Aladdin (Alhambra, Bradford); High Pockets Duncan, Buddy (Channel Islands); Montano, Othello and Hastings, Richard III (Ludlow Festival); Sgt Major Reg Drummond, Privates on Parade (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Birmingham Rep); Bill Austen, Mamma Mia! (international tour); Koko, The Hot Mikado (Craig Revel Horwood, Watermill, national tour); King Rat, Dick Whittington and Duke of Ephesus, The Comedy of Errors (Northcott, Exeter); Bob Acres in The Rivals,  All Male Roles in The Blue Room and Bob Cratchet in A Christmas Carol (Swan, Worcester); The Narrator, The Roy Orbison Story (Bill Kenwright national tour); Prospero, Return to the Forbidden Planet and Billy Flynn in Chicago (Frankfurt); Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet and George Osborne, Vanity Fair (Sherman, Cardiff); Antipholus, The Comedy of Errors (national tour); Bottom, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Seward, Dracula and Badger, Wind in The Willows (Liverpool Playhouse); Robert, Stagestruck (Grand Swansea); Jon Forsyte, The Forsyte Saga with Nyree Dawn Porter (national tour).

Television and film: Prince Andrew, Diana: Her True Story (NBC); Herr Luytnant, Norbert Smith: A Life (Channel 4); Poirot; The Bill; Family Affairs (Channel 5); Westbeach (BBC); Rufus Sidwell, Kidnap and Ransom (ITV); DCI Bannister, The Runaway (Sky TV); Woods, The Italian Consul (Film Italia).

Radio: PC Collins, Saplings and Quisby, Gilbert Without Sullivan (Radio 4).

Peter Rowe — Director

Peter Rowe is a director and writer and former Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre.

After training at the Thorndike Theatre, Peter became the Artistic Director for the Southampton-based Solent People’s Theatre and then for the London Bubble Theatre Company touring London in a big top tent. He has held three other Artistic Directorships at the Gateway Theatre, Chester, Liverpool Everyman and, between 2000 and 2022, the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. Freelance work has included productions for regional theatres and touring companies up and down the country. He has directed Boyband and Return to the Forbidden Planet in the West End and national tours of Once and Leader of the Pack.

Recently he has directed Tony!: The Tony Blair Rock Opera at The Park, and The Birds and the Bees on its East Anglian tour, both heading out on national tours in Spring 2023.

As a writer his work includes twelve record-breaking Christmas Rock ‘n’ Roll pantomimes, 20th Century Boy, The Marc Bolan story, a Kurt Weill compilation, Songs from a Hotel Bedroom, In These Shoes using the songs of Kirsty MacColl, and he has co-written two original musicals – Midsummer Songs and Trio – both produced here at the New Wolsey.

 

Designer

Nick Richings — Lighting Designer

Recent work includes: Jesus Christ Superstar – UK Tour, The Sound Of Music – UK Tour, Forbidden Broadway – West End & The Menier Chocolate Factory, Blood Brothers – UK Tour, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - 2014 UK Tour, The Seagull, Educating Rita, Mother Courage – The Library Theatre at the Lowry, Manchester, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – UK Tour, Sleuth, The Witches of Eastwick – The Watermill, The Rocky Horror Show Australia & 2012 UK Tour, The Mystery Of Charles Dickens – The Playhouse Theatre London, Ben Hur – The Watermill Theatre, Starlight Express – U.K. Tour, Simply The Best – Hackney Empire & West End, A Round Heeled Woman – Riverside Studios and West End, La Cage Aux Folles – U.S. Tour, The Marriage of Figaro – The Watermill Theatre, Hard Times – The Library Theatre Manchester, Brother Loves Travelling Salvation Show – UK Tour, Spamalot - UK Tour and London, Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals,   La Cage Aux Folles, West End & Broadway (Tony nomination best Lighting and Tony Award winner Best Musical 2010),  Laughter In The Rain – The Neil Sedaka Story, Spend, Spend, Spend – The Watermill Theatre & UK Tour, Glengarry Glen Ross, Rock & Roll and Relatively Speaking – The Library Theatre Manchester, Monkey - Journey to the West, The Royal Opera House and O2 Arena; The Rocky Horror Show, The Playhouse Theatre and UK Tour; Whistle Down the Wind – The Palace Theatre; A Man For All Seasons - Theatre Royal Haymarket; Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - The New London Theatre; Beautiful & Damned – The Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue; Icons in London at The Venue; Wait Until Dark, The Garrick Theatre; Sleuth, The Apollo Theatre; The Mystery of Charles Dickens – The  Albery Theatre; Fallen Angels, Jesus My Boy, The Apollo Theatre; Aspects of Love, What A Show, South Pacific, The Prince of Wales Theatre; Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol, and Scrooge starring Tommy Steele both at The London Palladium, Derren Brown – Something Wicked This Way Comes (winner 2006 Olivier Award best entertainment) at The Cambridge Theatre.

International work includes: Monkey: Journey to the West - Lincoln Centre NY, Farewell To My Concubine – Reignwood Theatre Beijing, China. The Secret Life of Nora – Maylaysian National Theatre, A Sigh of Love - Shanghai Ballet Company, The Rocky Horror Show – Australia, Seoul, Copenhagen. Mary Poppins – Copenhagen, Monkey: Journey to the West in America and Paris, The Mystery of Charles Dickens Broadway, US tours of Scrooge and Whistle Down the Wind. High School Musical, The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, Showboat, Copacabana, Chess - Copenhagen, Rent and Gaslight at the English Theatre, Frankfurt and I Do! I Do!, Romeo & Juliette, and, The Woman In Black for Vienna’s English Theatre. Grease – Germany – European Tour and Byblos Festival, Lebanon,

Opera credits include Falstaff, which was named “Best Opera Production” by the Manchester Evening News; Menotti’s The Consul for Opera Holland Park in London; and Il Turco in Italia for Broomhill Opera.

Drew Baumohl — Sound Designer

Drew trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His previous sound designs include: The Dissidents (The Tricycle Theatre) Mary Shelley (Shared Experience) A Season in the Congo: Parallel Production (Young Vic) The Kite Runner: UK Tour (UK Productions) The Threepenny Opera (Graeae) Here We Stay, Unforgettable (New Perspectives) Time and The Conways, My Judy Garland Life, Richard III, The Kite Runner, Of Mice and Men, The Importance of Being Earnest, Grandpa in my Pocket: Teamwork, Umbrellas, Private Lives, Amy’s View, Twelfth Night, The Families of Lockerbie, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Forever Young, Blithe Spirit, Glamour, Vertigo, Tom’s Midnight Garden, Beast on the Moon and Aladdin (Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company); Dust, Dreamtime (Derby Theatre) The Crossing (New Art Exchange); The Grandfathers (LYTX); The Trial, Blood Wedding, The Visit, Find Me and Down in the Dumps (Nottingham Playhouse Youth Theatre); West Side Story (Nottingham Operatic Society) The Wiz, Séance on a Sunday Afternoon, Empty Bed Blues and Smile (Lakeside Arts Centre); Thoroughly Modern Millie, Crazy for you, Peter Pan (Carlton Operatic Society); and as Associate Sound Designer, Summer and Smoke (Apollo Theatre, London).

Will Duke — Video Consultant

Will Duke was born in the UK and studied Fine Art at the Ruskin School of Fine Art and Drawing and at The Glasgow School of Art. As a visual artist he specialised in photography, film, animation and video installation. His work has been exhibited internationally and throughout the UK and is owned by collections in Scotland, Norway and the USA.

In 2009 he began working as a projection designer for the stage. Recent theatre and dance credits include: Mountaineering (nonzerone, The Roundhouse); Dusk (Fevered Sleep, Young Vic & UK Tour); Landscape II (Melanie Wilson, Dublin Fringe and UK Tour); Above Me The Wide Blue Sky (Fevered Sleep, Young Vic); Hitchcock Blonde (Hull Truck, Dir: Natalie Abrahami); Of Mice and Men (Watermill Theatre, Dir: Douglas Rintoul); Where Have I Been All My Life (by Alecky Blythe, New Vic Theatre, Dir: Theresa Heskins); The Difference Engine (Dance Umbrella, Gate Theatre); Discombobulator (Dance Umbrella, Purcell Rooms); The Rain Parade (Lost Dog Dance, UK Tour).

Forthcoming projects include: The Encounter (Complicite, with Simon McBurney); Queen Anne (RSC, Dir: Natalie Abrahami); The Edge (Transport, Dir: Douglas Rintoul); The Narrow World (Melanie Wilson & Will Duke with The British Council); Above: A Festival of Imaginary Events for Rooftops in Tehran and London (Melanie Wilson & Will Duke with Forest Fringe and The British Council, Edinburgh Fringe); Opera for The Unknown Woman (Melanie Wilson).

Francesca Jaynes — Choreographer

Theatre credits include: Up on the Roof  (Oldham Coliseum Theatre); Orpheus in the Underworld (Holland Park Opera); After Life, The Threepenny Opera and The Day After Tomorrow (National Theatre); Stephen Fry’s Cinderella (The Old Vic) My Best Friend (Hampstead Theatre);  Little Shop of Horrors, The Entertainer, Romeo and Juliet, Pinocchio and Toad of Toad Hall (The Birmingham Rep); It’s a Wonderful Life, Little Shop of Horrors, Blues in the Night, A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Forum,  Sugar,  Laurel and Hardy and A Chorus of Disapproval (New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich); Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Happy End, Hosts of Rebecca, Sweeney Todd, Silas Marner, The Cavalcaders and Happy End (Theatre Clwyd); The Gambler, The Winter’s Tale and Frankie and Tommy (Liverpool Everyman);  Guys and Dolls (Salisbury Playhouse).

Feature Films: Francesca often works with director Tim Burton.  Their collaborations include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Dark Shadows, Alice in Wonderland and most recently, the forthcoming Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.  She worked with Steven Spielberg devising movement concepts for Jude Law and the robots in his film A.I. Artificial Intelligence and with Mike Leigh on Vera Drake and Topsy Turvy (for which she was nominated for Best Choreography in a film by the American Choreography Awards).  Recent films include Our Kind of Traitor, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Muppets most Wanted, Gravity, Great Expectations, One Day, X-Men First Class, The Duchess, De Lovely, The Da Vinci Code, The Prince of Persia, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Me and Orson Welles, Clash of the Titans, Gulliver’s Travels, More Muppets, The Invisible Woman, Austenland and The Look of Love.

Television:  Francesca has worked on Esio Trot, Murder on the Home Front, The Trip,  Elizabeth the Virgin Queen, Tipping the Velvet and Hustle. Other productions include: The Vice, Foyle’s War, Sons and Lovers, In a Land of Plenty, Miss Marple and Alan Bleasdale’s Melissa.

Francesca has choreographed advertising campaigns for Scottish Widows, Sainsbury’s and Lynx.

Reviews of Sweet Charity

What the press say


"This is a show which exudes total joy and a stylish sense class from beginning to end"

The Stage, Andrew Clarke

"It’s a must-see show that you would be crazy to miss"

EADT, Andrew Clarke

"Yet another power-house production"

Essential Suffolk, Lesley Rawlinson

What the public say

What a fantastic night of entertainment! Everyone in the cast was multi-talented,from superb acting,singing,dancing and playing musical instruments. GO SEE IT!

Chris & larry, Martlesham Heath

Fantastic show, thoroughly enjoyed by my 16 year old daughter and me! Funny, touching, great cast and staging. Katie Birtill is absolutely FABULOUS, and thoroughly believable as Charity. Would highly recommend for a great nights entertainment. We would love to go again...!!!

K

Went last night with our nephew who is in the cast of Lion King and a friend of Nicloa Bryan. Wow!! Blown away. Great little theatre but with a big big show! Amazing music, singing and acting hard to keep your eyes on all the movements. Thoroughly recommend going. Charity was absolutely brilliant!

Kevin

Seen the show? Want to have your say?