New Liverpool musical premieres at the Playhouse

Jun 7 2008 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

A NEW Liverpool musical, commissioned as part of the Capital of Culture year, comes to the Playhouse Theatre next week.

Once Upon A Time At The Adelphi by Phil Willmott, features a cast of top West End musical theatre actors including Simon Bailey, Julie Atherton and Natasha Seale.ŠThe show can be seen from June 28-July 19.

The play is set in 1930s Liverpool as the glitz and glamour of Hollywood pour off the luxury liners for their first taste of England.Š

Amid the chaos and decadence, no-nonsense Alice (Julie Atherton) from Reception has fallen for the dashing Thompson (Simon Bailey) from accounts – but fate, Hollywood, World War Two and a dizzying array of staff and guests intervene in an epic Liverpool love story spanning over 70 years.

Simon Bailey is a member of theatreland’s first super group, Teatro, who performed in Liverpool at The Royal Variety Performance last December.Š

Teatro are a group of four talented musical theatre actors and singers whose debut album - a collection of hit musical classics - went gold and next year they embark on a UK tour.Š

Simon appeared in the West End productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, We Will Rock You, and Les Misérables.ŠIn 2003 he played Ringo Starr in a world tour of Rock Legends.ŠHe was also one of the contestants on BBC1’s Any Dream Will Do in 2007.

Preston born Julie Atherton made her West End theatre debut in 2000 playing the lead role of Sophie in Mamma Mia at the Prince Edward Theatre.ŠShe followed this with the part of Serena Katz in the West End and UK tour of Fame.Š

In 2006 Julie starred in the West End première of the Broadway hit Avenue Q in the lead role of Kate Monster, and in that same year released her debut album A Girl of Few Words – The Songs of Charles Miller.Š

She is also a founding member of Notes From New York, a series of shows that bring work from US composers to the West End stage.

Jazz solo artist and musical theatre actress Natasha Seale toured the US with big bands before returning to the UK to study at LIPA, where she established residencies at Liverpool’s Jazz Café with her band Morwenna.Š

Further collaborations resulted in gigging the London jazz circuit.Š Her musical theatre credits include Fantine in the London cast of Les Misérables, Rose in Aspects of Love (Lincoln Theatre Royal) and as Elaine the Pain in Tracy Beaker Gets Real (Nottingham Playhouse and UK Tour).

Writer/director Phil Willmott is well known for his imaginative musical productions such as Around the World in Eighty Days and Dick Barton-Special Agent.Š

Once Upon A Time at the Adelphi can be seen at the Liverpool Playhouse from June 28-July 18. Ring 0151 709 4776 or visit www.everymanplayhouse.com.