Southwark Playhouse builds cast for Then, Now & Next

Tori Allen-Martin, Justin Brett, Peter Hannah and Joaquin Pedro Valdes will head the cast for the world premiere of original musical Then, Now & Next.

Struggling with a difficult past, Alex Shaw is attempting to take steps forward. We follow her journey over twenty years, through two loves – young, adventurous idealist, Stephen, and the older, reliable and charming Peter –  as she gathers the scattered chapters of her life, in the hope of re-building her story and asking if she will ever be more than just “fine”. Through Alex’s experiences, her uplifting story questions how relationships can change over time and explores what it takes to truly heal.

Written by Christopher J Orton (My Land’s Shore) and Jon Robyns (The Phantom of the Opera), their first collaboration, the production opens at Southwark Playhouse on June 28. It runs until July 29.

Alice Fearn also stars in the show, which is directed by Julie Atherton.

The band comprises musical director and keys player Honor Halford-MacLeod, guitarist James William-Pattison, cellist Alice Luddington and percussionist Tom Bennett.

Orchestrations, arrangements and musical supervision are by Ben Goddard-Young.

The set and costume designer is Bob Sterrett, with lighting designer Adam King, sound designer Raffaela Pancucci, production manager Titch Gosling, dramaturgy by Kate Golledge, stage manager Zoe Leonard, assistant stage manager Odette Robertson and sound operator Amber Carey. It is produced and general managed by Paul Virides Productions.

Pigs Might Fly lands cast ahead of UK tour

Megan Swaisland, Rachel Lea-Gray and Jazz Evans will head the cast of Pigs Might Fly, which is embarking on a UK tour that will take in Theatre Peckham and New Wimbledon Theatre.

The bold and energetic new musical follows the air-raising adventures of Pintsize (Swaisland), the youngest and most daring piglet on Mudpuddle Farm. Pintsize loves nothing more than playing with his neighbour and best friend Diana the sheep, until one day Pintsize wakes up to discover a tall fence built between their two farms.

Devastated by the loss of playtime with his best pal, Pintsize resolves that he will figure out how to fly over it instead. Can his determination and ingenuity defy the laws of physics? Will crotchety Farmer Rafferty (Evans) finally make peace with his neighbour, Farmer Brightwell (Lea-Gray)? Can Albertine the clever goose keep Pintsize from hurting himself as he tries to fly?

From DEM Productions and based on Michael Morpurgo’s Mudpuddle Farm, book, music and lyrics are by Caroline Wigmore and Jen Green. It is directed by Kate Golledge.

Pigs Might Fly has choreography by Chris Whittaker (Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Gatsby) and set and costume design by Stewart J Charlesworth (From Here To Eternity, The Dark).

The show will start its UK Tour on May 24, 2023 at Theatre Peckham before arriving at New Wimbledon Theatre on June 3-4.