Casting is announced for the world premiere of the new musical based on Carla Lane’s beloved BBC series The Liver Birds. Taking on the iconic roles of Sandra and Beryl are Joanna Monro and Lesley Molony. Their extensive West End credits include Monro playing both lead female roles Blood Brothers, and Molony starring in Buddy. Both also appeared in Mamma Mia. Their younger selves are played by Nicola Munns and Julie Atherton.
Atherton is a celebrated musical theatre star, with credits including Avenue Q, Mamma Mia, Fame and Sister Act. Munns’ credits include the ENO production of Don Giovanni and on TV, Call The Midwife. Beryl’s son Will is played by Mark Rice-Oxley, another alumni of Blood Brothers who also played George Harrison in a John Lennon docudrama for NBC.
This exclusive ‘one night only’ concert presentation features all-new songs and lyrics by internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Barb Jungr and Level 42’s Mike Lindup, plus a powerful script from BBC Radio Merseyside’s Linda McDermott. The show is directed by Sarah Tipple, whose credits include the stage version of Dirty Dancing and Mike Leigh’s adaptation of The Pirates Of Penzance.
Sandra and Beryl meet at their old flat in present day Liverpool for the first time since the 1970s when Sandra abruptly left with no forwarding address. Can their friendship be rekindled after this long separation, and what happens when the Liver Birds come back together after forty years?
Carla Lane personally granted the rights for this musical adaptation of the story prior to her untimely death in 2016. Since then, the writing team have been busy creating this modern-day story, celebrating Carla’s characters and their home city in a new story. They won the support of Olivier Award winning theatre producer James Seabright, who is working alongside renowned Liverpool-based promoter and producer George Seaton to bring this show to the stage.
The concert presentation will be the culmination of the show’s first workshop, and the creative team will be inviting audience members to share their feedback on the musical before it moves forward into its next stage of a fully staged world premiere production, which will also open in Liverpool.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
James Seabright and George Seaton present
LIVER BIRDS FLYING HOME - An Exclusive Concert Presentation Of The New Musical
The Epstein Theatre
Tuesday 30 May 2017, 7.30pm
Tickets: £17.60
Box Office: 0844 888 4411 Book online: at www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk
In person: Epstein Theatre, Hanover House, 85 Hanover Street, Liverpool, L1 3DZ
