West End performer, Strictly Come Dancing favourite and television actor Danny Mac has been confirmed to join the UK tour of Amélie The Musical, based on the much-loved, five-time Oscar®-nominated film. Joining previously announced French-Canadian stage and screen star Audrey Brisson as Amélie Poulain, Danny Mac will play the sweet daydreamer Nino Quincampoix from 22 May. The role of Nino will be played by Chris Jared during performances at The Watermill Theatre.
This beloved story of an imaginative and shy romantic with a gift for helping others, will tour the UK in a vibrant, re-conception with new orchestrations. Press night will be held on Wednesday 17 April, 7.30pm at The Watermill Theatre in Newbury, with a gala performance at the New Wimbledon Theatre on Thursday 23 May, 7:30pm.
Amélie is the story of an astonishing young woman who lives quietly in the world, but loudly in her mind. She secretly improvises small, but extraordinary acts of kindness that bring happiness to those around her. But when a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realises that to find her own contentment she’ll have to risk everything and say what’s in her heart. Although times are hard for dreamers, Amélie is someone to believe in…
Danny Mac captured the nation's hearts and received overwhelming support during his incredible time on flagship entertainment showStrictly Come Dancing (BBC One) in 2016, with a series of perfect scores taking him to the final. Having begun his performing career at an early age in Cameron Mackintosh's tour of Les Miserables, he reprised the role a year later in the West End. His other theatre credits include Wicked (West End), Legally Blonde (Curve Theatre), On The Town (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), White Christmas(Leicester Curve) and his award-winning turn in Sunset Boulevard (UK Tour).
Audrey Brisson’s theatre credits include: The Elephantom, Pinocchio and Pericles (National Theatre), Midnight's Pumpkin and The Wild Bride (Kneehigh), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens), Dead Dog in a Suitcase & Other Love Songs(Kneehigh), Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre, Kingston), The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Kneehigh), The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic),The Strada (UK Tour & The Other Palace). Her film credits include: Hereafter directed by Clint Eastwood and W.E. directed by Madonna. Television includes: Outlander (Amazon), Money (BBC Two). Radio includes the title role in Amy Dorrit (BBC Radio).
Chris Jared’s theatre includes: 946 US Tour (Headlong), Duchess Of Malfi (Nottingham Playhouse), 946 (Shakespeare's Globe), The Late Henry Moss (Southwark Playhouse), Cyrano De Bergerac (Northern Stage/Royal and Derngate), Praxis Makes Perfect (National Theatre Wales), Taming Of The Shrew, All's Well That Ends Well,As You Like It, Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company), A Letter From Shakespeare (Wales Theatre Company), Late At Tate (Pop Up Theatre Event), Revenger's Tragedy(Independent Productions), Coriolanius (National Theatre Wales), Emperor and Galilean (National Theatre), Marathon (Wales Graduate Theatre Company), Much Ado About Nothing (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Three Sisters (Manchester Royal Exchange). His screen credits include: Agatha Raisin (Mammoth), Robin Hood (Merry Men Films Ltd) and Limbo (Jen X Films).
The full cast also includes Oliver Grant as Lucien / Mysterious Man (War Horse – UK Tour, Twelfth Night – Chichester Festival Theatre), Samuel Morgan-Grahame as Joseph / Fluffy (Sister Act – UK Tour, All My Sons – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Sioned Saunders as Gina (Sunshine on Leith -West Yorkshire Playhouse, Sleeping Beauty – Watermill Theatre), Johnson Willis as Collignon / Dufayel (Harold and Maude – Charing Cross Theatre, Dido Queen of Carthage & Salome – RSC The Swan Theatre), Caolan McCarthy as Hippolito / Elton John (The Plough and the Stars – National Theatre, The Beggar's Opera/Alice in Wonderland – Storyhouse), Faoileann Cunningham as Georgette / Sylvia (Mary Stuart – Almeida, Ulysses – Abbey Theatre), Kate Robson-Stuartas Suzanne (Crazy For You – UK Tour, Untold Stories (Watermill Theatre), Josh Sneesby as Blind Beggar / Gnome (The Hypocrite &Birthday Bash – Royal Shakespeare Company, One Man, Two Guvnors – Adelphi Theatre/Theatre Royal Haymarket), Jez Unwin as Raphael / Bretodeau (Oliver – Leicester Curve, Once – Phoenix Theatre) and Rachel Dawson as Andamine / Philomene (The Jungle Book - UK Tour, A Little Night Music – The Watermill).
With music by Hem’s Daniel Messé, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Daniel Messé and book by Craig Lucas, this new musical adaptation of the five-time Oscar®-nominated film written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant, will be directed by Michael Fentiman.
The original film, Le Fabuleux Destin D’Amélie Poulain, was released in 2001, starring Audrey Tautou and Matthieu Kassovitz. Taking over $33 million in a limited theatrical release, it is to date the highest-grossing French-language film released in the United States, and one of the biggest international successes for a French film. Amélie won Best Film at the European Film Awards, four César Awards in 2002 (including Best Film and Best Director), two BAFTA Awards (including Best Original Screenplay), and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best foreign language film.
Amélie The Musical was first staged in California in 2015 and was described as an ‘enchanting act of theatrical reinvention’ (The Los Angeles Times).
When the UK tour concludes in September 2019 Amélie The Musical will tour internationally, with dates to be announced.
Amélie The Musical, is produced by Hartshorn – Hook Productions, Selladoor Productions, The Watermill Theatre and Broadway Asia.
