The West End transfer of Sue Townsend's THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13¾ - THE MUSICAL is closing, after a successful run at The Ambassadors Theatre, on 28 September. The show was originally booking until 12th October.
Set in 1980s Leicester, this adaptation of Sue Townsend‘s best-selling book is a timeless tale of teenage angst, family struggles and unrequited love, told through the eyes of tortured poet and misunderstood intellectual Adrian Mole. One of the most enduring comedy characters of all time, he is the hapless, hilarious, spotty teenager who captured the zeitgeist of 1980s Britain, and this critically acclaimed production brings Adrian’s story to life for a new generation of theatregoers.
“Honestly. My family just don’t understand me. Perhaps when I am famous and my diary is discovered people will understand the torment of being a 13¾ year-old intellectual” Adrian Mole.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ was Townsend’s first novel and was originally published in 1982 by Methuen, but is now published by Penguin Books. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, been translated into 30 languages, and spawned seven sequel Adrian Mole novels. The novels have previously been adapted for the stage, radio and television.
The children’s cast taking on the pivotal roles of Adrian, Pandora, Barry and Nigel in Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ - The Musicalare as follows: Nicholas Antoniou-Tibbittsfrom Saffron Walden, Aaron Gelkoff from Redbridge, Michael Hawkins from Haringey and Rufus Kampa from Buckinghamshire will alternate the role of Adrian; Molly May Gibson from Kent, Matilda Hopkins from Buckinghamshire, Rebecca Nardin from Surrey and Riya Vyas from Richmond will alternate the role of Pandora; Jack Gale from Hertfordshire, Aaron Shaw from Hertfordshire, Charlie Stripp from West Sussex and Kobi Watson from Croydon will alternate the role of Barry; Regan Garcia from Bexley, Albert Green from Buckinghamshire, Cuba Kamanu from Cambridge and Jeremiah Davan Waysome from Newham will alternate the role of Nigel. All children in the cast are between 12 and 14 years old.
The adult cast includes Rosemary Ashe(Felicia Gabriel in The Witches of Eastwickfor which she was nominated for an Olivier Award, Carlotta in the original cast of The Phantom of the Opera, Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables, Sister Mary Lazarus in Sister ActUK tour, Kate Hoey MP in Committeeat Donmar Warehouse) as Grandma, Lara Denning(Mrs Wormwood and Miss Honey in Matilda, West End, Ruthless The Musicalat Arts Theatre, Mrs Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,Theatre Royal Drury Lane) as Miss Elf/Doreen Slater,John Hopkins(Sir Francis Basset in Poldark, BBC, Endeavour, ITV, regular character Sergeant Dan Scott in Midsomer Murders, ITV, The Boys in the Band at Park Theatre/ Vaudeville, Much Ado About Nothingat Rose Theatre Kingston) as Mr Lucas/Mr Scruton, Andrew Langtree(Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Dayat The Old Vic which earned him an Olivier Award nomination, Troilus & Cressidafor the RSC, Imperiumfor the RSC, Gielgud Theatre, Justin Gallagher in Emmerdalefrom 2010 - 2012) as George, Amy Ellen Richardson(Ursula March in Sweet Charityat Donmar Warehouse, Kiss Me Kateat Sheffield Crucible, Beautiful: The Carol King MusicalUK Tour, Merrily We RollAlong,Menier Chocolate Factory/Harold Pinter, Les Misérables, Queens Theatre) as Pauline, and Ian Talbot OBE(Artistic and Managing Director of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 2008, Wilbur Turnblad in Hairsprayat Shaftesbury Theatre, the Fool in King Lear, Hortensio in The Taming Of The Shrewand Trinculo in The Tempest, all for the RSC, Harry Trevor in Kiss Me Katefor BBC Proms, Geoffrey in Alphabetical Orderat Bath Theatre Royal/ UK Tour) as Bert Baxtor. Also in the cast are Holly Ashton(1st cover Donna in Mamma Mia!,International tour, A Little Night Music, Frinton Summer Theatre) and Mathew Craig(Narrator in Blood Brothers, UK Tour, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 ¾, Menier Chocolate Factory, Rebel Leader in We Will Rock You,UK Tour and Dominion Theatre).
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ - The Musicalhas choreography by Rebecca Howell,set and costume design by Tom Rogers, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Gregory Clarke, musical direction by Mark Collins,musical supervision & orchestrations by Paul Herbert, children’s casting by Jo Hawes CDGand additional casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.
This production is produced by Anthony Clare, Ramin Sabi, Knickerbockerglory, Mark Puddle/Vicky Graham and Curve.
Originally commissioned by Curve and Royal and Derngate, Northampton.
