Essex, who plays the role of George, will be joined onstage by Shona Lindsay (The Phantom of the Opera, Grease, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) as Rose Vibert, Matt Rawle (current revival of Evita, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre) as Alex Dillingam and Poppy Tierney (Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon) as Guilietta Trapani.

After concluding its run at the Theatre Royal Sept. 15, the production will play stops in Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Aberdeen, Bradford, Stoke on Trent, Manchester, Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Plymouth, Norwich and Bath. Nikolai Foster directs the production, which features choreography by Gary Lloyd.

The creative team also includes Rob Jones (design), Guy Hoare (lighting design), Mike Walker (sound design) and David Shrubsole (musical supervision and orchestrations).

Aspects of Love, according to press notes, is set in 1947 when "English student Alex Dillingham [is] traveling through France [and] before his call up, falls in love with the alluring actress Rose Vibert. After a little persuasion, Rose joins Alex at his uncle's villa. As the pair embark on a passionate affair, the unexpected arrival of Uncle George (Essex) changes their lives forever. From the cobbled streets of Paris to the mountains of the Pyrenees, [the musical] is a heartbreaking love story spanning 20 years. Passion, desire, family ties and friendship bind six people and three generations together as they come to appreciate how love changes everything."

Aspects of Love — featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart — opened in the West End in 1989 with a cast led by Michael Ball, Ann Crumb and Kevin Colson. Trevor Nunn directed. The score features such tunes as "Seeing Is Believing," "Anything But Lonely" and "Love Changes Everything." Ball, Crumb and Colson also headed the New York company, which played 377 performances at the Broadhurst Theatre from March 1990 to March 1991. Kenny Wax and Michael Harrison are producing in association with PW Productions.

David Essex boasts 23 Top 30 hits, including the number one singles "Hold Me Close" and "Gonna Make You a Star." In addition to Evita, he has also appeared onstage in Godspell and She Stoops to Conquer.

For a list of current tour dates, visit www.reallyuseful.com.