Nunn's The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess Begins London Previews Oct. 25
By James Inverne
25 Oct 2006
Trevor Nunn's reworking of Porgy and Bess begins previews at London's Savoy Theatre Oct. 25. The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess officially opens Nov. 9.
Clark Peters and Nicola Hughes take on the title roles in Nunn's two-and-a-half hour reworking of the classic musical.
Casting for the other principal roles includes Cornell John (Les Miz) as Crown, Dawn Hope (Simply Heavenly) as Serena and O-T Fagbenle (Six Degrees of Separation) who plays Sportin’ Life.
Peters and Hughes co-starred in the London production of Simply Heavenly. Peters' credits include Five Guys Named Mo, Mourning Becomes Electra, The Iceman Cometh and Driving Miss Daisy. Hughes' credits include Damn Yankees, Fosse and Tommy.
Porgy and Bess — which features some of the greatest songs in musical theatre, including “Summertime,” “I Got Plenty o’ Nothin’” and “It Aint Necessarily So” — premiered Oct. 10, 1935, at New York’s Alvin Theatre. With a score by George Gershwin, lyrics by his brother Ira and book-writer DuBose Heyward, Porgy and Bess was based on Dubose and Dorothy Heyward’s novel "Porgy."
Set in the fictional Catfish Row, South Carolina, the show was the first time the musical form attempted to reflect African-American working-class experience. Since its premiere, the show has attained opera status.
Nunn’s £3 million (about $5.5 million) production features a 40-strong cast and a 20-piece orchestra.
For more information about The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, call (0)870 164 8787.
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