LaChiusa's Little Fish to Make European Premiere at London's Finborough

By Mark Shenton
01 Oct 2009

Michael John LaChiusa's 2003 musical Little Fish, originally seen at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre in a production directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele, will make its European premiere at London's Finborough Theatre, beginning performances Oct. 27 (prior to an official opening Oct. 29), for a four-week run through Nov. 21.

Featuring book, music and lyrics by LaChiusa, who is currently being represented in London by a production of First Lady Suite at the Union Theatre, the musical was suggested by two short stories of Deborah Eisenberg, a writer who has written four collections of short stories and is regularly published in the New Yorker and the New York Review of Books. LaChiusa's other shows include Marie Christine, Hello Again and Bernarda Alba (all originally premiered at Lincoln Center Theater), See What I Wanna See (New York's Public Theater) and Giant (Signature Theatre, Arlington VA).

The British premiere of Little Fish is presented by JQ Productions and Treasuretrove Productions in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre. It is directed by Adam Lenson, with musical direction and orchestrations by Richard Bates, choreography by Nicholas Cunningham, costume design by Bec Chippendale and lighting by James Smith. The cast includes Ashley Campbell, Michael Cantwell, Katie Foster-Barnes, Nick Holder, Alana Maria, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Lee William-Davis and Julia Worsley.

According to press materials, the show "introduces audiences to a darker New York than seen in most musicals, inhabiting the lesser-known corners of the city. When Charlotte decides to give up smoking, she doesn’t realize quite how difficult it will be. As she attempts to fill her nicotine-starved days, the events of a troubled past slowly begin to resurface; an abusive ex-boyfriend, a new life in New York, a bizarre roommate and a boss who is a little too hands on. As her emotional debris accumulates, we see Charlotte’s vivid memories juxtaposed against her present day life. But even with her friends trying to help, can this Little Fish learn to survive in a pond as big as New York City?"

Campbell's theatre credits includes Jack and the Beanstalk (Barbican Centre), The Rat Pack (American Tour), Bomb-itty Of Errors (New Ambassadors Theatre) and Fame (Victoria Palace Theatre).

Cantwell has been seen in the West End in Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Royal Festival Hall), Cats (New London Theatre), Romance Romance (Gielgud Theatre), Passion (Queens Theatre), Assassins (Donmar Warehouse) and Les Miserables (Palace Theatre), amongst others.

Foster-Barnes has previously appeared at the Finborough in Florodoro, and in the West End in Peter Pan and The Pirates of Penzance (both at the Savoy) and Beautiful and Damned (Lyric), and regionally at Northampton's Royal Theatre and the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds.

Holder has worked extensively at the National Theatre, including appearing in productions of South Pacific, Sweeney Todd and The Wind in the Willows as well as for the RSC (in productions of Antony and Cleopatra, The Beggar's Opera and As You Like It), and in the West End in The Drowsy Chpaerone, Jesus Christ Superstar and Miss Saigon. Maria was in the original London cast of Dancing in the Streets and has also been seen in the West End in 125th Street (Shaftesbury Theatre) and The Blues Brothers (Whitehall).

Pitt-Pulford has been seen in the West End in Sunset Boulevard (Comedy Theatre and Newbury's Watermill Theatre), and appeared regionally in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds) and Follies (at Northampton's Royal Theatre).

William-Davis' theatre credits include Ordinary Days at the Finborough, and West End appearances in Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia!, Chicago and Beauty and the Beast. At the National, he was seen in Love's Labour's Lost and Mamma Mia!, and at the London Coliseum in ENO's production of On the Town (Finborough Theatre).

Worsley has been seen in the West End in Oliver! (London Palladium) and Les Miserables (Palace Theatre).

Director Lenson returns to the Finborough Theatre with the team that produced the U.K premiere of Adam Gwon's musical Ordinary Days (currently being produced at the Roundabout's Black Box Theatre at New York's Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre). He trained on the National Theatre Studio Directors' Course 2009 and took part as a Director in this year's 24 Hour Plays at the Old Vic. He has assisted Terry Johnson on La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory and Playhouse Theatre), Rachel Kavanaugh on The Music Man (Chichester Festival Theatre), Stephen Daldry on An Inspector Calls (2009 National Tour and Novello Theatre) and Victoria Wood on Talent (Menier Chocolate Factory).

To book tickets, contact the box office at 0844 847 1652 or visit www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk.