twinkle twinkle little star

Tony winner and consummate Jean Valjean Alfie Boe returns to the West End alongside classical cross-over artist Katherine Jenkins for 41 performances only of a brand new staging of Roger's and Hammerstein's musical of second chances. Famous for originating football anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' amongst a host of other beloved tunes from the iconic writing and composing duo, this hotly anticipated revival is directed by Lonny Price, (the man responsible for 2016's Sunset Boulevard), and features the ENO's 40 piece orchestra and chorus.

WHAT IS CAROUSEL ABOUT?

Billy Bigelow (Boe) is a charismatic carousel barker who falls in love with local factory worker Julie Jordan (Jenkins) in the small town of Boothbay Harbor, Maine. After a whirlwind romance, Billy and Julie marry but are now both unemployed. Desperate to prove himself a worthy breadwinner (especially as Julie is pregnant) Billy falls back into a life of crime with his old friend Jigger Craigin. The two men plan a robbery together, but it ends in tragedy, with Billy turning a knife upon himself to avoid capture. Fifteen years later, Billy is granted one last chance to return to earth from 'up there' to repair the damage he has done to his wife and his now teenage daughter.

Dubbed by Richard Rodger as his favourite of the pair's oeuvre, Carousel plays upon the universal themes of love and loss, redemption and acceptance. It's a touching and memorable work that will resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.