Thomas Borchert to play Gaston in "Gigi"

[duketgg]

Gigi
By Lerner and Loewe
Books & Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner Music by Frederick Loewe
Based on a novel by Colett.
As produced by Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Civic Light Opera Associations
And by Saint Subber for Broadway

6 August - 13 September 2008

Set against the Belle Époque of Paris, young Gigi breaks with convention when she captures the heart of a rich playboy.

Returning to the London stage to star in Gigi are Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee, Topol, and stage and screen favourite, Millicent Martin. They are joined by rising musical theatre star Lisa O’Hare in the title role.

Written by Lerner and Loewe , famed for their earlier musical My Fair Lady, Gigi has not been seen in London for over 20 years. It is directed by Artistic Director, Timothy Sheader, and choreographed by Olivier Award winning Stephen Mear. Both witty and charming Gigi includes such numbers as “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” and “I Remember it Well”.

Running time: approx. 2 hours 30 mins including an interval

There will be Preview performances of Gigi on 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 13 June.

There will be a signed performance of Gigi on Thursday 28 August at 8pm.

Director: Timothy Sheader
Designer: Yannis Thavoris
Choreographer: Stephen Mear
Lighting Designer: Simon Mills
Arranger: Steven Edis
Sound Designer: Mike Walker
Musical Director: Philip Bateman
Casting Director: Ginny Schiller


Cast:
Rachel Archer : Ensemble
Paul Bentley : Dufresne
Thomas Borchert : Gaston
Jennie Dale : Ensemble
Nina French : Ensemble
Francis Haugen : Ensemble
Shaun Henson : Ensemble
David Lucas : Duclos/Ensemble
Millicent Martin : Mamita
Jo Morris : Ensemble
Zoe Rainey : Ensemble
Lisa O'Hare : Gigi
Amy Ellen Richardson : Liane/ Ensemble
Myra Sands : Ensemble
Laura Scott : Ensemble
Chaim Topol : Honore
Kate Tydman : Ensemble
Kerry Washington : Ensemble

www.openairtheatre.org/pl82.html

[Nene]

Cool. I don't know the show though. I've heard of it, but that's about it.

[Martina]

I wonder how is his English... Though I'm happy he is playing in London!

[Lora]

This will be great! Gigi is my favorite Lerner and Loewe musical!

nene said:

Cool. I don't know the show though. I've heard of it, but that's about it.

Haven't you seen the movie?

[Valancy]

In all the songs I've heard where Borchert sings English, he pronounces it very well and I at least don't hear a noticeable accent, so I think he'll be fine.

Hmm, perhaps I should get more familiar with this musical... It's based on a novel by Colette! I love Colette!

[Lora]

valancy said:

Hmm, perhaps I should get more familiar with this musical... It's based on a novel by Colette! I love Colette!

www.imdb.com/title/tt0051658/

[Valancy]

Seems lovely. Only I don't know how to find it, as video rental shops here don't seem to have everything they could in the way of old musical stuff. But I will search. Maybe I'll get lucky, and it seems to be quite cheap on Amazon also.

[Nene]

Apr 13, 2008 4:01:59 GMT -5 Lora said:

Haven't you seen the movie?

No, I am not a movie person or a fan of Lerner & Loewe. So I never bothered with it.

[vampbear]

I've already got tix! My favourite vampire on home soil I've heard him sing in English and I think he'll do well, didn't notice any mispronounced words and could clearly understand him (at the Frank Wildhorn concert in Graz last year).

Great to have just a train journey between me and seeing Thomas rather than flights and hotels!! Of course as its England, will need plenty of rain protection

[Valancy]

Wonderful! We'll be expecting a report afterwards.

[Fantasma da Opera]

The thing that most arrouses my curiosity is not really Thomas singing in english on the West End...Uwe also did that
I'm really curious for the return of Topol...I never heard of him again since Fiddler, and I just love him...I even though he was dead *knoks on wood*

[Valjean87]

I love Gigi(I am a sucker for Classic Films)!

I would love to see this for the world!

[vaylin]

I think my heart skipped a beat or two. Thomas Borchert as Gaston? Oh ... my god. He will be amazing. I'm sure of it. This sounds like a really promising cast... Topol and Gigi, Lisa... I'm hoping that there will be promotional clips of this or something.

[Lora]

www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/21571/gigi

[vampbear]

I've seen 'Gigi' 2 and a half times now!!! (got rained off during the show last week and changed tix for last matinee).

Thomas was really good:) No surprises there then! His accent got better as the run progressed. Always understandable though, good pronunciation. Only lost the sort of upper-class accent when he raised his voice/got angry, but on Saturday that was also spot-on.

Good to see him in a light hearted fun role as only seen him as Krolock and Dracula until now! Mind you, I couldn't stop laughing when he comes out in an old-fashioned blue swimming costume and an image flashed in my head of a Krolock-cape over the top of the costume

Topol still has quite a decent voice but is a bit shaky at times. There are pauses when he tries to remember the words and he can't cover it up. Yesterday he forgot some of his lines and recovered after Thomas sung his part of the duet which got him back on track. I know it can happen to anyone, but it was more noticeable with Topol somehow.

Millicent Martin and Linda Thorsen were well cast as Mamita and Alicia, not for their singing but for their acting and fun!

Lisa O'Hare, who I've not seen on stage before, was excellent as Gigi. She had the innocence and fun but wasn't irritating like the actress in the film version. (Overall I preferred this production and its cast to the film!).

Oh, and last week the rain got in the way just as Thomas was singing:( Grrr! When the announcement came for the actors to leave the stage, Thomas went off singing "I'm singing in the rain!", we heard someone behind us comment "a German with a sense of humour!!" <G> Thomas did appear to be enjoying himself in the show as a whole:)