The Menier Chocolate Factory announced that Neil Morrissey will join the previously announced Ria Jones and Sally Ann Triplett in the critically acclaimed production of Fourteen Again, which ran at The Victoria Wood Theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere this spring. Morrissey worked with Wood on the original West End run of Acorn Antiques: The Musical!
Fourteen Again begins at the local Slimming Club, where Peggy is reunited with Lou, her best friend from school who she hasn’t seen since they were teenagers. As kids, no two friends were ever funnier or more fun, but here, now, today they are shadows of their younger selves – and a story unfolds of looking back to the future, full of comedy, love and pain, with Victoria Wood’s amazing songs moving the musical fast forward.
The Victoria Wood Theatre, previously The Old Laundry Theatre, was renamed this year – the 10th anniversary of Wood’s death, by her close friends and collaborators, the husband-and-wife team, producer Charlotte Scott and designer Roger Glossop. To celebrate Wood’s life and work they commissioned Tom MacRae (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) to work with her songbook to create a brand-new musical, the inaugural production in the newly renamed venue.
Wood originally opened the venue, was a Trustee, and performed there many times. She also directed her own show Talent – which was co-produced with the Menier; and in 2013, her television film Housewife 49 was adapted for the stage especially for the venue.
Music and Lyrics by Victoria Wood Book and Additional Lyrics by Tom MacRae.
Jonathan O’Boyle’s production opens at the Menier on Saturday 21 November. Booking and full details: https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/
