Image Release

PRODUCTION PHOTOS RELEASED FOR THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS AT THE PALLADIUM

RUFUS HOUND SIMON LIPKIN CRAIG MATHER NEIL McDERMOTT WITH DENISE WELCH AND GARY WILMOT

New production images available to download here

Production photos have today been released for the new West End musical THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, featuring Rufus Hound as the amazing Mr Toad, Simon Lipkin as Ratty, Craig Mather as Mole, Neil McDermott as Chief Weasel, with Denise Welch as Mrs Otter and Gary Wilmot as Badger. The show is currently previewing at the with opening night on Thursday 29 June.

The full company will include Chris Aukett, Rosanna Bates, Joel Baylis, Jenna Boyd, Abigail Brodie, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Nicole Deon, Emilie du Leslay, Joshua Gannon, James Gant, Evan James, Michael Larcombe, Bethany Linsdell, Ryan Pidgen, Adam Vaughan, Georgie Westall and Natalie Woods.

Based on Kenneth Grahame’s treasured novel which has captivated generations of readers for over a century, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS has been adapted for the stage with a book by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator and Olivier Award-winning composer and lyricist duo and .

This riotous comedy follows the impulsive Mr Toad whose insatiable need for speed lands him in serious trouble. With his beloved home under threat from the notorious Chief Weasel and his gang of sinister Wild Wooders, Toad must attempt a daring escape leading to a series of misadventures and a heroic battle to recapture Toad Hall.

Featuring eye-poppingly beautiful design, exuberant choreography and a gloriously British score, The Wind in the Willows brings an explosion of anarchy, humour and heart to the world-famous London Palladium.

Tickets are available from £15, with reduced price preview performances. Kids go free subject to availability, terms and conditions apply. No additional booking fees or charges are applied to tickets booked via www.WillowsMusical.com.

The original West End cast recording is now available to pre-order here and will be released by Sony Masterworks Broadway on Friday 30 June (catalogue number: 88985447482).

Produced by Jamie Hendry, MJE Productions and Josh Gilinski, in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with choreography by Aletta Collins, set and costume design by Peter McKintosh, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Gareth Owen, wig and makeup design by Linda McKnight, orchestrations by Chris Jahnke and David Shrubsole and musical supervision by Simon Lee.

For press enquiries, please contact THE CORNER SHOP PR on 0207 831 7657 Francesca Hoare: [email protected] Ben Chamberlain: [email protected]

LISTINGS

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS The London Palladium Argyll Street, London W1F 7TF

First Preview: Friday 16 June 2017 Opening Performance: Thursday 29 June 2017 Booking Until: Saturday 2 September 2017

Performance schedule: Monday at 7pm Tuesday – Saturday at 7:30pm Tuesday & Saturday at 2:30pm

Tickets from: £15 *NO BOOKING FEES*

Kids Go Free: Subject to availability, valid all performances until 8 September. Band A, B and D only. 1 Free Kids ticket (16 and under) with every full price Adult ticket and up to 2 additional Kids (16 and under) at half price. Excludes tickets already purchased.

Book online: www.WillowsMusical.com Book by phone: 0844 874 0665 Groups: 0844 412 4650

Website: www.WillowsMusical.com Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: WillowsMusical

NOTES TO EDITORS

Julian Fellowes has achieved extraordinary success recently having created the hugely popular period drama Downton Abbey for which he won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe in 2011. Fellowes won an Oscar in 2002 for his Gosford Park screenplay. Other screenplays include The Young Victoria, Separate Lies, Vanity Fair and The Tourist. Having collaborated with Stiles and Drewe on international stage musical Mary Poppins and a new version of Half a Sixpence, his other recent stage credits include School of Rock on Broadway and in the West End.

George Stiles and Anthony Drewe have been writing together for over thirty years. They are best known for writing new songs for Mary Poppins, their Olivier Award-winning Honk!, Just So and more recently Betty Blue Eyes. Their production of Half a Sixpence recently transferred into the West End.

Jamie Hendry has produced over thirty major productions around the world including the multi award-winning the Musical, the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Neville’s Island, the global magic phenomenon Impossible and the hit Beatles show Let It Be. He was shortlisted in 2016 by Price Waterhouse Cooper for Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year at the UK Private Business Awards.

Rufus Hound is one of the UK’s leading actors, presenters and comedians, most recently seen on stage in What The Butler Saw (UK Tour), Don Quixote (Royal Shakespeare Company) and as Freddy in the original West End production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (). His other theatre credits include The Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre), Neville’s Island (Chichester Festival Theatre) and One Man, Two Guvnors (Theatre Royal Haymarket). Television credits include Doctor Who (BBC), Cucumber (Channel 4), Drunk History (Comedy Central) and A Touch of Cloth (SKY). He is also a regular guest on comedy panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC), Would I Lie To You? (BBC), and 8 Out Of 10 Cats (Channel 4).

Simon Lipkin most recently starred in the UK Premiere of Honeymoon in Vegas at the London Palladium. His numerous other theatre credits include Avenue Q (Noël Coward), Rock of Ages (Shaftesbury/Garrick), I Can’t Sing! (London Palladium), The Lorax (Old Vic), Spamalot (UK and International Tour), The Wedding Singer (UK Tour), Footloose (UK Tour) and Assassins ().

Craig Mather’s theatre credits include Marius in Les Misérables (West End), Melchior in the German premiere of Spring Awakening, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Harrington’s Pie Shop (West End) and the UK tour of Tonight’s The Night.

Neil McDermott is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in EastEnders (BBC). His stage credits include Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Jean-Michel in La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Rolf Gruber in The Sound of Music (London Palladium). Further television credits include The Royal (ITV), Casualty (BBC) and Doctor Who: The Next Doctor (BBC).

Denise Welch is best known for her television roles which include Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street (ITV), Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road (BBC), Pam McDonald in Boy Meets Girl (BBC) and Marsha Stubbs in Soldier Soldier (ITV). Theatre credits include Smack Family Robinson (Rose Theatre, Kingston), Steel Magnolias (UK Tour) and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Royal Exchange).

Gary Wilmot first rose to fame as a contestant on New Faces, with presenting credits since then including Showstoppers and So You Want To Be Top. His extensive musical theatre credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre and UK Tour), Oklahoma! (UK Tour), (), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium) and Big (Theatre Royal Plymouth / Ireland).

Hendry launched a public investment scheme for THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS in 2013 which saw hundreds of members of the public seize the rare opportunity to invest in a new musical through individual investments of up to £5,000. £1 Million was secured, the highest amount reported to have ever been raised through a public investment platform for a theatrical production.