Gurinder Chadha will direct the world premiere of the new British stage musical Bend It Like Beckham. With original music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by Charles Hart, Bend It Like Beckham has a new book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha; choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins; set design by Miriam Buether; costume design by Katrina Lindsay; lighting design by Neil Austin; sound design by Richard Brooker; musical direction byNigel Lilley and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra. Casting for Bend It Like Beckham will be announced shortly.
Playing at the Phoenix Theatre from 15 May 2015, with its opening night on 24 June 2015, Bend It Like Beckham is produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions. Tickets for Bend It Like Beckham go on public sale on Friday 7 November 2014 at 10am. Initially tickets will only be available for the first few weeks of performances to 11 July 2015. During these opening weeks, honouring David Beckham’s record 115 caps for England, there will be 115 Book It Like Beckham seats at £15 each. For group bookings there will be a 5-a-side rate of £49.50 per ticket and an 11-a-side rate of £39.50.
Jess needs extra time.
She is facing the most important decision of her life; live up to family expectations of university, career and marriage, or follow in the footsteps of her hero David Beckham. When the talented teenage footballer is spotted playing football in Southall, a world of opportunities opens up before her. But as the day of her sister's traditional Indian wedding approaches, Jess needs to pick sides.
From the first pass in the park to the final free-kick, Bend It Like Beckham is a joyous musical comedy with vibrant characters featuring a new score with a Punjabi kick. This brand new British musical is a funny, glorious and uplifting adaptation of the much-loved hit film about refusing to watch from the sidelines, bending the rules, and scoring that deciding goal.
Gurinder Chadha said: “Developing Bend It Like Beckham for the stage has been the most enjoyable creative process of my career so far. It was always my intention to build on the film and to present its themes and storylines to live audiences in an exciting new dynamic way. I have been inspired by musicals ever since I was a little girl, now with Bend It like Beckham, such a familiar story to so many, I believe we are presenting a totally new kind of musical - part West End, part London Punjabi, but whole heartedly British. I am very excited for us to take our place with so many inspirational musicals past and present in my home town London.”
On film, the British comedy drama Bend It Like Beckham starred Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi, and was released in 2002, directed by Gurinder Chadha and written by Gurinder Chadha, Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges.
Following the international release of Bend It Like Beckham the film, produced by Deepak Nayar and Gurinder Chadha, went on to win multiple awards worldwide.
Gurinder Chadha’s first feature film was the comedy drama Bhaji on the Beach which was the recipient of numerous international awards. As well as Bend It Like Beckham her film directing credits include What’s Cooking; Bride and Prejudice; Paris, je t'aime; Angus,Thongs and Perfect Snogging and most recently It's a Wonderful Afterlife, for all of which she co-wrote the screenplays. She also co-wrote screenplays for The Mistress of Spices and the forthcoming DreamWorks Animation picture Monkeys of Mumbai. On television she made her directing debut with I'm British But.... In 2006 Chadha was awarded an OBE for her services to the British film industry.
Emmy, Brit and BAFTA award-winning Howard Goodall is one of the UK’s most versatile and distinguished composers having written choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores. Goodall was the Classical Brit Composer of the Year in 2009, is Classic FM’s Composer-in-Residence and is a highly respected broadcaster and an energetic campaigner for music education. His extensive scores includeThe Vicar of Dibley; Blackadder; Mr Bean (TV series and films); Q.I.; The Gathering Storm; Into the Storm and Red Dwarf. His previous musicals include The Hired Man; Girlfriends; Days of Hope; The Kissing-Dance; The Dreaming; A Winter’s Tale and Love Story. The Howard Goodall season continues at the Union Theatre, with productions of The Dreaming, Love Story and Girlfriends included. Goodall was appointed CBE in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music education.
Charles Hart is the recipient of two Ivor Novello Awards. Amongst his credits as a lyricist for musicals, he has written words for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and Aspects of Love, and also contributed lyrics to Love Never Dies. His other musical credits include The Kissing-Dance and TheDreaming. Hart’s television work includes The Vampyr; Watching and Split Ends. Hart provided the text for Terry Gilliam’s re-staging of Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini for ENO last summer.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Theatre: Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0JP
Press Night: 24 June 2015 at 7pm
First Booking Period: 15 May – 11 July 2015
Performances: Monday – Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
Preview schedule: Friday 15 May at 7.30pm, Saturday 16 May at 7.30pm
Wednesday 20 May at 7.30pm, Thursday 21 May at 7.30pm
Friday 22 May at 7.30pm, Saturday 23 May at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Wednesday 27 May at 7.30pm, Thursday 28 May at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Friday 29 May at 7.30pm, Saturday 30 May at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Tuesday 2 June at 7.30pm, Wednesday 3 June 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Thursday 4 June at 7.30pm, Friday 5 June at 7.30pm
Saturday 6 June 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Then Monday – Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
Prices: Opening weeks: £15 - £49.50, plus 115 Book It Like Beckham seats at £15 each
Group tickets: groups of five £49.50 per ticket & groups of eleven £39.50 per ticket
A limited number of Day Seats at £15.00 each will go on sale from the Box Office, in person only, from 10am on the day of performance
All ticket prices include a £1.50 restoration levy
Box Office: 0843 316 1082
Website: benditlikebeckhamthemusical.co.uk
Facebook: Facebook.com/benditlikebeckhamthemusical
Twitter: @benditmusical #bendit
YouTube: Youtube.com/benditlikebeckhamthemusical