Written by: Marc Camoletti, translated by Beverley Cross & Francis Evans
Produced by: Dainty Consolidated Entertainment, Newtheatricals, Sonia Friedman Productions & Robert G. Bartner
Booeing-Boeing, a comedy of matchmaking and mayhem, received rave reviews and played to sell-out houses during its recent season in the West End. The same production, with an all-Australian cast on board is set to touch down in Australia with seasons in Melbourne and Sydney from 7 June.
Boeing-Boeing originally opened in the mid 1960s and was one of the most successful comedies of its time, running for an impressive seven years in London's West End, 19 years in Paris, and was a hit when it toured Australia.
This stylishly new retro production, which opened in London last February and has recently opened on Broadway, will be directed in Australia by award-winning English director and dramatist Matthew Warchus (well-known for directing the international hit Art). Boeing-Boeing has been described as one of the most enjoyable and mischievously funny shows in the West End for years and puts a seriously sexy and funny twist on classic comedy.
Bernard (Shaun Micallef, currently starring in Newstopia on SBS) is a successful architect living in Paris happily juggling three airhostess fiancées - a German flying with Lufthansa (Sibylla Budd from channel 9's Sea Patrol), an Italian in the air with Alitalia (Rachel Gordon from Home & Away) and an American with TWA (Helen Dallimore, direct from London where she starred as Glinda in Wicked) who don't know of each other's existence. it's all a question of airline timetables, steered with the assistance of his reliable, long suffering housekeeper Bertha (Judi Farr), who has reluctantly taken on the role of romantic air-traffic controller.
When old school friend Robert (played by Helpmann award winner Mitchell Butel) arrives, Bernard relishes the chance to show his wide-eyed visitor his first-class romantic operation at work. Unfortunately, schedules change, flights are delayed and a new turbo-charged Boeing aircraft is introduced: chaos ensues in this hysterical whirlwind.