As the West End multi Olivier award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon based on the early life of Day Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks prepares to be seen for the first time outside of London on its debut UK tour, the full cast has now been announced.
The musical, a recipient of four 2015 Olivier Awards including Best New Musical will run at Manchester’s Opera House from 19 August to 27 August and feature some of The Kinks’ best loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola.
The Kinks exploded onto the 60s music scene with a raw energetic new sound that rocked a nation. But how did that happen, where exactly did they come from and what happened next?
Set against the back-drop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 50s and riotous 60s, this production explores the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain’s most iconic bands and the irresistible music that influenced generations.
The tour will star Ryan O’Donnell as Ray Davies, with Mark Newnham as Dave Davies, Garmon Rhys as bassist Pete Quaife and Andrew Gallo as drummer Mick Avory. They are joined by: Jayne Ashley; Victoria Anderson; Nathanael Campbell; Marcelo Cervone; Tomm Coles; Deryn Edwards; Sophie Leigh Griffin; Sam Haywood; James Hudson; Richard Hurst; Cleo Jaeger; James Lorcan; Joseph Richardson; Robert Took; Alex Wadham; Libby Watts; Michael Warburton; Lucy Wilkerson and Lisa Wright.
Ryan O’Donnell (Ray Davies) most recently appeared in Sunny Afternoon at the Harold Pinter Theatre. His other theatre credits include: Quadrophenia at Theatre Royal Plymouth; Frankenstein at Royal and Derngate; Romeo & Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company; ShadowMouth at Sheffield Crucible and Tracy Beaker the Musical at the Nottingham Playhouse. Ryan was a member of the band Jethro Tull for four years. In 2009 he recorded Matthew and Son with Cat ‘Yusuf’ Stevens and the BBC.
Mark Newnham (Dave Davies) most recently appeared in All or Nothing at The Vaults Theatre London. His other theatre credits include: Return to the Forbidden Planet on UK tour; Lennon at the Royal Court, Liverpool; Bouncers and A Passionate Woman at the Queens Theatre, Hornchurch and Hot Stuff at the Oldham Collesium.
Garmon Rhys (Pete Quaife) most recently appeared in Doctor Faustus at Trafalgar Studios. His other theatre credits include: The Secret Adversary at the Watermill Theatre & UK tour and Regeneration at the Royal and Derngate and UK tour.
Andrew Gallo (Mick Avory) most recently appeared in Parade at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester. His other theatre credits include: Adam Long’s Dickens Abridged on UK tour; Sister Act at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre; Saturday Night Fever at the Theatre Royal Bath and UK tour; New York City Rhythm at the Playhouse Theatre and Hairspray at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Sunny Afternoon has music and lyrics by Ray Davies with a book by Joe Penhall and original story by Ray Davies. It is directed by Edward Hall, designed by Miriam Buether with choreography by Adam Cooper. Lighting design is by Rick Fisher with sound design by Matt McKenzie for Autograph. Musical and vocal adaptations are by Ray Davies and Elliott Ware based on original Kinks recordings. The Musical Director is Barney Ashworth and the Musical Supervisor is Elliott Ware.
