London Revival of Side by Side by Sondheim to Bow on April 26

The first major West End revival of the revue Side by Side by Sondheim will play London’s The Venue, April 26-July 14. The production, to be directed by Hannah Chissick with musical staging by Adam Cooper, will officially open on May 1.

First seen in London in 1976, the revue was conceived by David Kernan with narration by Ned Sherrin. It incorporates songs from many of Sondheim’s early works, including West Side Story, Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, and The Mad Show. The show moved to Broadway in 1997, where it ran for over 380 performances and earned five Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical.

The revival’s cast will feature Alistair Harvey, Abbie Osman, and Josie Walker, along with a rotating narrator. Among the performers scheduled to take on that role are Les Dennis, Christopher Cazenove, Barry Cryer, and Angela Rippon. The creative team features Michael Haslam (musical supervision), Bob Bailey (set and costumes), and Robert A. Jones (lighting).