Full Casting Set for Digital Tour of New Musical Romantics Anonymous
(© Steve Tanner)
Full casting has been announced for the upcoming live, digital world tour of Romantics Anonymous, created by former Kneehigh artistic director Emma Rice and songwriters Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond.
The cast features Marc Antolin (Jean-René), Carly Bawden (Angélique), Me'sha Bryan (Suzanne/Mimi), Harry Hepple (Ludo/Remi), Laura Jane Matthewson (Young Woman), Sandra Marvin (Magda/Brigitte/Dr Maxim), Philip Cox (Father/Pierre/Receptionist), Gareth Snook (Mercier/Mumbler/Marini), and Omari Douglas (Salesman/Fred).
The production was due to be touring the United States, but that tour was canceled due to Covid-19. It will be broadcast on Saturday, September 26 at 4pm EST/1pm PST, via St. Ann's Warehouse, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Charleston's Spoleto Festival, Shakespeare Theatre Company, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Berkeley Rep.
In Romantics Anonymous, "Angélique is a gifted chocolate maker crippled by social anxiety and Jean-René is the boss of a failing chocolate factory. Angélique is so timid, she faints when people look at her; Jean-René so awkward he relies on self-help tapes and is prone to embarrassing sweating. When Angélique takes a job in Jean-René's struggling factory, a fragile love affair unfolds." The world premiere of Romantics Anonymous was originally produced by Shakespeare's Globe for the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse by special arrangement with Radio Mouse Entertainment.
The show will be filmed live each night from the Bristol Old Vic, with the cast and creators each being tested for coronavirus before forming a bubble in Bristol. These rigorous measures mean that they will be able to perform the entire show without social distancing.
Romantics Anonymous has a book and direction by Rice and score by Dimond (lyrics) and Kooman (music). It is based on the film Les Émotifs Anonymes and is presented by Wise Children, the Bristol Old Vic, and Plush Theatricals.
For tickets and more information, click here.
