Following a highly successful sell-out tour in 2017, producer Joshua Andrews is delighted to announce that Kay Mellor’s smash hit FAT FRIENDS THE MUSICAL will return to tour the UK and Ireland opening at Dartford Orchard Theatre on 14th January 2022. With original music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber, the show will star Lee Mead as ‘Paul’ with further casting to be announced soon. The tour will visit venues including Cardiff New, Leeds Grand, Edinburgh Festival, Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre, The Lowry, Salford, Southampton Mayflower, Wolverhampton Grand, Canterbury Marlowe and Newcastle, Norwich and Plymouth Theatre Royals. Full tour schedule below.
This hugely entertaining musical is based on the hit ITV show Fat Friends, that starred James Corden and Ruth Jones. Fat Friends – The Musical reunites our favourite foodie friends as they are put through their Zumba paces at their local slimming club, whilst Kelly fantasises about fitting into the wedding dress of her dreams. This show of hope, humour, love and weight loss, delivers a fun night out full of laughter and encourages us all, as the final song sings, to Love Who You Are!
The show toured the UK to a rapturous response from critics and sell out audiences in 2017 and after a tough year for all, Kay Mellor feels that it’s the perfect time to bring this feast of a feel-good show back. Kay Mellor said today “Issues of body image and online trolling are more pertinent today than ever and will resonate with people everywhere. Despite this, using song, dance and humour I can guarantee that audiences will leave the show with a smile on their face and feeling better about themselves – something we all need right now. I’m delighted to be remounting Fat Friends the Musical, thrilled to be working with the brilliant and talented Lee Mead and can’t wait for us to bring the show to so many fantastic venues around the UK and Ireland.”
Lee Mead is a much-loved actor of stage and screen. Having won the nations hearts when they voted him their Joseph in BBC One’s ‘Any Dream Will Do’, Lee has gone on to star in the West End in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Legally Blonde and Wicked before establishing himself as a TV favourite on Casualty and then Holby City in the role of ‘Lofty’. Lee Mead said today “I am so excited to be returning to musical theatre after an enjoyable few years on Casualty and Holby City and I’m so thrilled to be starring in Fat Friends The Musical. I saw the show when it first ran and absolutely loved it, so I can’t wait to now play the lovelorn vicar, Paul. I’m so looking forward to performing live again to wonderful audiences around the country and working with the incredible and iconic Kay Mellor.”
FAT FRIENDS THE MUSICAL is created, directed and has a book and lyrics by the multi award winning Kay Mellor, whose latest hit series of The Syndicate recently ran on BBC One. It has Music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber with Set and Costume design by Bretta Gerecke. Choreography is by Karen Bruce, Sound by Ben Harrison, Lighting by Nick Richings with Orchestrations, Arrangements and Musical Supervision by Simon Lee, Casting by Stephen Crockett CDG for David Grindrod Associates, with Additional Casting by David Shaw. It is produced by Joshua Andrews and Rollem Productions.
FAT FRIENDS – 2022 UK AND IRELAND TOUR LISTINGS
FRIDAY 14 JANUARY – SATURDAY 15 JANUARY 2022
The Orchard Theatre, Dartford
ON SALE NOW
TUESDAY 18 JANUARY – SATURDAY 22 JANUARY 2022
New Theatre, Cardiff
ON SALE SOON
(Lee Mead will not perform on Saturday 22 January 2022)
MONDAY 24 JANUARY – SATURDAY 29 JANUARY 2022
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 31 JANUARY – SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2022
The Lyceum, Sheffield
ON SALE SOON
MONDAY 7 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2022
King’s Theatre, Glasgow
www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre-glasgow
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 14 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2022
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 21 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2022
Leeds Grand Theatre
ON SALE SOON
MONDAY 7 MARCH – SATURDAY 12 MARCH 2022
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
ON SALE SOON
MONDAY 14 MARCH – SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2022
The Orchard Theatre, Dartford
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 28 MARCH – SATURDAY 2 APRIL 2022
The Alexandra, Birmingham
www.atgtickets.com/venues/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 4 APRIL – SATURDAY 9 APRIL 2022
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 11 APRIL – SATURDAY 16 APRIL 2022
The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 25 APRIL – SATURDAY 30 APRIL 2022
Norwich Theatre Royal
ON SALE NOW
TUESDAY 3 MAY – SATURDAY 7 MAY 2022
Southend Cliffs Pavilion
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 9 MAY – SATURDAY 14 MAY 2022
Curve, Leicester
ON SALE SOON
MONDAY 16 MAY – SATURDAY 21 MAY 2022
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin
ON SALE SOON
MONDAY 23 MAY – SATURDAY 28 MAY 2022
Liverpool Empire
www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 30 MAY – SATURDAY 4 JUNE 2022
The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
ON SALE 14 JUNE
MONDAY 6 JUNE – SATURDAY 11 JUNE 2022
The Lowry, Salford
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY13 JUNE – SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2022
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
ON SALE SOON
MONDAY 20 JUNE – SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2022
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 27 JUNE – SATURDAY 2 JULY 2022
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
ON SALE 6 JULY
MONDAY 4 JULY – SATURDAY 9 JULY
Bristol Hippodrome
www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome
ON SALE NOW
MONDAY 18 JULY – SATURDAY 23 JULY
Hull New Theatre
ON SALE NOW
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