Further information has been announced about the UK premiere of David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane’s new musical adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar’s Oscar-nominated film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
The brand new production, which has been reconceived and re-imagined for the UK stage, will star Olivier-Award winner Tamsin Greig in her musical theatre debut. Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher directs the show which has been through two full-scale development workshops with actors, musicians and the creative team.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown opens at the Playhouse Theatre on Monday 12th January 2015 (previews from 20th December 2014). The 20 week limited run ends on Saturday 9th May 2015.
Tamsin Greig said: "I am excited, thrilled and terrified to have been invited to collaborate with artists of the calibre of Pedro Almodóvar, Bart Sher, David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane to perform in a musical. If it's true that you are only as good as the company you keep, then I am in very safe hands. And I feel very fortunate to have been encouraged – well, bullied – by my agent to have singing lessons, to learn new skills and to experience other creative mediums. I have also run out of excuses why I can't do it!"
Capturing the sexy and colourful spirit of Pedro Almodóvar’s Madrid, Pepa (Tamsin Greig) and her friends juggle their everyday lives and extraordinary moments in a surprising, heart-breaking and rebellious musical comedy.
Originally based by Almodóvar on Jean Cocteau’s The Human Voice, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown was Pedro’s first international hit. It captured a liberated Spain, placing women at the centre of their own experience. Pepa, Candela and Lucia became iconic, showing women struggling for power over their own lives, and with enormous humour and style. It also marked the breakout of one of our most important and unique international film directors.
Originally based by Almodóvar on Jean Cocteau’s The Human Voice, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown was Pedro’s first international hit. It captured a liberated Spain, placing women at the centre of their own experience. Pepa, Candela and Lucia became iconic, showing women struggling for power over their own lives, and with enormous humour and style. It also marked the breakout of one of our most important and unique international film directors.
Director Bartlett Sher said: “I keep returning to Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown because Pedro’s vision of the world and women, his humour and his style, seem more important now than at any time since the film premiered. It’s a joy to return to Pedro’s world.”
Pedro Almodóvar, who has been involved in the development workshops, said: "I love that my ‘Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown’ resists the passing of time. Twenty-six years after having been created, they’re still alive. This time, with the very talented Bart Sher in command, they’re taking London, a city that’s always been to me the paradigm of freedom, pleasure and modernity. I wish them a long and funny stay!"
Writers David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane (who are also behind Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) said: "We're thrilled to have the opportunity to re-imagine and present this show that has meant so much to us and particularly excited to be working with an actress as intelligent, brilliantly funny and right for the part as Tamsin."
Tamsin Greig has received much critical acclaim for her work on stage. She won a Laurence Olivier and Critics Award for Best Actress in Much Ado About Nothing and was nominated again for her role in The Little Dog Laughed. Other theatre credits include: Jumpy at the Royal Court and at Duke of York’s theatre, The God of Carnage at the Gielgud, Gethsemane for the National, and King John for the RSC.
Greig is also known for her many comedic roles on television including Beverley Lincoln in the transatlantic sitcom Episodes with Stephen Mangan and Matt LeBlanc, Dr Caroline Todd in Green Wing for which she won an award for Best Comedy Performance at the 2005 Royal Television Society Awards, Jackie in the Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner, Alice Chenery in Love Soup and Fran Katzenjammer in Black Books. Among Greig’s other notable television characters are Miss Bates in the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, Beth in White Heat and most recently DCI Maggie Brand in The Guilty.
On film she starred with Richard E. Grant in Cuckoo, Roger Allam and Gemma Arterton in Tamara Drewe for which she received a BIFA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also made a short cameo appearance in the 2004 comedy Shaun of the Dead. Greig has just finished filming the feature Breaking The Bank opposite Kelsey Grammar, directed by Vadim Jean and recently The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is produced in the West End by Howard Panter for The Ambassador Theatre Group.
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