Interview: Bonnie Langford

West End icon Bonnie Langford is currently preparing to play her solo show An Evening With Bonnie Langford at the London Hippodrome on 31st March 2016. 

Bonnie will be accompanied by the Winston Rollins Band with musical direction by Anthony England. Bonnie is currently starring as Carmel Kazemi in BBC One's EastEnders. Her most recent West End roles include Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (Playhouse) and Muriel Eubanks in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy).

Just a few of Bonnie’s extensive theatre credits include 9 to 5, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Sweet Charity, Oklahoma!, 42nd Street, Me and My Girl, The Pirates of Penzance, Cats, Gypsy and Gone with the Wind. On screen she has starred in Opportunity Knocks, Bugsy Malone, Just William, The Hot Shoe Show, Doctor Who and Dancing on Ice.

I recently caught up with Bonnie to discuss why she’s shaking things up for her new solo show, her special guests and what she enjoys about performing in such an intimate venue. We also spoke about EastEnders’ new found staginess and what people have been saying to her in the street…

On 31st March you’re having a night off from Walford to play a solo show at the London Hippodrome! Was it an easy “yes” when you were asked?

Oh yes! I’ve done my solo show many times before, but I haven’t done one in London for a while. They asked me ages ago but I couldn’t fit it in… then they asked me again and I decided I really wanted to do it because I’m not doing any music at the moment. I had a couple of weeks off in January and started thinking “I’ll add in this and I’ll do that instead” and of course now I’m working all hours trying to put it together! I know it will come together, I’m totally overworked and stressing but I didn’t want to just do what I’ve done before. I’ve decided to do some nice new stuff and I’ve been changing things up a bit. 

Bonnie Langford to play London Hippodrome

It has been announced that West End legend Bonnie Langford will play the London Hippodrome on 31st March 2016 at 8pm.

An Evening With Bonnie Langford will see the star singing songs and telling stories alongside some to-be-announced special guests. Langford will be accompanied by the Winston Rollins Band with musical direction by Anthony England.

Langford is currently starring as Carmel Kazemi in the BBC One's EastEnders. Her most recent West End roles include Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (Playhouse) and Muriel Eubanks in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy).

Bonnie Langford cast in EastEnders!

Theatre icon Bonnie Langford is the latest West End star to be cast in EastEnders! The actress will play Carmel Kazemi, Kush’s mother in the BBC1 soap opera.

An Essex girl at heart, overly protective Carmel loves her children but has a tendency to embarrass them. With her outspoken ways, will she be able to win over the residents of Albert Square?

Langford said: "I’m so thrilled and delighted to be part of EastEnders. I’m a great fan of the show and think the recent 30th Anniversary was sensational and shows just how good British television can be. To be part of this family is an absolute privilege."

Review: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 
Savoy Theatre

Reviewed on Tuesday 18th November 2014

★★★★

It just keeps getting better and better! I loved Dirty Rotten Scoundrels when it first opened, but eight months later it is slicker and funnier than ever. Set in the French Riviera, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels follows two conmen as they go head to head to pull off their biggest con, whilst fighting for the affections of millionaire soap heiress Christine Colgate.

Bonnie Langford & Gary Wilmot join West End production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

It has been announced that Bonnie Langford and Gary Wilmot are joining the cast of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre from Tuesday 16th September.

They replace Samantha Bond and John Marquez as Muriel Eubanks - a glamorous divorcee looking for love in Beaumont-sur-Mer on the French Riviera - and Andre Thibault - Beaumont-sur-Mer’s Chief of Police.

It has already been announced that Robert Lindsay, Rufus Hound and Katherine Kingsley will continue to star as Lawrence Jameson, Freddy Benson and Christine Colgate until (at least) Saturday 7th March 2015.

Joe Pasquale, Bonnie Langford & Todd Carty to star in Spamalot 2015 UK Tour

Spamalot will launch a new UK Tour in 2015 with Joe Pasquale, Bonnie Langford and Todd Carty reprising their performances as King Arthur, The Lady of The Lake and Patsy.

Lovingly ripped off from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot follows King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in their quest to find the Holy Grail. Spamalot originally ran in the West End at the Palace Theatre between 2006 and 2009. 

Following its first UK Tour, a new production of the musical opened at the West End’s Harold Pinter Theatre in July 2012 before transferring to the Playhouse Theatre from November 2012 where it ran until April 2014.

Joe said: "I loved my time as King Arthur in the West End production. I am very excited to have been asked to return for the new UK Tour. I will be joining a fantastic Spamalot cast and can't wait to get back on my invisible horse as we search the land for The Holy Grail."

Daniel Boys joins Spamalot

It has been confirmed that Bonnie Langford will return to the West End production of Spamalot as The Lady of the Lake from Monday 24th February 2014. The production has extended to 12th April 2014.

Also joining the cast is Daniel Boys, star of BBC1’s Any Dream Will Do, and stage shows including Rent, War Of The Worlds and Avenue Q, who takes on the role of Sir Lancelot from 24th February. As well as having released his solo album So Close in 2009, Daniel performed I Know Him So Well with John Barrowman on his album Music, Music, Music, and he also sings the theme tune on the TV show, Neighbours.

Fresh from her appearance on the current series of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice, where Bonnie Langford yet again proved to the nation that she’s a natural born entertainer, she brings her own brand of showbiz glamour back to the stage as she is reunited with Joe Pasquale who returned to the role of King Arthur last month. Bonnie and Joe starred together in Spamalot last summer after Bonnie contacted Joe on Twitter, invited him to see her in the show and then suggested to the producers that he’d be a great King Arthur.

Theatre stars including Bonnie Langford, Joe Pasquale, Sam Attwater & Gareth Gates returning to Dancing On Ice for all-stars series

It has been announced that several West End performers are returning to ITV's Dancing On Ice for its final all-stars series. Spamalot co-stars Bonnie Langford, Joe Pasquale, Todd Carty and Hayley Tamaddon will reunite alongside Sam Attwater (Rocky Horror Show), Gareth Gates (Legally Blonde, Les Mis), Ray Quinn (Grease), Zaraah Abrahams (Beautiful Thing) and Suzanne Shaw (Chicago).

14 celebrities in total have signed up to return to the show for its final series, which is due to air on ITV early next year. Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley will be back to host the show, while Torvill & Dean will return for the last time to train the stars. The duo will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of their Olympic bolero during DOI: All-Stars.

Michael Ball becomes the latest celebrity to play God in Spamalot

Theatrical legend Michael Ball has kicked off the new season of Celebrity Charity Gods in the West End production of Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre. Other celebs who have filmed the short cameo role and will appear in the musical over the coming weeks include: Professor Brian Cox, Greg Dyke, Robert Lindsay and Gary Lineker. 

Les Dennis, Michael Ball and Bonnie Langford

Over the summer God was played by the likes of Michael Palin, Hugh Bonneville, Barbara Windsor, Larry Lamb, Bradley Walsh, Simon Callow and Christopher Biggins. God, usually played by Eric Idle, features in Spamalot when King Arthur and the Knights of The Round Table are given their quest to find The Holy Grail.

Interview: Bonnie Langford and Joe Pasquale

Last week comedy legend and winner of I’m A Celebrity, Joe Pasquale, joined Bonnie Langford (aka the Queen of the West End) in Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre. 

Pasquale stars as King Arthur and Langford plays The Lady of the Lake. Joe Pasquale and Bonnie Langford starred in Peter Pan together thirteen years ago and after they were reunited via Twitter, Joe came to see her in Spamalot. Following the performance, Bonnie suggested that Joe would make a great King Arthur and put the idea to the show’s producers.

Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy (or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, killer rabbits and French people. The show also features fantastic tunes more magical than a Camelot convention, including He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the Nation’s Favourite Comedy Song (Reader’s Digest Poll 2010 - before it went bust), Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.

As one of the country’s most popular funny men for over 20 years, Joe Pasquale has appeared on stage in six Royal Variety Performances and in the touring productions of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, The Wizard of Oz and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Joe won the 2004 series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and also made it to round six of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice earlier this year.

Musical Theatre legend Bonnie Langford has starred in countless musicals including 9 to 5, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Sweet Charity, Oklahoma!, 42nd Street, Me and My Girl, The Pirates of Penzance, Cats, Gypsy and Gone with the Wind. On screen she has starred in Opportunity Knocks, Bugsy Malone, Just William, The Hot Shoe Show, Doctor Who and Dancing on Ice.

Last week I visited Joe and Bonnie backstage at the Playhouse Theatre to discuss Spamalot’s incredible success, what it was like for Joe to join such a well established show, Bonnie’s dream King Arthur and social networking...

What do you think is the secret to Spamalot’s success?

BL: Spamalot was going before in a different incarnation, the show was longer and more ‘Broadway-ish’. What they’ve done with this new version is slimmed it down and ‘trimmed off the fat’ which I think is part of its charm. The show is completely mad but is no longer indulgent. There is something for everyone, ultimately people like the British eccentricity. The show wasn’t actually meant to run this long though, this new production was touring. I joined the tour in 2012 and then that was meant to be it. 

Spamalot to move to Playhouse Theatre from 14th November

The current West End run of Spamalot is moving from the Harold Pinter Theatre to the Playhouse, where it reopens on 14th November 2012. The production, which currently stars Marcus Brigstocke, Jon Culshaw, Bonnie Langford and Todd Carty continues its run at the Pinter until 9th September.

Bonnie Langford, Natalie Casey & Amy Lennox to star in 9 to 5: The Musical UK Tour

Casting has been announced for Dolly Parton's musical 9 to 5. The show will open at the Manchester Opera House on 16th October 2012. Bonnie Langford will play office manager Roz in the adaptation of the hit 1980 film and Jackie Clune will play Violet. Joining them will be Natalie Casey as Judy who was recently starred in the West End Productions of Legally Blonde & Abigail's Party. Another ex-Legally Blonder, Amy Lennox is to star as Doralee which the part Dolly Partion played in the original film. Finally Ben Richards will play the women's boss, Franklin.

Bonnie Langford has just finished playing The Lady of the Lake in the national tour of Monty Python's Spamalot. Natalie Casey is currently appearing in Abigail's Party in the West End. She recently finished playing Paulette Buonufonté in Legally Blonde the Musical. She was absolutely incredible in this role so I am delighted she is joining another musical! Amy Lennox also appeared in Legally Blonde, understudying Sheridan Smith as Elle while also Margot. She was born to play both roles. She recently reprised the role of Elle during the Legally Blonde UK tour. She is an amazing performer so it is great more people will get the opportunity to see her on stage again.

9 to 5: the Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2009, is making its UK premiere this autumn. A national tour begins at the Manchester Opera House on 12 October. Performances up to 5 January 2013 are already on sale, with further dates to be announced. 

Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with all the latest theatre news, reviews and interviews: @West_End_Frame

Spamalot returning to the West End for a 7 weeks only!

The Monty Python musical Spamalot will return to the West End this summer for an exclusive 7 week run from 24 July until 9 September 2012 at the Harold Pinter Theatre. It will be the touring cast that will transfer with the production, including comedian Marcus Brigstocke as King Arthur, former EastEnder Todd Carty as Patsy and Bonnie Langford as The Lady of the Lake. 

Impressionist Jon Culshaw will play King Arthur from 2 August to 2 September, and then Marcus Brigstocke will return from 4-8 September. The musical has a book and lyrics by original Python Eric Idle, who also co-wrote the music with John Du Prez. The West End production, which ran at the Palace from 16 October 2006 (previews from 30 September) to 3 January 2009, reunited the Broadway creative team including director Mike Nichols and set and costume designer Tim Hatley.

The rest of the new West End Cast will also include Robin Armstrong as Sir Bedevere, Rob Delaney as Sir Robin, Adam Ellis as Prince Herbert, Kit Orton as Sir Lancelot and Jon Robyns as Sir Galahad, along with Amelia Adams Pearce, Tim Bonser, Michael Burgen, Rachel Knowles, Hannah Malekzad, James Nelson and Paul Bullion.

Visit http://www.spamalotontour.co.uk/book_now to find out more and to book tickets.