GOSSIP: Producer wants West End transfer for Hairspray UK tour

Mark Goucher, who is currently producing the UK tour of Hairspray, has revealed to West End Frame that he wants the musical to transfer to the West End next year.

“I am desperately trying to get the writers to allow us to bring this new production into London next year” Goucher said, “My cast are phenomenal and absolutely deserve to be seen in London. I hope it happens!”

Goucher explained the tour is “obviously a little more economical than the original production” and that “in the right theatre it could sit down and just run for a very long time”.

Hairspray is currently playing a Christmas residency at Birmingham Alexandra Theatre as part of its 25 venue UK tour which began in September this year. The production is directed by Paul Kerryson, with choreography by Drew McOnie and musical direction by Ben Atkinson. The show has music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Interview: Producer Mark Goucher

Mark Goucher is currently producing the UK tours of Hairspray and Alan Bennett's Single Spies as well as Slava’s Snowshow at the Royal Festival Hall which has returned to London for its fifth consecutive festive season.

A celebration of theatrical clowning, the atmospheric show combines the unbridled silliness of slapstick with visual extravagance and beauty, all of which has established its creator, Slava Polunin, as a creative genius of international acclaim.

Mark is on the Board of SOLT and on the Board of the League of Independent Producers. He produced his first show in 1987 at the Edinburgh Fringe and in the West End In 1991.

Just a small selection of his previous productions include: Jeeves and Wooster (Duke Of York’s), Taken At Midnight (Chichester/West End), A Chorus Line (London Palladium), The King's Speech (UK tour), Oh What A Lovely War (UK tour), Pygmalion (UK tour), Yes Prime Minister (West End/UK tour), Crazy for You (Novello), High Society (Shaftesbury), Footloose (Novello) and RENT (Prince Of Wales).

I recently spoke to Mark about why London audiences love Slava’s Snowshow, wanting to bring Hairspray back to the West End and his theatrical highlights of 2015…

Slava's Snowshow is back for its fifth consecutive Christmas season in London! Originally, why did you decide to get behind the show?

I remember when the show started at the Edinburgh Festival – I was working there – and it was a huge phenomenon. Then it came to the West End and then it went to Broadway. However, afterwards there was a big gap because they were so busy and didn’t have time to come back to London. 

Five years ago the Royal Festival Hall was available over Christmas and we thought Slava’s Snowshow was a good fit for it because it’s quite arty and it obviously has a Christmassy feel about it. The show is performed around the word at any time of the year, even in countries where it never snows at all! We have this peculiar thing in Britain about Christmas shows and pantomimes – you could say this is a slightly posh people’s panto [laughs]. 

Review: Slava's Snowshow at the Royal Festival Hall

Slava's Snowshow 
Royal Festival Hall
Reviewed on Thursday 17th December 2015
★★★

Back in London for its a fifth consecutive Christmas season, Slava's Snowshow is a strange yet wonderful family treat. The atmospheric show is a celebration of theatrical clowning (warning - if you have a phobia of clowns this is NOT the show for you).

Slava's Snowshow returns to London this Christmas

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of its UK debut, multi-award winning spectacle Slava's Snowshow returns to London’s Southbank Centre for a fourth consecutive white Christmas from 17th December 2014 – 5th January 2015. 

Rapidly becoming an annual Christmas event, the show’s triumphant return to the Royal Festival Hall after three sell-out winter seasons follows a UK tour this autumn, visiting Birmingham, Woking, Bath, Edinburgh and Manchester.