Beatles musical world premiere in Liverpool
- Alan Hulme
- 38 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Shake It Up Baby! - a new musical telling the story of the Beatles’ time in Hamburg - will premiere at Liverpool's Epstein Theatre in the autumn (September 26-October 11).
Written by Liverpool playwright Ian Salmon, the cast of Liverpool actor-musicians will be led by Andrew Schofield as Allan Williams, the fabled "man who gave away the Beatles".
It's a story about how the "worst group in Liverpool" became the greatest group the world has ever seen.
In August 1960, five teenage lads who thought they knew everything, but who really had no idea, jumped in the back of a van and left Liverpool for the most dangerous city in Europe, Germany's Hamburg. There they learned how to play, write and handle a crowd... and ended up changing the future of popular music.
The show's creative team includes Olivier award-nominated arranger and musical director George Francis, and the lead producer is Scott Millaney - co-founder of the award-winning MGMM Studios that pioneered music video and shot more than 1,500 videos for stars such as Elton John, Tina Turner, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones and many more.
Shake It Up Baby! director Stephen Fletcher said: “We’re delighted to be bringing this new musical to the newly-reopened Epstein.
“I’ve had an affinity with this venue for many years: my grandad used to test the pianos in Crane’s music shop on this very stage. It’s brilliant to help breathe new life into the place, and Shake It Up Baby! is such an exciting story. It’s got amazing live music too, which will be performed by an all-Liverpool cast. It’s a story of success, love, fate and sadness."
Epstein Theatre general manager Anthony Proctor added: “I’m ecstatic about Stephen, Andrew and Ian wanting to come and perform here at the Epstein. The calibre of artists involved in Shake It Up Baby! and their desire to stage this amazing new show here is a real vote of confidence in the theatre as a venue."
More info and tickets here