Casting announced for IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE: CHRISTMAS DUNDEE at Old Joint Stock
The Old Joint Stock has announced casting for its first brand new Christmas musical, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Christmas Dundee, which plays at the Birmingham venue from 3-30 December.
This chaotic, comedic, and utterly unique production mashes the iconic and beloved Christmas tale, It’s a Wonderful Life, with the uniquely Australian adventure film, Crocodile Dundee—a movie that still holds the record for the most-watched film on the BBC on Christmas Day, with a whopping 21 million viewers. The result is a fresh and playful addition to the Christmas theatre canon, promising audiences a festive rollercoaster of laughs, surprises, and heartwarming holiday moments.
The cast includes Paul Westwood (Glenn Miller: His Life Story, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Paul Hogan, Oliver Cartwright (Lead Production Vocalist, SAGA Cruises) as Burt the Crocodile, Thea Jo Wolfe (The Mad Ones, Old Joint Stock/The Other Palace) as Kylie Minogue & Others, Will Usherwood-Bliss (NewsRevue, Canal Cafe Theatre) as Hugh Jackman & Others, and Tom Kiteley (Debate: Baldwin vs Buckley, West End) as Arnold Schwarzenegger & Others.
It’s Christmas Eve, and Hollywood star Paul Hogan is feeling old and forgotten — the day after his old screen companion, Burt the crocodile, passed away at the ripe old age of 90. On the brink, Paul wonders if life would have been better if he’d never been born. Meanwhile, Burt is sent back down to Earth to save Paul and show him the positive impact his life has had on the world — so that Burt, in turn, can earn his wings.
Expect big songs, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hugh Jackman, and a tap-dancing croc… wearing Crocs. What more could you want to get into the Christmas spirit?
DANGER: This show may cause you to shed a crocodile tear or two…
Artistic Director of the Old Joint Stock, James Edge, said: “After two years of producing UK premieres of fantastic lesser known contemporary shows and expanding to well known cult favourites, the Old Joint Stock is extremely excited to now be producing two brand new musicals this Christmas, with our first announcement being It’s a Wonderful Knife - Christmas Dundee. There’s always been the fun dialogue about whether Die Hard was a Christmas film, well when Crocodile Dundee was released on the BBC on Christmas Day in 1989, it was viewed by 21.8 million people making it the single most viewed Christmas Day film in the United Kingdom. So how did we tie this in and make it into a Christmas show? You’ll have to buy a ticket and find out.”
Strap in, Sheila's, for the most Christmassy musical no one ever knew they needed this festive season.
For more info on It’s a Wonderful Knife: Christmas Dundee, please click here.