Full casting announced for London transfer of Watermill Theatre’s production of FANNY
Full casting has been announced for Fanny, Calum Finlay’s riotous comedy, which plays at London’s King’s Head Theatre from 10 October – 15 November.
Following its acclaimed world premiere at The Watermill Theatre in 2024, this “life enhancing comedy” (**** Whatsonstage.com) brings Fanny Mendelssohn’s long-overlooked story to the London stage with a new company, once again led by Mischief’s Charlie Russell as Fanny – fresh from her most recent West End season in A Comedy About Spies.
She is joined by Daniel Abbott (Groan Ups, UK tour) as Felix, Kim Ismay (Wicked, West End/UK tour) as Lea, Jeremy Lloyd (The Play That Goes Wrong, West End/Broadway) as Paul, Danielle Phillips (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Rebecka, and Riad Richie (Anna Karenina, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Wilhelm.
Meet Fanny Mendelssohn. You'll probably know her younger brother Felix, from nineteenth-century smash hits like 'The Wedding March'. Felix was such a musical sensation that Queen Victoria requested a personal concert and even sung her favourite of his compositions: ‘Italien’. The only problem was Felix didn’t write it. The piece of music was Fanny’s, quietly published under her brother's name.
So - when Fanny intercepts a letter inviting Felix to go back to England and premiere a new orchestral work for the Queen, Fanny decides to hide the letter and take her rightful place at the palace…!
FANNY is a sharp, irreverent new comedy celebrating classical music — and finally giving a trailblazing woman composer her moment in the spotlight.
As with its premiere at The Watermill, the King’s Head production will conclude each performance with a Noble Call – inspired by the Irish tradition of inviting guests at a party to share a song, a poem, or to respond to the moment. Female-identifying musicians of all levels, backgrounds and styles are invited to sign-up to play a piece of music at the end of the show each night to continue the work of all the incredible women musicians before them.
Audience members interested in taking part can sign up here.
The production is written by Calum Finlay, with direction by Katie-Ann McDonough, music by Yshani Perinpanayagam, set and costumes by Sophia Pardon, lighting by David Howe, casting by Harry Blumenau, and movement direction by Phao Wheatley.
Charlie Russell said: “I am really looking forward to returning to Fanny. It’s a beautiful, funny, irreverent play that I can’t wait to share with London. The cast is intimidatingly excellent, and we’re so lucky to have the whole incredible team, on and off stage. We get to tell Fanny’s story, the ‘what if’ she had the agency to do something different, and that’s a privilege.”
