Frances Ruffelle to Lead SONGS FROM A HOTEL BEDROOM at Watford, 10/14-10/16

From October 14 through October 16, Tony award winner Frances Ruffelle (Les Miserables) will star in Songs From A Hotel Bedroom by Kate Flatt and Peter Rowe at Watford Palace Theatre. This new piece of music theatre unfolds through the bittersweet love songs of Kurt Weill's American repertoire (including September Song, Speak Low, I'm A Stranger Here Myself) and the sensuous mischief of tango dance. 

The piece takes place in 1949, stylish and sophisticated post-war New York. Cabaret singer Angélique (Frances Ruffelle) relives the memories of her brief but passionate love affair with songwriter Dan (Nigel Richards). Recalling her arrival from Paris a year before, she reflects on how her life has changed...

The production also features dancers Tara Pilbrow and Amir Giles and a 7-piece live band. It was conceived by choreographer Kate Flatt (Les Miserables; Doctor Faustus, Young Vic; Three Sisters, National Theatre), a Watford Palace Creative Associate.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, Frances Ruffelle launches her new solo album, Imperfectly Me, imbued with her trademark sense of earthy realism rather than airbrushed perfection, on September 13th this year.

Her multi-faceted career has also included four solo albums and representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 with her hit song ‘Lonely Symphony'. At the end of 2010, Frances will be starring in Songs from a Hotel Bedroom at the Royal Opera House. 

Having created the role of Eponine in Les Misérables in the West End, Frances recreated the role on Broadway for which she won the coveted Tony award, Helen Hayes award, Theatreworld award and Outer Circle Critics award for Best Actress. Frances hit the West End for the first time in The Sleeping Prince, by Terence Rattigan (in which she co-starred with Omar Sharif). She then took part in the original workshop of Starlight Express and subsequently played the role of Dinah for Trevor Nunn in the show's first ever cast. She also created the role of Yonah in the originAl West End production of Children of Eden directed by John Caird.

Further stage adventures have ranged from appearing with Ian Dury in Apples at the Royal Court in London to playing Roxie Hart in the West End production of Chicago. Frances has performed concerts in London with the Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown and has played sell-out gigs at London's Ronnie Scott's with her Big Band.

For tickets and more information on Songs From A Hotel Bedroom at Watford, visit http://www.watfordtheatre.co.uk/.

Photo Credit: Ben Strothmann