Yet another 'juke-box musical' with a whimsical plot written around a collection of well known hit songs would appear on the surface to be a nightmare theatrical scenario. But Bill Kenwright's production of Can't Smile Without You currently playing at the Bristol Hippodrome during the early stages of its UK tour turns out to be a very pleasant and hugely enjoyable surprise. The enjoyment is due partly to the fact that the hit songs are by Barry Manilow - a vintage songwriter whose melodies always soar and touch the right emotional buttons - and partly due to some knock-out performances by an immensely talented cast.
The magic of Manilow is about to hit the stage across the UK with Bill Kenwright's production of the new musical Can't Smile Without You. Joining pop/rock singer-songwriter Chesney Hawkes in the show's leading roles will be BBC's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria finalist Siobhan Dillon and I'd Do Anything contestant Francesca Jackson.
Connie Fisher, chosen by popular vote as the winner of the UK reality show 'How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria,' will star in the upcoming London revival of The Sound of Music
Andrew Lloyd Webber has written on his website that Simon Shepherd will play Captain von Trapp, the authoritarian father softened by love, in the upcoming London revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music.