Canterbury Welcomes A New Musical Version Of A Much-Loved 80s Film This Summer

CANTERBURY welcomes a new musical version of a much-loved 80s film this summer.

An Officer And A Gentleman is based on the Oscar-winning 1982 film starring Richard Gere, which tells the story of Zack Mayo who is in training to become a US Navy Pilot. When Zack rolls into boot camp with a bit too much of a swagger, drill Sergeant Foley doesn't make life easy for him. When he falls for local girl Paula Pokrifki and tragedy befalls his friend and fellow candidate, Zack realises the importance of love and friendship and finds the courage to be himself and win the heart of the woman he loves. It's only then he can truly become both an officer and a gentleman.

The musical includes the hit song from the movie Up Where We Belong, along with 80's classics such as Alone, Don't Cry Out Loud, You're The Voice, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Heart of Glass, Toy Soldiers and Material Girl, and features one of the most iconic romantic scenes ever portrayed on screen.

The new musical has been scripted by Douglas Day Stewart, who wrote the original screenplay, and is produced by The Curve Leicester, with direction by Curve artistic director Nikolai Foster.

Of turning the film into a musical Douglas said: "I think it was always my hope to do this with the film. I've always loved musicals since I was a little boy and saw West Side Story with my father. I mean, who doesn't love musical theatre? I kept thinking this was a wonderful story for musical theatre, it has elements of a real Cinderella love story. I have been working at trying to realise a stage musical of this film for 15 years and I'm finally seeing it in the form I feel it is supposed to be in."

Nikolai said: "Douglas wrote An Officer And A Gentleman in response to his time serving in the American Air Force and the challenges he faced during training. It is a visceral, uncompromising and ultimately tender portrait of these personal experiences and the lives of folk living near the training facility in the early 1980s."

Four-time Olivier Award-nominated actress Emma Williams will play Paula Pokrifki. Her previous credits include Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mrs Henderson Presents and Love Story, all in the West End. This year Emma won the What's On Stage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for playing Helen in Cameron Mackintosh's revival of Half A Sixpence at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Jonny Fines will play the iconic role of Zack Mayo. Jonny most recently played the role of Rooster in the West End production of Annie at The Piccadilly Theatre. Other theatre credits include the UK tours of The Sound of Music and Avenue Q.

Ray Shell will play Foley. Ray is probably most famous for creating the roles of Rusty in Starlight Express and Nomax in Five Guys Named Moe, both in the West End. His other theatre credits include the iconic productions of Miss Saigon and Jesus Christ Superstar.

An Officer And A Gentleman is at The Marlowe Theatre from Monday 6 to Saturday 11 August, with performances at 2.30pm (Thursday and Saturday) and 7.30pm. Tickets, priced from £27.75 to £48.25 (concessions available) are from the Box Office on 01227 787787, and marlowetheatre.com. See the website for details of accessible performances.

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