LA BOHEME Opens in August at King's Head Theatre

The King's Head Theatre is presenting a radical brand new version of Puccini's timeless classic, La bohème, by Adam Spreadbury-Maher and Becca Marriott opening Wednesday 31st August 2016.

A production of La bohème, directed by Robin Norton-Hale was first seen at The King's Head Theatre in 2011. It began life at the c*ckTavern Theatre before transferring to the Soho Theatre and the King's Head. Produced by Adam Spreadbury-Maher, it is arguably the UK's longest continually running opera in history and went on to beat nominations from the English National Opera and the Royal Opera House to win Best New Opera at the Olivier awards in 2011.

Renowned for his inventive, contemporary reinterpretations of classic theatre and opera Adam Spreadbury-Maher, who is directing this time around, will focus upon the quintessential quartet - Mimi, Musetta, Rodolfo (Ralph) and Marcello (Mark) - and it will be lifted from when Puccini set his opera in the early 19th century to present day East London. The production will lay bare the dangerous and damaging effects of co-dependent relationships against a backdrop of spiralling rents and social media.

Adam Spreadbury-Maher, who is also artistic director of the King's Head Theatre said:

"Revisiting La bohème and working with Becca Marriott to reimagine and redefine one of the world's best loved operas for 2016 has been an incredible experience. We wanted to strip back the trappings and conventions of traditional productions to expose the raw, beating heart of the piece. Everyone has been in a co-dependent relationship, or knows someone that has; the lives and loves of Mimi, Musetta, Ralph and Mark are a tragedy we can all relate to and I can't wait to step back into the rehearsal room and help bring them to life as never before."

La bohème will be the second brand new opera production staged by the King's Head Theatre this year. Acclaimed opera director, Paul Higgins' version of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, which transposed the action to a reality TV studio, played for five weeks to critical and popular acclaim in March.