London College of Music to Present the World Premiere of BEL-AMI-THE MUSICAL, Feb 5-March 1

The London College of Music at the University of West London presents the world premiere of BEL-AMI - THE MUSICAL, a contemporary adaptation of the novel by Guy de Maupassant.

Disillusioned former soldier George Dury joins the ranks of his friend's newspaper, working his way up to become editor of the celebrity gossip column 'Bel-Ami'. Manipulating his way into the highest echelons of British society by charming, seducing and blackmailing those who cross his path, he is rewarded with ever-increasing wealth and prestige. But his ultimate goal will always be power...

Bel-Ami is a fresh take on the classic Guy de Maupassant novel by award-winning composer/lyricist Alex Loveless. A contemporary social satire, featuring phone hacking journalists, corrupt MPs, rapacious oligarchs, and set against the backdrop of a US-led invasion of Iran, Bel-Ami has a Twenty First Century score including dance, rap, RnB and alternative rock.

Bel-Ami continues London College of Music's tradition of developing new musicals and features final year students from its BA Musical Theatre course.

Alex Loveless studied musical composition at the London College of Music and is the composer/lyricist/librettist of The Remains of the Day (Union Theatre, 2010 - Evening Standard's Critics' Choice / Time Out's Best Theatre This Month September 2010) and Dracula (White Bear Theatre, 2008). His adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles will open at the New Wimbledon Studio in September 2014. Alex's work has been showcased at the Park Theatre, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the Duchess Theatre and the Royal Academy of Music. Alex is the recipient of a Vivian Ellis Prize for most promising newcomer, the Howard Goodall Award for composition, and is a professional writer associate of and reader for Mercury Musical Developments. Alex is published by Palgrave Macmillan and the London College of Music, where he now works as a lecturer in musical theatre.

London College of Music has a long and distinguished history (127 years) of turning out top-class professional performers. In recent years it has diversified to offer courses in musical theatre, musical direction, new writing, theatre design and technology and acting. BA Musical Theatre is a three year degree course focusing on acting through song situated within a conservatoire environment. New writing is placed at the heart of the curriculum with one large-scale new musical theatre work commissioned each year. Recent alumni have gone on to appear in the West End, UK and European tours.

The show will begin performances on 5 February at Watermans Theatre at 40 High Street, Brentford TW8 0DS. For tickets, contact the box office at 020 8232 1010 or book online at www.watermans.org.uk. The show will begin at 7.30pm on the following dates: Wednesday 5th, Thursday 6th, Friday 7th and Saturday 8th February. It will begin at 2.30pm on the following dates: Friday 7th and Saturday 8th February.

The show will transfer to Charing Cross Theatre at The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL for performances beginning on 19 February. For tickets for these performances, contact the box office at 08444 930 650 or book online at www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk. The show will begin at 7.30pm on the following dates: Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th, Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd, Tuesday 25th, Wednesday 26th, Thursday 27th, Friday 28th February and Saturday 1st March. It will begin at 2.30pm on the following dates: Saturday 22nd February and 1st March. It will begin at 4.30pm on the following date: Sunday 23rd February.

Tickets are £10 (plus £2 booking fee at Charing Cross). Concessions (students from any institution) are £5 (use discount code LCMBA1 at Charing Cross). The performance is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including one interval and is suitable for ages 14+.

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