Photos: THE PLEASURE GARDEN Opens at Above The Stag Theatre

A wildly funny new musical is taking a peek through the bushes to discover and celebrate Vauxhall's history as a hedonistic playground. Written by Glenn Chandler with music by Charles Miller, The Pleasure Garden is now playing at Above The Stag Theatre, a stone's throw from the historic park where its story is set.

Check out photos below!

For two centuries, the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens drew enormous crowds for its circus acts, balloon rides, orchestral concerts and spectacular firereworks. For those in the know, however, the darker paths, wooded corners and intimate arbours were used for more illicit and illegal entertainments. But now it's 1850 and the gardens are in their dying days. Yet still the faithful come... Tom Restless, a handsome young gardener, is torn between the affections of a hopelessly romantic shipping clerk and a sexually voracious aristocratic couple. With the gardens closing and his livelihood under threat, will Tom choose a bohemian life with Ralph; employment with the unorthodox Lord and Lady Lovelock; or answer the drumbeat of a looming overseas war?

Glenn Chandler's string of hits include Fanny & Stella: The Shocking True Story, The Sins of Jack Saul, The Good Scout, Lord Dismiss Us and Sandel. For television he created the long-running detective show Taggart.

Charles Miller's other musicals include Fanny & Stella: The Shocking True Story, The Sins of Jack Saul, the highly-acclaimed Brenda Bly: Teen Detective and When Midnight Strikes, which have been produced throughout the UK, USA & Europe. His songs are frequently performed on the cabaret circuits in London and New York and have been recorded by, amongst others, Caroline O'Connor, Julie Atherton and Pia Douwes.

Direction is by Fenton Gray, whose credits include Cinderella starring Mickey, The Mikado at The Royal Festival Hall, and numerous operas including Carmen and Turandot.

For more information visit: https://abovethestag.org.uk/