SUNNY AFTERNOON to Bring The Kinks to The Marlowe Theatre This Spring

The multi-award-winning hit West End musical Sunny Afternoon comes to The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, next month.

The recipient of four awards at the 2015 Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies, Sunny Afternoon tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks.

Set against the back-drop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 1950s and riotous 1960s, the show explores the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain's most iconic bands and the music that influenced generations. It features some of The Kinks' best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola.

Sunny Afternoon stars Ryan O'Donnell as Ray Davies, with Mark Newnham as Dave Davies, Garmon Rhys as bassist Pete Quaife, and Andrew Gallo as drummer Mick Avory.

Ryan O'Donnell (Ray Davies) most recently appeared in Sunny Afternoon at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London. His other theatre credits include Quadrophenia at Theatre Royal Plymouth, Frankenstein at Royal and Derngate, Northampton, and Romeo And Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Ryan was a member of the band Jethro Tull for four years. In 2009 he recordEd Matthew and Son with Cat "Yusuf" Stevens and the BBC.

Mark Newnham (Dave Davies) most recently appeared in All Or Nothing at The Vaults Theatre, London. Garmon Rhys (Pete Quaife) in Doctor Faustus at Trafalgar Studios, London, and Andrew Gallo (Mick Avory) in Parade at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester.

Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, Sunny Afternoon opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End in October 2014, where it ran for two years.

Sunny Afternoon is at The Marlowe Theatre from Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 April, with performances at 7.30pm and 2.30pm (Thursday and Saturday). Tickets, priced from £27.50 to £46 (concessions available; booking fee applies), are from the Box Office on 01227 787787, and marlowetheatre.com.