Cast Set For FANNY at King's Head Theatre
Performances run from Friday 10 October – Saturday 15 November, with a national press night on Thursday 16 October.
By: Stephi Wild Sep. 11, 2025
Full casting has been announced for Fanny, Calum Finlay's riotous comedy, directed by Katie-Ann McDonough, which plays at the King's Head Theatre this autumn from Friday 10 October – Saturday 15 November, with a national press night on Thursday 16 October.
Following its acclaimed world premiere at The Watermill Theatre in 2024, this “life enhancing comedy” (**** Whatsonstage.com) brings Fanny Mendelssohn's long-overlooked story to the London stage with a new company, once again led by Mischief's Charlie Russell as ‘Fanny' – fresh from her most recent West End season in A Comedy About Spies.
Meet Fanny Mendelssohn. You'll probably know her younger brother Felix, from nineteenth-century smash hits like 'The Wedding March'. Felix was such a musical sensation that Queen Victoria requested a personal concert and even sung her favourite of his compositions: ‘Italien'. The only problem was Felix didn't write it. The piece of music was Fanny's, quietly published under her brother's name.
So - when Fanny intercepts a letter inviting Felix to go back to England and premiere a new orchestral work for the Queen, Fanny decides to hide the letter and take her rightful place at the palace…!
FANNY is a sharp, irreverent new comedy celebrating classical music — and finally giving a trailblazing woman composer her moment in the spotlight.
As with its premiere at The Watermill, the King's Head production will conclude each performance with a Noble Call – inspired by The Irish Tradition of inviting guests at a party to share a song, a poem, or to respond to the moment. Female-identifying musicians of all levels, backgrounds and styles are invited to sign-up to play a piece of music at the end of the show each night to continue the work of all the incredible women musicians before them.
Charlie Russell, co-founder of Mischief and star of The Goes Wrong Show (BBC), reprises her role as ‘Fanny' following her acclaimed performance at The Watermill Theatre. She is joined by Daniel Abbott (Groan Ups, Mischief UK Tour; Linck & Mülhahn, Hampstead Theatre; RSC's Henriad) as ‘Felix', Kim Ismay (Wicked, West End and UK Tour; Anne Boleyn the Musical, Hever Castle, Elf The Musical, Dominion Theatre) as ‘Lea', and Jeremy Lloyd (The Play That Goes Wrong, West End and Broadway; Peter Pan Goes Wrong, West End, Broadway and BBC1) as ‘Paul'. Danielle Phillips, recently seen in The Merry Wives of Windsor at Shakespeare's Globe, plays ‘Rebecka', and Riad Richie (Anna Karenina, Chichester Festival Theatre; Of Mice and Men, Birmingham Rep; RSC's The Whip) completes the cast as ‘Wilhelm'.
The production is written by Calum Finlay, whose recent credits include Paddington Lo-Commotion and Peter Rabbit's Garden Adventure. It is directed by Katie-Ann McDonough, a long-time Mischief Theatre Collaborator, most recently Associate Director on The Comedy About Spies, with music by Yshani Perinpanayagam, set and costumes by Sophia Pardon, and lighting design by David Howe. Harry Blumenau is Casting Director and Phao Wheatley is Movement Director. The creative team also includes Emily Nelson as Associate Set & Costume Designer and Charlie Russell as Creative Associate.
The production team is led by Charlie Rayner as Production Manager, Alice Cavanagh as Company Stage Manager, with Jasmine Dittman and Molly Tackaberry as Assistant Stage Managers.
Fanny is produced by RJG Productions in association with the Watermill Theatre.
Calum Finlay said, “I couldn't be more thrilled to have this extraordinary group of artists bringing Fanny to London. They're funny and talented and are already elevating the story far beyond what I imagined on the page. I can't wait for London audiences to enjoy this new version of the play!”
Katie-Ann McDonough said, “Fanny captures the extraordinary ambition and music of Fanny Mendelssohn, a woman whose genius was too often overshadowed. I'm honoured to bring her story of creativity, determination, and the fight to be heard to the King's Head with this wonderful cast, and to celebrate both her spirit and her legacy.”
Charlie Russell said, “I am really looking forward to returning to Fanny. It's a beautiful, funny, irreverent play that I can't wait to share with London. The cast is intimidatingly excellent, and we're so lucky to have the whole incredible team, on and off stage. We get to tell Fanny's story, the ‘what if' she had the agency to do something different, and that's a privilege.”
