Sunny Afternoon (musical) explained

Sunny Afternoon
Music:Ray Davies
Lyrics:Ray Davies
Basis:The formation and career of The Kinks
Premiere Location:Hampstead Theatre
Productions:2014 Hampstead Theatre
2014 West End
2016 UK Tour

Sunny Afternoon is a jukebox musical with music and lyrics by Ray Davies and a book by Joe Penhall. Based on the formation and career of the English rock band The Kinks, the musical was commissioned and produced by Sonia Friedman and made its world premiere in 2014 at the Hampstead Theatre, London, before transferring to the West End's Harold Pinter Theatre. Featuring songs by The Kinks, Sunny Afternoon includes their hits such as "Lola", "Waterloo Sunset", "You Really Got Me" and the musical's title song, "Sunny Afternoon".

Background

On 13 December 2013, producer Sonia Friedman officially confirmed that a musical based around the early life of Ray Davies and the formation of the band The Kinks[1] would receive its world premiere at the Hampstead Theatre in spring 2014.[2] The musical was named after the band's 1966 hit single "Sunny Afternoon,"[3] and features songs from the band's back catalogue.[4] The musical has a book by Joe Penhall[5] and is directed by Edward Hall, with choreography by Adam Cooper, set and costume design by Miriam Buether,[6] lighting design by Rick Fisher, sound design by Matt McKenzie and musical direction by Elliott Ware.

Production history

Original London production (2014-16)

The show's premiere production began previews at the Hampstead Theatre in London, on 14 April 2014, with its official opening night on 1 May, booking for a limited run until 24 May 2014.

In late June, it was confirmed that the production would transfer to the West End, beginning previews at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 4 October, with an official opening night on 28 October 2014.[7] Tickets for the transfer went on sale on 30 June. Shortly after beginning previews the show extended booking to January, before quickly announcing another extension to 23 May 2015.[8] On 14 November 2014, the cast appeared on the BBC's Children In Need, closing the show.[9] The musical closed on 29 October 2016.[10]

A typical performance runs two hours and 45 minutes, including one interval.[11]

UK and Ireland tour (2016-17)

The production embarked on its first UK and Ireland tour opening at the Manchester Opera House in August 2016 ending at the Grand Opera House, Belfast in June 2017.

A second UK and Ireland tour was due to open again at the Manchester Opera House in August 2020, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic was cancelled.

Synopsis

The semi-biographical story is set against the background of political and social change of the 1960s. The musical examines the early years of the Muswell Hill, London-based group The Kinks. After initial failure, the band's lead guitarist Dave Davies experimented and created a distorted power chord sound on the group's third single, "You Really Got Me". The song, written by Dave's older brother Ray, went to No 1 in the UK charts and preceded a string of hits. Woven into the musical are the themes of the Davies brothers' sibling rivalry, management problems, their sister's untimely death, Ray's doomed marriage and their subsequent banning from the United States following a dispute with the musicians' union.

Music

Musical numbers

Act I
Act II

Recordings

On 21 October 2014, four preview tracks from the album, "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "Dead End Street", "Too Much On My Mind/Tired of Waiting" and the show's title song "Sunny Afternoon" were released via SoundCloud.[12] Recorded at London's Konk Studio's, which was established by The Kinks, the album featuring 29 songs,[13] was released on 27 October via BMG Chrysalis.[14]

Sunny Afternoon
Type:soundtrack
Longtype:cast recording
Artist:Various
Genre:Rock
Label:BMG Chrysalis

Principal roles and original cast

CharacterHampstead[15] [16] West EndUK and Ireland Tour[17]
20142016
Ray DaviesJohn DagleishRyan O'Donnell
Dave DaviesGeorge MaguireMark Newnham
Pete QuaifeNed DerringtonGarmon Rhys
Mick AvoryAdam SoppAndrew Gallo
Mr Davies/Allen KleinPhilip BirdRobert Took
Mrs Davies/MarshaHelen HobsonElizabeth HillDeryn Edwards
Larry PageVince LeighRichard Hurst
Eddie KassnerBen CaplanMichael Warburton
RasaLillie FlynnLisa Wright
Gregory PivenMarvin SpringerAshley CampbellNathanael Campbell
Robert WaceDominic TigheJoseph Richardson
Greenville CollinsTam WilliamsTomm Coles
GwenCarly AndersonVictoria Anderson
PeggyEmily GoodenoughLibby Watts
JoyceAmy RossSophie Leigh-Griffin
Alternate RayDanny HornJames Hudson
Alternate DaveOliver Hoare

Awards and nominations

Original London production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef
2014Evening Standard AwardsNed Sherrin Award For Best Musical[18]
Emerging Talent AwardJohn Dagleish[19]
2015Whatsonstage.com AwardsBest New Musical[20] [21]
Best Supporting Actor In A MusicalGeorge Maguire
Laurence Olivier AwardBest New Musical[22] [23]
Best Actor in a MusicalJohn Dagleish[24]
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a MusicalGeorge Maguire
Best Sound DesignMatt McKenzie
Outstanding Achievement in MusicRay Davies

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'Sunny Afternoon' uses band's hits to tell Ray Davies' life story . . rollingstone.com . 13 December 2013 . 21 November 2014 . 17 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141217031924/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kinks-musical-coming-to-london-20131213 . live .
  2. Web site: London's Hampstead Theatre to Offer World Premiere of Sunny Afternoon, Early Life Story of Singer-Songwriter Ray Davies . . playbill.com . 16 December 2013 . 21 November 2014 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212919/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/londons-hampstead-theatre-to-offer-world-premiere-of-sunny-afternoon-early--212838 . live .
  3. Web site: The Kinks: Musical to tell Ray Davies' early life story . . bbc.co.uk/news . 13 December 2013 . 21 November 2014 . 6 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140206152436/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25368023 . live .
  4. Web site: Ray Davies musical to premiere at Hampstead Theatre . . thestage.co.uk . 13 December 2013 . 21 November 2014 . 29 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129081446/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/production/2013/12/ray-davies-musical-premiere-hampstead-theatre/ . live .
  5. Web site: Sunny Afternoon musical dazzles critics . . bbc.co.uk/news . 2 May 2014 . 18 November 2014 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191353/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27256661 . live .
  6. Web site: Ray Davies musical Sunny Afternoon premieres at Hampstead in May . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 13 December 2013 . 21 November 2014 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191301/https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/12-2013/ray-davies-musical-sunny-afternoon-premieres-at-ha_32960.html/ . live .
  7. Web site: Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon transfers to Harold Pinter Theatre . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 26 June 2014 . 18 November 2014 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191302/https://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/06-2014/sunny-afternoon-kinks-west-end_34868.html/ . live .
  8. Web site: Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon extends booking . . thestage.co.uk . 28 October 2014 . 28 October 2014.
  9. Web site: 10 November 2014. BBC Children In Need 2014 schedule. 21 November 2014. metro.co.uk. Metro. 3 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191304/https://metro.co.uk/2014/11/10/bbc-children-in-need-2014-schedule-from-eastenders-ghosts-and-one-direction-to-cheryl-fernandez-versini-4943061/. live.
  10. Web site: Douglas Mayo. Sunny Afternoon to close in London. British Theatre.Com. 18 June 2016. 16 June 2016. 3 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191317/http://britishtheatre.com/sunny-afternoon-to-close-in-london/. live.
  11. Harold Pinter Programme . Sunny Afternoon . December 2014 . 20.
  12. Web site: Listen to the first tracks released from the Sunny Afternoon official cast recording . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 21 October 2014 . 26 October 2014 . 24 October 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141024015415/http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/first-tracks-released-from-sunny-afternoon-officia_36192.html . live .
  13. Web site: Sunny Afternoon extends to May 2015 . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 27 October 2014 . 28 October 2014 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191309/https://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/sunny-afternoon-west-end-extends_36258.html/ . live .
  14. Web site: Cast of SUNNY AFTERNOON Records Album; First Tracks Released . Broadway World . broadwayworld.com . 21 October 2014 . 26 October 2014 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191309/https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cast-of-SUNNY-AFTERNOON-Records-Album-First-Tracks-Released-20141021 . live .
  15. Web site: Sunny Afternoon Cast & Creatives . . hampsteadtheatre.com . 21 July 2014 . 1 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140701215924/http://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2014/sunny-afternoon/ . live .
  16. Web site: Cast Announced for World Premiere of Ray Davies Musical Sunny Afternoon at London's Hampstead Theatre . . playbill.com . 24 February 2014 . 21 July 2014 . https://archive.today/20140726074620/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/187986-Cast-Announced-for-World-Premiere-of-Ray-Davies-Musical-Sunny-Afternoon-at-Londons-Hampstead-Theatre/I%3E-at-Londons-Hampstead-Theatre . 26 July 2014 . dead .
  17. Web site: Sunny Afternoon: The Hit Musical About The Kinks. sunnyafternoonthemusical.com. en. 2017-04-24. 3 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191313/https://sunnyafternoonthemusical.com/fallback.html. live.
  18. Web site: Tom Hiddleston among Evening Standard theatre awards nominees . . bbc.co.uk/news . 17 November 2014 . 17 November 2014 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191316/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30085431 . live .
  19. Web site: London Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2014 shortlist announced . . standard.co.uk . 17 November 2014 . 23 November 2014 . 31 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170531021256/http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/london-evening-standard-theatre-awards-2014-shortlist-announced-9864526.html . live .
  20. Web site: Winners of the 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 15 February 2015 . 17 February 2015 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191823/https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/15th-annual-whatsonstage-awards-winners_37138.html/ . live .
  21. Web site: Shortlists announced for 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, voting opens . Whats On Stage . whatsonstage.com . 5 December 2014 . 15 December 2014 . 22 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161222042452/http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/whatsonstage-awards-2015-shortlists_36663.html . live .
  22. Web site: Olivier Awards success for Angela Lansbury and Sunny Afternoon . . bbc.co.uk/news . 13 April 2015 . 13 April 2015 . 3 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903191819/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32277613 . live .
  23. Web site: Nominations in full from Wolf Hall to Beautiful . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/olivier-awards-2015-nominations-in-full-from-wolf-hall-to-beautiful--the-carole-king-musical-10095566.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . . independent.co.uk . 9 March 2015 . 13 April 2015.
  24. Web site: Olivier Awards 2015: full list of winners . . telegraph.co.uk . 12 April 2015 . 13 April 2015 . 11 January 2022 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/11531416/olivier-award-winners-2015-list.html . live .

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