Summary
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".
| Sunny Afternoon | |
|---|---|
 West End production poster | |
| Music | Ray Davies |
| Lyrics | Ray Davies |
| Book | Joe Penhall |
| Basis | The formation and career of The Kinks |
| Premiere | 1 May 2014: Hampstead Theatre |
| Productions | 2014 Hampstead Theatre 2014 West End 2016 UK Tour |
| Awards | Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical |
Background edit
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 edit
Original London production (2014-16) edit
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) edit
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 edit
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 edit
Musical numbers edit
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Recordings edit
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 | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album cast recording by Various | |
| Released | 27 October 2014 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 1:01:13 |
| Label | BMG Chrysalis |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Still Want Me" | 1.49 |
| 2. | "I Gotta Move/You Really Got Me" | 2.04 |
| 3. | "Just Can't Go to Sleep" | 1.03 |
| 4. | "Denmark Street" | 2.08 |
| 5. | "A Well Respected Man" | 2.32 |
| 6. | "Dead End Street" | 2.22 |
| 7. | "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" | 2.29 |
| 8. | "You Really Got Me" | 2.13 |
| 9. | "(This Time Tomorrow into) Set Me Free" | 2.57 |
| 10. | "Till the End of the Day" | 2.01 |
| 11. | "This Strange Effect" | 1.47 |
| 12. | "Stop Your Sobbing" | 1.43 |
| 13. | "This Is Where I Belong" | 1.07 |
| 14. | "Where Have All the Good Times Gone/All Day and All of the Night" | 3.11 |
| 15. | "This Time Tomorrow" | 2.12 |
| 16. | "Maximum Consumption" | 0.58 |
| 17. | "Sitting in My Hotel" | 3.31 |
| 18. | "I Go to Sleep" | 2.29 |
| 19. | "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" | 1.46 |
| 20. | "Too Much on My Mind/Tired of Waiting" | 2.20 |
| 21. | "The Moneygoround" | 1.47 |
| 22. | "Sunny Afternoon" | 3.34 |
| 23. | "A Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy" | 3.00 |
| 24. | "Days" | 2.21 |
| 25. | "A Long Way from Home" | 2.35 |
| 26. | "Waterloo Sunset" | 3.20 |
| 27. | "Lola" | 2.25 |
| 28. | "All Day and All of the Night/You Really Got Me/Lola" | 2.37 |
| 29. | "Look a Little on the Sunny Side" | 1.32 |
Principal roles and original cast edit
| Character | Hampstead[15][16] | West End[11] | UK and Ireland Tour[17] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2016 | ||
| Ray Davies | John Dagleish | Ryan O'Donnell | |
| Dave Davies | George Maguire | Mark Newnham | |
| Pete Quaife | Ned Derrington | Garmon Rhys | |
| Mick Avory | Adam Sopp | Andrew Gallo | |
| Mr Davies/Allen Klein | Philip Bird | Robert Took | |
| Mrs Davies/Marsha | Helen Hobson | Elizabeth Hill | Deryn Edwards |
| Larry Page | Vince Leigh | Richard Hurst | |
| Eddie Kassner | Ben Caplan | Michael Warburton | |
| Rasa | Lillie Flynn | Lisa Wright | |
| Gregory Piven | Marvin Springer | Ashley Campbell | Nathanael Campbell |
| Robert Wace | Dominic Tighe | Joseph Richardson | |
| Greenville Collins | Tam Williams | Tomm Coles | |
| Gwen | Carly Anderson | Victoria Anderson | |
| Peggy | Emily Goodenough | Libby Watts | |
| Joyce | Amy Ross | Sophie Leigh-Griffin | |
| Alternate Ray | — | Danny Horn | James Hudson |
| Alternate Dave | — | Oliver Hoare | — |
Awards and nominations edit
Original London production edit
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Evening Standard Awards | Ned Sherrin Award For Best Musical | Nominated | [18] | |
| Emerging Talent Award | John Dagleish | Nominated | [19] | ||
| 2015 | Whatsonstage.com Awards | Best New Musical | Nominated[20] | [21] | |
| Best Supporting Actor In A Musical | George Maguire | Nominated[20] | [21] | ||
| Laurence Olivier Award | Best New Musical | Won[22] | [23] | ||
| Best Actor in a Musical | John Dagleish | Won[24] | [23] | ||
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical | George Maguire | Won[24] | [23] | ||
| Best Sound Design | Matt McKenzie | Nominated[24] | [23] | ||
| Outstanding Achievement in Music | Ray Davies | Won[24] | [23] | ||
References edit
- ^ "'Sunny Afternoon' uses band's hits to tell Ray Davies' life story". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ "London's Hampstead Theatre to Offer World Premiere of Sunny Afternoon, Early Life Story of Singer-Songwriter Ray Davies". playbill.com. Playbill. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ "The Kinks: Musical to tell Ray Davies' early life story". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 6 February 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ "Ray Davies musical to premiere at Hampstead Theatre". thestage.co.uk. The Stage. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ "Sunny Afternoon musical dazzles critics". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 2 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
- ^ "Ray Davies musical Sunny Afternoon premieres at Hampstead in May". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ "Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon transfers to Harold Pinter Theatre". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
- ^ "Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon extends booking". thestage.co.uk. The Stage. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
- ^ "BBC Children In Need 2014 schedule". metro.co.uk. Metro. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ Douglas Mayo (16 June 2016). "Sunny Afternoon to close in London". British Theatre.Com. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ^ a b "Sunny Afternoon". Harold Pinter Programme: 20. December 2014.
- ^ "Listen to the first tracks released from the Sunny Afternoon official cast recording". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ^ "Sunny Afternoon extends to May 2015". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 27 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
- ^ "Cast of SUNNY AFTERNOON Records Album; First Tracks Released". broadwayworld.com. Broadway World. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ^ "Sunny Afternoon Cast & Creatives". hampsteadtheatre.com. Hampstead Theatre. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Cast Announced for World Premiere of Ray Davies Musical Sunny Afternoon at London's Hampstead Theatre". playbill.com. Playbill. 24 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ "Sunny Afternoon: The Hit Musical About The Kinks". sunnyafternoonthemusical.com. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ "Tom Hiddleston among Evening Standard theatre awards nominees". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 17 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ^ "London Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2014 shortlist announced". standard.co.uk. Evening Standard Awards. 17 November 2014. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Winners of the 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 15 February 2015. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Shortlists announced for 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, voting opens". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 5 December 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ^ "Olivier Awards success for Angela Lansbury and Sunny Afternoon". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 13 April 2015. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "Nominations in full from Wolf Hall to Beautiful". independent.co.uk. The Independent. 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Olivier Awards 2015: full list of winners". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 12 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
External links edit
- Official website