As musical theatre fans eagerly await the premiere of Stephen Ward, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical about the Profumo affair, a second musical based on the same political scandal is to be staged at the Waterloo East theatre.
Profumo The Musical, written by actor/musician Gordon Kenney, will have a short run at the fringe venue from 28 to 31 August. The run marks the 50th anniversary of the scandal between Minister for War John Profumo and the young Christine Keeler, which eventually spelled the end for Harold Macmillan’s government.
The fringe show’s run comes three months before Lloyd Webber’s much anticipated new production – his first since The Phantom Of The Opera sequel Love Never Dies – Stephen Ward, which plays its first performance at the Aldwych theatre on 3 December.
Exploring the same scandal, but focussing on the role of society osteopath Ward who introduced Profumo to Keeler, it features a book and lyrics by Christopher Hampton and Don Black, and is directed by former National Theatre director Richard Eyre. Casting for the West End production has not yet been announced.