The Big Life is a British ska musical with book and lyrics by Paul Sirett and music by Paul Joseph, originally produced by the Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2004. It combines Shakespeare's Love's Labours Lost with the story of the Windrush immigrants[1][2] (those Jamaicans who arrived in Britain aboard HMT Empire Windrush in 1948, which began an era of multiculturalism).
| The Big Life | |
|---|---|
| Music | Paul Joseph |
| Lyrics | Paul Sirett |
| Book | Paul Sirett and Tameka Empson |
| Premiere | 22 April 2004: Theatre Royal Stratford East |
| Productions | 2004 Theatre Royal Stratford East 2005 Apollo Theatre 2024 Theatre Royal Stratford East |
The musical transferred to the West End's Apollo Theatre in 2005.[3] It was nominated for Best New Musical at the 2006 Olivier Awards.
The musical is being revived for its 20th anniversary at Stratford East in early 2024 with previews on 16 February, an opening night on 22 February, and performances to 30 March.[4]
Cast and characters
| Character | Theatre Royal Stratford East | Theatre Royal Stratford East | Apollo Theatre | Theatre Royal Stratford East |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (2004) | (2005) | (2005) | (2024) | |
| Ferdy | Victor Romero Evans | Ashley Samuels | ||
| Bernie | Neil Reidman | Nathanael Campbell | ||
| Lennie | Chris Tummings | Karl Queensborough | ||
| Dennis | Marcus Powell | Khalid Daley | ||
| Zulieka | Maureen Hibbert | Antonia Kemi Coker | Rachel John | |
| Sybil | Yaa | Gabrielle Brooks | ||
| Mary | Lorna Brown | Yvette Rochester | Leanne Henlon | |
| Kathy | Claudia Cadette | Juliet Agnes | ||
| Admiral | Jason Pennycooke | Danny Bailey | ||
| Jacqueline | Amanda Horlock | Beth Elliott | ||
| Reverend | Geoff Aymer | Gabriel Fleary | ||
| Mrs Aphrodite | Tameka Empson | |||
Awards and Nominations
Original West End Production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best New Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Tameka Empson | Nominated | ||