Romantics Anonymous (musical)

Romantics Anonymous
Music	Michael Kooman
Lyrics	Christopher Dimond
Book	Emma Rice
Basis	Les Émotifs Anonymes by Jean-Pierre Améris Philippe Blasband
Premiere	20 October 2017 (2017-10-20): Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London
Productions	2017 London 2020 Bristol 2020 COVID-19 live stream

Romantics Anonymous is a musical with music by Michael Kooman, lyrics by Christopher Dimond and a book by Emma Rice. It is based on the 2010 French-Belgian film Les Émotifs Anonymes by Jean-Pierre Améris and Philippe Blasband.[1]

Productions

London (2017-18)

The musical premiered at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London on 20 October 2017 and ran until 6 January 2018. The production was directed by Rice (who at the time was Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe), designed by Lez Brotherston and choreographed by Etta Murfitt.[2]

The production received positive reviews earning four and five stars from The Stage,[3] WhatsOnStage.com,[1] BroadwayWorld[4] and Musical Theatre Review.[5]

Bristol and COVID-19 live stream (2020)

The musical ran at the Bristol Old Vic from 18 January to 1 February 2020, produced by Emma Rice's theatre company Wise Children and Push Theatricals with Rice returning as director and Carly Bawden reprising her role as Angélique with Marc Antolin returning as Jean-René (having previously playing Ludo / Remi). Following the Bristol run, the musical was scheduled to embark on an international tour, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic all dates were cancelled including dates at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. (17 to 29 March), the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills (7 April to 17 May 2020), and Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC (21 May to 7 June).[6][7]

The musical was broadcast live from the Bristol Old Vic stage (featuring the majority of the cast from the January 2020 run) from 22 to 26 September 2020, being presented as a "digital tour", meaning that tickets were sold through partner theatres across the UK and US. Each region would be available to book on a specific night. The company was tested for coronavirus before forming a bubble, meaning the show could be rehearsed and performed without social distancing.[8]

Cast and characters

Character	London (2017)	Bristol / COVID-19 live stream (2020)
Jean-René	Dominic Marsh	Marc Antolin
Angélique	Carly Bawden
Father / Pierre / Receptionist	Philip Cox	Craig Pinder / Philip Cox (live stream)
Salesman / Fred	Joe Evans	Brett Brown / Omari Douglas (live stream)
Suzanne / Mimi	Natasha Jayetileke	Me'sha Bryan
Ludo / Remi	Marc Antolin	Harry Hepple
Magda / Brigitte / Dr Maxim	Joanna Riding	Sandra Marvin
Young Woman	Lauren Samuels	Laura Jane Matthewson
Mercier / Mumbler / Marini	Gareth Snook

Critical reception

The musical received positive reviews when it opened in London with five star reviews from BroadwayWorld and Musical Theatre Review and four star reviews from WhatsOnStage.com, The Stage, Financial Times, The Independent, Time Out London, London Times and The Guardian.[9]

External links

• Official website
• Wise Children website

References

1. "Review: Romantics Anonymous (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse)". Retrieved 2018-08-21.
2. "Romantics Anonymous / Shakespeare's Globe". www.shakespearesglobe.com. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
3. "Romantics Anonymous review at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London – 'an irresistible treat'". The Stage. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
4. Gilpin, Debbie. "BWW Review: ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
5. "Romantics Anonymous – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse – Shakespeare's Globe". musicaltheatrereview.com. 29 October 2017.
6. "Wise Children Productions". WiseChildren.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
7. "Wise Children to revive Emma Rice's Romantics Anonymous". The Stage. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
8. "Romantics Anonymous musical to be live-streamed from Bristol Old Vic stage | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
9. "Kooman & Dimond". www.koomandimond.com. Retrieved 2020-09-13.