Full cast announced for LA BOHEME at the King’s Head Theatre

The King’s Head Theatre have announced full casting for their new contemporary queer reinvention of Puccini’s classic opera LA BOHÈME, running from 26 April-28 May.

Co-Artistic Director of The King’s Head Theatre Mark Ravenhill will direct the new production, with Puccini’s score and a new English libretto originally conceived by David Eaton and Adam Spreadbury-Maher and reworked by Philip Lee and David Eaton, and musical direction from David Eaton.

This classic tale of love and loss amongst a community of struggling artists returns to the King’s Head Theatre in a new version which relocates the story to contemporary London, with the cast includng Matthew Kellett as Marcus, Philip Lee as Mimi, Grace Nyandoro as Marissa and Daniel Koek as Robin.

Penniless writer Robin struggles to monetise his online writing but a Grindr hookup with a Liberty perfume salesman- known to his friends as Mimi -leads to unexpected blossoming of romantic passion.  Meanwhile Robin's flatmate, Marcus pursues an on/off relationship with sometime model Marissa who is torn between the idealism of loving an artist and the material possibilities offered by a hedge fund manager.  As a year passes from one Christmas to the next, the four friends struggle to reconcile love with artistic aspiration and the need to pay the bills.

Mark Ravenhill explains: “Our version of La Bohème is the story of a group of friends who started partying in the 1990s.  As they reach middle age, they are faced with the possibility that now may be the time to sell out and settle down.  But romantic passion, sexual desire and the hedonistic pleasures of partying remain as strong as ever.  It's exciting to honour the overwhelming romantic beauty of Puccini's score with his eye for telling social detail in this new version”.

Tickets are on sale now here.