One of the all-time greatest musicals ANYTHING GOES is making a welcome return to the London stage in spring and summer 2021 for a strictly limited 15 week engagement at the Barbican Theatre, starring Emmy & SAG Award Winner Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) who is making her West End musical debut as Reno Sweeney, and Tony, Olivier & BAFTA Award Winner Robert Lindsay as Moonface Martin.
This splendid production of Cole Porter & P.G. Wodehouse’s classic musical will be directed and choreographed by three time Tony Award Winner Kathleen Marshall. Marshall’s Broadway production of ANYTHING GOES was a major smash hit and received huge critical acclaim. The revival was nominated for nine Tony Awards and 10 Drama Desk Awards, winning Best Musical Revival and Best Choreography at both ceremonies. Now Marshall, in her West End directing debut, will reinvent this glorious musical for London audiences next year.
With music and lyrics by Cole Porter and the original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse, ANYTHING GOES will premiere at the Barbican Theatre on 8 May 2021 (Press Night on 20 May 2021) until 22 August 2021, featuring a full supporting company including 14 tap dancing sailors! Further casting will be announced soon.
Megan Mullally said: “Anything really does go, is the thing, and I’m excited to be coming to London where Robert Lindsay and I will promptly unleash ourselves upon that wonderful town for 15 weeks of farce and frolic. Under the tutelage of the devilishly clever Kathleen Marshall we shall endeavour to do the memory of Cole Porter proud. Meanwhile, I will endeavour to get my a** to a tap class. A brand new rendering of a great old entertainment is on the horizon…something tells me I’ll get a kick out of spending my summer in London next year! Tally-ho!”
Robert Lindsay said: “I am so looking forward to returning to the stage in the medium I love – musical comedy. And what better than Kathleen Marshall’s revival of Anything Goes at the wonderful Barbican Theatre. The perfect remedy to shake off the blues of 2020.”
Kathleen Marshall said: “I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to reimagine Anything Goes for the West End. I’m a huge fan of both Megan and Robert and I know we will have a blast working together on this iconic musical comedy. I adore London and can’t wait to bring this joyous show to UK audiences!”
Howard Panter, producer of The King and I at the London Palladium said: “I’m delighted to be working with Kathleen to bring a wonderful new production of this classic, and very funny, golden-age musical to London next summer packed with Cole Porter’s fabulous songs. It’s an enormous pleasure to welcome Megan to London, as she makes her musical debut in the UK and to work once again with Robert. Originally created by the geniuses that were Cole Porter and P.G. Wodehouse, Anything Goes offers pure escapism and enjoyment for all the family and I really hope it will be the perfect tonic for London audiences next year.”
When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love… proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, a comical disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail. This hilarious musical romp across the Atlantic featuring a collection of some of theatre’s most memorable songs – including ‘I Get A Kick Out of You’, ‘Anything Goes’, ‘You’re the Top’, ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow’, ‘It’s De-Lovely’, ‘Friendship’ and ‘Buddie Beware’ – will take you back to the Golden Age of high society on the seas. ANYTHING GOES is set to sail away with audiences all over again.