UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG

Grammy and Oscar winning composer Michel Legrand (Yentl, Windmills of your Mind) romantic musical The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg was originally "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg", a 1964 musical film staring Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo.

It tells the story of 17 year old Geneviève who lives with her widowed mother who owns an umbrella shop in Cherbourg in the 1960s. She is secretly in love with Guy, a twenty-year-old auto mechanic and they want to marry, but her mother objects on the grounds that Geneviève is too young and Guy is not mature or well-established enough, especially as he has not yet done his required military service. Guy is drafted to serve in the war in Algeria for two years, leaving before they realise that Geneviève is pregnant. Geneviève is persuaded by  her mother to accept a marriage proposal from a wealthy jeweller dealer named Roland Cassard, who has promised to bring up her child as his own.

Guy is wounded and is discharged before his term is up, but when he returns to Cherbourg Geneviève has already married and moved away.  He eventually comes to terms with her departure and marries.  Years later Geneviève unsuspectingly drives into the service station that  Guy now owns . While the two have only a brief conversation about the state of their lives, the conversation is tinged with unspoken fondness and regret. Geneviève asks Guy if he wants to meet their daughter, but he asks her to leave.

Joanna Riding who was recently seen in Billy Elliott The Musical leads the cast as Madame Emery, the mother of Geneviève and owner of a chic umbrella shop.    She is joined  by cabaret artist Meow Meow (Lola) who specialises in kamikaze cabaret and performance art exotica and won the 2010 Edinburgh International Festival Fringe Prize for her show Feline Intimate. Carly Bawden (Genevieve) and Andrew Durand (Guy) make their West End debuts as the fated lovers. Bawden has appeared on tours of Whistle Down The Wind and Evita, while American actor Durand has appeared on Broadway in Spring Awakening.

The cast is completed by Gareth Charlton (Sailor) , Cynthia Erivo (Madelaine), Dominic Marsh (Cassard), Aki Omoshaybi (Sailor) and ensemble members Laura Brydon and Matt Wilman.

The musical features  two of Legrand’s greatest songs “Watch What Happens” and “I Will Wait For You

The stage version features new orchestrations by Legrand, is designed by Lez Brotherston and directed by Kneehigh artistic director Emma Rice

THIS PRODUCTION CLOSED ON 21ST MAY 2011

GETTING TO THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG

Gielgud Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 6AR

Click on map for detailed image

	Tube : Piccadilly Circus (250m) & Charing Cross (550m) Train: Charing Cross ( 550m)
	14, 19, 38
	NCPs at Wardour St, Newport Place, Denman St, Lexington St - 2 spaces for blue badge holders in Archer Street. MasterPark at Poland Street and China Town

 

DISABLED ACCESS UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG

	Hearing-Impaired infra-red system in the auditorium and induction loop at Box Office. Infra-red system with 14 headsets. The best reception is in the front area of all levels of the auditorium. Induction loop at the Box Office
	Guide dogs are permitted inside the auditorium
	Entrance to the auditorium is through the third side exit door on Rupert Street. Ask a member of staff to open this for you. One 12cm step up to the front of the Dress Circle. Venue suitable for scooters. Seats B5 and 30 can be removed to provide 2 spaces for wheelchair users
	Adapted toilet in foyer near the bar