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Theatre Links
The Theatre Links pages provide links to Theatre resources on the net, which either include information about Lyn Paul and the musicals in which she has appeared (Blood Brothers and Taboo) or which provide information on the UK theatre scene in general.
Footloose was first a hit film, then a musical. Both tell the story of Ren McCormack, a teenager from Chicago who moves with his mother to the small town of Bomont, where the local killjoys led by their preacher, Reverend Shaw Moore, have imposed a ban on rock music and dancing. The film was released in the USA on 17th February 1984 and in the UK on 13th April. It starred Kevin Bacon as Ren, John Lithgow as Reverend Moore, Diane Wiest as his wife Vi and Lori Singer as their daughter Ariel. The cast also featured Sarah Jessica Parker as Rusty.
Footloose was first staged as a musical in 1998 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. It opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on 5th October 1998 and the following year went on a successful tour of the US. The Broadway production ran until 2nd July 2000.
Footloose The Musical arrived in the UK in 2004, embarking on a national tour that travelled to major theatres up and down the country, including the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham and the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.
In April 2005 the show went through a partial re-write. The order of the songs in the second half was changed. Two songs were taken out - Let's Make Believe We're In Love and I Confess - and a new song added - Still Rockin'. The first Act now opened with the girls (Jo, Rusty, Urleen and Wendy) singing Footloose instead of the boys, while the song Learning To Be Silent, originally a duet between the two mothers Ethel and Vi, became a three-part harmony with Ariel.
A second UK tour followed in 2006, starring the Emmerdale actor Stephen McGann as Reverend Moore and Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker as Vi. It kicked off at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (Friday, 6th - Saturday, 14th January) and ended up at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth (Monday, 20th - Saturday, 25th March).
The production then transferred to London's West End, opening at the Novello Theatre on the Strand on Tuesday, 18th April 2006, following previews from Saturday, 8th April. After a seven-month run, the production closed on Saturday, 11th November 2006. The West End production originally starred Derek Hough as Ren, Stephen McGann as Reverend Moore, Cheryl Baker as Vi and Lorna Want as Ariel. Amy Pemberton replaced Lorna Want on 1st May and continued until the end of the run. David Essex joined the cast as Reverend Moore for three months in the Summer (10th June - 10th September) with Michael Howe taking over the role for the last two months.
Two of the principal members of the West End cast (Johnny Shentall as Chuck Cranston and Giovanni Spaño as Willard Hewitt) stayed on for the 2007 UK tour. They were joined by Tommy Sherlock as Ren, Julian Agnew as Reverend Moore, Lyn Paul as Vi and Miria Parvin as Ariel.
"Foot-tappingly enjoyable, it carries us along in a haze of goodwill and is cheered to the rafters, but for me it left niggling doubts: footloose, yes, but never fancy free."
"Strong performances also came from the reverend and his wife played by Lyn Paul and Julian Agnew and scene five in the reverends home between Ariel, Vi and Rens mother was beautiful."
"The strengths are in the performance. We have a Ren (Derek Hough) and an Ariel (Miria Parvin) of exceptional quality, and they are supported by a cast whose energy, drive, athleticism and sheer dance talent are extraordinary. Giovanni Spano, playing Ren's friend Willard, has a great comic sense whilst Julian Agnew (Rev Moore) and Lyn Paul (Vi Moore) manage to bring more to their characters than the text would suggest. I have to say, too, that Nikki Belsher (Ren's mother) did the seemingly impossible - she made the character both believable and sympathetic."
Footloose The Musical - The Lowry
by Kashif Naveed
"Footloose was an exceptionally well-acted and well-crafted production. The cast included some notable performers including the former singer from [the] New Seekers, Lyn Paul ..."
Footloose Reviewed at the Lowry, Salford by Glenn Meads
"Of the cast, Sherlock is the best Ren I have seen on tour as he dances as well as he sings. Parvin is also delightful as the wayward love interest. Lyn Paul is a wonderful singer although she doesnt even try to be American. Julian Agnew plays her earnest husband and does well with an underwritten role. Giovanni Spanos Willard plays for laughs and wins over the audience, constantly, while Gemma O' Duffys vibrant Lets Hear It For The Boy is worth paying for on its own ..."