Sabrina Aloueche to star in RENT at London's Cockpit Theatre
Interval
Productions Raise Awareness of HIV in London with West End Star
Sabrina Aloueche
RENT
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Interval’s production of ‘After the Turn’ earlier this year was billed
by Mark Shenton (The Stage) as “the British equivalent to Rent”. Interval have
taken this as their cue to produce RENT in London. Using much of the same
creative team as ‘After the Turn’ they plan to strip the original RENT down to
its raw, gritty yet life-affirming story.
Having lost her godfather to a HIV related illness, Tori Allen-Martin,
founder of Interval Productions, believes that RENT is still relevant here and
now in London over 20 years after Jonathan Larson wrote it in New York.
Interval is working with NAT (National AIDS Trust) to produce an additional gala charity
performance on Sunday 28th October.
NAT is the UK's leading charity dedicated to
transforming society's response to HIV. In a talk to the cast given by the NAT
on the first day of rehearsals it was explained that government funding cuts
have meant that more than ever community fundraising is vital to ensure NAT can
continue shaping attitudes, challenging injustice and change lives. With now
almost 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK HIV awareness is decreasing,
43% of people living with HIV live in London (over 30,000).
Interval Productions believe in giving young talent a step up. They
know how important it is for graduates to get experience and exposure, and how
difficult it can be to achieve that. Their productions combine fresh talent
with more established ‘names’ in the industry in with the aim that while audiences may come to
see one ‘name’, they’ll leave with a list of new ones to follow.
CAST AND
CREATIVES
The cast and creatives working on RENT comprise some incredible new
musical theatre graduates, as well as ‘named’ West-End stars – all passionate
about the project and all working unpaid, they are determined to bring the
‘story’ of RENT to London
Maureen -
Sabrina Aloueche (We Will Rock You, Les Miserables)
Joanne - Ambra Caserotti (Edges, Nevermore)
Mimi - Tori Allen-Martin (Hair European Arena Tour, After The Turn)
Joanne - Ambra Caserotti (Edges, Nevermore)
Mimi - Tori Allen-Martin (Hair European Arena Tour, After The Turn)
Roger - Christian Jones (SLP Graduate)
Angel - John McCrea (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The King and I, The
Sound of Music (original cast), The Catherine Tate Show)
Collins - Carlton Connell (Fame, Starlight
Express, High School The Musical)
Benny - Ben Astle (Mountview Graduate)
Mark - Will Bradnam (Mountview Graduate)
Ensemble – Shinead Bryne, Lauren Tilley, Mitch
Miller, Bruce Aguilar-Rohan, Gracie Hughes, Ryan-Lee Seager, Simon Ouldred, Tom
Eason, Kamilah Beckles
Listings
Performance
Dates and Times:
17th – 21st October
24th –
28th October
30th October – 3rd November
6th
– 10th November – 7:30pm
Venue: The
Cockpit Theatre, Gateforth Street, City of Westminster NW8 8EH
Creatives:
Sarah Page –
Producer
Tori Allen-Martin – Producer
Tim O’Hara – Director
Sarah Henley –
Co-Director
Scott Morgan – Musical Director
Oliver Payne – Assistant Musical
Director
Kamilah Beckles - Choreographer
Labels
Theatre