Stevenage Lytton Players set to blast off to the Forbidden Planet
The cast of The Stevenage Lytton Players' production of Return To The Forbidden Planet - Credit: Stevenage Lytton Players
Members of a Stevenage-based amateur dramatic and musical society will be taking off into space in an out of this world musical this week.
The Stevenage Lytton Players return to the Lytton Theatre stage from Wednesday with Return to the Forbidden Planet, a jukebox musical written by the recently departed Bob Carlton.
With rock ‘n’ roll classics such as Great Balls of Fire and Good Vibrations, this feel-good musical is a wacky and modern update on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, with echoes of the original Star Trek crew and other references to sci-fi favourites, including Forbidden Planet.
The story follows Captain Tempest, played by new Lytton Players member Joe Reddan, and his crew aboard their spaceship as they are drawn to the mysterious planet of D’Illyria.
They come across mad scientist Doctor Prospero, his beautiful daughter Miranda and their robot, Ariel.
Return To The Forbidden Planet plays at The Lytton Theatre in Stevenage - Credit: Stevenage Lytton Players
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Louise Edwards not only takes on the challenging character of robot Ariel but is also responsible for the cast’s colourful costumes to match the madness of this outlandish show.
Local schoolteacher Ben Willis directs the show alongside the very talented music director, Sufia Manya.
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A musician as well as an actor who recently performed at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 101 Dalmatians, Sufia said: “I am so excited to be the music director for Return to the Forbidden Planet with the Lytton Players.
“It is a fantastically constructed, high energy and entertaining show that is jam-packed with iconic hits from the 60s and 70s.
Joe Reddan as Captain Tempest with the rest of the Return To The Forbidden Planet cast - Credit: Stevenage Lytton Players
“It has been a lot of fun to rehearse and I hope the audience enjoy it as much as we do!”
Return to the Forbidden Planet runs from Wednesday, May 23 to Saturday, May 26 at 7.45pm, with a matinee on the Saturday at 2.30pm.
The show takes place at the Lytton Theatre in Vardon Road, Stevenage.
Tickets cost £12, with concessions £10 for Wednesday, Thursday and the Saturday matinee.
Director Ben Willis with the cast of The Stevenage Lytton Players' production of Return To The Forbidden Planet - Credit: Stevenage Lytton Players
You can buy tickets from ticketsource.co.uk/lyttonplayers or call the box office on 01438 357407 to make a reservation.
• For behind the scene photos and the chance to win tickets, follow Lytton Players on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the handle @LyttonPlayers.
Louise Edwards as robot Ariel in Return To The Forbidden Planet - Credit: Stevenage Lytton Players
John Dunleavy as the mad scientist Doctor Prospero in Return To The Forbidden Planet - Credit: Stevenage Lytton Players
