It's the news you've been waiting for. Clear your diaries: the world premiere of the new Barry Manilow musical comes to London this August. Starring, wait for it, Chesney Hawkes.
Students' favourite, cheesy Chesney takes the lead in the new show, which is called "Can't Smile Without You".
And you'll be thrilled to hear the new musical features "many" of Barry Manilow's hits: "Mandy", "Could It Be Magic", and, of course, "Copacabana".
And it sounds like the latter, Grammy award-winning disco favourite provides more than just musical accompaniment to the show. The plot, we're told,
follows a young band in search of fame
So far, so Never Forget… Until!
The band's lead singer, Tony, is given the chance to appear on latest reality TV show to find the next pop music sensation, but before he can realise his dream, he is involved in a tragic accident.
What, like the one in that Copacabana song? Jeez, the script writers must have been in a creative frenzy that day. We wonder if the love interest might just be a showgirl, called Lola. (Whatever she's called, she's being played by How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria non-winner, Siobhan Dillon, musicals-fact-fans.)
And where's this new musical masterpiece having its big opening? The West End? The esteemed Southbank? Nope, lucky old Bromley.
Hey, for all we know, it could be a hit as big as Mr Manilow's fireman's, just like the Take That musical which sounded like a terrible idea at the start, and is now ready to extend its run beyond November.
Can't Smile Without You runs from 28 August to 6 September at The Churchill, Bromley. Tickets are available online at www.churchilltheatre.co.uk
Fine image of Chesney Hawkes courtesy of tompagenet's photostream under the Creative Commons Licence
