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All star Stephen Sondheim celebration concert to take place in West End this May

The life and work of Stephen Sondheim will be celebrated in an all star West End concert.

Sondheim’s Old Friends will take place at the Sondheim Theatre in London on Tuesday 3 May 2022 In aid of the Sondheim Foundation.

The concert will also be streamed live to the nearby Prince Edward Theatre in a “unique theatrical event” powered by The Luna Cinema.

It will feature appearances from the likes of Michael Ball, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Bonnie Langford, Adrian Lester, Damien Lewis, Julia McKenzie, Elaine Paige, Bernadette Peters, Clive Rowe, Imelda Staunton and Hannah Waddingham.

They’ll be joined by Anna-Jane Casey, Julian Ovenden, Rob Brydon, Rosalie Craig, Janie Dee, Rob Houchen and Gary Wilmot.

They will be joined by a 26-piece orchestra conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo.

The concert will have staging by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman with choreography by Stephen Mear, musical direction by Alfonso Casado Trigo, musical supervision by Stephen Brooker, musical arrangements by Stephen Metcalfe, set design by Matt Kinley, lighting by Warren Letton, sound by Mick Potter.

The concert is produced by Cameron Mackintosh who said: “It is impossible to overstate the influence and contribution Stephen Sondheim has made to musical theatre, both personally and professionally. He was as great a teacher as he was an incomparable writer and the ‘Little Things’ that he did for so many people forged legions of friendships throughout his long life.

“I was lucky enough to be Steve’s friend and occasional collaborator for over 45 years since I first produced Side By Side By Sondheim at the Wyndham’s Theatre in 1976. It was a friendship full of laughter, gossip and glorious insightful camaraderie.

“Steve was so prolific and profound as a writer that it’s impossible to put together a definitive list of his greatest songs, as everyone has their own favourites, so our choice of songs will purely reflect the joy and love I have for one of the greatest Broadway Babies of all time.”

For further information and tickets, visit sondheimoldfriends.com

About the author: Josh Darvill

Josh is Stageberry's editor with over five years of experience writing about theatre in the West End and across the UK. Prior to following his passion for musicals, he worked for more than a decade as a TV journalist.