The Wild Party Tickets

The Wild Party reopening at The Other Palace from February 2017!

This new production, directed and choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Drew McOnie, will star Frances Ruffelle in the role of Queenie.

Based on the 1928 Joseph Moncure March narrative poem of the same name, The Wild Party features music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa and book by Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe.

Presented in five acts or scenes, it will be produced as a number of vaudeville sketches which casually disintegrate as the evening wears on. Queenie and her partner Burrs plan to throw a "wild party", and invite a colourful cast of characters. Those epitomise the world of 1920s New York, including a fading star, an "ambisextrous" socialite, a gay brother act, a lesbian stripper, a boxer and an underage innocent girl. Queenie's best friend and at the same time her rival, Kate, brings her new lover who attracts Queenie's attention, as as the party descends into gin, sin and booze, truths are exposed and questions are asked of all the guests.

Drew McOnie won the Olivier Award earlier this year for his work on In The Heights and is currently directing and choreographing the UK premiere of Strictly Ballroom.

Frances Ruffelle (Queenie) won a Tony Award for creating the role of Eponine in the 1987 Broadway production of Les Miserables. Her West End musical theatre credits include Starlight Express, Chicago, Pippin and most recently The A to Z of Mrs P at the Southwark Playhouse and Piaf at the Leicester Curve Theatre.

As Ruffelle said, “I discovered the amazingly edgy, jazz-infused score to The Wild Party about 10 years ago. Many West End producers have tried to get the rights with no success, but luckily for me, the composer Michael John LaChuisa was in the audience when I was performing my solo show in New York. We were introduced after the show and I asked him why the show hadn’t been seen in London. He just said: “You are my Queenie, it’s yours”. It really is a dream come true, and I’m now working hard preparing for a role that I know will be demanding but hugely rewarding."

Formerly the St. James Theatre, The Other Palace will officially open its doors in February 2017, and will be a home and breeding ground for musicals at various stages of development. The Other Palace will focus on four key areas: programming, creative use of spaces, musical theatre development and audience engagement.

Book your tickets now!