First published: 26 Aug 2008

Musical theatre veteran Peter Polycarpou will lead the cast of new musical Imagine This when it opens at the New London theatre in November.

The star, possibly best known for his performance as Chris Theodopolopodous in television sitcom Birds Of A Feather, is joined in the cast by Leila Benn-Harris, Simon Gleeson, Bernard Lloyd, Richard Cotton, Michael Matus, Gary Milner, Steven Serlin, Sevan Stephan, Sarah Ingram and Cameron Leigh.

Polycarpou, who plays Daniel Warshowsky, has an impressive musical theatre history including appearing in the original cast of Les Misérables, creating the role of John in Miss Saigon and playing the masked lead in The Phantom Of The Opera. Most recently he appeared in All About My Mother at the Old Vic.

Benn Harris, who plays Warshowsky’s daughter Rebecca in Imagine This, is also a veteran of The Phantom Of The Opera, in which she recently played Christine. Her other West End credits include Fame and Evita.

Australian Gleeson’s last West End appearance came in Far Pavilions, while in Sydney he has starred in the Australian premieres of Fame and Mamma Mia!

Imagine This is set in Poland during 1942, where a group of actors in the Warsaw Ghetto stage plays to inspire hope and optimism within their community. With rumours of the Final Solution in the air, their play merges with the reality they are trying to escape and a dramatic love story unfolds.

The new musical is directed by Timothy Sheader, Artistic Director of the Open Air Theatre, and features music by Shuki Levy, lyrics by David Goldsmith and a book by Glenn Berenbeim. The cast is completed by Rachael Archer, Marc Antolin, Stuart Boother, Emily Jane Boyle, Oliver Brenin, Michael Camp, Joel Elferink, Bob Harms, Paul Iveson, Roy Litvin, Aoife Nally, Grant Neal, Darragh O’Leary, Vincent Pirillo, Philippa Stefani, Rebecca Sutherland, Carrie Sutton, Gemma Sutton, Lucy Thatcher and Michael Watson.

Imagine This opens at the New London theatre on 19 November, following previews from 4 November.

MA