Previewed 14 April 2014, Opened 1 May 2014, Closed 24 May 2014 at the Hampstead Theatre
Previewed 4 October 2014, Opened 28 October 2014, Closed 29 October 2016 at the Harold Pinter Theatre
The new stage musical Sunny Afternoon in London based on the music of Ray Davies and The Kinks
Exploring the rise to stardom of Ray Davies and the Kinks, Sunny Afternoon is set against the back-drop of a Britain caught mid-swing between the conservative 50s and riotous 60s, showing both the euphoric highs and agonising lows of one of Britain's most iconic bands and the irresistible music that influenced generations.
A new musical written by Joe Penhall with songs and original story by Ray Davies.
The ORIGINAL cast at London's Hampstead Theatre and the West End's Harold Pinter Theatre up to Saturday 3 October 2015 featured John Dagleish as 'Ray Davies', George Maguire as 'Dave Davies', Adam Sopp as 'Mick Avory', Ned Derrington as 'Pete Quaife', Philip Bird as 'Mr Davies'/'Allen Klein', Helen Hobson as 'Mrs Davies'/'Marsha' (Hampstead), Elizabeth Hill as 'Mrs Davies'/'Marsha' (Harold Pinter), Amy Ross as 'Joyce', Carly Anderson as 'Gwen', Emily Goodenough as 'Peggy', Ben Caplan as 'Eddie Kassner' (up to Saturday 4 April 2016), Jason Baughan as 'Eddie Kassner' (from Monday 6 April 2015), Dominic Tighe as 'Robert Wace', Lillie Flynn as 'Rasa', Marvin Springer as 'Gregory Piven' (Hampstead), Ashley Campbell as 'Gregory Piven' (Harold Pinter, up to Saturday 4 April 2015), Jo Servi as 'Gregory Piven (from Monday 6 April 2015), Tam Williams as 'Grenville Collins', and Vince Leigh as 'Larry Page'.
The SECOND cast from Monday 5 October 2015 to Saturday 29 October 2016 featured Danny Horn as 'Ray Davies', Oliver Hoare as 'Dave Davies', Damien Walsh as 'Mick Avory', Tom Whitelock as 'Pete Quaife', Stephen Pallister as 'Mr Davies'/'Allen Klein', Gillian Kirkpatrick as 'Mrs Davies'/'Marsha', Harriet Bunton as 'Joyce', Niamh Bracken as 'Gwen', Alice Cardy as 'Peggy', Charlie Tighe as 'Grenville Collins', Christopher Brandon as 'Larry Page', Gabriel Vick as 'Robert Wace', Jason Baughan as 'Eddie Kassner', Jay Marsh as 'Gregory Piven', and Megan Leigh Mason as 'Rasa'.
Directed by Edward Hall, with choreography by Adam Cooper, designs by Miriam Buether, lighting by Rick Fisher, and sound by Matt McKenzie.
Joe Penhall's London theatre credits include the play Blue/Orange at the Duchess Theatre in 2001.
When this production transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End in October 2014, Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail thought that "60s pop group the Kinks were as good as, if not better than, the Rolling Stones - and now a blaster of a show about them has reached the West end. It's a guitar-riffing, amp-smashing drum-whacker of a night." Fiona Mountford in the London Evening Standard said that "it's hard to praise sufficiently the phenomenal lead performance given by John Dagleish as Ray. He sings and plays guitar with both attack and élan, and convinces totally as a young man confused and underwhelmed by the arrival of fame. George Maguire is also in top-notch form as his wild-card, live-wire, trouble-making younger sibling Dave." Ian Shuttleworth in the Financial Times commented that the "story hits pretty much all the rock-narrative archetypes, concentrating on 'Will success spoil these down-to-earth boys?' and 'What price integrity or even sanity?' Every step feels thoroughly familiar. And still it works fantastically well."
When this production originally opened at the Hampstead Theatre Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times praised this "exhilarating, hugely enjoyable new musical" that "is great fun and delivered with unashamed glee in Edward Hall's exuberant production," adding that "it is, deliberately, the music that is the star of this joyous, touching show." Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph hailed "this wonderful new show... director Edward Hall marvellously nails the humour and the pathos of the piece, and there's a neat design by Miriam Buether featuring scores of speaker cabinets." In the Times Dominic Maxwell commented that "if you're a fan of the Kinks, this catalogue musical depicting the north London band's wobbly rise to the top is the theatrical event of the year. If you're not a fan of the Kinks, Sunny Afternoon will make you one... This is a great, very British musical about a great, very British band." Lyn Gardner in the Guardian described how "director Edward Hall and designer Miriam Buether work hard to solve the lack of momentum in the story and have fun with the 60s era... and although Joe Penhall's book uses football and the 1966 World Cup as a hook, it misses a trick in failing to seize the chance to explore the social history and changing mores of 60s Britain. Quite fun but unexpectedly bland too." Nick Hasted in the Independent explained that while "no one needs another jukebox musical, least of all The Kinks. Joe Penhall and Ray Davies instead offer the biography of a strange and unruly band, uncovering the pressure points, business decisions, triumphs and disasters behind Davies's writing of England's most painfully truthful songbook." Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail proclaimed it as "a great show" while Henry Hitchings in the London Evening Standard said that "fans of The Kinks will find this new musical irresistible. And anyone who doesn't know their work will be bowled over by the sheer quality of the songs."
"Edward Hall's triumphant production is about the ups and downs of The Kinks, the working-class lads from north London's Muswell Hill who made a new sexy, soulful sardonic sound the top of the pops. It brings the Swinging Sixties to dramatic life... The plot itself - simple lads ripped off by their managers and publishers - seems cliched, but playwright Joe Penhall's expert crafting has Ray Davies's songs intensifying the drama. In one of the finest theatrical debuts I've ever seen, John Dageish powerfully suggests the complexities of Ray, whose songs express what he can't say in words... George Maguire stuns as his hell-raising brother... At the end everyone is on their feet, swinging along, singing along, reliving the dream." The Mail on Sunday
The Kinks' Sunny Afternoon in London at the Harold Pinter Theatre previewed from 4 October 2014, opened on 28 October 2014, and closed on 29 October 2016.