Entertainment

Guys And Dolls returns to the stage with UK’s first all-black cast

Organisers have described the show as its first in the UK with an all-black cast.
Organisers have described the show as its first in the UK with an all-black cast. Organisers have described the show as its first in the UK with an all-black cast.

Classic musical Guys And Dolls will return to the stage in the UK’s first ever all-black cast production of the show this Christmas.

Directed by Michael Buffong, it will run at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre between December 2 and January 27.

The New York-set story, based on the gangster and hustler tales by Damon Runyon, will move to 1939 uptown Harlem for the fresh re-telling, produced in collaboration with the Talawa Theatre Company and hip-hop dancer Kenrick “H2O” Sandy.

Beauty And The Beast star Ray Fearon takes centre stage as Nathan Detroit, leading a cast including Ashley Zhangazha, playing Sky Masterson, Abiona Omonua and Lucy Vandi.

Buffong said: “Pre-war Harlem was all about the hustle. The creativity of that era was born from a unique collision of talent and circumstance as people escaped the agricultural and oppressive South via the ‘underground railroad’ into the highly urbanised and industrialised North.

“Much of our popular culture, from dance to music, has its roots in that period. Our Guys And Dolls brings all of this to the fore, in superb, celebratory style.”

The story sees Nathan and Sky live life on the edge, taking every opportunity to hustle and settle disputes with a roll of the dice.

While luck always seems to be on their side, things change when they decide to take a chance on love and the story unfolds with the help of classic show numbers Luck Be A Lady, Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat and the memorable title number.