Eugenius!
{{Infobox Musical|
| name = Eugenius! The Musical
| subtitle = The Eunique Musical
| image = Logo for Eugenius!.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Logo for The Other Palace production
| music = Ben Adams
Chris Wilkins
| lyrics = Ben Adams
Chris Wilkins
| orchestrations and additional music =
| direction =
| design =
| illusions =
| book = Ben Adams
Chris Wilkins
| basis =
| productions = 2018 London Palladium concert
2018 Off-West End
2023 Turbine Theatre, Battersea
| awards =
| premiere_location = London Palladium
| premiere_date = {{Start date|df=yes|2016|06|29}}
}}
Eugenius! is an original musical comedy featuring book, music and lyrics by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins.
Production history
= London Palladium concert (2016) =
After two years of extensive workshops with the writers and original creatives, the musical had its world premiere as a concert performance at the London Palladium on 29 June 2016, produced by Kevin Wood, George Wood and Warwick Davis (who also starred as Evil Lord Hector).{{Cite web |title=New British Musical Eugenius! to Bow at London Palladium in June {{!}} Playbill |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/concert-performance-of-new-british-musical-eugenius-to-take-place-at-london-palladium-in-june |access-date=2018-09-02 |website=Playbill |language=en}} The concert also featured Marcus Brigstocke as the narrator. The concert was choreographed by Aaron Renfree, and Directed by Ian Talbot with Musical Direction from Nathan Jarvis.
= Off-West End (2018) =
A fully staged production received its premiere at The Other Palace in London from 22 January to 3 March 2018,{{Cite news |date=2017-10-26 |title=Warwick Davis announces EUGENIUS! at The Other Palace |language=en-GB |work=LondonTheatre1.com |url=https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/warwick-davis-announces-eugenius-at-the-other-palace/ |access-date=2018-09-02}} returning for a second run from 1 September to 7 October 2018, before being extended until 21 October 2018,{{Cite news |title=Eugenius! to return to The Other Palace {{!}} Official London Theatre |language=en-GB |work=Official London Theatre |url=https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/eugenius-return-palace-111409185/ |access-date=2018-09-02}} starring Rob Houchen in the leading role of Eugene & Laura Baldwin as Janey. The production was choreographed by Aaron Renfree directed by Ian Talbot, assisted by the shows writer Chris Wilkins with Michael Jibson serving as a creative consultant. The show gained a cult following from an audience of fans of all ages who were hooked on the catchy tunes and funny script.
Following the run at The Other Palace, a transfer was planned for a limited 10-week season at the Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End from 27 October 2018 to 7 January 2019,{{Cite news |title=Eugenius! to transfer to the West End |language=en-GB |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/eugenius-west-end-transfer_47728.html |access-date=2018-10-04}} however it was later announced that this would not be happening.{{Cite news |last=Hemley |first=Matthew |date=11 October 2018 |title=Musical Eugenius! cancels West End run |work=The Stage |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2018/musical-eugenius-cancels-west-end-run/ |access-date=11 October 2018}}
=== Turbine Theatre revival (2023) ===
The musical was revived at the Turbine Theatre in Battersea, London from 23 March to 28 May 2023 directed by Hannah Chissick.{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |date=January 12, 2023 |title=Eugenius! is returning to London in 2023 |work=London Theatre Direct |url=https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/eugenius-is-returning-to-london-in-2023}}{{Cite tweet |number=1611443934441443355 |user=TurbineTheatre |title=⚡️ Re-assembled soon ⚡️ ⚡️ Spring 2023 ⚡️ |author-link=Turbine Theatre |date=6 January 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Sophie |date=January 11, 2023 |title='Eugenius!' to return to London in 2023 |url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/eugenius-to-return-to-london-in-2023 |website=London Theatre}}
Cast and characters
| class="wikitable"
|+ ! rowspan="2" |Character !London Palladium Concert ! colspan="2" |Off-West End !Recording Artist !Battersea revival |
| 2016
!Jan 2018 !Sep 2018 !2019 !2023 |
|---|
| Eugene
| align="center" |Louis Maskell | align="center" |Liam Forde | align="center" |Rob Houchen | align="center" |Ben Adams | align="center" |Elliott Evans |
| Janey
| align="center" |Amy Lennox | colspan="2" align="center" |Laura Baldwin | align="center" |Amy Lennox | align="center" |Jaina Brock-Patel |
| Feris
| colspan="4" align="center" |Daniel Buckley | align="center" |James Hameed |
| Evil Lord Hector
| align="center" |Warwick Davis | align="center" |Ian Hughes | align="center" |Neil McDermott | align="center" |Warwick Davis | align="center" |Joseph Beach |
| Theo
| align="center" |Samuel Holmes | colspan="3" align="center" |Scott Paige | align="center" |Rhys Taylor |
| Lex
| align="center" |David Bedella | align="center" |Cameron Blakely | align="center" |Alex Bourne |align="center" |Michael Jibson | align="center" |Lara Denning |
| Carrie/Super Hot Lady
| align="center" |Summer Strallen | align="center" |Melissa James | align="center" |Emily Tierney |align="center" |Joanne Clifton | align="center" |Maddison Firth |
| Gerhard/Tough Man
| align="center" |Shaun Dalton | align="center" |Shaun Dalton | align="center" |Simon Thomas | align="center" |Shaun Dalton | align="center" |Dominic Andersen |
| Space Diva/Mrs Truthstretcher
! | colspan="2" align="center" |Alison Arnopp |align="center" |Sharon D. Clarke | align="center" |Rhys Taylor / Lara Denning |
| Space Lord
| colspan="4" align="center" |Brian Blessed (voice) ! |
| Narrator
|align="center" colspan="4"|Marcus Brigstocke ! |
References
{{authority control}}