We have recently been hearing from Stephen Lloyd who played Boycie in the recent prequel Rock and Chips. Stephen is busy with an Ian Dury musical called Reasons to be cheerfull. He took some time out to tell OFAH about the 1979 musical.
Stephen Lloyd as Boycie in Rock and Chips
“I will be playing Vinnie, in the new Ian Dury Musical called ‘Reasons To Be Cheerful’. The musical is a co-production with the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, Graeae Theatre Company and the New Wolsey Theatre. The show opens at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich 14th-16th October and has it’s London Premier at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East on October 22nd – November 13th!”
‘Set during a time of political change and economic hardship, a top class cast and a scorching live band pay tribute to Dury’s anarchic spirit and propels this riotous skiddling, diddling, bled-white, died-black coming of age tale.
It’s 1979. Ian Dury and the Blockheads’ new single REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL (Part 3) is climbing the charts. Labour has just lost the recent election to the Tories. Vinnie and his mates are big Ian Dury fans and they’d do anything to see him at the Hammersmith Odeon. They don’t have tickets and the gig’s sold out – but then events take a surprising turn….
Reasons to be Cheerful
Written by Olivier-nominated theatre writer with a growing reputation Paul Sirett (Come Dancing, The Big Life, Bad Blood Blues, A Night In Tunisia) and directed by Jenny Sealey MBE (Artistic Director, Graeae. Bent, Blasted and Signs of a Star Shaped Diva) REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL is a co-production between The New Wolsey Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Graeae – the country’s flagship disabled-led theatre company.
No strangers to first night nerves every one night stand, the cast for REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL are Nadia Albina as Janine; Stephen Collins as Colin: Stephen Lloyd as Vinnie; Daniel McGowan as Dave; Garry Robson as Bobby and Karen Spicer as Pat.
Choosing not to have a fool in their six-piece band, red-hot live musicians Mat Fraser, Robert Hyman, John Kelly, Nixon Rosembert, Daniel McGowan and Paul Sirett pay tribute to Dury’s anarchic spirit performing hits including ‘Reasons to be Cheerful’, ‘Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll’, ‘Sweet Gene Vincent’, ‘Spasticus Autisticus’ and ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’.
Lyrics and music by Ian Dury, Chaz Jankel & Davey Payne’
Full details and photos can be found at www.reasonstobecheerfulthemusical.co.uk
