Spot the difference – Nigel Harman as Simon Cowell in the X Factor musical I Can’t Sing! at the London Palladium
I Can’t Sing! The X-Factor musical at the London Palladium starring Nigel Harman as Simon Cowell
I Can’t Sing! The X-Factor inspired new musical written by Harry Hill previews at the London Palladium from the 27th February to the 25th March 2014 with the gala press night scheduled for the 26th March 2014.
The show will star former Eastender Nigel Harman as pop guru and soon-to-be-dad, Simon Cowell. Nigel proved a huge hit as Lord Farquaad in the musical version of Shrek at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Nigel Harman will take on the role of the outrageously vain and egocentric talent show critic in Harry Hill and Steve Brown’s new musical parody I Can’t Sing, alongside fellow musical theatre star Cynthia Erivo who stars as the young singing sensation competing in the show.
Simon Cowell told The Daily Mail’s Baz Bamigboye, that whilst he was not involved in the piece creatively, he had attended workshops and was initially bemused as to how they would find someone “who’s good-looking, talented and can look like me?”
Nigel Harman also starred in another West End musical, the hit show Guys And Dolls at the Piccadilly theatre. Tickets for the X Factor musical are now on sale
Ever the shrewd business man Simon Cowell has recently fathered a child whose birth is rumoured to be coinciding with the opening press night. A crib is expected to be featured on stage with a bright powerful star spotlight beam heralding the arrival of the baby at the London Palladium. It is not yet clear whether donkeys and a stable will also feature. A video of the birth is expected to be released as a limited edition DVD in time for Christmas 2014.
I Can’t Sing! is a send up of the reality T.V. series the X Factor, a comedy musical which goes behind the microphones and under the judges’ desks at the X-Factor. The show in London lampoons the judging panel and includes caricatures of judging panellists, Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole.
With the X-Factor now back on our screens we can expect many shameful plugs for the show I Can’t Sing. I wonder if in fact they will have an ‘I Can’t Sing’ week featured on the X-Factor with contestants mentored by Harry Hill or Nigel Harman? Now there’s an idea!
Apparently we will learn the behind the scenes secrets of heartache and laughter which keeps millions glued to The X Factor, week-after-week. We are also promised the truth behind why Simon wears his trousers so high around his waist. But will we learn the truth behind why Cheryl Cole was controversially sacked from the U.S version?
Writer of the show, Harry Hill describes the musical as a mickey-taking spectacular.
He said: “We’d been umm-ing and arghing about the title for a while, then it hit us – there’s never been a musical called I Can’t Sing! It also happens to be the title of one of the funniest songs in the show, and hope hints at the direction we’re taking with this production. We think it is the only musical for a while with a singing hunchback, a talking dog and a man on an iron lung, but we’d have to Google that to be sure. We’re pretty certain that you won’t have seen anything like it before and it’s great that Simon is backing it 4,500 per cent.”
Directed by Sean Foley, a double Olivier Award winner, he said: “It’s a musical about a musical and it’s very, very funny. What we’re all aiming for, and harry said this, is to try and put on the best night’s entertainment that anyone has ever done, even if we have to die in the process. I think it will surprise people, how old-time theatrical it is. It does have the feel of a classic night at the London Palladium.”
Written by BAFTA Award-winning comedian Harry Hill (3 BAFTAs, 7 British Comedy Awards and a Golden Rose of Montreux) with music and lyrics by Steve Brown (Spend, Spend, Spend, Spitting Image, Laura Mvula, TV Burp).
Choreography is by Kate Prince (Founder of Zoonation; Into The Hoods and Some Like It Hip Hop) and set design by Es Devlin (Creative Director for Take That, Kanye West and Pet Shop Boys stadium tours; designer for London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony).
The Performance Schedule for the show at the London Palladium is Monday to Saturday each evening at 7.30 p.m. and Thursday and Saturday matinees at 3 p.m.
