Double billing for Walliams and Williams
Chart-topping robbie Williams has joined the royal Shakespeare Company to compose the score for a musical version of a best- selling book by David Walliams.
the former take that singer turned solo superstar has written songs — music and lyrics — for the stage adaptation of Walliams’s best-selling novel the Boy in the Dress, about Dennis, a 12-year- old schoolboy who uses cross-dressing as his way of coping with the death of his mother.
Williams, who divides his time between La and a mansion in London’s holland park, has worked for months with Walliams and frequent song-writing collaborator guy Chambers on the score for the show, which will run during the 2019 Christmas season at the rSC’s base in Stratford. (Williams and Chambers were responsible for some of the greatest pop singles of the past 20 years, including robbie’s massive hits angels and Let Me Entertain You.)
the musical is to be directed by rSC artistic chief greg Doran, who has already assembled a small creative team to help him oversee what is hoped will become a signature rSC production. after its run at Stratford, it’s anticipated that the Boy in the Dress will transfer to the West End in 2020.
the rSC has been lucky with its musicals. Cameron Mackintosh and the rSC produced Les Miserables. it’s still running after 33 years — and the rSC still receives a handsome royalty cheque. they cut a slightly better deal over Matilda, which has productions around the world, including London.
it doesn’t automatically follow that the Boy in the Dress will be a giant hit.
But the book was a phenomenon and has proved popular with children and adults — and experimenting with gender is certainly a hot topic.
Everybody’s talking about Jamie, the story of a lad who wants to wear a frock and high heels to his Sheffield school prom, which is on at the apollo, Shaftesbury avenue, is one of the best British musicals in years.
Williams dipped a toe into the theatre world when he joined his fellow band mates as co-producers of the touring hit show the Band, which moves into the theatre royal haymarket on December 1 for a short season.
take that frontman gary Barlow has written for Finding neverland and Calendar girls — the Musical, which is also due back on tour.
recently, the rSC’s Doran seemed to indicate that he has other projects in store for Walliams, which may prove to be a smart move.