End Of The Rainbow Tickets

Ever since she graced the silver screen as Kansas farm girl Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” Judy Garland has been an icon of the 20th century and someone whose legacy will live on well into the future. After all, her performance of songs such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” are admired to this day and her early death in 1969 did nothing the diminish the impact that her work has had on others as the century progressed. So it is with great anticipation that the West End welcomes “End of the Rainbow” to the Trafalgar Studios 1, from November to March, as the final days of Garland’s life are portrayed onstage in a compelling musical.

Whilst it was L Frank Baum’s 1900 novel that first took audiences to the Land of Oz, it was the 1939 movie that became engraved into the hearts of fans for the rest of the century and it is thanks to Garland that this legacy remains intact. The show continues to find an audience and this is why a new production of “The Wizard of Oz” opens in the capital in 2011 and why shows such as “Wicked” continue to pull in the crowds. But “End of the Rainbow” lies in contrast to these, portraying a tired and broken star as she attempts to rejuvenate her career and return to the spotlight.

As such as we meet Garland during the run of “Talk of the Town” in London in the 1960s, when her dependency on drink and drugs is taking its toll and she embarks on the exhaustive run of her show. But it is the strength of her character that keeps her going, well aware of her own demons and remaining determined and hopeful even in the darkest of times. But as it is a musical number, expect renditions of songs like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “The Man that Got Away”, plus many more.

London theatre audiences also get a treat in the form of stage star Tracie Bennett in the role of Garland. The actress has appeared in many shows over the years whilst also winning numerous Laurence Olivier Awards. Meanwhile, her co-stars take the forms of Scottish star Hilton McRae (“Caroline of Change” at the National Theatre) and young actor Stephen Hagan (“Cyrano de Bergerac” at the Chichester Festival Theatre).

End of the Rainbow begins its run at Trafalgar Studios 1 on Monday 22nd November 2010 (with previews from Monday 15th November 2010) and then continues until Saturday 5th March 2011.