Betty Blue Eyes Tickets

Richard Eyre directs Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith in Cameron Mackintosh’s new musical “Betty Blue Eyes” at the Novello Theatre. Running from March 2011 it will be the world premiere of a new show from the producer of previous hits like “Cats”, “Les Misérables” and “The Phantom of the Opera”, amongst others, and with some well known actors in lead roles it is likely to attract quite a crowd when it opens its doors. And this will be helped by the topical nature of the plot, which focuses on a Royal Wedding of a previous generation in the same year that Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the knot.

“Betty Blue Eyes” is based on the 1984 movie “A Private Function”, which starred Michael Palin and Maggie Smith, and just like the source material we meet a group of people attempting to celebrate the marriage between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947. When the movie first arrived it was relevant thanks to the marriage between Prince Charles and Princess Diana in the same decade and will be relevant once again in 2011. But the plot itself follows the farce of a group of people attempting to gain a prize hog for their celebratory event, only to turn to the black market for help in acquiring it.

Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith have both made names for themselves on television, though they have also previously appeared in the West End; Lancashire in a production of “Guys and Dolls” at the Piccadilly Theatre and Shearsmith in the likes of “Ghost Stories” at the Duke of York’s Theatre. The former’s best known work is that of “Coronation Street” in the 1990s, though she has since appeared in the likes of “Doctor Who” and “Five Daughters”, whilst the latter is best known as a part of “The League of Gentlemen”.

And director Richard Eyre has also worked across platforms, earning acclaim for his work as a director of the screen and stage. His movie credits include “Notes on a Scandal” and “Iris”, whilst his tenure as Artistic Director of the National Theatre provided him with various stage credits over the years. He has directed “Guys and Dolls” for the National, as well as “The Reporter” long after his tenure in 2007, and “Mary Poppins” in the West End.

London theatre audiences can catch “Betty Blue Eyes” as it runs at the Novello Theatre from Friday 15th April 2011 (previews from Saturday 19th March 2011) to Saturday 22nd October 2011.