Jerry Springer The Opera to close 19 Feb 2005

Jerry Springer The Opera to close 19 Feb 2005

Jerry Springer the Opera will be ending its West End Run on Saturday 19 February, its 609th performance, and will embark on a UK nationwide tour, starting in Manchester in October 2005.

The show has been seen by 398,000 people in the theatre (as of 11th January 2005). The controversial screening of an un-edited recording of the show was watched by an estimated 2.4 million viewers on BBC 2 on Saturday night - a record TV viewing figure for a musical or opera.

Jerry Springer the Opera started life and was developed by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas through a series of public workshops at Battersea Arts Centre in 2001, then went on to be performed as a concert version at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2002 before the World Premiere at the National Theatre in April 2003. The show transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in Oct 2003

The reviews were good: CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "I remain convinced that this is a musical with a touch of genius about it." BENEDICT NIGTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "Wonderfully original." NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Cult of the coolest, wittiest trailer trash."

The show has music & book & lyrics by Richard Thomas , book & Lyrics also by Stewart Lee. It is directed by Stewart Lee, designed by Julian Crouch, lighting by Rick Fisher, choreography by Jenny Arnold and costumes by Leah Archer. It is produced by An Avalon Promotions Ltd and Allan McKeown production in association with the National Theatre and BAC.

The cast includes David Soul (Jerry Springer), Guy Porritt (Steve), David Bedella (Warm-Up Man / Satan)

Triumph, tragedy and trailer trash as high culture meets low culture. Jerry Springer the Opera, is a new opera based on America's most lurid talk show and the US host who brought worldwide television audiences programmes entitled 'Pregnant by a Transsexual', 'Here Come the Hookers'and 'I Refuse to Wear Clothes.'

NOTE: The show is not suitable for children!!


Originally published on

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