RichardRocks - new Swedish Rock Musical in London

THIS PRODUCTION HAS BEEN POSTPONED

The world premiere of RichardRocks, a new Swedish Rock Opera based on Shakespeare's 'Richard III' and Al Pacino's 'Looking For Richard' will run at the People's Palace in east London for a five week season from 3 October to 7 November 2015, with an official opening on 7 October 2015.

RichardRocks features music by Peter Robsahm, book and lyrics by Maria Robsahm, with direction by Staffan Aspegren and choreography by Helena Hvistendahl Philipson. It is produced by Viper Island Production in collaboration with London-based producer and promoter, From Sweden Productions.

The rock musical will feature 35 original songs and a cast of 28 performers alongside "cutting edge lighting, sound design, video and computer animation".

Composer Peter Robsahm said of the production: "The story of Richard III has often been reduced to a one-man-show portraying evil. And no doubt the question of evil is very interesting. But how does it feel to be a boy of 13 suddenly becoming king? RichardRocks is something out of the ordinary - both artistically and technologically. The show's music combines heavy rock with beautiful harmonies of a more classical cut. The flavours in my music range from German metal band Rammstein, Deep Purple, the Kinks and Eminem to Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Elgar."

Swedish musical theatre actor Fred Johanson will star as 'Richard III' with the rest of the cast coming from London. Johanson has starred in musicals in both his native Sweden and London's West End, including 'Evita', 'Les Miserables', 'Sunset Boulevard' and 'Jesus Christ Superstar'.

The People's Palace is part of Queen Mary University of London and is 770 seat art-deco performance space.

Further cast and creative team are to be announced.