Cast & Creative

Brian May

Sir Brian May, as he has recently become royally recognised, and also holder of CBE, PhD, FRAS post-nominals, is a perhaps more widely known as a founding member of rock legends Queen, a world-legendary guitarist, songwriter, producer and performer. He is also a Doctor of Astrophysics, 3-D stereoscopic photographic authority and a passionate advocate and campaigner for animal rights. Not overlooking the fact that he is acknowledged as having created one of the world’s most famous and sought after guitars, his trademark Red Special.

Brian created his home made Red Special guitar with his father at the age of 16. Assembled, as recounted by Brian, from “recycled” items he found around his home, the Red Special has become a signature of Brian and sought after and admired the world over. A January 2023 vote by readers of Total Guitar magazine naming the 100 greatest guitarists on all time placed Brian and the Red Special at No 1 naming it ‘one of the most inventive guitars ever made’.

Music has been a dominant strain in Brian’s life, but in parallel he pursued his academic interests, attending London’s Imperial College, studying mathematics and physics in a post-graduate programme. In a fateful turn, self-accomplished Astronomy student Brian’s PhD studies would become superseded by a musical career after hooking up with drummer Roger Taylor in the jazz room at Imperial College and an introduction to Freddie through Roger. With the addition of John Deacon, their band, now rechristened as Queen, emerged in July 1970 Brian eventually circled back to his love of astronomy to receive his Ph.D. from Imperial College London in 2007.

The five decades which have followed their formation have seen Queen amass a staggering list of sales and awards with a catalogue that consistently tops popularity polls and sees Queen remain the most successful albums act in UK chart history. Brian has penned 22 Queen top 20 hits, among them the powerful ballads ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’, ‘No-One But You’ and ‘Save Me’, along with ‘The Show Must Go On’, ‘I Want It All’, and one of rock’s most recognised stadium anthems, ‘We Will Rock You’.

In parallel, Queen became the first rock group to score a major film, Flash Gordon, followed by their audacious game changing music for Highlander – featuring Brian’s immortal “Who Wants To Live Forever”, an opera for director Steve Baron’s Pinocchio, and a complete film soundtrack created by Brian for the 1999 French art film, Furia. In addition, Brian has contributed to a number of soundtracks including The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Mission Impossible II and Spiderman II, as well as writing themes for several TV shows.

Continuing the involvement in film, Brian, together with Roger Taylor, took on the role of Executive Music Producer for “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the Oscar winning blockbuster film telling the Queen story which became the highest grossing music biopic of all time.

Brian released his first new entirely solo work in over two decades with the global digital release of ‘New Horizons’, written and recorded by Brian, which had its worldwide premiere from NASA control headquarters Maryland USA on New Year’s Day 2019. ‘New Horizons’ was Brian’s personal tribute to the on-going NASA New Horizons mission, which on that day achieved the most distant spacecraft flyby in history in an encounter with a remote Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) named Ultima Thule far out beyond Pluto on the edges of the solar system.

The past two years have seen Brian revisit his solo work which he immersed himself in following the passing of Freddie Mercury in 1991. Under his Gold Label seal, Brian has released expanded versions his debut solo album Back To The Light in 2021 followed by Another World in 2022. An enhanced version of his 1983 Star Fleet Project EP will have a July 2023 release.

Outside of his core music activity, Brian now heads his own fine arts publishing house, The London Stereoscopic Company, dedicated exclusively to stereoscopic works. Whilst specialising in Victorian 3-D Photography, recent publications include Brian’s Queen in 3-D and Mission Moon works in which many previously unseen 3-D images are bought to life using the enclosed OWL 3-D stereoscopic viewer designed by Brian himself.

As a lifelong advocate of animal welfare, Brian in 2009 set up his animal welfare charity, The Save Me Trust, to protect and care for wildlife and in particular the species native to Great Britain. Save Me works at grass roots level as a local animal rescue and re-homing centre as well as being a player alongside the major animal welfare groups. Brian has been a leading inspiration in the fight against fox hunting and badger culling.

Bestowed with a knighthood in the 2023 New Year Honours list for his contribution to the worlds of the music and charity, Brian received his honour in March 2023 from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, formally adding the title “Sir” to his name.

Brian’s famous association with the Palace extends back to 2002 when he performed a rendition of “God Save the Queen” from the roof of Buckingham Palace for the opening of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee concert. Twenty years later, he returned to the Palace to perform with Queen and Adam Lambert for the Platinum Jubilee Concert celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign, opening the event with a spectacular performance staged on the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace, and an unforgettable introduction featuring Her Majesty herself taking tea with Paddington Bear and chiming a teaspoon on her teacup to the beats of We Will Rock.

Brian and Roger Taylor, working with singer Adam Lambert as Queen + Adam Lambert continue to perform live across the world to ecstatic sold out audiences. The band will return to live touring with a sold out 20 plus date tour of North America later this year.

Queen Will Rock You in 3-D, an exhibition capturing Queen’s legacy through Sir Brian’s own stereoscopic camera lenses will be on show at London Proud Galleries, Friday 2 June – September 23. Book via www.proudgalleries.com / Proud Galleries, 32 John Adam Street, London WC2.

Roger Taylor

Although best known for his powerhouse role in Queen, Roger Taylor is anything but a drummer confined to his kit. With rock n’roll in his veins all through his schooldays, he has always been a highly active, vocal member of Queen. He famously wrote Queen’s landmark hits Radio Ga Ga and A Kind Of Magic, and was also the first to make a solo album, 1981’s Fun In Space. To date he has released 5 solo albums, which, aside from his work with Queen, further highlighted Taylor as an musician and writer with a strong sense of identity, a wide musical perspective, and – not least of all – a man not without a sense of irony. Just consider, for instance, the lyrics to I’m In Love With My Car, his B side to Bohemian Rhapsody, and a firm audience favourite in the Queen live set.

Taylor’s active approach has not been confined to his music: when media mogul Rupert Murdoch made attempts to buy Manchester United football club, Taylor funded the club supporters in their attempts to block the sale, and historically helped them succeed.

His history in one of rock’s most famous bands begins in the late 60’s, the time when he first teamed up with Brian May, and later John Deacon and Freddie Mercury, to form Queen. But before that…

Roger Taylor was born in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, on July 26th 1949, Roger became fascinated with music in the early 50s, when his family moved to Cornwall. He learned his first instrument, the ukulele, at a tender age, and enjoyed a brief taste of things to come in a pre-teen skiffle band whose collective talent survived just two public performances, both apparently excruciating!

His music took on a different direction in 1960, when he became a rather reluctant member of the Truro Cathedral Choir — a prerequisite of his scholarship. He taught himself the guitar around this time, but by the following year had moved over to drums.

By 1966 Roger had not only progressed to drumming in Cornwall’s most popular band, the Reaction, but had also become their lead singer, with his drum kit placed — where else? — in the principal position, at the front of the stage. That year, the Reaction won a hotly- contested local talent contest and, according to newspaper reports, were duly “mobbed by young girls”.

While maintaining his keen interest in music, Roger decided to study dentistry, and in 1967 moved to London to enrol at the London Hospital Medical College. He later studied biology, obtaining a BSc in the subject.

In 1968 Roger formed another group, Smile, with Middlesex guitar ace Brian May. Smile played sporadically over the next few years and even issued a single in the United States. By 1971, Roger had long abandoned any desire to become a dentist or a biologist, and with new additions to the line-up John Deacon and Freddie Mercury, Smile became known as Queen.

The Queen legend often refers to how Taylor and Mercury were particularly close, and spent many hours on the town together seeing bands who at that time were their heroes: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Who, all of whom influenced them and helped shape the musical destiny of Queen.

Roger began writing songs for Queen from day one, and each of the band’s fifteen studio albums included at least one of his compositions. History notes that all four members of Queen wrote No.1 singles: Taylor dutifully provided his with Radio Ga Ga , A Kind Of Magic and These Are The Days Of Our Lives amongst his.

1977 was the landmark year in which Queen released We Are The Champions and We Will Rock You. Roger bought a Ferrari, and became the first member of Queen to launch a solo career with the release of the single I Wanna Testify.

His solo album Fun In Space followed in 1981, and was succeeded by 1984’s rock-based Strange Frontier. Both LPs reached the Top 30. In 1987 Roger formed his own band The Cross, in which after more than 20 years he finally resumed the role of lead singer. The Cross released three distinctive albums and toured extensively in the UK and Europe.

After the tragic death of Freddie Mercury, Roger returned to his solo career with 1994’s Happiness?, an album on which he explored the theme of “dealing with life and looking for happiness”. The success of the album prompted further tours of the UK and Italy. Then came perhaps his most potent album, Electric Fire, which clearly showed Taylor as an acute observational songwriter. Rich in contemporary reflections on life, the album was full of attention-grabbing songs tackling thought-provoking and sometimes challenging issues — national obsolescence, domestic violence, and poverty, among them. One track, People On Streets, was inspired by visits Roger made to India and the inequalities he witnessed in the fortunes of that country’s vast population. Never shy to express himself, several super- rich and powerful world figures get name checked in the song.

That the Queen musical We Will Rock You came into being could be seen as something of a surprise taking into account Roger’s openly expressed view that “musicals are completely foreign to me. It’s a genre I don’t particularly like.” But after working closely with Brian and writer Ben Elton on shaping the musical, Taylor found himself deeply entrenched in developing the show, breaking the rules of musical theatre and taking on the role – along with Brian – as musical supervisor, not only for the first production in London, but for each of the subsequent productions throughout the world. To date, local productions of the show have reached 8 further countries.

At the same time as setting up We Will Rock You, Roger and Brian played a central part in the formation of the Nelson Mandela 46664 charity, performing at the first two South Africa concerts, and providing several new songs to the 46664 album which saw them collaborate with the likes of Bono, Anastacia, Dave Stewart and Beyonce. Roger penned two new songs for the project, Say It’s Not True, a song about finding out you’re HIV positive, and Invincible Hope, based on the writings of Nelson Mandela and actually featuring the voice of Mandela reading phases from his autobiography.

In 2005, after an accidental encounter with former Free singer Paul Rodgers, Roger and Brian felt the time was right to put Queen back on the road. Billed as Queen + Paul Rodgers, Roger and Brian tested the water with a handpicked set of European dates. Such was the momentum built up over the six week European tour, a US tour was booked to follow, which saw Roger and Brian return to the USA to play for the first time in more than 20 years. The impact of the return to the road was summed up in a review of is closing night in Vancouver: “the night that arena rock officially made its comeback”.

Roger returned to his solo career in late 2009 with the release of the single The Unblinking Eye. A new solo album emerged in 2013, the critically acclaimed Fun On Earth, plus a comprehensive box set called The Lot which covered all his solo material and work with The Cross.

Roger also oversees and produces The Queen Extravaganza, the official Queen Tribute act. The Queen Extravaganza is a spectacular touring concert show designed to take the music and live experience of Queen and bring it to generations of fans.

With Queen + Adam Lambert’s planned blockbuster 2020 Rhapsody European tour postponed until 2022 by the Covid-19 pandemic, Roger made good use of his lengthy lay-off. Fired up with creative inspiration, he spent much of lockdown writing and recording new material. Before long he found himself with his first solo album in eight years, Outsider,

In a tradition dating back to his very first solo album, Fun in Space from 1981, he wrote, produced, sang and performed all the songs on Outsider himself, with just a little help from long-time friends and collaborators. Building on more than half a century in music, Roger conceived Outsider as a kind of mature late-career statement, its prevailing mood autumnal and bittersweet. “Autumnal is a very good word for it,” he says. “It’s slightly nostalgic and wistful, and quite adult, a bit more grown-up than my last couple of albums.”

Launching Outsider in grand style, Roger – with a hastily assembled band of his regular musician partners – Queen + Adam Lambert’s keyboard player Spike Edney, supporting drummer Tyler Warren, and bassist Neil Fairclough – and a couple of new recruits – guitarist Christian Mendoza and keyboard player Tina Keys – took to the road to play a 14-date tour of the UK promising a set list of solo career tracks old and new, plus some crowd-pleasing Queen classics, news that was music to the ears for the rock starved masses as they finally emerged from lockdown hibernation.

Opening in Newcastle October 2 with a final show at London’s O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on October 22 the tour played to packed houses and universally ecstatic reviews: “Quite simply brilliant”. “Do yourself a favour. See this tour”. “A phenomenal show”, “a hugely enjoyable rock romp”.

Meanwhile, his Outsider album, release October 1, rounded off 2021 on a triumphant note for Roger. His sixth solo album, it debuted at No.3 in the UK chart, his highest-ever placing outside Queen

The summer of 2022 finally saw the twice-delayed Queen + Adam Lambert Rhapsody Tour reinstated, with Roger, Brian May and Adam Lambert playing 36 sold out shows across Europe between May and end of July, not forgetting one additional triumphant by-special-invitation appearance on June 4, 2022 – performing for the opening of the historic Platinum Party Buckingham Palace concert celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s seventy-year reign.

www.rogertaylorofficial.com

Ben Elton is a multi award winning novelist, playwright, television writer, screen writer and lyricist. He is also a theatre, screen and TV Director, a Stand Up Comedian and a very occasional actor. He was born in Catford, South East London on May 3rd 1959, the youngest of four Children. He read Drama at Manchester University. He is married and has three children.

There follows a list of Ben Elton’s principle professional work.

Novels:

Stark (1989) Gridlock (1991) This Other Eden (1993) Popcorn (1996) Blast From The Past (1998) Inconceivable (1999) Dead Famous (2001) High Society (2002) Past Mortem (2004) The First Casualty (2005) Chart Throb (2006) Blind Faith (2007) Meltdown (2009) Two Brothers (2012) Time and Time again (2014) Identity Crisis (2019)

Six of the above were UK No 1 Bestsellers. Ben Elton’s novels have also been hugely successful in Australia and New Zealand and are published around the world.

Television:

The Young Ones (1982/4) Co Writer with Rik Mayall and Lisa Meyer.
Alfresco (1982/4) Performer and Co Writer with Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson.
Happy Families (1985) Writer.
Blackadder 2 (1983) Co Writer with Richard Curtis.
Filthy Rich & Catflap (1986) Writer.
Saturday Live (1986/7) Comedian/Host.
Blackadder The Third (1987) Co writer with Richard Curtis. Friday Night Live (1988/2022) Comedian/Host. Blackadder Goes Forth (1989) Co writer with Richard Curtis.
Ben Elton The Man From Auntie (1990 and 1994) Writer/ Performer.
The Thin Blue Line (1995/6) Writer.
The Ben Elton Show (1998) Writer Performer.
Blessed (2005) Writer.
The Wright Way (2013) Writer.
Upstart Crow- 3 series (2016-2018) Writer.
Ben also wrote Mr Bean’s ‘exam’ episode.

Stand Up Comedian:

Ben has been one of the UK’s most successful and influential live acts for over 35 years. His most recent UK tour began in September 2019 to critical acclaim, which he has since taken to Australia and New Zealand followed by a run in London’s West End in December 2021. In 1990 he co hosted the Nelson Mandela Celebration at Wembley Stadium. He hosted the Brits in 1997 and 1998 and The Royal Variety Performance in 2000. He writes all his own material.

Stage Writing and Plays:

The New Review (1985) With Richard Curtis. Gasping (1990) Silly Cow (1991) Popcorn (1997) Blast From the Past (1998) The Upstart Crow (2020)

Musicals:

The Beautiful Game (2000) Book and Lyrics, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. We Will Rock You (2002) Book, Music by Queen. Tonight’s The Night (2004) Book. Music by Rod Stewart and others. Love Never Dies (2010) co wrote book. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Feature Film:

Maybe Baby (2000) Writer/Director. Three Summers (2017) Writer/Director. All is True (2018) Writer

Other directing work includes Silly Cow, The Thin Blue Line (with John Birkin) Blessed, We Will Rock You, Tonight’s The Night and The Beautiful Game, reworked as The Boys In the Photograph.

Major Awards:

Four BAFTA’s (Best Comedy Series; The Young Ones and Blackadder 3 and 4. Best Comedy Entertainment Show; Friday Night Live)
Two Olivier Awards (Popcorn and We Will Rock You).
The Royal Television Society Writers Award (Man From Auntie).
British Comedy Award (The Thin Blue Line).
Public and Professional Jury Awards at Reims (Thin Blue Line). Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger Award for Crime Fiction (Popcorn).
WH Smiths People’s Choice Fiction Award (High Society). Prix Polar International Crime Writer Award (Amitiès Mortelles (Past Mortem, French edition).
Critics Circle Award Best Musical (The Beautiful Game). Cannes Ecrans Prix du Jury 2018 (Three Summers)
The Royal Television Society Best Comedy Entertainment Show. (Friday Night Live 2022)

In 2007 Ben Elton was awarded the Special Golden Rose D’Or at The International Television festival in Lucerne Switzerland for his life time contribution to the Television Arts.

Kella trained at the Urdang Academy Lower School before completing her training at The English National Ballet School and London Studio Centre.

Kella’s West End performing credits include: Original World Premiere cast of “Bombay Dreams” (Swing & Dance Captain) “Saturday Night Fever” (Featured Ensemble) Disney’s “The Lion King” (Swing & Children’s Director)

Kella has worked as Assistant Choreographer on numerous shows including the London production of Trevor Nunn’s “Porgy and Bess”.

Most recently Kella was Associate Director and Choreographer on Disney Theatrical’s Beauty and the Beast and is delighted to be returning to “We Will Rock You” as Associate Director after being with the show in 2019.

We Will Rock You – Original adaptions with Additional Choreography (UK Tour), We Will Rock You – Associate Choreographer and Rehearsal Choreographer (Switzerland & Austrian tour), Move It – Choreographer (MET College), BBC Comic Relief Glee Club – Choreographer. Spring Awakening – Choreographer (MET College).

Stuart studied at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music where he was made an Associate in 2012. Musical Director credits include We Will Rock You, Elf, Big, Only Fools and Horses, Tommy, Sleepless, Brian May & Kerry Ellis’s Anthems, Starmus VI and The Show Must Go On. Musical Supervisor credits include We Will Rock You (US & UK Tours, Brazil, Denmark, Romania, Germany, RCCL), Elf, Eugenius, Sleepless, Big, Strictly Ballroom, Whistle Down the Wind (The Watermill) and The Bodyguard (Denmark, Sweden). Stuart was Associate Musical Supervisor of the Olivier Award winning production of Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Choral Director for Chess in Concert and Associate Musical Director for the West End productions of Cabaret and Wicked.

Orchestration credits include the 2012 edition of Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé’s Barcelona, Big and Only Fools & Horses (West End), Monkee Business and Strictly Ballroom (UK Tours), We Will Rock You (UK & US tours), How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Southwark Playhouse), arrangements for the Bands of the Royal Air Force, BBC Festival of Remembrance, RAF100, Dame Vera Lynn’s 100th Birthday Concert, The Last Night of the Proms, Starmus V & VI, Queen and Adam LambertRhapsody Tour and the 2017 and 2023 Belfast Tattoo.

In 2018 Stuart completed his PhD at the Royal Academy of Music. He is delighted to be conducting We Will Rock You again and wishes the cast, band and crew a fantastic run at the magnificent London Coliseum!

STUFISH Entertainment Architects is the recognised world leader in entertainment architecture. Their award-winning portfolio includes an ever- broadening scope of design excellence, from permanent and semi-permanent buildings to live productions, touring shows, exhibitions, master planning and more.

STUFISH created the original design for WWRY in 2002 and every replica production till 2018 and now this new design for 2019-2023.
STUFISH designed the award-winning ABBA Arena, a state-of-the-art, 3000 capacity theatre housing the revolutionary ABBA Voyage show, which opened in London in May 2022.
Other recent examples of STUFISH’s high-profile projects include, The Coronation Concert in honour of King Charles III which was watched by over 12.3million people worldwide, The Bafta nominated Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace, Adele’s Las Vegas Residency at the Colosseum ‘Weekends with Adele’, as well as, Queen + Adam Lambert Rhapsdoy Tour, Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, Stormzy’s Heavy is the Head, Madonna’s Madame X tour, Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road, Rolling Stones’ No Filter and SIXTY, Beyoncé and Jay Z’s On The Run II, Take That’s Greatest Hits Live, and U2 Experience + Innocence 2018.
Other music designs in the metaverse include Pentakill’s The Lost Chapter virtual concert. Exhibition design includes the acclaimed and biggest-selling music exhibition of all time at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains. Award-winning examples of their bespoke permanent building designs are Han Show Theatre and Dai Show Theatre in China. Ground-breaking work for the Dai Show Theatre included the architectural design of the building as well as the interior, set and stage design for the acrobatic water show, making STUFISH the first-ever practice delivering all architectural and show elements for a theatre. STUFISH also designed the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics 2008, the Asian Games 2010, UAE 40th Anniversary Show, Spirit of the Union, Abu Dhabi 2011, The Mother of the Nation 2016 and the 5th AIMAG Opening Ceremony’ in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 2017 and many sets for TV shows of which the MTV Video Music Awards (2017) and the National Television Awards (2022) are recent examples. In addition to their work with tours and architectural projects, STUFISH has also created art installations including LEAP The Kaleidoscope, a tech-inspired installation for the 2022 LEAP One Eye On the Stars conference in Saudi Arabia.

Kentaur studied painting at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts. Since the late 80’s his paintings regularly appear at personal and group exhibitions. He was the lead singer and lyricist of a “new wave” rock group and later he recorded several solo rock albums. Kentaur started his theatre career as a graphic designer, and later transitioned into set and costume design. Since 1990 he has worked at all major Hungarian drama theatres. He’s worked extensively for musical, opera and ballet productions all over Europe and overseas, as well as for television and movie productions. He was the first set designer in Hungary to use interactive, live video- techniques on stage. International recognition came to him in 1995, when, at the invitation of the renowned theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh, he created new set designs for MISS SAIGON (Copenhagen, 1996; Stockholm, 1998; Manila/Philippines, 2000), THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, OLIVER!, MARTIN GUERRE and LES MISERABLES. Kentaur was the set and costume designer of several musical productions in the UK such as PETER PAN, FOOTLOOSE and RENT. The later was Kentaur’s London’s West End debut as a set designer in 2002. He became the first production designer entrusted to make a new “non-replica” stage design for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2003), BEAUTIFUL GAME (2005), SHREK (2016) and WE WILL ROCK YOU (2017) for their staging in Hungary. He dreamt up set designs for successful ballet productions such as COPPELIA for Wiener Staatsoper (2006) and SNOW WHITE in Hungary (2004), Estonia (2008), Russia (2013), Australian tour (2014), Bolsoj Theatre Moscow (2019), Ujszeged Open Air Stage (2019) and Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan (2021). In 2006 he created a picturesque, magical realistic set and costume design for Roman Polanski’s cult musical of DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES introduced in Budapest (2007), Vienna (2009, 2017), Antwerp (2010), Saint-Petersburg (2011) and Moscow (2016). In 2016 he designed grandiose sets for the SHREK production at the Budapest Arena. Kentaur was the set and costume designer for the new international musical production HOLLYWOOD DIVA in Saint-Petersburg (2014). As well as the costume designer of MASTER AND MARGARITA in Saint-Petersburg (2014) and Moscow (2015) and for the new non-replica version of MISS SAIGON in Musical Comedy Theatre (Saint Petersburg, 2020). He designed the world premiere of the opera version of MASTER AND MARGARITA in the Hungarian State Opera House (2021). He gave a new visual look for the sets and costumes of WE WILL ROCK YOU in Budapest (2017) and at the Szeged Open Air Theatre (one of the biggest open-air stages of Europe), as well as for the costumes of the WWRY UK and Ireland Tour production (2019) , the WWRY German Tour production in Germany, Switzerland and Austria (2021) and the new production of WWRY in London Coliseum (2023). His most recent works are the sets of Tchaikovsky: THE NUTCRACKER at the Estonian National Opera in Tallinn (premier: 2023) and the set and visual designs of the first-ever “non-replica” MADAME TUSSAUDS opening in 2023 in Budapest. The State of Hungary awarded Kentaur with the prestigious Jászai Mari Award in 2007 and in 2013 he got the Honorable Artist Price for his contributions to theatre art. Since 2008 he is the Chairman of the Hungarian Stage and Costume Designer Association.

Further info: www.kentaur.hu

Luke Rolls

Luke Rolls is a British Lighting Designer working mainly in the UK and US. He recently designed the 2022 Rex Orange County Who Cares Tour and is the Lighting Director for Lil Nas X since his first tour Long Live Montero last year. At the start of 2022 Luke designed the We Will Rock You 2022 tour with Rob Sinclair and designed the lighting for Spanish Entry Chanel’s song ‘SloMo’ for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. In 2021 he designed the UK and Festival Californian Soil Tour for London Grammar as well as the album live stream performance at Alexandra Palace. He has worked as a design associate on a number of shows such as Greta Van Fleet’s Dreams in Gold, System of A Down’s 2022 Tour, MØ – The Motordrome Experience, The Human League’s Dare 40, Kylie Minogue’s Infinite Disco, Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure Tour, and Rex Orange County’s Pony Tour. Other theatre credits include Lighting Design for We Will Rock You German Tour 2021/2022 and Associate Lighting Designer for Starlight Express in Bochum.

Rob Sinclair

ROB SINCLAIR is a British lighting and production designer and a founding partner at Sinclair / Wilkinson.
Recent credits include: Queen + Adam Lambert, The Queen Extravaganza, Kylie Minogue, David Byrne, LCD Soundsystem, MØ, Tame Impala, Peter Gabriel, Vampire Weekend, Bastille, Shania Twain, Lorde, Pet Shop Boys, Florence and the Machine, Game of Thrones – Live Concert Tour, Starlight Express in Bochum, System of a Down, Clean Bandit, Bananarama, Kygo, Bryan Ferry, Miley Cyrus, Jamie T, Hurts, Glass Animals, Adele, Charli XCX, Pulp, Jack Johnson, Jessie Ware, Feist, Galantis, Flume, Zayn, Tame Impala, Banks, Goldfrapp, Marina and the Diamonds, Birdy, Keane, Will Young, Kaiser Chiefs, Pendulum, Bloc Party, The Human League, Mumford and Sons: Gentlemen of the Road, M.I.A, and the permanent stage at Dreamland.
Winner 2009, 2018 and nominee 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 Knight of Illumination awards
TPI set designer of the year 2017
Nominee 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 TPI Awards
Nominee 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 Parnelli Awards,
Nominee 2018 TourLink Top Dog Awards

For the last 40 years Rory has been at the very front end, pushing the boundaries of high-end performance audio systems and relishing the opportunity to incorporate the very latest technological advances in live production.

Rory’s work has taken him across the globe countless times with the biggest artists and the best productions the world has had to offer, through every type of venue, from theatres to stadiums.

Previous acts Rory has engineered sound for include: Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Dire Straits, Billy Joel, and Monty Python’s to name but a few. Rory’s current sound designs include The Commitments Musical UK Tour , Strictly Ballroom UK Tour and Only Fools and Horses The Musical.

“I grew up with Queen Music and to this day I am still a big fan I am proud to be involved with this production”

Toby has been an Audio Consultant and Sound Designer for 25 years, during this time, has built a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry. He has been fortunate to be involved in some of the world’s most unique projects, successfully designing and delivering highly technical and complex projects in challenging environments.

Previous works include:

The Kings Coronation concert, Strictly Ballroom tour 2022-2023, The Commitments Tour 2022-2023, Only Fools & Horses London, ABBA Voyage, We Will Rock You International Tour, Commitments London, Monty Python Live, Still Game, Dynamo Live, Commitments UK Tour, We Will Rock You UK Tours 2009 – 2022, Assembly Rooms Edinburgh Fringe, Tokyo Summer Olympics 2021, Korean Winter Olympics, Russian Winter Olympics, London Olympics, Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014, Fifa World Cup 2022 Doha, HRH Queen Elizabeths 92nd Birthday celebrations , Royal Weddings, BBC Ypres 100 Centenary, BBC Somme 100 Centenary, BBC Mons 100 Centenary, BBC D-Day 75, UAE National Day 2018 – 2022, Dubai World Expo 2021, Royal Windsor Tattoos, BBC Sports Personality of the year, BBC young musician of the year, Stand up to Cancer Live, Children in need live, The Late Late show, Brian May & Kerry Ellis tours, Desperado Deep House under water project.

Sylvia Addison is one of London’s foremost Orchestral Contractors

THEATRE CREDITS include

Old Friends, We Will Rock You, Mrs Doubtfire the Musical, Bake Off the Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tour, My Fair Lady tour, Strictly Ballroom tour, Phantom of the Opera, The Drifter’s Girl, ALW’s Cinderella, Les Miserables – Sondheim Theatre and International Tour + Les Miserables Staged Concerts, Mary Poppins, Back to the Future, White Christmas, Lion King – London and tour, Sleepless, BIG, the Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beautiful – the Carole King musical, Blues in the Night, Adrian Mole, Fiddler on the Roof, Only Fools and Horses, Fun Home, Fat Friends, Five Guys named Moe, Dreamgirls, Rent, School of Rock, Elf the Musical, Mrs Henderson Presents, Bend it Like Beckham, Barnum UK Tour, Miss Saigon, Stephen Ward, Scottsboro Boys, Merrily We Roll Along, Top Hat, Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary , Ghost, Betty Blue Eyes, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Wizard of Oz, Love Never Dies, Legally Blonde, Sweet Charity, A Little Night Music, Oliver!, Carousel, La Cage aux Folles, The Witches of Eastwick, Drowsy Chaperone, Lord of the Rings, Evita, Acorn Antiques, The Woman in White, Tell Me on a Sunday, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bombay Dreams, The Full Monty, CATS, Jesus Christ Superstar , Starlight Express , The Beautiful Game, Whistle Down the Wind

Anne started casting in 1992 as in-house Casting Director for the Apollo Leisure Group. She has cast numerous West End and touring productions.

During her years at Apollo Leisure her West End casting credits included: “Barnum” (Dominion); “Aspects of Love” (Prince Of Wales); “Fiddler On The Roof” starring Topol (London Palladium); “Copacabana” (Prince of Wales); “Scrooge” starring Anthony Newley (Dominion); “Doctor Dolittle” starring Phillip Schofield (Apollo Hammersmith); “Summer Holiday” (Apollo Hammersmith); and numerous number one touring musicals.

Further musical credits include: “I Should Be So Lucky” (UK Tour); “Mother Goose” starring Ian McKellen & John Bishop (West End & UK Tour); “We Will Rock You” (UK Tour & London Coliseum); “Bat Out of Hell” (UK tour & West End); “Identical” (UK Tour); “Strictly Ballroom” (UK Tour); “9 To 5: The Musical” (West End & UK Tour); “The Grinning Man” (West End); “Hairspray”, “Carousel”, “Half A Sixpence”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Cats” (all Kilworth House Theatre); “The Life” directed by Michael Blakemore (Southwark Playhouse, London); “Guys and Dolls” directed by Gordon Greenberg (UK Tour); “Dance Til Dawn” (West End); “Loserville” (West End); “Zorro” (West End); Boy George’s “Taboo” (West End); Saturday Night Fever (West End); “Fame” (West End).

Her play credits include: “Home, I’m Darling” (UK Tour); “Fatal Attraction” (UK Tour); “Abigail’s Party” (UK Tour); “Strangers On A Train” (UK Tour); The Old Vic New Voices Festival (The Old Vic); “The Mentalists” starring Stephen Merchant (West End), “Barking In Essex” starring Lee Evans (West End); “Flare Path” (UK Tour); “What The Butler Saw” (West End); “Stones In His Pockets” (West End).

TV credits: Casting team on “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria”; “Any Dream Will Do”; “I’d Do Anything” and “Over the Rainbow” (all BBC); “Superstar” (ITV); Take That’s “Wonderland” Special (ITV); and “I Dream” starring Christopher Lloyd (BBC).

Twitter: @AnneVosser
anne@vosser-casting.co.uk