- I’m thrilled to say my friend, Andrew Lancel, will play the role of Brian Epstein in the new show Cilla the Musical, which has its world premiere at the Liverpool Empire on September 7.
He will star in the production which tells the story of Cilla Black whose teenage dreams of stardom lead her to becoming one of Britain’s best-love entertainers of all time.
Lancel has played the role of Epstein before in Epstein – The Man Who Made The Beatles. It opened at the Epstein Theatre, Liverpool at the end of 2012 and then transferred to the Leicester Square Theatre in 2014. The play was a hit and was praised by critics with London Theatre calling Lancel’s performance “mesmerising.”
Andrew is best known to TV audiences as super-villain Frank Foster in Coronation Street and as DI Neil Manson in the long-running ITV television series The Bill.
CILLA – THE MUSICAL is the musical adaptation of the critically acclaimed hit ITV television series by Bafta-Award winner Jeff Pope (The Moorside, Philomena, From The Cradle To The Grave, Mrs Biggs and the acclaimed Little Boy Blue which had ITV audiences glued to their screens).
It’s an introduction by a young John Lennon to music mogul Brian Epstein that changes Priscilla White’s life forever. By the age of just 25 she would be known as singer and TV Star Cilla Black, Number One selling artist and at the fore-front of the Brit-Pop music scene.
The musical score is the soundtrack to the 60’s including Cilla’s greatest hits Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie and Something Tells Me, Twist and Shout by the Beatles, and California Dreamin by The Mamas and The Papas’.
Kara Lily Hayworth beat thousands of hopefuls in nationwide open auditions for the coveted role of Cilla.
The show will be at the Liverpool Empire until September 16.
-
Andrew Lancel and Will Will Finlason backstage at the Epstein play
Monthly Archives: August 2017
Free Beatles Penny Lane Event
Seems I’m going to have to be in three places at once this weekend!

Macca Single Story a Hoax
The French Wikipedia page about Paul McCartney has removed the message about a new single. It originally said that the song ‘A Life Of Mercy’ would appear on Monday and would be from McCartney’s new album, which name also was revealed: ‘In The Universe and Beyond’. However the entry has been deleted under the heading “no proof”.
REMEMBERING BRIAN EPSTEIN, 50 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF THE BEATLES’ MANAGER
|
New Paul McCartney Single/Album due? Or Fake News?
Thanks to John Bezzini for this:
“According to the French Wikipedia page about Paul McCartney, a new single will be released next Monday, August 28th. The single is called A Life of Mercy. The site also reveals the name of Paul’s new album: In The Universe And Beyond. Wikipedia also mentions a collaboration on the new album with Australian singer-songwriter Sia and the American musician Beck. Although Wikipedia is generally reliable, there is no source entry in this case, as is usually the case.”
This might be untrue – but will keep informed if and when we hear more :>)
Sounds like fake news – but these days, who knows?
Here Come’s the Sun?
Mary McCartney’s photo of dad watching the eclipse :>)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYERNQVD0Mc/
Sir Bruce Forsyth
We are all very sad to hear about the passing of Sir Bruce Forsyth – truly a giant of British TV.
For us Beatles fans, he introduced the ‘Fabs’ onto mainstream family TV when they appeared on the show ‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ – where lots of people have said ‘Beatlemania’ began.
But Bruce was much more than that – we was really the star of Saturday night TV, with his shows ‘The Generation Game’ and more recently ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. The world will be a less entertaining place without ‘Brucie’ in it.
‘Didn’t he do well’ RIP Sir Bruce.

THE BEATLES: THE LONDON PALLADIUM: 1963
Were you at The Beatles’ performance at The London Palladium on 13th October 1963?
Were you one of the fans in the crowd outside The Palladium? ITV are looking to get in touch with someone who was at The London Palladium in 1963 when “Beatlemania” was born! If this is you, or you know somebody who was there, please get in touch! Charlie.moore@itv.com |
Liverpool Beatleweek Coming Soon!
There is just over a week to the start of International Beatleweek in Liverpool! As usual, the week will see a huge range of Beatles related events, culminating in the Beatles Convention at the Adelphi Hotel on Sunday August 27th. Also this year is a re-creation of the St Peter’s Church Fete, where John Lennon met Paul McCartney for the first time.
Full details of all the events are at https://www.internationalbeatleweek.com/
If you are also coming to London, please come on my London Beatles Walks http://www.beatlesinlondon.com
August 15th 1965 – The Beatles Live at Shea Stadium
August 15th 1965 – The Beatles Live at Shea Stadium :>)