Return To The Forbidden Planet Is Back!


Anniversary production comes to Wimbledon

Twenty five years after Captain Tempest and his crew first journeyed into hyperspace, and 14 years after the last UK tour, Olivier Award-winning rock spectacular Return To The Forbidden Planet is back!

It explodes onto stage in a new 25th Anniversary production, playing at New Wimbledon Theatre from March 23-28.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, it's packed with rock 'n' roll classics including Great Balls of Fire, This is a Man’s World, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, Who's Sorry Now, Teenager in Love, Young Girl, Heard It Through the Grapevine, Johnny B. Goode and Born To Be Wild.

There will be special effects, a mad scientist, a huge green-tentacled monster and a rock 'n' roller-skating robot.

Founding member of Queen, Brian May will appear via video projection as the newscaster. The cast features Steve Simmonds as Bosun, Sean Needham as Captain Tempest, Christine Holman as Science Officer, Greg Last,  as Navigation Officer, Mark Newnham as Cookie, Jonathan Markwood as Prospero, Frido Ruth as Ariel, Sarah Scowen as Miranda, Georgina Field as Anne Droid, Callum Hughes as Phil McCavity, Joseph Mann as Ewan Watami and Hannah Howcroft as Young Miranda.

Return to the Forbidden Planet opened at the West End's Cambridge Theatre in September 1989, where it ran for more than 1,500 performances and won the 1990 Olivier Award for Best Musical.

The original design team return to recreate their award-winning original production, directed by creator Bob Carlton, who directed the West End production and now returns to direct the 25th Anniversary tour, his final production as artistic director of the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch.

Bob Carlton said: "It was an incredible time when Return to the Forbidden Planet landed in West End, in what was a vintage year alongside shows such as Miss Saigon and Buddy. And it's thanks to the audiences, who took it to their hearts and rocked out every night, that it became such a cult success.

"I can't wait to bring it back 25 years later, to introduce it to a whole new generation and to reunite with original fans of the show. I’m thrilled to be able to return to the Forbidden Planet, along with the original design team, and get reacquainted with Captain Tempest and his crew once more!

Return to the Forbidden Planet is directed by Bob Carlton and choreographed by Frederick ‘Frido’ Ruth, with musical direction by Greg Last. It is designed by Rodney Ford with lighting design by Mark Dymock and sound design by Ben Harrison.

February 27, 2015