Seek out this musical at Derby Theatre

Present Company are to perform The Scarlet Pimpernel, the musical by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, at Derby Theatre from November 24-26.

Evening performances will start at 7.30pm and there is to be a Saturday matinee from 2.30pm.

Present Company is delighted to bring a Derby city premiere to Derby Theatre. This is a hit musical you probably haven’t yet seen. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a swashbuckling, adventurous, romantic musical. Set against the backdrop of the bloody French Revolution, this is a tale of courage, betrayal, justice, intrigue, honour and love.

It is a show packed with action, romance and comedy.

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The story traces the exploits of Sir Percy Blakeney and his “Bounders” during the 1793-4 Reign of Terror that followed the execution of Louis XVI.

These aristocratic Englishmen hasten across the Channel and using disguises, ruses and their wits, rescue their French counterparts from the summary justice of the guillotine.

At home these reckless daredevils hide their identities, and their courage, by posing as the fanciest of Regency Fops to avoid suspicion.

Sir Percival is newly married to a French actress, Marguerite St Just, but she has a shadowy past including an affair with The Pimpernel’s arch enemy and an Agent of the Republic, Citizen Chauvelin. To raise the stakes even higher, Chauvelin has blackmailed Marguerite into helping him discover the identity of The Pimpernel.

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Written by Baroness Orczy, as a stage play, The Scarlet Pimpernel was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham in 1903, then moved in 1905 to the New Theatre in London where it enjoyed a hugely successful run of over 2,000 performances. Emma Orczy then published the story as a book which she followed with a series of a further 15 Percy Blakeney novels over the next 35 years.

The stage musical opened on Broadway in 1997 and ran for three years. It was nominated for five Tony Awards and won the 1998 World Theatre Award. Despite the obvious success of other West End musicals featuring French histories: Les Miserables, Martin Guerre etc. The Scarlet Pimpernel musical has never yet been produced on a West End, London stage.

So “This Is The Moment” to experience an amazing score by Frank Wildhorn of Jekyll & Hyde fame.

David Partridge plays the baronet of the title role, Sir Percy Blakeney, with Craig Arme as the Agent of the Republic, Citizen Chauvelin, and Rachael Louisa Bray, plays Marguerite St Just who becomes Lady Blakeney.

Call the box office on 01332 59 39 39 or go to www.derbytheatre.co.uk

Photo by Lee Stephens

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