News: Ruthie Henshall to lead revival of Sondheim and Lapine’s Passion

Olivier Award-winning musical theatre legend Ruthie Henshall is set to lead a reimagining of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Passion at the Hope Mill Theatre, from 5 May to 5 June 2022.

Henshall’s multiple credits include Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Oliver!, Crazy For You, Chicago, Billy Elliot and many more.

The show will be directed by Michael Strassen (Pacific Overtures, Company, Assassins), and reimagines this tale of love, sex and obsession in a new dynamic staging that will run for a strictly limited 37 performances only.

Passion is the musical based on Ettore Scola’s Italian film, Passion d’Amore. Situated in 19th century Italy, the production tells the tale of a young soldier, Giorgio, who is obsessively pursued by the relation of his superior officer, Fosca – a woman prone to severe melancholy and mania.

Michael Strassen’s modern retelling of the tale, which features movement direction by Sundeep Saini, puts Fosca front and centre, exploring the consequences of intense passion and obsessive adoration.

Passion features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (West Side Story, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Company, Follies). His longtime collaboration with writer James Lapine, which also produced the award-winning Sunday in the
Park with George and Into The Woods, brings this rich tale to life.

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