Theatre
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All you need to know about Eugenius!
The musical returns to the West End with its fabulously farcical sense of humour.
In the year 2018, the planets aligned like never before… and brought the sci-fi superhero musical Eugenius! back to The Other Palace for a second engagement.
Created by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins, the production ran for six weeks early this year at the same venue, after originally premiering as a one-off concert performance at the London Palladium in June 2016.
Both touching and funny, Eugenius! has only gotten better, ensuring more staggering success before it wraps up this new run on 20 October 2018.
What is Eugenius! about?
Eugenius! is a teen love story set in a world of jocks, cheerleaders and geeks against a backdrop of comic books and superheroes.
The main character is Eugene, a teenager whose dreams of otherworldly heroes and villains may lead to the creation of his very own Hollywood movie. He’s joined by his best friends Janey and Feris as they discover the meaning of growing up.
You can see photos of the cast in rehearsals below and here.
In addition to a great story, Eugenius! has an incredible score with a tonne of original ’80s inspired songs you’ll be singing for weeks to come – including Tough Man, Comic Book Kind of Love and Go Eugenius!
Who stars in the show?
For this second run, Rob Houchen has taken on the lead role of Eugene, having starred as Marius in the West End production of Les Misérables, and as Gibran in Broken Wings.
He’s joined by returning cast members Laura Baldwin (Big Fish The Musical) as love interest Janey, Daniel Buckley (Book of Mormon, Loserville) as Feris, Scott Paige (The Addams Family, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Theo, and Alison Arnopp (Dusty) as Space Diva and Mrs Truthstretcher.
Other new cast members include Neil McDermott as Evil Lord Hector, best known as Ryan Malloy in EastEnders. Emily Tierney takes on the roles of Carrie and Super Hot Lady, having starred as Glinda in Wicked and The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium.
Alex Bourne plays Lex, having just played Daddy Warbucks in Annie. Simon Thomas rounds off the leading cast as Gerhard/Tough Man, having starred as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera.
Brian Blessed can also be heard as the voice of Space Lord.
Get more details about the casting of the second run of Eugenius! here.
What can audiences expect?
Steeped in retro ’80s pop culture references, Eugenius! is a coming-of-age musical for our time, with the talented cast making it an entertaining show you’ll never forget.
Houchen is an excellent choice as Eugene. He gives an impressive performance deftly blending youthful awkwardness at the outset, with strength and determination by the end.
Paige as Theo and Tierney as Super Hot Lady have also been perfectly cast. They not only provide lots of laughs, but also have a natural likability on stage.
The ensemble are incredible too, crammed full of what can only be described as quick-change athletics. They play everything from high school jocks and cheerleaders to movie producers and a bizarre, florescent-clad alien race with flair and flamboyancy from the off.
As the villains, Bourne and McDermott are wonderful as crooked Hollywood mogul Lex Hogan and cackling Evil Lord Hector respectively; and there’s even a star turn by Star Wars legend Mark Hamill (in voice form) as Kevin the Robot – the show is produced by Hamill’s co-star Warwick Davis.
Stealing the show, however, are Laura Baldwin as Janey and Daniel Buckley as Feris. Baldwin’s voice is impeccable, particular during ’80s power ballad-inspired The Future Is Bright, while Buckley – as the comedic foil – is a joy from the moment he arrives, completely stealing the show during the especially fantastic No Pants Dance.
It’s the title track though, Go Eugenuis!, that’s worth its weight in gold. Like any half-decent superhero, it becomes Eugene’s unofficial theme song and by the time this incredible cast are belting it out in the finale, you’ll be up on your feet, a thwacking great smile on your face, singing along at the top of of your voice.
Read the full review of Eugenius!’s first run at The Other Palace here.
What are the critics saying?
“It’s impossible to stop humming… The score is fantastic” – The Stage
“A bit of Rocky Horror and a bit of Grease… such a lot of fun!” – Broadway World
“Holy superlatives, it’s a lot of fun.” – Time Out
“An energetic, mile-a-minute show.” – What’s On Stage
What else do I need to know?
Eugenius! is now running at The Other Palace in London. It’s booking until Saturday 20 October 2018.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.co.uk.
