Watch rehearsals for The Rhythmics musical at Southwark Playhouse

Here’s a first look at rehearsals for brand new musical The Rhythmics.

The show will have its premiere this winter, playing at the Southwark Playhouse from 2 December to 8 January, with a press night on Tuesday 7 December.

Co-produced by Aria Entertainment and Metta Theatre, The Rhythmics follows an all male rhythmic gymnastics performance ensemble who soar to worldwide fame against all the odds.

Noel Sullivan (School of Rock, Years and Years and Gavin and Stacey) will star as ‘Grey’ alongside Zweyla Mitchell Dos Santos making her professional debut playing ‘Silva’.

Joining the cast are Ken Christiansen as ‘Nick’, Kinny Gardner as ‘Sid’, Kirby Hughes as ‘Sue’, Rebecca Hayes as ‘Robin’, Andrew Patrick-Walker as ‘Jeremy’, Joshua Steel as ‘Connor’, and Phil Snowden as ‘Dennis’.

You can watch a first look of the production in rehearsals below…

The musical has a book and lyrics by Metta’s Artistic Director P Burton-Morgan and music and lyrics from Stiles + Drewe award winner Ben Glasstone (Reanimator).

Hapless single-dad Grey is in a rut. Teenage daughter Silva packs him off to revive his rockstar dreams, successfully auditioning for ‘Nick & the Rhythmics’ only to realise… he’s actually signed up for an All-male Rhythmic Gymnastics troupe.

Against the odds these burly blokes make it as far as the World Championships – twirling their ‘ribbons of fire’ – and along the way Grey finally learns to commit to life. Calendar Girls meets The Full Monty in this joyous new British musical.

The premiere production is directed by P Burton-Morgan, with choreography by Mark Smith, with Ellie Verkerk as Musical Supervisor, Erika Gundesen as Musical Director, James Nicholson as sound designer, Francine Huin-Wah as costume designer, Jane Deitch as casting director, and Will Reynolds as set and lighting designer.

For more information and tickets, visit mettatheatre.co.uk/therhythmics