★★★★ "Infectious, heart-rendering and... achingly resonant" Time Out
★★★★ "Big hearted, joyful... damn good fun" Evening Standard
★★★★ "Fantastically exuberant... deserves to be a hit again" Telegraph
★★★★ Rendition
It's 1950s London, and Ferdy, Bernie, Dennis and Lennie arrive from the West Indies full of expectations and aspirations.
Eager to make successes of themselves, they are optimistic about what the future holds, plus Dennis is certain that showing his brother’s posthumous medal from World War II will mean he is welcomed heartily. Building this new life will take focus and sacrifice, and the young men make the bold decision to forswear wine and women for three whole years and devote themselves to their future in London.
Sybil, Mary, Zulieka and Kathy have other ideas. They know that man cannot live by bread alone! So each one's resolve is put to the test as the reality of life in a less-than-welcoming England, not to mention the weather, makes forgoing the warmth of female company hard to resist. Will the men stick with their idea of The Big Life, or will Cupid have the final say?
A joyful and uplifting production, where the story of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost meets that of the Windrush generation in a fun-packed Ska musical that’ll have you dancing in your seats.
THE BIG LIFE returns to the stage 20 years after its Stratford East premiere and subsequent West End transfer.
Presented by Stratford East in association with Chuchu Nwagu Productions Ltd.
Concessions
Available for under 17s
Click here for details about companion/carer tickets
Schools Rates
Newham schools: £12 per person
All other schools: £14 per person
Group Bookings
If you buy nine standard rate tickets then you get the 10th free. Group bookings (of nine or more tickets) can only be booked over the phone or in person.
Booking Enquiries
Our online booking system doesn’t allow customers to leave isolated seats. We do this in order to prevent gaps in the auditorium.
Currently seats are on sale from Row B in the stalls, and it is possible that Row A will go on sale at a later date, so please be aware that purchasing seats in Row B does not guarantee that you will be in the front row.
Please note that our boxes have a slightly restricted view. Seats marked with an ‘i’ on the seating plan have a restricted view.
If you require any help with your booking then please contact our Box Office by emailing tickets@stratfordeast.com or calling 020 8534 0310.
Our ticket prices increase as the theatre fills. We always recommend booking early to secure the best seats at the best price.
CAST
Kathy - Juliet Agnes
Admiral / Eros - Danny Bailey
Sybil - Gabrielle Brooks
Bernie - Nathanael Campbell
Dennis - Khalid Daley
Jacqueline / Secretary - Beth Elliott
Mrs Aphrodite - Tameka Empson
Reverend - Gabriel Fleary
Ensemble/Swing - Jamal Franklin
Mary - Leanne Henlon
Zulieka - Rachel John
Ensemble/Swing - Gleanne Purcell-Brown
Lennie - Karl Queensborough
Ferdy - Ashley Samuels
Ensemble/Swing - Theo St. Claire
MUSICIANS
Keys 1 / Musical Director - Ian Oakley
Keys 2 / Associate Musical Director - Liam Godwin
Drums - Andrew Small
Bass - Joseph Roberts
Guitar - Ciyo Brown
Trumpet - Elias Atkinson
Trombone - Nathaniel Cross
CREATIVES
Book - Paul Sirett and Tameka Empson
Lyrics - Paul Sirett
Music - Paul Joseph
Director - Tinuke Craig
Set and Costume Designer - Jasmine Swan
Lighting Designer - Elliot Griggs
Sound Designer - Emma Laxton
Musical Director, Arranger and Orchestrator - Ian Oakley
Choreographer - Ingrid Mackinnon
Casting Director - Jacob Sparrow
Assistant Director - Phillippe Cato
Costume Supervisor - Becky Livermore
Wigs Supervisor - Sid Kennedy
Voice and Dialect Coach - Joel Trill
Production Manager - John Page
Company Stage Manager - Vanessa Sutherland
Deputy Stage Manager - Emma Currie
Assistant Stage Manager - Tayla Hunter
Assistant Stage Manager - Dynzell Muguti
Additional Admiral material - Danny Bailey
Running time: Approximately 3 hours including an interval
Age guidance: 10+ (contains one use of a strong racial slur – click here for Content Advisory Notes)
This production contains haze and flashing lights.
Access Performances:
BSL interpreted: Thu 14 March, 7.30pm
Captioned: Fri 15 Mar, 7.30pm
Audio Described: Sat 16 Mar, 2.30pm
Relaxed Environment (what's this?): Sat 09 Mar, 2.30pm
Pay What You Can performance (what's this?): Tue 20 Feb, 7.30pm
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