The production will run at the Southwark Playhouse’s Borough venue from the 20th March until the 19th April.
It has been announced that the full original cast of Jonathan Maitland’s Wilko Love and Death and Rock ‘N’ Roll (which premiered at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch last year) will star in the London premiere of the play when it heads to the Southwark Playhouse next month.
Directed by Dugald Bruce Lockhart, the production will star: musician and actor Johnson Willis in the title role of Wilko Johnson and will be joined by Jon House (Witness For The Prosecution at London County Hall, Elvis Jones! Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) who reprises his role as Dr. Feelgood co-founder, lead singer and frontman Lee Brilleaux, Georgina Fairbanks (The Unicorn,The Pleasance, Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022) as Wilko’s childhood sweetheart and wife, Irene Knight, Georgina Field (Blonde Bombshells of 1943, UK Tour 2023) as Dr. Feelgood bassist Sparko and David John (Loot, The Lyric Theatre 1984) who plays drummer Big Figure.
In 2012, Wilko Johnson, the iconic rock star and founder of legendary Essex band Dr Feelgood, was told he had inoperable cancer and a year to live. Refusing all treatment, he decided to spend his last months living meaningfully: seeing the people, places and things which meant most to him during his remarkable life.
Then, a miracle happened…
A special gala night performance of the show in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust will be held on Saturday 22nd March where some of Wilko’s original artworks will be sold along with special photographic prints of him taken by cancer specialist and photographer Charlie Chan including “the photo that saved Wilko’s life” taken at his farewell Camden gig in 2013 which resulted in Wilko getting a second opinion on his terminal diagnosis. Additionally, there will also be a post-show Q&A featuring special guests to be announced.
The production features designs by Nicolai Hart-Hansen, lighting design by James Stokes, sound design by Simon Slater and is produced by Denise Silvey.
To book tickets visit: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/wilko/