A Strange Loop: First-look at London cast performing Tony-winning musical
Kyle Raman Freeman in London rehearsals for A Strange Loop (Marc Brennan)
Ahead of the London premiere of the Pulitzer and Tony-winning musical A Strange Loop, PinkNews has an exclusive first look at the show.
A Strange Loop tells the story of Usher, a young, gay, Black writer who hates his day job, so writes a musical about a young, gay, Black writer who’s writing a musical about a young, gay, Black writer… It’s – you guessed it – a strange loop that exposes Usher’s heart and soul.
The Broadway production won Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical at the 2022 Tony Awards. It also won a Pulitzer Prize, becoming only the 10th musical to do so, following in the footsteps of Hamilton.
In June, the musical lands in London for a limited 12-week run – and the production has shared an exclusive look into rehearsals with PinkNews. Here’s Kyle Raman Freeman as Usher singing “Inner White Girl”.
In A Strange Loop, Usher grapples with desires, identity and instincts he both loves and loathes, all brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-talking ensemble of ‘Thoughts’.
Freeman will make his West End debut in A Strange Loop, reprising the lead role he played on Broadway, in Michael R. Jackson’s blisteringly funny masterwork.
Joining Freeman as the ‘Thoughts’ are various theatre titans: Sharlene Hector, best known for being a lead vocalist for British band Basement Jaxx, Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea (Spring Awakening), Yeukayi Ushe (The Lion King, Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon), Tendai Humphrey Sitima (The Play That Goes Wrong), Danny Bailey (Jesus Christ Superstar) and Eddie Elliott (Blues for an Alabama Sky, The Lion King and Motown The Musical) appear as ‘Thought 1’ to ‘Thought 6’, respectively.
The show is being brought to London by the all-star team of Jennifer Hudson, Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter.
Written by Michael R. Jackson and directed by Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop is choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, with set designs by Arnulfo Maldonado, lighting by Jen Schriever, sound by Drew Levy, costumes by Jen Schriever and Rona Siddiqui is music supervisor.
The London production for A Strange Loop is at the Barbican Theatre for a one-time-only 12-week limited season from 17 June. Tickets are available here.
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