Romance and tragedy in Big Apple

I visited for the first time last year and it was every bit as magical as I’d expected, but if hopping on a plane is a little impractical, Luton Light’s musical masterpiece West Side Story will bring all the romance of the Big Apple to the Grove Theatre.

One of the most famous New York based stories, the play is a reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and is set in 1950s NYC.

It tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, as they are caught in a feud between rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks.

Directed and choreographed by Matthew Orr, the production is a theatrical first for the area, featuring a 27–piece–orchestra conducted by Liam Howlett.

The cast includes David Mills as Tony, Georgina Wallace as Maria, Kerry Lee as Anita, Alan Bowles as Riff, Daniel Bogod as Action and Paul Atkins as Bernado.

The impressive score, which is widely regarded as one of the best ever written, features ‘Something’s Coming’, ‘Maria’, ‘America’, ‘I Feel Pretty and ‘Somewhere’.

Don’t miss West Side Story at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable for one night only on Sunday March 11 at 4pm and 8pm.

Tickets £10.50-£13.50, available from the Box Office on 01582 602080, online at www.grovetheatre.co.uk, or in person.