The arrival of a new Baker and his younger wife turns a provincial French village upside down in this cult classic musical from the legendary Stephen Schwartz (composer of Godspell, Wicked, Pippin) and Joseph Stein (writer of Fiddler On The Roof).
WhatsOnStage award winner Lucie Jones (Wicked, Waitress) and Olivier award
winner Clive Rowe (Sister Act) star as Genevieve the Baker’s Wife and Aimable the Baker, with Mark Extance, Josefina Gabrielle, Michael Matus, Joaquin Pedro Valdes, David Seadon-Young, and Matthew Seadon-Young. Joining
them are Bobbie Chambers, Jack Gardner, Hana Ichijo, and Robyn Rose.
Based on the film La Femme du Boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono,
THE BAKER’S WIFE is filled with some of Schwartz’s most ravishingly beautiful music, and will immerse the audience into world of Gallic charm in this first major UK revival since its West End premiere.
Directed by Gordon Greenberg (who previously directed Barnum at the Chocolate Factory), with choreography by Matt Cole (Olivier award winner for Newsies) and designs by Paul Farnsworth, this brand new production plays for a limited 10-week season from 6 July.
Currently, Greenberg’s technically ambitious production is tonally inconsistent and sometimes lacks urgency: it feels as though it needs slightly longer to bed in. However, with its luxury casting and lush visuals, this satisfying, delicate confection is already a heady delight.
This particular show also benefits from director-of-musicals extraordinaire Greenberg’s in-depth familiarity with it, having previously directed a critically acclaimed U.S. revival in 2005. Crucially, he understands that romance is only one strand of the story and that perhaps the most important ‘character’ is the village itself. That’s where this production truly rises to the occasion. From the staging – which sits us on either side of designer Paul Farnsworth’s rustic French fantasia – to the way some scenes play out amidst us, we’re always brought up close to the supporting characters.
1976 | Broadway |
Closed on the road Broadway |
1980 | Regional (US) |
Regional Revival Regional (US) |
1982 | Regional (US) |
West Coast Revival Regional (US) |
1983 | New York |
Workshop New York |
1985 | Off-Off-Broadway |
York Theatre Company Production Off-Off-Broadway |
1986 | Regional (US) |
West Coast Revival Regional (US) |
1989 | West End |
London Revival West End |
2005 | Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
Paper Mill Production Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
West End |
West End |
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