The cast has been announced for the UK premiere of genre-defying musical Ride the Cyclone, which opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant this November.
Edward Wu will be starring as The Amazing Karnak, with Baylie Carson as Ocean, Grace Galloway as Jane Dow, Robyn Gilbertson as Constance, Damon Gould as Noel, Bartek Kraszewski as Mischa and Jack Maverick as Ricky. The cast is completed by understudies Nathaniel Purnell and Rebecca D’Lacey.
Written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, the show follows six teenagers who are killed in a freak rollercoaster accident. Trapped in limbo, they are offered one more chance at life , so one by one they must convince an enigmatic figure that they are the one most deserving of a second chance.
Ride the Cyclone premiered at Atomic Vaudeville in British Columbia in 2008 before making its American debut at Chicago’s Shakespeare Theater in 2015. It later transferred Off-Broadway to the Lucille Lortel Theatre in 2016. Since then, the show has gained a cult following with further productions in cities including Seattle, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Sydney and Buenos Aires.
Writers Richmond and Maxwell said: “We are beyond thrilled that a musical, which began in the basement of a Ukrainian church in Victoria, Canada, has finally found its way to London, England, this fall! The exceptional team assembled for this production is truly remarkable, and we can’t wait for UK audiences to experience Ride the Cyclone!”
The production will be directed and choreographed by Lizzi Gee, with musical direction by Ben McQuigg. Further creatives include: set and costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight, lighting design by Tim Deiling, video design by Nina Dunn for PixelLux, sound design by Tom Marshall and casting by Harry Blumenau. Production management is by Toby P Darvill for Production Solutions Group, with general management by Jack Maple Productions.
Previews for Ride the Cyclone will begin at Southwark Playhouse Elephant on Friday November 14 2025, ahead of its official opening night on Wednesday November 19. The run will continue until Saturday, January 10 2026.
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