TWO of the most recognisable faces from ITV’s Coronation Street are set to join the cast in a new production of the family favourite musical Doctor Dolittle playing Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 12 – Sat 23 Feb 2019.

Brian Capron, who played evil villain Richard Hillman in the long-running soap, will play Albert Blossom/Straight Arrow and former co-star Vicky Entwistle, best known for her role as Janice Battersby, will play Polynesia, Mollie Emma Fairfax and Patrick Matthew Mugg. They – along with Mollie Melia-Redgrave and Patrick Sullivan – will join the previously announced Mark Williams, who plays Doctor Dolittle.

This new production of Doctor Dolittle, with book, music and lyrics by double Academy Award-winner Leslie Bricusse, will be part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the original film starring Rex Harrison and will feature the same songs, including the Academy Award-winning Talk To The Animals. Featuring stunning visual puppetry, this new production, with the book reworked by Leslie Bricusse, will be directed by Christopher Renshaw.

Also in the cast will be Femi Akinfolarin. Erica Jayne Alden, Lydia Bannister, Joel Bayliss, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Jane Cranshaw, Emily Essery, Jacob Fisher, George Hankers, Catherine Hannay, Evan James, Leon Kay, Emma Lloyd, Ross Meagrow, Owen McHugh, Tom Norman, Emily Ann Potter, Ellie Seaton and Richard Vorster. The role of Tommy Stubbins will be shared by Harry Cross, Elliot Morris, Quillan O’Meara McDonald, Louis Parker, Elliott Rose and Thomas Ryan.

Mark Williams’s screen credits include The Fast Show, Father Brown, 101 Dalmatians, The Borrowers, Shakespeare in Love and seven of the Harry Potter films. His many theatre credits include Fanshen at the National Theatre, Doctor of Honour for Cheek by Jowl, Moscow Gold, Singer, A Dream of People and As You Like It for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Art in the West End, Toast at the Royal Court and Tartuffe at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Brian Capron won a clutch of awards, including a record-breaking five at The Soap Awards for his role in Coronation Street. Other well-known television roles include Mr Hopwood in Grange Hill and Ozias Harding in Where The Heart Is; he also appeared as a finalist in Celebrity Masterchef. His theatre credits include James in Harper Regan at the National Theatre, Nathan Detroit in The Donmar/West End/UK Tour of Guys and Dolls, Geoffrey in Stepping Out (MEN Award nomination for Best Actor in a touring show) and Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show in the West End/UK Tour. He can currently be seen in the Channel 5 series Celebrity 5 Go Caravanning.

Vicky Entwistle’s other television credits include Father Brown and Sandra in Ackely Bridge. Her theatre credits include East is East for Northern Stage, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Madame Thenardier in the West End production of Les Misérables and the UK tour of The Vagina Monologues.

Mollie Melia-Redgrave appeared in Drew McOnie’s production of On the Town at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and the UK & Ireland Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for Music & Lyrics. Patrick Sullivan can currently be seen as Blake in Bat Out Of Hell the Musical at the Dominion Theatre, a role he created in the original Manchester Opera House/London Coliseum production.

Eccentric Doctor Dolittle embarks on an extraordinary adventure to find the Giant Pink Sea Snail that holds the secret of life and makes the world a happier place. Helped by his human companions and an exotic menagerie of animal friends, including the Pushmi-Pullyu and trusty sidekick Polynesia the parrot, the larger-than-life Doctor Dolittle teaches us not only to talk to the animals but to listen to them as well!

Doctor Dolittle plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tue 12 – Sat 23 Feb 2019 playing evenings at 7.30pm (not Sun 17 Feb) and matinees 2pm (Thu), 2.30pm (Sat) and 1pm (Sun 17 Feb). Tickets priced from £23.00 can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).