ABOUT THE MUSICAL

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Always is the story of one of the most famous love affairs of the twentieth century: that between Edward VIII, King of Great Britain, and Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.

Set against the glamour and turbulence of the 1930s, the musical follows their relationship from their first meeting through the constitutional crisis that changed the course of British history. When Edward is forced to choose between the Crown and the woman he loves, he makes the unprecedented decision to abdicate the throne.

Through romance, royal ceremony, political pressure and the dazzling world of international society, Always explores the extraordinary price of love and the sacrifice of a king who gave up his crown for the woman he wanted to marry.

Edward VIII abdicated the throne for love. This is their story.

 

 

CAST &CREATIVE

 

Ensemble - Philip Aiden

Thelma Furness/Ensemble - Helen Anker

Brian/Ensemble - David Arneil

Ensemble - Brodie Bass

David - Clive Carter

Ensemble - Naomi Crouch

Storrier/Ensemble - Nicholas Denney

Ensemble - Lisa Devereaux

Powers/Ensemble - Brian Ellis

The Chanteuse - Sheila Ferguson

Ensemble - Tim Godwin

Ensemble - Mari Gordon-Price

Wallis Simpson - Jan Hartley

Baldwin/Ensemble - James Horne

Lord Mountbatten - Chris Humphreys

Standby/Wallis - Mary Lincoln

Ernest Simpson - David Mcalister

Ensemble - Francesca Newitt

Ensemble - Audrey Palmer

BBC Broadcaster (Voice-Over) - Ian Richardson

Katherine/Ensemble - Rachel Stanley

Ensemble - Taffy Taylor

Ensemble - Emma Tunmore

Herman/Ensemble - Kevin Wainwright

Aunt Bessie - Shani Wallis

Allen/Ensemble - Robert Wilson

Kirsty Kober, Sophie England, Jonathan Neal, Ian Covington, Holly Tufney, Michael Fox           

 

Author - William May & Jason Sprague

Additional Book - Frank Hauser

Director - Frank Hauser & Thommie Walsh

Musical Staging - Thommie Walsh

Set Designer - Hildegard Bechtler

Costume Designer - Tom Rand

Lighting Designer -Peter Mumford

Orchestrations - John Cameron

Musical Director - Chris Walker

 

 

QUOTES

“A pleasing musical depicting the romantic tale of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who enchanted the Prince of Wales and brought about a constitutional crisis that threatened Britain's monarchy.”
— Contemporary theatre review, as reproduced by London Theatre Guide. 

“The tunes are quite good and memorable. I was humming the tunes as I was leaving the auditorium, as were others, this is usually a sign that the show has been enjoyed.”
— Darren Dalglish, London Theatre Guide. 

“I think the writers have just about got the right balance.”
— Darren Dalglish, London Theatre Guide

“This is not by any means a great musical ... but nevertheless it is competent and quite charming with some fine tunes and so makes for a pleasant evening out.”
— Darren Dalglish, London Theatre Guide. 

“A forgotten gem of the genre.”
— A later description of Always quoted in The Wallis Archive. 

“Clive Carter ... commands the audience with his captivating stage presence. He has a strong and controlled singing voice, and made the character warm and likable.”
— London Theatre Guide review. 

“Carter is very good and never falls into the obvious caricatures that so many other actors have used for Edward VIII.”
— Contemporary review. 

“Jan Hartley is an experienced performer, who tackled the songs well, and acted the emotional scenes superbly.”
— London Theatre Guide. 

“well cast”, noting that she “sings very well and looks every bit the part.”

“It’s beautifully sung” and has “a unique charm.”
— The Wallis Archive. 

“Sheila Ferguson ... made a huge impact in her cameo role as a nightclub singer in France.”

Her number “Love’s Carousel” was also singled out as:

“one of the highlights of the musical”, with “great imagery and inventiveness” in the staging. 

“The show is held together by Clive Carter as Edward ... who commands the audience with his captivating stage presence ... [and] made the character warm and likable. He had a strong Wallis to work with: Jan Hartley is an experienced performer, who tackled the songs well, and acted the emotional scenes superbly.” London Theatre