New British musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), will transfer to the Criterion Theatre in the West End from 4 April – 14 July 2024, following a record-breaking run at Kiln Theatre. Tickets go on sale today from midday at www.twostrangersthemusical.com.
Directed by Tim Jackson, written by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan and designed by Soutra Gilmour, the critically acclaimed production has enchanted audiences during its extended 10-week sold-out run at Kiln which will finish on Saturday 20 January 2024. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) will mark Jackson, Barne and Buchan’s West End debuts. Barne and Buchan won The Stage Debut Award and the Stiles & Drewe prize for new musical theatre for an earlier version of the musical titled The Season, co-produced by Royal & Derngate, Northampton and the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich.
Having clocked up more than a million views on TikTok and 100k views on YouTube for three of the songs that feature in the show, ‘New York’, ‘If I Believed’ and ‘What’ll It Be’, the opening song ‘New York’ performed by Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift is now available on all streaming platforms, with further tracks to be released soon.
Sam Tutty plays Dougal. His theatre work includes the role of Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen (Noël Coward Theatre) for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical and Once on this Island (British Theatre Academy/Southwark Playhouse). For film, his work includes Four Minute Warning and Romeo & Juliet, and for television, Hollyoaks.
Dujonna Gift plays Robin. Her theatre work includes the multi-Olivier Award-winning, smash hit musical Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), Caroline or Change (Playhouse Theatre) and Motown: The Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre). Her film work includes the upcoming Disney’s Snow White opposite Rachel Zegler.
Dougal is a naive, impossibly upbeat Brit, flying to New York for his Dad’s second wedding. The Dad he’s never known.
Waiting for him at the airport is Robin, the sister of the bride. She’s a native New Yorker, she’s late for work, and she doesn’t have time to stop and see the sights.
Instant attraction? Definitely not.
But with an extravagant wedding approaching and the city at their feet – anything could happen.
The producers said:“We’re thrilled to collaborate and present this record-breaking new British musical at the iconic Criterion Theatre. That we get to champion a stellar team including newcomers Buchan and Barne makes it all the sweeter. We’re excited to continue serving up this incredible production to new audiences and transporting them on a captivating journey across the Atlantic every night this spring.”
The full creative team includes Director and Choreographer Tim Jackson; Designer Soutra Gilmour; Lighting Designer Jack Knowles; Sound Designer Tony Gayle; Orchestration by Lux Pyramid; Casting Director Julia Horan CDG and Associate Director Claira Vaughan.