- Rent Remixed
On
October 16 ,2007 , the production Rent Remixed opened at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End. The stage show was directed byWilliam Baker , who is best known for his work with international pop iconKylie Minogue . This production used a similar script to that of the original "Rent" but has been modernized for 2007fact | date = July 2008.The cast includes Oliver Thornton (Mark), Luke Evans (Roger), Craig Stien (Benny), Leon Lopez (Collins), Francesca Jackson (Joanne), Jay Webb (Angel),
Siobhán Donaghy (Mimi),Denise Van Outen (Maureen) and lydia Perrow. The ensemble consists of Ruth Augilera, Lewis Griffiths, C.J. Johnson, Antony Luperi, Earl Perkins, Jamie Sampson, and Philippa Stefani. However, following a throat infectionfact | date = July 2008, Van Outen was forced to cancel several performances, and the role of Maureen was played by C.J. Johnson. FromDecember 24 ,2007 , the role of Maureen will be played by former "EastEnders " actressJessie Wallace .The production, aimed at the late teenage to young adult age range, has received generally bad reviews. "The Guardian" gave it 1/5 starsfact | date = May 2008, saying "They call this 'Rent Remixed'. I'd dub it 'Rent Reduced', in that the late Jonathan Larson's reworking of La Bohème, while never a great musical, has been turned into a grisly, synthetic, pseudo pop concert with no particular roots or identity."fact | date = July 2008
Although initially booking until
April 5 ,2008 fact | date = May 2008, the production closed onFebruary 2 ,2008 fact | date = May 2008. A European tour may followfact | date = July 2008.Characters
;Mark Cohen:A struggling documentary filmmaker and the narrator of the show. He creates a final movie which details his friends' lives and journeys throughout the story. He is Maureen's ex-boyfriend, and Roger's roommate.;Roger Davis:An HIV-positive musician who is recovering from heroin addiction. His girlfriend April committed suicide after discovering she had HIV. Roger is Mark's roommate and Mimi's love interest.;Tom Collins:A gay philosophy teacher and anarchist with AIDS. Tom is a friend and former roommate of Roger, Mark, Benny, and Maureen. He is also Angel's lover.;Mimi Marquez:An HIV-positive exotic dancer and heroin junkie, who is also Roger's love interest. She used to be involved with Benny.;Angel Dumott Schunard:An upbeat and enthusiastic gay drag queen street percussionist/musician with AIDS, and Collins' lover.;Joanne Jefferson:A Harvard-educated lawyer, and Maureen's lesbian lover.;Maureen Johnson:A bisexual performance artist, currently Joanne's girlfriend and Mark's ex-girlfriend.;Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III:Landlord of Mark, Roger and Mimi's apartment building. He is an ex-roommate of Mark, Collins, Roger, and Maureen. Now married to Alison Grey of the Westport Greys and thus considered a yuppie sell-out.
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