Tony Hadley
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Former Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley will make his West End debut when he takes over the part of Billy Flynn in
Chicago from Ian Kelsey for an eight-week season from 29 January.
As the front man of Spandau Ballet, Hadley ascended through the ranks of the 1980s New Romantic music and fashion movement, going on to achieve global fame thanks to the unilateral success of his band’s “blue-eyed” soul hit “True” and other chart-toppers. After the demise of Spandau Ballet, Hadley enjoyed a respectable if markedly less commercially potent career as a solo artist, substituting a more sophisticated style for the contemporary pop/soul of his previous band. The year 2003 saw his star ascend once again when he appeared in the ITV celebrity talent contest Reborn in the U.S.A. and won it, securing the public’s favour above 1980s musical contemporaries such as Sonia and Elkie Brooks. Last year he released an album of swing classics, Passing Strangers, to positive reviews and toured it with a 17-piece big band.
In addition to Hadley,
Chicago continues to star Aoife Mulholland, who has recently stepped into the role of Roxie Hart, Annette McLaughlin as Velma Kelly, Julian Sims as Amos Hart and Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton.
Hadley will star in the show until 24 March.