ADAMA Entertainment has announced that EastEnders star Max Bowden, WhatsOnStage Award nominee Paul Jacob French and Tori Allen-Martin will star as Rico ‘Ratzo’ Rizzo, Joe Buck and Cass, respectively, in the world premiere of MIDNIGHT COWBOY – A NEW MUSICAL which will open at Southwark Playhouse Elephant on 4 April 2025.
Joe Buck is a young man desperate to escape his dead-end past. Leaving everything behind to seek wealth and glory in the big city, he meets a man just as lost as he is – Rico ‘Ratso’ Rizzo. The pair join forces, prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams, even if it means surrendering a part of themselves. But New York ain’t no dream – it’s a jungle, and survival requires sacrifice…
This powerful new musical adaptation from Bryony Lavery (writer of the Tony-nominated play Frozen) breathes new life into the classic story, exploring the depths of friendship and ambition, with a soundtrack by three-time Ivor Novello Award-winning composer Francis “Eg” White, who has written songs for Adele, Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine and James Morrison.
Exclusive Music Video for new track Don’t Give Up On Me Now.
Performed by Max Bowden & Paul Jacob French with music and lyrics by Francis ‘Eg’ White and arrangements & orchestrations by Charlie Ingles.
Max Bowden is best known for playing Ben Mitchell in the BBC 1 soap EastEnders. Before this, he had a leading role in Waterloo Road (BBC 1) and starred in the 2015 UK tour and 2020 online production of Original Theatre Company’s Birdsong. He returned to the production as Jack Firebrace in the 2024 UK tour.
Paul Jacob French was nominated for Best Performer in a Musical at the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards for portraying Kenickie in the West End production of Grease (Dominion Theatre). He has most recently starred in An Officer and a Gentleman (UK & Ireland tour), Annie! (UK tour) and The Wizard of Oz (Curve Theatre).
Tori Allen-Martin is a regular in BBC 1 comedy Here We Go. She was previously seen as a leading regular in 4 series of BBC’s London Kills and as a regular on Channel 4’s Pure. Her other television credits include; Mrs Sidhu Investigates (Acorn); Significant Other (Hatrick); Plebs: The War (the finale) (Rise films); The Other Half (Ranga Bee Productions), Flatshare (42 for Paramount+); Back To Life (Two Brothers Pictures); and Pandemonium (BBC).
Her stage credits include I Wish You Well (Criterion and Edinburgh Fringe), Samuel Takes A Break (The Yard Theatre), Then, Now and Next (Southwark Playhouse), Park Bench (Park Theatre), One Man, Two Guvnors (New Wolsey, Ipswich/Nuffield Southampton), The Season (Glass Half Full Productions and Tim Johanson), The Hardest One (The Other Palace/ Criterion) and Hair the Musical (European tour).
Also starring in MIDNIGHT COWBOY – A NEW MUSICAL will be Elena Breschi (Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World, UK Tour & The Other Palace) as Delores, Joanne Henry (West Side Story, West End & UK tour) as Grandma Sally, Nick Len (Wicked UK Tour; West End) as Swing, Hollie-Ann Lowe (Burlesque The Musical, Manchester Opera House) as Swing, Dean Makowski-Clayton (Little Fiend, Phoenix Arts Club) as Student, Christian Maynard (& Juliet, West End) as Tombaby, Phoebe Roberts (Grease, UK tour) as Chalkline Annie, Tim Rogers (An Officer and a Gentleman, UK & Ireland tour) as Woodsy Niles, Rohan Tickell (Rock of Ages, West End) as Mr O’Daniel, Matthew White (The Mousetrap, West End) as Towny.
The new musical is based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy, which inspired the beloved triple Academy Award-winning 1969 film starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. Midnight Cowboy captures the gripping tension of dreaming big while trying to survive New York City’s grind.
Follow Us