ALFRED Hitchcock, the master of spine-tingling tension and thrills, famously said: “There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.” So expect plenty of terror and nail-biting anticipation as Bath Theatre Royal stages the world premiere production of Alfred Hitchcock presents – The Musical, from Saturday 22nd March to Saturday 12th April.

Hitchcock also said: “A glimpse into the world proves that horror is nothing other than reality,” and gauge the truth of that in this show, which brings together episodes from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, one of the most popular shows in the Golden Age of Television, creating a whodunnit musical journey for a modern audience.

Directed by Tony Award-winning John Doyle, who has had a string of hit West End and Broadway shows, there is an exceptional cast led by musical theatre stars Scarlett Strallen and Sally Ann Triplett, with Nicola Hughes, Gary Milner, Mark Meadows, Alistair Brammer and Damian Humbley.

The show features interwoven stories of betrayal, blackmail and homicide from Alfred Hitchcock, the creative genius behind iconic films including Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Rear Window and The Birds.

It’s just another ordinary day in your average American city … a witness to murder … a paranoid housewife … a duplicitous jazz singer … an escaped convict … and a man literally on the edge are just a handful of the characters audiences meet in this potpourri of horror and mayhem from the Master of Suspense. Director John Doyle says: “I describe it as Alfred Hitchcock goes Into The Woods. It’s enormous fun. It’s very jazzy, very 1950s in style. It’s joyous.”

Scarlett Strallen (Mary Poppins – Broadway, London and Australia, Singin’ in the Rain – West End) plays Mary. Sally Ann Triplett (Cabaret, Chicago, Mamma Mia!, Cats – West End) is Lottie Croakem and Sadie Grimes. Nicola Hughes (Fosse, Porgy and Bess, Chicago – West End ) plays Eve. And Gary Milner (Evita – West End, Doctor Zhivago – Broadway, Kiss Me, Kate – Barbican) is Detective Novak and Roman.

Mark Meadows (The Magician’s Elephant – RSC, Quiz, Mary Poppins – West End), who hails from Somerset, plays Maloney and Waterbury with Alistair Brammer (Miss Saigon – West End and Broadway, Les Misérables, Wicked – West End) as Richard and Ray, Damian Humbley (Old Friends, The Singing Revolution, Merrily We Roll Along – West End) as Courtney, and Landi Oshinowo (Matilda – West End, Sister Act The Musical – UK tour including Bath) as Blanche and Millie’s mama.

Other cast members are Liam Tamne, Joaquin Pedro Valdes, Jade Oswald, Matthew Caputo, Ahmed Hamad, Keanna Bloomfield and Georgia Mann, Ritesh Manugula, Choolwe Laina Muntanga, Matt Pettifo and Jack Reitman.

John Doyle won his first Tony Award for Best Musical with his ground-breaking, actor-musician production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. His productions of Company and The Color Purple both won Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical. He has been artistic director of five prestigious theatres in the UK and America, including Worcester’s Swan Theatre, Cheltenham’s Everyman, Liverpool’s Everyman, York Theatre Royal, and the Classic Stage Company in New York City. John was born in Inverness and currently lives in Somerset.

The original score is by American composer Steven Lutvak (1959 – 2023), who wrote the music and co-wrote the lyrics for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, which won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The inventive book by American writer Jay Dyer (Californication) keeps the show’s tongue firmly lodged in its cheek in Hitchcock’s trademark style. The musical director is Benjamin Holder.

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) created, hosted and produced the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which started in 1955 with 30-minute episodes and ran for 10 years, featuring tales of mystery and intrigue, and stars including Bette Davis, Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Joan Fontaine, Burt Reynolds, Barbara Bel Geddes, Roger Moore and Steve McQueen.