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Cast announced for Jeff Wayne’s War Of The Worlds

Jason Donovan, Adam Garcia and more will star in the 40th anniversary tour.

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Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War Of The Worlds – Alive On Stage will star Jason Donovan, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Adam Garcia, Newton Faulkner, Nathan James, and Anne-Marie Wayne.

The arena tour, reaching the UK at the end of 2018, marks 40 years of Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds, based on HG Wells’ dark Victorian tale.

The War Of The Worlds 2018 Tour Trailer

Jeff Wayne will return to the podium once again to conduct the 9-piece Black Smoke Band and 36-piece ULLAbdubULLA Strings, with Liam Neeson retaining his role in 3D holography as The Journalist.

Stage and screen star Jason Donovan returns to the role of Parson Nathaniel, with Carrie Hope Fletcher playing his wife, Beth. Adam Garcia will debut as The Arilleryman, British singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner will perform The Sung Thoughts of The Journalist. Nathan James will play The Voice of Humanity, with Annie-Marie Wayne returning as Carrie, The Journalist’s Fiancee.

“I am delighted to be re-joining the cast for this very special 40th Anniversary Tour,” Jason Donovan announces. “The War of The Worlds has such enduring appeal and its fan base seems to grow and grow. With each tour, the scale, the drama and the special effects get more and more exciting, so I can’t wait to see what Jeff has planned for this spectacular celebration!”

This year, the production is set to break the fourth wall, with a huge arched bridges running through the centre of the arena. This brings the action closer to the audience for a more immersive experience.

It will once again feature the iconic three tonne, 35-foot tall Martian Fighting Machine with real flame Heat Rays. Fans can also expect a 100 foot wide Animation Wall, groundbreaking levitation effects, and many more surprises.

“In June 1978 when my original double album was released. I had no idea if it would vanish as quickly as one can say… ‘ULLAdubULLA!’,” says Jeff Wayne.

“But here we are today, celebrating its 40th Anniversary and seeing the newly re-mastered original double album sitting on top of the UK vinyl album charts.”

“And later this year I believe we’ll be performing the most exciting arena tour to date, with a most exciting cast, all of us getting ready to do battle with the Martians later this year.”

“No one would have believed…”

Jeff Wayne’s double album was originally release in 1978. It has enjoyed huge success and critical acclaim across the globe, with over 15 million records sold and spending over 330 weeks in the UK album charts (to date), plus achieving two International hit singles Forever Autumn and The Eve of The War. It has been Top 10 in 22 countries and No.1 in 11 of them.

Nearly 40 years on – and based on HG Wells’ dark Victorian tale – Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds remains a firm favourite to millions around the world and has grown into a true classic, acquiring new generations of devoted followers.

Here are those UK tour dates:

30 November 2018 – SSE Hydro Arena, Glasgow
1 December 2018 – Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
2 December 2018 – Manchester Arena, Manchester
4 December 2018 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
5 December 2018 – Echo Arena, Liverpool
7 December 2018 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
8 December 2018 – Genting Arena, Birmingham
9 – 10 December 2018 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
12 – 13 December 2018 – Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth
15 December 2018 – The O2 Arena, London (including matinee show)
16 – 17 December 2018 – Brighton Centre, Brighton

Tickets for The War Of The Worlds are on sale now through Ticketmaster.co.uk.