Only Heaven Knows Lead Actor Announced

Following the announcement of a new 30th anniversary production of Alex Harding’s Australian musical Only Heaven Knows at Hayes Theatre Co later this year, Luckiest Productions have revealed their leading actor and hero images.

WAAPA graduate Ben Hall, fresh from playing series regular Ned Willis on Neighbours and touring the country in Les Misérables, will play the leading role of Tim, joining a cast including Matthew Backer (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Blazey Best (Miracle City) and Hayden Tee (Les Misérables).

Only Heaven Knows is set in the 1940s and 1950s, telling the story of one young man’s discovery of love and life in Sydney. Tim, a teenage playwright, leaves an unsupportive family in Melbourne and arrives amidst the bohemian by-way of Kings Cross in the summer of 1944 where women and gay men are enjoying unparalleled freedoms after five years of war. Tim soon finds love and a new family in Cliff his ocker lover, Guinea the tough but big-hearted nightclub singer, the flamboyant but sensitive Alan, and proud and fabulous Lana, a poor man’s Robert Helpmann. The Sydney bacchanal soon fades however as the cold winds of intolerance brings in the Menzies era and Tim and his friends must learn to survive hostility in a time before a visible gay community existed.

This production will be a welcome return of the piece to Sydney stages. There have been various productions over the last 30 years, most notably the sell-out season at the Stables, which transferred to the Sydney Opera House in 1995, starring David Campbell as Tim. David’s company Luckiest Productions is behind this new production.

Shaun Rennie returns to Hayes Theatre Co to direct Only Heaven Knows after his highly successful seasons of Rent and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Daniel Edmonds will be the Musical Supervisor, swapping the massive musical for the intimate having recently been Musical Director on such extravaganzas as Strictly Ballroom, King Kong and Dream Lover. Tony and Helpmann Award-winning scenic designer Brian Thomson (The King and I, The Boy From Oz, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert the Musical) has joined the creative team as Set Designer. 

ONLY HEAVEN KNOWS

Presented by Luckiest Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co

Written and Composed by Alex Harding

Directed by Shaun Rennie

Musical Supervision by Daniel Edmonds

Set Design by Brian Thomson

With Matthew Backer, Blazey Best, Ben Hall and Hayden Tee

Venue: Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point

Season: 26 May – 1 July 2017

Times: Mon 6:30pm*

Tue-Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2pm & 7:30pm

*No performance Mon 12 June

*Extra matinee Wed 14 June at 2pm

Price: $68 previews and Mon-Thu, $74 Sat matinee, $78 Fri & Sat nights

Bookings:   hayestheatre.com.au | (02) 8065 7337