World premiere of musical arrives at Birmingham Rep

Based on the Irish classic, The Playboy Of The Western World, Mustapha Matura’s hilarious reinvention, Playboy Of The West Indies, has been delighting audiences and critics alike world-wide for over 35 years.

Now in this world premiere production, the classic play has been transformed into a new musical with a toe-tapping, finger-snapping score firmly rooted in the Caribbean.

In Peggy’s rum bar in sleepy Mayaro village, a mysterious stranger stumbles in out of the darkness.

With a voice like honey he tantalises the women and unnerves the men with a terrible story.

As he weaves his magic spell on Peggy, her forthcoming nuptials to Stanley are thrown into doubt, and the village is plunged into uproar.

While the women vie for this stranger’s attention, the men plot his downfall.

Lead actor Durone Stokes, who plays Ken, said: "Ken is a mysterious character. There's not much known about him at all. He shakes the village.

"This is my first time as a lead in musical and it's wonderful, because I'm in a cast of stars - experienced actors with amazing careers.

"So it's been such a joy stepping into this role and having the support and encouragement of seasoned actors and even actors like me getting this new experience.

"It's such a wonderful environment to be a part of so it feels like a collective effort - so I've never felt like I was on my own trying to carry this thing, it's always felt like a real collective effort."

The South London actor has also been enjoying the second city. He said:"Birmingham is amazing! The moment I stepped into Birmingham I felt this awe and wonder, I'm not kidding.

"I was so surprised to come up here and see you've got access to almost everything but also have this village feeling. It's wonderful."

Durone's credits include A Taste Of Honey at Trafalgar Studios and on a National Theatre Tour; Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre, and Grand Hotel at the Southwark Playhouse.

However, his dream role is the romantic lead, Fiyero, in Wicked.

Durone said: "I'm a dreamer. I would love to play Fiyero. I'm a romantic so being able to do that romance nightly, I would just live for that.

"But also his songs and the way he's dancing through life - that really resonates with me. I really like to live that way, with dance, with joy, through the rains and storms of life."

Playboy Of The West Indies is at Birmingham Rep until Saturday July 2.

To book tickets, go to the Birmingham Rep website.