Sorry, Bend it Like Beckham closed on 05 Mar 2016

About the show

It had long been rumoured that the West End would be seeing a musical version of hit 2002 film Bend it Like Beckham. Now the long awaited musical has arrived at London's Phoenix Theatre. The musical is directed by the film’s director Gurinder Chadha and features music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by Charles Hart. The book of the musical has been written by Chadha along with her husband Paul Mayeda Berges. Bend It Like Beckham the film was a British comedy drama that launched the careers of its stars Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley and received favourable reviews from the critics. The film takes its name from footballer David Beckham’s ability to curve the ball past defenders and score during free kicks. The film’s story follows Jessminder Bhamra the 18 year old daughter of a Punjabi Sikh family. Jess is obsessed with football and her hero David Beckham but is forbidden to play by her parents because she is a girl. She is spotted playing football in the park by Jules a member of a local women’s team and subsequently joins the team, unbeknown to her parents. Jess and Jules become best friends but their friendship is tested when they both fall for their football coach Joe. Meanwhile Jess’s parents mistakenly assume that Jess and Jules are in a relationship and ban her from continuing with the team. With tensions high in the run up to her  sister's traditional Indian wedding and a prestigious scholarship up for grabs Jess must convince her family to allow her to stay in the team. Alongside Bend It Like Beckham Gurinder Chadha's film directing credits include What’s Cooking, Bride and Prejudice, Angus,Thongs and Perfect Snogging and most recently It's a Wonderful Afterlife Emmy, Brit and BAFTA award-winner Howard Goodall is responsible for the theme tunes to TV sit-coms Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley and Red Dwarf as well as musicals Love Story and The Hired Man. Two times Ivor Novello winner Charles Hart famously wrote the lyrics for The Phantom of the Opera and Aspects of Love.  The show will feature choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins and set design by Miriam Buether. It has been announced that Natalie Dew will play Jess who has recently been seen in Teh Internet is a Serious Business (Royal Court). Lauren Samuels who plays Jules was a finalist in the 2010 BBC talent search Over the Rainbow she has since gone on to star in We Will Rock You and Grease. Film actor Jamie Campbell Bower makes his West End debut as Joe. Campbell Bower has appeared in Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Twilight Saga movies. They will be joined by Sophie-Louise Dann as Paula, Jules' mum. Dann has recently been seen starring as Barbra Castle in Made in Dagenham the Musical. Bend It Like Beckham is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions and began previews at The Phoenix Theatre on the 15th of May 2015.