Full cast announced for return of ‘Starter for Ten’
9 Jun 2025
- FULL CASTING REVEALED ALONGSIDE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED MEL GIEDROYC FOR THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NEW MUSICAL STARTER FOR TEN®, BASED ON THE BESTSELLING DAVID NICHOLLS NOVEL, WITH BOOK AND LYRICS BY EMMA HALL AND CHARLIE PARHAM AND MUSIC AND LYRICS BY HATTY CARMAN AND TOM RASMUSSEN.
- THE CAST INCLUDES ADAM BREGMAN AS BRIAN, ASHA PARKER-WALLACE AS REBECCA, IMOGEN CRAIG AS ALICE, WILL JENNINGS AS PATRICK, MIRACLE CHANCE AS LUCY, CHRISTIAN MAYNARD AS SPENCER, RACHEL JOHN AS DR BOWMAN AND STEPHEN ASHFIELD AS BAMBER GASCOIGNE & DAVE. IMAGE AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE FROM THE PHOTO SHOOT CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE.
- THE SHOW RETURNS TO BRISTOL OLD VIC FROM 10 SEPTEMBER – 11 OCTOBER 2025 AND THEN BIRMINGHAM REP FROM 22 OCTOBER – 1 NOVEMBER 2025. TICKETS ON SALE NOW.
Following a record-breaking run at Bristol Old Vic in March 2024, Antic Productions, Bristol Old Vic, Longshot Films and Playtone are delighted to announce full casting for the return of new musical Starter for Ten.
For those of you who were part of the first audience to see this bright and big-hearted musical, based on the David Nicholls novel, there are a few familiar faces making a welcome return alongside some newbies with quite a musical theatre pedigree..
Let's meet them!
A face that needs no introduction.
Welcome back to the brilliant Mel Giedroyc who will reprise the role of Brian’s mum, Irene Jackson, and Bamber Gascoigne’s irresistible sidekick Julia Bland.
She is well-known for her work alongside Sue Perkins in shows such as the multi Bafta-winning Great British Bake Off (BBC) and Light Lunch (Channel 4) which made them household names. Mel has appeared in sitcoms and panel shows, as well as on stage, most recently in Stephen Sondheim’s Olivier Award winning Company at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End.
Adam Bregman returns as Brian.
He's not been sitting still since originating the lead role of Brian in last year's Starter for Ten.
Most recently, he played Harold Abrahams in Rob Hastie’s Chariots of Fire at the Sheffield Crucible and starred in Sing Street at Boston’s Huntington Theatre, directed by Tony Award winner Rebecca Taichman and produced by Barbara Broccoli.
Miracle Chance (Heathers, The Other Palace) reprises the role of Lucy.
Miracle's numerous theatre credits include Brianna in Fangirls (Lyric Hammersmith), Denise in The Witches (National Theatre), Veronica Sawyer in Heathers (The Other Palace) and Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour).
Miracle is also a Singer/Songwriter and has had her music featured across BBC Radio. She can be found singing with vocal trio The Wild Tonics, often performing with the Fratellis on their UK arena tours.
Will Jennings returns as Patrick which is lucky as we couldn't imagine another person being more Patrick than him.
Will has also appeared in West End runs of Les Miserables, The Mousetrap, Avenue Q and UK and European tours with Grease, Shrek The Musical and Benidorm Live.
For all you kids out there - Will is also the voice behind Yellow, Purple and Magenta in Colourblocks (BBC), as well as multiple characters in Tim Rex in Space (Nickelodeon).
They are joined by new cast members including Stephen Ashfield as Bamber Gascoigne and Brian's dad, Dave Jackson.
Stephen's stand-out performance as Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon in the West End and on Broadway has won him an Olivier Award, and both WhatsOnStage and BroadwayWorld Awards.
For ten (long and somewhat uncomfortable!) years his posterior adorned many London buses and tube posters as Bob Gaudio in the original London cast of Jersey Boys.
Asha Parker-Wallace is taking on the role of Rebecca.
Asha is due to graduate from The Arts Educational School in 2025. She made her professional and West End debut as Nikki in Burlesque the Musical (Savoy Theatre).
Rachel John as Dr Bowman.
If you can think of a musical, chances are Rachel has been in it.
She made her West End debut in The Lion King in 2005 and since then has played roles in Sister Act, We Will Rock You, Memphis, Girl from the North Country and 'Nicki Marron' in The Bodyguard (alongside Beverley Knight) and originated the West End role of Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton for which she was nominate for both Olivier and Black British Theatre Awards.
Christian Maynard as Spencer.
Christian starred as Chris in the first original revival of Miss Saigon at Sheffield Crucible.
Further credits include Tombaby in Midnight Cowboy (Southwark Elephant); If/Then in Concert (Savoy Theatre); Kid Pop in Rehab: The Musical (Neon 194); Babies in Concert (Lyric Theatre); Kempe / 1st cover Francois in & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre); Taboo in Concert (London Palladium); Five Guys Named Moe (Upstairs at the Gatehouse).
Imogen Craig will make her professional debut as Alice.
She is due to graduate from The Arts Educational School this year!
The cast is completed by Michelle Bishop (Cabaret - Kit Kat Club; Cinderella - Gillian Lynne Theatre; City of Angels - Garrick Theatre), Luke Johnson (Starter For Ten - original cast; The Light Princess - National Theatre; Chicago - International Tour), Kwamé Kandekore (MJ The Musical; Motown The Musical - both original West End cast), and Laura Dawn Pyatt ('Boleyn' in Six - UK & International Tour).
