Denise Van Outen stars in Some Girl I Used To Know

Arts Theatre, London

22 August - 13 September 2023

Book Now

Box office
(Monday to Saturday 10am until 6pm)



Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7JB
How to find us



Stephanie Canworth has it all. She's beautiful, has a successful career, a supportive husband and she's a media darling; life is great. But it takes just one Facebook poke from a blast-from-the-past and all the old memories start flooding back - candy floss, kisses, first loves and broken hearts - and with the old memories come the old temptations.

Some Girl I Used to Know is a touching and hilarious brand new one woman musical play featuring a mix tape of songs from the 80s and 90s including Culture Club and Soft Cell. This romantic comedy stars and is co-written by Denise Van Outen, the musical theatre favourite acclaimed for her Broadway and West End roles including Tell Me on a Sunday, Chicago, Legally Blonde and also her appearance on last year's Strictly Come Dancing.

Prepare to laugh and cry as Some Girl I Used to Know takes you on a journey back to a time when hair was big, Stephanie and her friends partied hard and hopes were high. So book your tickets today for this intimate, funny and warm story about life and love, where we're all still young at heart.

Suitable for ages 14+

Reviews


  • "Her performance is incredibly powerful... a standing ovation on its first night... worth checking out for Denise's great singing alone"

    The Sun

    "It is Van Outen's inserted cover versions of torch songs by Soft Cell, Culture Club and others that really shine out, delivered with soft, mellifluous breathiness but gaining reverberative strength"

    The Times

    "It is certainly the stuff of successful chick lit"

    "a jukebox of torch songs for her polished voice"

    "a generous spicing of earthy humour"

    "nostalgically watchable and there are some very good fanny gags"

    "Van Outen is both likeable and sexy"

    "her fans, some actually weeping, leapt to their feet to deliver her a standing ovation"

    The Independent
  • "Van Outen is a fabulous singer"

    "Stephanie is a character with whom women will find most affinity through her love, pain and the whole damn thing"

    "the emotional impact is there in the wellchosen songs"

    Northern Echo

    "has the audience on their feet... belting out a selection of eighties classics"

    "classic Van Outen, cracking a series of cheeky gags as she talk to an audience"

    "genuine laugh out loud"

    "if you want a fun night out in the company of a total professional who really knows how to work a crowd, then this show hits that mark dead centre"

    Leeds List

    "Van Outen can unquestionably act and certainly sing"

    The Guardian

    "the songs show off Van Outen's West End and Broadway performing talents to the best"

    York Press
  • "fun and engaging... well-conceived and expertly executed"

    Entertainment Focus

    "Michael Howcroft's slick production"

    "an unsentimental portrait of a strong woman teetering between a lost past and a messy present, balanced and bolstered by a strong list of power ballads"

    "Steve Anderson's gorgeous remixes of 1980s and 1990s hits by the likes of Culture Club, Thompson Twins and Soft Cell"

    "Looking fit and fabulous"

    "her soaring vocals and superbly delivered lyrics provide the beating heart to this girl's story"

    The Stage

    "brilliant"

    "incredibly funny"

    "I loved it!"

    Hello
 
 

People


Denise Van Outen

DENISE VAN OUTEN Co-writer / Stephanie Canworth

Denise Van Outen

Denise Van Outen has a hugely succesful stage and screen career.

Stage credits include Paulette in LEGALLY BLONDE (Savoy Theatre, West End); Maureen in RENT (Duke of York's Theatre, West End); Jackie Clunes' BLONDES (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Andrew Lloyd Webber & Don Black's one woman show TELL ME ON A SUNDAY (Gielgud Theatre, West End); Roxie Hart in CHICAGO (Adelphi Theatre, West End & Shubert Theatre, Broadway); special guest appearance in THE PLAY WHAT I WROTE (Wyndham's Theatre, West End); STOP THE WORLD I WANT TO GET OFF (Lyric Theatre, West End); A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (RSC) and LES MISERABLES (Palace Theatre, West End).

Television includes Mary in HOTEL BABYLON; Michaela in THE EMPRESS' NEW CLOTHES; Leigh Jackson in 2 series of BABES IN THE WOOD; Kim Blakeney in 2 series of WHERE THE HEART IS; MURDER IN MIND and THE BILL.

Film credits include Ray Cooney's RUN FOR YOUR WIFE, ARE YOU READY FOR LOVE (RFL Films); MANILLA ENVELOPES (Cactus Films); LOVE, HONOUR AND OBEY (Fugitive Films) and TUBE TALES (Sky Premiere).

Presenting includes DAYBREAK (ITV); DENISE'S AND FEARNE'S BIG ADVENTURE (ITV2); THE 5 O'CLOCK SHOW (Channel 4); HAIRSPRAY SCHOOL MUSICAL (Sky 1); FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY (ITV); WHO DARES SINGS (ITV); judging roles on Andrew Lloyd Webber's ANY DREAM WILL DO and I'D DO ANYTHING (BBC); GREASE: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT (NBC America); THE WORLD'S GREATEST POPSTAR (Channel 4); RECORD OF THE YEAR (ITV); THE RACE (Sky 1); THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT (Channel 4); PASSPORT TO PARADISE (BBC); THIS MORNING (ITV); SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND (Channel 4); ABBAMANIA (ITV) and THE BIG BREAKFAST (Channel 4). Denise currently voices the multi award winning reality series THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX (ITV2).

Radio includes Capital Radio Breakfast Show (Capital FM). Denise can currently be heard on Saturday afternoon's on Magic FM.

In 2012, Denise made it all the way to the final of BBC1's hugely popular STRICTLY COME DANCING.

Recently, Denise has appeared on THE CELEBRITY CHASE (ITV), as a guest judge on YOUR FACE SOUNDS FAMILIAR (ITV), GADGET MAN (Channel 4), THROUGH THE KEYHOLE (ITV) and authors UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS CELEBRITY FROCK UPS (ITV).


Terry Ronald

TERRY RONALD Writer

Terry is a novelist, writer, songwriter and music producer whose debut novel, Becoming Nancy, was published by Transworld in 2011 and subsequently shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize.

His previous work includes:

As a recording artist, top ten single around Europe, CALM THE RAGE, and an album, ROMA.

As a songwriter and producer he has scored hit singles for Dannii Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Kim Wilde, and S-Club Juniors. Other production credits include Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Girls Aloud. He wrote produced musical numbers and original songs for stars such as Elaine Paige , Meera Syal and Olivia Coleman for the BBC TV show BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.

As a vocal arranger THE BRITS ,EUROVISON, and with St Etienne, The Wanted, Westlife, The Saturdays and Cheryl Cole, but most notably with Girls Aloud.

He appeared as a guest judge alongside Dannii Minogue on the judges' homes section of The X Factor. He was the vocal arranger on the 2007 West End revival of Jonathan Larson's RENT, starring Denise Van Outen, and along with William Baker, Polly Rae and Steve Anderson he created THE HURLY BURLY SHOW, which has now enjoyed three West End runs. In 2012 Terry took on the roles of both writer and vocal arranger on ORCHID, a musical, burlesque, circus extravaganza that played for four months in the design district of South Miami.

SOME GIRL I USED TO KNOW is his first play.

Michael Vivian

Michael Vivian Director

Michael Vivian

Michael is an actor, director and writer.

Recent credits include playing the role of Senator William Alden Smith in 41N 50W and directing the musicals Side Show and Grease. He was the performance coach for the St. Symphorien WW1 CommemoraEon, broadcast live on BBC TV in August 2014.

Writing credits include Soul Train, for which Michael was nominated for an Olivier Award, Club Tropicana, which was presented in a workshop performance at The Menier Chocolate Factory, and The Lorenzo Diamond Train Caper. His recently formed producEon company supports writers to develop new scripts and musical theatre to workshop presentation level.

Directing Credits include Assassins, Annie Get Your Gun, A Little Night Music, They're Playing Our Song, The Drowsy Chaperone, Baby, Into The Woods, When Midnight Strikes, Me & My Girl, The Provok'd Wife, The Beau Defeated, The Women, The Bright & The Bold Design, The Confederacy, A Trip To Scarborough, A Slice of Saturday Night, My Favourite Year, Lucky Stiff, Nicholas Nickleby, Peggy Sue Got Married, The Hot Mikado, The Wiz, The Comedy Of Errors, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Bouncers, Shakers.

Michael has written and directed many pantomimes, most notably for QDOS.

Acting credits include
TV: Eastenders, Doctors, Casualty, Inspector Linley, Extras, Heatwave, Mile High, Casualty, Up Yer News, A Sense Of Guilt

Stage roles include: Trebonius/Strato Julius Caesar, Brackenbury/Rivers - Richard III, Algernon - The Importance Of Being Earnest, Angus/Roy - Neville's Island, Richie - Having A Ball, Rob - Outside Edge, Trench - Widower's Houses, Mikey - Bouncers, The Historical Event - How I Got That Story, Mike - Wait Until Dark, Sammy - Blood Brothers

Michael was a member of the highly acclaimed Hurricane Club Impro Team, playing for 8 years in the West End, featuring regular guest artists such as Eddie Izzard, Jo Brand, Harry Hill and, on one very memorable occasion, Robin Williams.

Steve Anderson

STEVE ANDERSON Musical Supervisor and Arranger

Steve Anderson is best known for his work with Kylie Minogue having been her Musical Director for over 15 years working on every tour and appearance including SHOWGIRL, APHRODITE - LES FOLIES and THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE He has also worked as Musical Director for Leona Lewis , Little Mix, Westlife and the fabulous burlesque extravaganza THE HURLY BURLY SHOW in the West End.

He has produced, written and remixed songs for Kylie, Take That, Delta Goodrem, Britney Spears, Westlife, The Pet Shop Boys, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney and most recently produced Susan Boyle's forthcoming HOME FOR CHRISTMAS album and Kylie's ABBEY ROAD SESSIONS album.

As Musical Director for Kylie Minogue, THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE CONCERT ,BBC PROMS IN THE PARK 2012, APHRODITE - LES FOLIES TOUR, SHOWGIRL, SHOWGIRL HOMECOMING, X, INTIMATE AND LIVE, ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS TOUR, SYDNEY OLYMPICS, KYLIEFEVER TOUR,KYLIE NORTH AMERICA, THE KYLIE SHOW,AN AUDIENCE WITH KYLIE.

As Musical Director, GLASSHEART TOUR, (Leona Lewis) , FACE TO FACE TOUR/WHERE WE ARE TOUR//PROMS IN THE PARK (Westlife) THE,HURLY BURLY NAUGHTY BUT NICE (The Duchess Theatre) ,THE HURLY BURLY SHOW (Garrick Theatre) RENT (2007 London Production).

As Producer, HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (Susan Boyle), THE ABBEY ROAD SESSIONS (Kylie Minogue), PRISMOPHONIC (Christophe Willem), ROAD TO GLORY/GAME ON (London 2012 Olympics), NEVER FORGET - (Take That), CONFIDE IN ME - (Kylie Minogue).

www.steveandersonproductions.com ›

Morgan Large

MORGAN LARGE Production Designer

Trained at LIPA where he received a first class degree in Theatre and Performance Design, the Sennheiser Award for Theatre and Performance Design and The Philip Holt Trust Award.

Current and forthcoming work includes: STORM IN A FLOWER VASE (West End), DANCE TIL DAWN (UK Tour).

Previous work include: GOOD PEOPLE (English Theatre Frankfurt), THE MERCY SEAT, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (York Theatre Royal), THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE (UK tour), OUR NEW GIRL (Bush Theatre), LIVES IN ART (Sheffield Crucible), OTHELLO (Sheffield Crucible), CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (West End - Olivier Award for Best Revival), MACBETH (Singapore Repertory Theatre) ROOM ON THE BROOM (West End, UK tour & USA Tour 2010), JOLSON & COMPANY (UK tour), THE HOSTAGE (Southwark Playhouse), FIGHT FACE (Lyric Hammersmith Studio), DOV AND ALI (Latchmere 503), ROCK (Liverpool Unity, and tour), THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Oval House), MARLON BRANDO'S CORSET (Yvonne Arnaud & UK tour). Additionally, Morgan has designed the LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARDS since 2006. Musicals include: THE LAST HORSEMAN (Madrid), SOHO CINDERS (Soho Theatre), MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (Theatr Clywd), I DREAMED A DREAM (Newcastle Theatre Royal and UK tour), FLASHDANCE (West End), FOOTLOOSE (West End, UK tours, South Africa), FAME (West End, UK tour), BY JEEVES (Landor Theatre), TICK, TICK...BOOM! and THE LAST FIVE YEARS (West End), NEVER FORGET (UK tour), FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Menier Chocolate Factory), MARIA FRIEDMAN: REARRANGED (Menier Chocolate Factory/West End), THREE SIDES (45th St. Theatre, NY), ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (Jermyn Street) MIDNIGHT TANGO (West End & UK Tour), PLANET WONDERFUL (Royal Danish Ballet, Copenhagen) and DON GIOVANNI (Opera East).

Morgan has worked as an Associate Designer for Christopher Oram and as an Assistant Designer to John Napier.

David Gregory

DAVID GREGORY Sound Designer & Sound Engineer

David trained at the Central School of Speech & Drama.

Upcoming Sound designs: Eldorado (Arcola), Live/Revive/Lament (Aldeburgh Festival), Our Friend The Enemy (UK Tour), Pocket Henry (UK Tour & Mexico (Propeller Theatre Company).

As a Sound Designer his most recent sound design credits include: 24 Hour Celebrity Plays (Old Vic), Ebay Pantomine (Players Theatre, Charring Cross), Lamnet Opera (Tete a Tete Festival and Arcola) Pocket Merchant of Venice (Propeller Theatre Company, Soap Opera, (Open Court The Royal Court Theatre). Comedy of Errors and Midsummer Nights Dream (Propeller Theatre Company World tour 2013-2014), Alexandria (The Yard Hackney), Whisky and Coffee (Oval House, New Writing Festival) Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night (Propeller Theatre Company) World Tour 2012-2013, Pocket Henry 2012 (Propeller Theatre Company) UK & Europe Tour 2012, Henna Night (Good Egg Theatre Company, Pleasance), 24 Hour Plays New Voices and Celebrity (Old Vic Theatre Company 2011), Theatre Henry V and Winter's Tale (Propeller Theatre Company) World Tour 2011 - 2012, Comedy Of Errors and Richard III (Propeller Theatre Company) World Tour 2010 - 2011, 24 Hour Plays New Voices and Celebrity (Old Vic Theatre Company 2010), Ordinary Lads (ETC Theatre), which was also nominated for Off West End Sound Design of the Year 2010, Sudden Loss of Dignity (Bush Theatre, Lattitude Festival & UK Tour), S-27 (Finborough Theatre) Time Out - Critics Choice, Waiting for Romeo (Pleasance, London & Edinburgh), Strippers and Gentlemen (ICA), The Zoo (Finborough Theatre) and An Artist and a Mariner (Minack Theatre).

As a Sound Engineer, David's most recent credits include: Ghost Stories (Arts Theatre), A Dolls House (Duke Of York's Theatre), Judas Kiss (Gaiety, Dublin and Duke of York's London) for The Old Vic, London: A Playboy of The Western World, Richard III, Cause Celebre, A Flea In Her ear, Design For Living, Prisoner on Second Avenue, The Bridge Project (The Old Vic / Teatro Español Avilles), The Real Thing, Six Degrees of Separation, Inherit the Wind, The Bridge Project (The Old Vic / Greece Epidaurus) Dancing at Lughnasa, Complicit, The Norman Conquests, Speed the Plow and Gaslight. Comedy of Errors & Richard III Propeller Theatre Company World Tour 2010 -2011, Bird Song (The Comedy Theatre), Ditch (Old Vic Tunnels), Pressure Drop (Wellcome Centre), Ghosts (Duchess Theatre), Endgame (The Duchess Theatre, London), Dreams of Violence (UK Tour), Haunted (The Arts Theatre), Contains Violence (Lyric Hammersmith), Rough Crossings (UK Tour), The Container (London & Edinburgh). David also worked as a Production Engineer and Apprentice for CueOne from 2006 to 2009, building, installing and maintaining sound systems for theatre productions both in the West End and in UK regional and touring venues.

Joshua Carr

JOSHUA CARR Lighting Designer

Joshua Carr Trained at RADA in Lighting design and stage electrics.

Current & Forthcoming work includes: AS YOU LIKE IT (Luxembourg & UK Tour), THE LOVE GIRL AND THE INNOCENT (Southwark Playhouse), UNSCORCHED (Finborough Theatre), LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT: BLACK (Homotopia Festival, Liverpool & tour) AMYGDALA (The Print Room), ALL MY SONS (Watermill Theatre).

His recent credits include:

JEKYLL & HYDE (Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh & Southwark Playhouse), YELLOW FACE (Park Theatre); HOUSE OF CARDS at Kensington Palace (Coney); THE MISER (Watermill Theatre); PRESIDENT AND THE PAKISTANI (Waterloo East); MANSFIELD PARK (& UK Tour), STAGE FRIGHT (Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds); ONE HOUR ONLY (Old Vic New Voices); MUDLARKS (High Tide Festival); PORT AUTHORITY (Southwark Playhouse); DICK WHITTINGTON (Stafford Gatehouse); HIS TEETH (Only Connect); LOVE OF A NIGHTINGALE, THREEPENNY OPERA, ANTIGONE, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (fourth Monkey); THE SONG OF DEBORAH (The Lowry) THE SHAPE OF THINGS (Soho Gallery); CINDERELLA (Young Actors Theatre) BREATHING CORPSES (Curving Road/Theatre Delicatessen); BILLY ELLIOT (Young Actors Theatre); THE NORTHERNERS (Finborough).

As Associate Lighting Designer: ROUNDABOUT SEASON: ONE DAY WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, LUNGS, THE SOUND OF HEAVY RAIN (Paines Plough & Sheffield Theatres), THE MADDENING RAIN (Brits off Broadway).

As Assistant Lighting Designer: PORTOBELLO (Edinburgh) PLAYING THE GAMES (Criterion), XERXES (Royal Northern College of Music), ROSE (Pleasance), LAKE BOAT & PRARIE DU CHIEN (Arcola), LIDLESS (Trafalgar Studios), DITCH (The Old Vic Tunnels).

www.joshua-carr.co.uk ›

Simon Gooding

SIMON GOODING Production Manager

Simon Gooding is one of the UK's most prolific production managers, with a career spanning over 30 years. His technical knowledge and appreciate of nearly all UK theatres is immense, and he enjoys the challenges putting together each new show brings (despite what he says during the fit-up). He is delighted to be involved with SOME GIRL I USED TO KNOW.

Previous work includes HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (in the UK and Spain), the world premiers of NEVER FORGET (UK Tour and West End) and FLASHDANCE (UK Tour and West End), The Wedding Singer, WEST SIDE STORY, the award-winning STONES IN HIS POCKETS, SHOUT!, the award-nominated FOOTLOOSE in South Africa, a new production of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, JUS' LIKE THAT, GREASE (West End, International Tour and the UK tour), SPAMALOT, FOOTLOOSE (UK Tour), MIDNIGHT TANGO (Premier and UK tour), the UK tour of LEGALLY BLONDE, the new UK tour of SPAMALOT, the new UK tour of MIDNIGHT TANGO, the world premier of VAMPIRETTE which he also designed, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, Dandy Dick, THE MOUSETRAP, BLUE ORANGE, 9 TO 5, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, CATS, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, the final UK tour of MIDNIGHT TANGO, GREASE in Brisbane Australia and most recently WEST SIDE STORY.

Runaway Entertainment

RUNAWAY ENTERTAINMENT

Formed by Olivier award winner Tristan Baker and Emmy award winner Charlie Parsons, Runaway Entertainment is at the forefront of theatrical development, general management and production in the UK.

Theatre credits include:

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN, FOOTLOOSE, NEVER FORGET, BAD GIRLS, KISS ME KATE, LOVE SHACK and CALAMITY JANE.

Television credits include:

THE WORD, THE BIG BREAKFAST and SURVIVOR.