1st Stop for JADE EWEN and THE SUGABABES News,Photos,Videos, Information and Events Diary.Also Jade Ewen's Favourite blog and is the difinitive record of her music and career.
There were plenty of Hot Legs sailing into the Palace Theatre for the launch of Rod Stewart musical Tonight’s the Night
Carolynne Poole and Roxanne Pallett
And it certainly seems the Scottish rocker’s appeal spreads far and wide.
Comedy star Matt Lucas was among the famous faces to head to catch the show and met up with cast afterwards.
Little Britain favourite Matt, whose flatmate Craig Mather stars in the show, said: “It’s always nice to be back in Manchester and I really enjoyed seeing this talented cast perform such great songs.”
Meanwhile, actress Roxanne Pallett and former X Factor singer Carolynne Poole flashed their Hot Legs in tribute to Rod on the red carpet.
Roxanne laughed: “We’re northern so we’re not going to let the weather get in the way of glamour.”
Both lucky ladies have met Rod before, although Roxanne, wearing hot pink, admits it was a bit, ahem, hairy.She said: “Rod’s wife Penny asked me to take part in a charity shoot with my dog but I don’t have one! So I borrowed a dog but ended up chasing it around Rod Stewart’s garden. I don’t know what he must have thought!”
The musical was penned by comedian Ben Elton who also headed to the premiere last night.
Ben said he was ‘delighted’ the show has been revived.
He said: “I knew there was life in it and it’s pretty wonderful that it’s launching at the Palace, as I studied just down the road from here at Manchester University .”
But he confides the director refused to let him add a modern joke into the script.He laughed: “I was banned from using the word twerking would you believe?”
The show plays here until Saturday.
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Bright and breezy! Roxanne Pallett stands out in vibrant fuchsia dress as she attends press night for Rod Stewart musical
PUBLISHED: 01:00, 22 January 2014 | UPDATED: 09:09, 22 January 2014
She recently opened up about the terrifying cancer battle that almost resulted in her losing a breast, but Roxanne Pallett appeared to have put her recent troubles behind her on Tuesday during her latest public appearance in Manchester.
The former Emmerdale star stood out in a vibrant fuchsia dress for an evening out at the press night for Rod Stewart musical Tonight’s The Night at Manchester Palace.
Roxanne matched her breezy outfit with a black leather jacket and matching shoes after arriving at the theatre, which will play host to the touring show for five consecutive days before it moves on to Liverpool.
Stepping out: Roxanne Pallett makes an appearance at the press night for Rod Stewart musical Tonight's The Night in Manchester on Tuesday evening
The actress continued a balanced theme by opting for a single neutral accessory in the form of a black, embellished leather handbag.
With her long hair carefully fringed, the 31-year-old was in high spirits as she paused for photographers before making her way inside, where a host of guests had gathered for the celebratory show feauring 25 of Rod’s biggest hits – amongst them Hot Legs, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy and Maggie May.
Earlier this month Roxanne revealed how she was rushed to hospital for an emergency operation in December after discovering a 'small discoloured mark' near her left nipple.
Looking good: The former Emmerdale star opted for a fuchsia coloured dress, black leather jacket and matching shoes for her evening out on Tuesday
She's got the X Factor: Roxanne shares a photo opportunity with former X Factor contestant Carolynne Poole
After being referred to a skin specialist and being told the mark was in fact a potentially cancerous growth, Roxanne was forced to go under the knife to have it removed - before then facing a four-week wait over the festive period to discover whether or not the doctors managed to remove the whole thing.
And, if she hadn't raised her concerns about the mark during a routine health check, she could have potentially lost her left breast if she had left the cancer to grow for just one more week.
Roxanne told the Sun On Sunday: 'If they hadn't caught it in time, the cancer would have spread and I would have needed further surgery and chemotherapy immediately.'
Pals: The pair enjoy a giggle during their night out in Manchester
Following the operation, which saw surgeons have to 'dig down' in order to confirm the very rare form of cancer that she was suffering from hadn't spread to Roxanne's lymph nodes, the actress has been left with a one-inch long scar on her breast.
She said of the procedure: 'I woke up feeling like a forklift truck had dropped a ton of bricks on my chest.'
But Roxanne said she was determined not to let the lasting reminder of the terrifying cancer battle affect her femininity, instead describing it as her 'badge of honour'. She added: 'You actually feel more feminine - because you feel more powerful as your body has won.'
Here she comes: Roxanne arrives at the venue ahead of the musical's press night on Tuesday evening
Jade Ewen stars in Tonight's The Night at the Liverpool Empire.
TONIGHT'S The Night, the smash hit musical comedy inspired by the songs of Rod Stewart, comes to the Liverpool Empire from January 27-February 1 starring Sugababes’ Jade Ewen.
The all-singing, all-dancing feel-good show premiered in the West End in 2003 and went on to play sold-out theatres across the UK.
With a book by multi award-winning writer and comedian Ben Elton (We Will Rock You), Tonight’s The Night features spectacular staging, a world class band, dazzling choreography and includes more than 20 classic Rod Stewart hits like Tonight’s the Night, Hot Legs, Baby Jane, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy, Maggie May, This Old Heart of Mine, I Don’t Wanna Talk About It, Ooh La La, Some Guys Have All the Luck, Forever Young, Sailing and many more.
Rod Stewart is a two time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, a Grammy Living Legend, and in 2007 he was bestowed the prestigious CBE.
In a career spanning five decades that has seen more than 200 million worldwide record sales, Brit and Grammy Award-winning Rod is still as popular as ever with an acclaimed new chart-topping album Time, a 2013 sell-out arena tour and the bestseller Rod – The Autobiography.
Rod Stewart said: “In the past, any ideas for musicals revolving around my songs just didn’t work for me. It was only when we were approached to do Tonight’s The Night that the idea really took off. I’m absolutely thrilled that this great show is touring the UK again.”
Writer Ben Elton said: “Rod is such a totally unique artist. I initially approached him about a musical because his songs are all about storytelling and I felt that a great story could grow from them.”
Set on the mean streets of Detroit and in the glamorous clubs of uptown LA, the show tells the story of Stu, a shy young man, so tongue tied that he cannot find the courage to declare his love to the girl of his dreams.
How different he is to his hero, that legendary rock n’ roll vagabond Rod Stewart!
One night our hero strikes a deal with the Devil, trading his soul for Rod’s. It seems like a good idea at the time but he’s is about to find out the hard way that you can’t find true love using another man’s moves and that devil or no devil, there’s only one Rod Stewart!
The singer and actress Jade Ewen will play the role of Dee Dee. Jade is best known as a member of Brit girl-band Sugababes, attaining two UK top 10 singles with the group.
Jade also represented the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber penned It’s My Time, achieving fifth place, making her the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002.
On stage Jade has appeared as Young Nala in The Lion King and Curly in Whistle Down the Wind, and television credits include Casualty, The Bill, Steffi and Splash!
The show will also star Michael McKell, best known for playing Dr Nick West in Doctors, reprising his role as Stoner.
Call 0844 847 2525 or visit www.liverpoolempire.org.uk for booking details.
Katie Fitzpatrick has been won over by this toe-tapping jukebox musical
You would expect a musical featuring the songs of Rod Stewart to be a hit with his devoted fans.But theatregoers of all musical persuasions can expect to be won over by this charmer of a jukebox musical based on the Scottish rocker's rich songbook.
The songs of Stewart are woven perfectly into musical theatre style, and the arrangements for the stage are wonderful.
Rod fans were calling out for their favourite songs, literally dancing in the aisles and enthusiastically swaying along to the finale of We Are Sailing while wearing the paper sailor hat handed to them on arrival.
Toe-tapping old classics Baby Jane and Maggie May and tearjerkers such as I Don't Want To Talk About It are injected with punchy new life by a bright young cast including Sugababes singer Jade Ewen, who is almost unrecognisable in her role as the feisty, smoking, leather jacket wearing Dee Dee.
The ensemble are fantastic but Jade's voice is simply sublime, especially on The First Cut Is The Deepest, given the rapt attention it deserved from the audience.
Written by comedian Ben Elton, who also penned that other jukebox megahit We Will Rock You in tribute to Queen, the story is about a lovestruck young man called Stu who strikes a deal with the devil to trade his soul for Rod Stewart's.
This may sound ridiculous but it's all in the spirit of the jape. And the moral behind the tale is to be true to yourself.
Ben Heathcote is fabulous as the awkward mechanic who becomes a strutting rock and roll rebel in the hope of winning over his sweetheart Mary.
And he sounds uncannily like a young Rod throughout the musical, which in places feels more like a greatest hits concert.
Stacked with a line-up of statuesque dancers that would have the real-life Rod singing Hot Legs in an instant, this is a show that doesn't just wake up Maggie but the entire crowd.
Rod fans were calling out for their favourite songs, literally dancing in the aisles and enthusiastically swaying along to the finale of We Are Sailing while wearing the paper sailor hat handed to them on arrival - a nice touch.
Tonight's the Night is for anyone who enjoys great music and a night of tip-top entertainment.
The only way it could have been improved is by an appearance from hot Rod himself.
