The latest screen-to-stage musical sees Terry Johnson (writing and directing) take
inspiration from Stephen Frears' 2005 film
Mrs Henderson Presents, that
starred Judi Dench as a real-life, unlikely pioneer of onstage frontal nudity. With
music by George Fenton & Simon Chamberlain and lyrics by Don Black, this stage
version sees Tracie Bennett take on the role of Laura Henderson, the wealthy widow
who, more or less on a whim, decides to spend her late husband's money on the
Windmill Theatre. She gets struggling impresario Vivian Van Damm (Ian Bartholomew)
to run it for her, but "revudeville" is a flop. Mrs Henderson isn't ready to give up
just yet though, and she finds a loophole in the censorship laws that will allow her
Windmill Girls to appear nude on stage, as long as they stand still, recreating
famous artworks. Unsurprisingly, she soon finds an audience of men interested in the
rechristened "renudeville."
