Kate dazzles on red carpet for West End revival of 42nd Street

Updated


The Duchess of Cambridge dazzled in a maroon Marchesa gown as she brought some royal glamour to the red carpet at the opening night of the musical 42nd Street in London.

Kate attended the West End revival of the Broadway hit at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in her role as Royal Patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH).

She teamed the full-skirted ankle-length dress with a jewelled belt and maroon heels and a clutch bag.

The stage show, which stars Grammy award-winning singer Sheena Easton, is helping to raise money for the charity as funds are required for a vital new purpose-built hospice in Norfolk called The Nook.

Ahead of the show she was greeted by the show's co-producer Lord Michael Grade, as well as director and author Mark Bramble and 12-year-old Ollie Duell, from Cambridge, who has used the services of EACH.

During the show Kate sat in the theatre's royal box between Lord Grade and executive producer Dr Johnny Hon and could be seen smiling broadly and clapping enthusiastically.

And after the curtain call Kate joined the cast on the stage, where she was presented with a pair of gold tap shoes with red bows by Mr Bramble.

He said: "On behalf of everyone here at 42nd Street, the cast, the orchestra, the crew, the wig department, the costume department, you have no idea, we would like to honour you with these tap shoes and we promise to support The Nook Appeal."

Kate became the Royal Patron for the charity back in 2012 and has attended several official engagements over the years.

In 2014, she helped to launch the appeal for The Nook, which will help to provide more families with the same facilities as those offered by EACH facilities across Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk.

Tony Award-winning musical 42nd Street debuted in New York in 1980.

Other famous faces attending the show included Hollywood star Morgan Freeman, The Royle Family actress Sue Johnston and choreographer Arlene Phillips.

Easton is making her West End debut in the classic musical.

The Scottish star plays Dorothy Brock in the show, which is a tribute to the world of musical theatre and has returned to the West End after more than 30 years.

Emmerdale actor Tom Lister plays Julian Marsh, while theatre star Clare Halse plays Peggy Sawyer.

The show, which features classic songs We're In The Money, Keep Young And Beautiful, I Only Have Eyes For You and Lullaby Of Broadway, returns to the theatre where it made its first UK run from 1984 to 1989, starring a then-unknown Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The Tony Award-winning musical follows young Peggy's arrival in New York from small-town America as she joins the chorus line of Broadway's newest show and tries to get a big break.

The new production features a cast of more than 50 high-kicking performers and will run until October 14 2017.

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