Hippodrome date for talented Marienella

AN actor and singer from Yate is returning to the area to perform on the region's biggest stage.

Marienella Phillips has landed a role in an internationally acclaimed touring production of The King and I.

She is currently travelling the UK and Ireland with the production cast of 50, visiting 18 regional theatres with nearly 150 performances.

Reviews have described the show as “firstrate, sumptuous” and "too beautiful to miss”.

And it comes to the Bristol Hippodrome from 28th March to April 1.

Marienella, a 28-year-old former pupil of Tockington Manor School, studied at Bristol University and the Royal Welsh College of Music in Cardiff.

She is playing the role of Tuptim, a teenage servant of King Mongkut, in the Bartlett Sher touring production.

She said: “I'm in a very beautiful show with a company full of astonishingly talented people.

“This is Rodgers & Hammerstein gold.

"I'm honoured to be a part of this company and to follow in the footsteps of many wonderful Tuptims, including my big-time role model Lea Salonga - you are a queen and if you like this, I will faint.”

Marienella's mum Nell, from Yate, told the Voice her whole family were excited that her singing career is taking off.

She said: “We are extremely pleased for her.”

Marienella auditioned last year for a role in the multi award-winning Broadway production of the show, which has been running in the UK and US since 2015.

The story is set in 1862 and features British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens who arrives in Siam to instruct the royal children.

The production by New York based Lincoln Theater Center stars Helen George, best known as Trixie in the hit BBC One series Call The Midwife, as Anna, and features songs including Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance.

Last year Marienella was chosen to sing the National Anthem before 50,000 rugby fans at Twickenham for the England versus Japan match in the Autumn Internationals.

She has also performed in Shakespeare’s Henry V in London's Covent Garden, alongside Kit Harrington, who is best known for his role as Jon Snow in the TV series Game of Thrones.

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