Peel the Power! Bananaman: The Musical launches in December

By John Freeman on September 13, 2017

We’ve previously reported on plans and early “test runs” for Bananaman The Musical, but now producers Sightline Entertainment have just announced the show’s first full run at London’s Southwark Playhouse, opening in mid-December 2017.

Created by Steve Bright and writer and editor Dave Donaldson (best known for his work on The Broons) and initially drawn by the late John Geering for Nutty comic in 1980, the quintessentially British Bananaman, now a Beano star, is the superhero with “the muscles of twenty men, and the brains of twenty mussels”. He’s brave, he’s bold… but he’s not very bright!

Bananaman The Musical, written by the award-winning writer and composer of Wolfboy, The Famous Five, Scary Musical and Monte Cristo Leon Parris, is directed by Mark Perry (producer, director, actor and founder of Sightline Entertainment) and is part parody, part slapstick comedy musical for the whole family.

Here’s the promotional announcement in full…

This is 29 Acacia Road. And this is Eric Wimp. He’s a schoolboy who leads an amazing double life.

For when Eric eats a banana an amazing transformation occurs. Eric is Bananaman: Ever alert for the call to action.

With supervillains Doctor Gloom and General Blight attempting world domination, who can we call?

Superman’s on holiday. Spiderman’s not picking up. Our only option – our very, very last option – is Bananaman.

Bananaman, the Man-of-Peel, is a unique member of the superhero ranks. This handsome hero may have a jaw line you can see from space and sport the snazziest of tight lycra outfits, but he’s also got “the muscles of 20 men and the brain of 20 mussels.”

(Which isn’t much).

With a useless hero and some equally clueless villains, Bananaman’s winkingly clever, delightfully silly humour has been sealed into the memories of those who saw him first, and will now spark the imagination of a new bunch of Bananafans.

It won’t be long before we all peel the power of Bananaman!

• Bananaman The Musical (Book, Music and Lyrics by Leon Parris) runs from 15th December 2017 – 20th January 2018, Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway London, SE1 6BD | Start Time 7.30pm (Matinee Starts 3.00pm) | Running Time TBC | Price £25 | £20 concessions | All previews £14 | Book Tickets Online

• Visit www.bananamanlive.com for a taster and look out for further updates or find Banaman The Musical on Facebook

About the Author
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John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

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