Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting the Musical UK tour cancelled ahead of Blackpool Winter Gardens shows
“Basically people just don’t have the money.”
A major musical tour which was due to come to Blackpool in December has been cancelled, with the show facing an ‘uncertain future’ following poor ticket sales.
Trainspotting The Musical, written by the author of the book of the same named Irvine Welsh, was due to come to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens over the Christmas period, but the show’s future has now been cast into doubt after an underwhelming stint on the West End.
Welsh has said Trainspotting The Musical, set to mark 30 years since the launch of the hugely popular film adaptation, faces an ‘uncertain future’ after the 5-month UK tour was called off after its London run at Theatre Royal Haymarket.
One cast member shared on Facebook: “The UK tour has sadly been cancelled – just not selling unfortunately for us. If Edinburgh of all places is stuck on 19 per cent sales – you know you’re f***ed..!”
Theatres have halted sales with tickets for the Winter Gardens shows no longer available to purchase. Tour details have also been removed from the official website.
Questioned about the cancellation rumours on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday morning, Irvine Welsh said: “We are in difficult times and we’ve been looking at the numbers and sums. We knew it would be difficult to take a production of that scale on the road. We’ve got 30 cast members. Basically people just don’t have the money.
“We’re not sure yet but we know we’ll be in the West End right through to September. What will happen after that, it’s an uncertain future. It’s not a great time to be putting a new show on the road.”
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The West End show was panned by critics when it debuted last month and was given a one star review by The Guardian. In response, Mr Welsh told BBC presenter Amol Rajan: “Critics have already been horrible to me. If I get a good review for something I feel very violated. I think to myself, ‘this shouldn’t be happening’.
“I’m not the kind of writer that is loved by the critics. I tend to be a polarising force. I think it’s the way I go about these things and the way I write.”
Speaking about the musical in April, he said: “I believe the musical has a bigger, loudly beating human heart than either the book or the film. People need to think about the world we’re living in, and we offer that inspection, but they also really need to sing their hearts out and laugh their heads off – it’s what being human is all about.”
Scottish actor Robbie Scott starred in the London production as Mark Renton, a heroin addict in Edinburgh navigating poverty, friendship and addiction alongside his dysfunctional peers, and was expected to remain in the role for the tour.
He was joined by fellow Scottish actors Sheridan Townsley as Sick Boy, Kieran Andrew as Spud, Frankie O’Connor as Begbie, Finlay Paul as Tommy, Rebecca McKinnis as Cathy Renton, Gordon Cooper as Davie Renton, Ashley J Russell as Colleen, Rosie Dignan as Alison, Yana Harris as Kelly, and Sophie Hutchinson as Lizzie.