Minnie runs a dilapidated, back-street Soho internet cafe, populated by Eastern European immigrants and targeted by the Albanian underworld. Minnie, trusting and innocent, falls for gang leader 'Vik' Johnson, who is intent on stealing from the villains in her cafe, and from her. When the crooks catch up with Vik, he is moments from execution, before Minnie is forced to play a hand of poker for his life. Puccini's La Fanciulla del West (West End Girl) had gorgeous melodies, great passion and humour. Andrew Lloyd-Webber thought so. He was inspired by Fanciulla to create one of the most famous melodies in The Phantom of the Opera. Fanciulla has thrilling scenes and rich characters, and as in La Boheme and Madama Butterfly, Puccini shows us youthful love and burning desire in a joyous evening of drama and delight. This production is directed by Robert Chevara (Artistic Director, English Touring Opera, 1997-2001) in his own new version co-written with Kfir Yefet (recently directed Gillian Anderson in A Doll's House, Donmar Warehouse, 2009). Musical Direction by John Gibbons.
