London Production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg to Close Early

The Kneehigh Theatre Company's stage adaptation of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg will play its final performance on May 21 at the West End's Gielgud Theatre. The musical opened on March 22 and originally planned to run through October 1.

In The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, based on the 1964 Jacques Demy film of the same title, young French auto mechanic Guy Fouchier has fallen in love with 17-year-old Geneviève Emery, an employee in her widowed mother's chic umbrella shop. On the evening before Guy is to leave for a two-year tour of combat in Algeria, he and Geneviève vow to remain lovers. After discovering she is carrying Guy’s child, Genevieve must choose between waiting for his return or accepting an offer of marriage from a wealthy diamond merchant.

The production is directed by Emma Rice and features lyric translation by Sheldon Harnick. The cast includes Joanna Riding, Meow Meow Riding, Carly Bawden, Gareth Charlton, Andrew Durand, Cynthia Erivo, Dominic Marsh, Aki Omoshaybi, Laura Brydon and Matt Wilman.