It is set to make its much-anticipated debut in the West End next week.
And by popular demand, Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial has added six more dates to its schedule – after tickets for the original November 15 performance sold out in just minutes.
The production, which documents the bitter defamation trial against Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney, has also announced its theatrical cast.
The Wagatha Christie West End play adds MORE dates to its lineup after selling out in minutes… as the production’s theatrical cast is announced
The play premieres at Wyndham’s Theater on 15 November and when seats went on sale last month for between £67.50 and £32.50 all 760 seats were taken in minutes.
Due to popular demand, six more performances have now been confirmed: November 22nd and 29th, December 6th, 13th and 20th and January 10th.
Tickets for the additional dates are on sale now, with the show being produced by Eleanor Lloyd, who is also behind the staging of Agatha Christie’s Witness For The Prosecution at London County Hall.
Lie Trial: The production documents the bitter defamation trial of Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney
Available Now: Tickets for the additional dates are on sale now, with the show being produced by Eleanor Lloyd, who is also behind the staging of Agatha Christie’s Witness For The Prosecution at London County Hall
The dialogue is extracted from the High Court transcripts of the week-long trial in which 40-year-old Rebekah lost to 36-year-old Coleen in order for the play to be staged ‘word for word’.
The role of Rebekah is played by Lucy May Barker, best known for her role in the West End production of Mamma Mia! at the Pine Hampstead Theatre.
While stage star Laura Dos Santos, known for Yes So I Said Yes, Finborough Theater and My White Best Friend, Liverpool Everyman, will play Coleen.
Leading Actress: The role of Rebekah (left) is played by Lucy May Barker (right).
Other Team: While stage star Laura Dos Santos (right) will portray Coleen (left).
They are joined by Jonathan Broadbent as Hugh Tomlinson QC, as well as Nathan McMullen (of E4’s Misfits fame) and Sharan Phull, both of whom will play multiple roles including Wayne Rooney, Jamie Vardy and Harpreet Robertson.
The play is directed by Lisa Spirling, adapted from seven days of High Court transcripts by Liv Hennessy.
Producer Eleanor previously said, “The way the trial gripped the nation showed how well this story would translate to the stage; The twists and turns were so mesmerizing it couldn’t be written.
Cast: They are joined by Jonathan Broadbent as Hugh Tomlinson QC, as well as Nathan McMullen (of E4’s Misfits fame) and Sharan Phull, both of whom will play multiple roles including Wayne Rooney, Jamie Vardy and Harpreet Robertson
Former friends Rebekah and Coleen first fell out publicly in 2019, when the latter accused Rebekah of sharing posts from her private Instagram account with The Sun.
Her rigorous search for the culprit earned her the title Wagatha Christie, in honor of crime writer Agatha Christie.
Rebekah denied the claims and sued for defamation but lost in the High Court in July, where her evidence was found “manifestly contradictory” and “not credible”.
Allegation: Rooney famously posted on Instagram accusing Vardy of leaking stories to The Sun newspaper after her own months-long ‘stabbing’ operation.
Soon! It comes after first look pictures from the TV show titled Vardy v Rooney: A Courtroom Drama were released
Earlier this year she was ordered to pay 90 per cent of Coleen’s legal fees, with the first £800,000 to be paid within six weeks.
The former Dancing on Ice contestant also has her own lawyers’ bills to pay, meaning the huge cost of her failed defamation lawsuit is around £4million.
Rebekah is reportedly facing an estimated court bill of £1.5million following her libel battle in Wagatha Christie High Court.
WAG, whose reputation is in tatters after scoring one of the worst own goals in British legal history, is believed to have to raise £800,000 within weeks.
Tickets for the West End Show are available now at www.wagathaplay.com
Wagatha Christie timeline: How the war between Coleen and Rebekah unfolded
September 2017 to October 2019 – The Sun publishes a series of articles about Coleen, including how she traveled to Mexico to address the treatment of “sex selection” babies, her plan to revive her television career and the flooding of her cellars
October 9, 2019 – Coleen took to social media to accuse Rebekah of selling stories from her personal Instagram account to the tabloids. It urges #WagathaChristie to start trending.
February 13, 2020 – In a tearful appearance on ITV’s Loose Women, Rebekah says the stress of the argument caused her to have severe anxiety attacks and “ended up in hospital three times”.
June 23, 2020 – It turns out that Rebekah has filed a defamation case against Coleen.
19-20 November 2020 – The defamation battle has its first hearing at the High Court in London. A judge rules that Coleen’s October 2019 submission “clearly identified” Rebekah as “guilty of a serious and consequential breach of trust.”
Mr Justice Warby concludes that the “natural and ordinary” meaning of the posts was that Rebekah “had regularly and frequently abused her status as a trusted follower of Coleen’s personal Instagram account by secretly informing The Sun about Coleen’s private posts.” and stories informed”.
February 8-9, 2022 – A series of explosive messages between Rebekah and her agent Caroline Watt – which Coleen’s attorneys claim related to her – are revealed at a preliminary court hearing.
Coleen’s lawyers are seeking more information from the WhatsApp messages, but the court is told Ms Watt’s phone fell in the North Sea after a boat she was on crashed into a wave before extracting more information from it could become.
February 14 – Coleen is refused permission to bring a High Court case against Ms Watt for misuse of private information, to be heard alongside the libel battle. A High Court judge, Ms Justice Steyn, says the offer was made too late and earlier opportunities to pursue the claim were missed.
April 13 – Ms Watt is unable to testify orally in the forthcoming defamation trial, the High Court is told as the case returns for a further hearing.
From May 10th – The process began
July 29 – Rebekah Vardy lost her libel suit against Coleen Rooney, the judge ruling that Ms Rooney’s allegation was “essentially true”.