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Connie Evans

Fra Fee to replace Eddie Redmayne in Cabaret in the West End

Hawkeye star Fra Fee is to replace Eddie Redmayne as The Emcee and Amy Lennox will take over from Jessie Buckley playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the West End.

Redmayne, 40, and Buckley, 32, have starred in the show since it opened at London's Playhouse Theatre in December last year.

The producers announced the new castings for the production on Tuesday.

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Co Tyrone actor Fee, 34, most recently starred as Kazi in the Disney+ Marvel series Hawkeye.

He also played Courfeyrac in Tom Hooper's film adaptation of Les Miserables and appeared in the stage production at the Queen's Theatre.

Lennox, 35, is best known for her work in musical theatre, having played Margot in the original West End cast of Legally Blonde in 2009, for which she also understudied Sheridan Smith in the leading role of Elle Woods.

She received an Olivier Award nomination for best actress in a supporting role in a musical for her portrayal of Lauren in the West End production of Kinky Boots.

Fee, from Dungannon and Lennox previously worked together in The Last Five Years in Belfast.

Producers Adam Speers, Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood said: "We are thrilled to be welcoming the perfectly marvellous Fra Fee and Amy Lennox to our production of Cabaret.

"We wanted to recast these career-defining roles with exceptional actors and so we're just delighted that the stars have aligned with both Fra and Amy's schedules.

"We couldn't have asked for a more exciting and thrilling duo to follow Eddie and Jessie."

Redmayne received some criticism after it was announced that he would be taking on the role of The Emcee, the flamboyant master of ceremonies often portrayed by an LGBT performer.

In October last year, the actor, who has been married to wife Hannah Bagshawe since 2014, defended his casting to British Vogue.

Redmayne told the magazine: "I hope, when people see the performance, the interpretation will justify the casting.

"The way I see the character is as Mercury, as shape-shifting and a survivor."

In the 1972 film version of Cabaret, the Master of Ceremonies was played by Joel Grey, who is gay.

Fee and Lennox will be joined in the production by Omar Baroud as Cliff Bradshaw and Vivien Parry as Fraulein Schneider.

Continuing in their roles will be Elliot Levey as Herr Schultz, Stewart Clarke as Ernst Ludwig and Anna-Jane Casey as Fraulein Kost.

- Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club will run from March 21 to June 25 at the Playhouse Theatre.

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