The Salon – The Sequel! is coming to St Helens Theatre Royal with an all-star comedy line up

Get ready for another dose of hilarious drama at St Helens Theatre Royal this October as The Salon – The Sequel! premieres.

The Salon – The Sequel! follows up on the beloved comedy The Salon that has entertained thousands of theatregoers since its debut in 2009.

With a star-studded cast and a fresh storyline, this new production promises to deliver more laughs, unexpected twists, and unforgettable moments.

Stage and radio star Leanne Campbell reprises her original role as Carol in the new show which will be premiered in St Helens from 3-13 October 2024.

And she will be joined on stage by a line-up of brilliant comedy acting talent including Hollyoaks’ star Darren John Langford, Brookside’s Sarah White and St Helens favourites Katy McKenna and Jenna Sian O’Hara, appearing alongside Liverpool’s own Roy Brandon, the hilarious Conor Barrie and introducing Joe Cowin.

The new show is written by Drew Quayle, produced by Regal Entertainments Limited and directed by Chantelle Nolan. It is designed to work as a standalone story, so audiences don’t need to have seen the original to enjoy and follow the action.

Hugely popular, The Salon made its debut at St Helens Theatre Royal in 2009 and went on to return in 2011 and 2017, along with transferring to Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre in 2018.

In The Salon – the Sequel! Carol has moved from manager to owner of The Salon, and she has the world at her finely manicured feet. With beauty therapist Tia promoting it on her successful podcast, and her volatile workmate Sheila finally tackling her temper with anger management classes, the salon has never been more popular.

So what could possibly go wrong? An unwanted pregnancy perhaps? The return of the local gangster? In fact, just about everything.

Leanne Campbell started her acting career at the age of 10, with early roles including Annie at the Liverpool Playhouse and an award-winning performance as young Helen in the much-loved Twopence to Cross the Mersey. She went on to play many leading roles in musicals and plays including Me and My Girl, Carousel, The Sound of Music and Scrooge. She was also cast as Pam in ITV’s Children’s Ward.

In 2020 she wrote and starred in the successful comedy play Pete Price is Dead at Liverpool’s Royal Court, other recent productions include Achy Breaky Bride. Her many high-profile panto appearances include five years at the Liverpool Empire and six consecutive years at the city’s M&S Bank arena and she currently presents the regional Breakfast Show on Hits Radio alongside Joel Ross.

She has played Carol in every previous production of The Salon and made the part her own.

Leanne Campbell said:

“I had so much fun performing in the original version of The Salon, and I’m really excited to be returning to St Helens, this time in person following my digital appearance in panto, in this hilarious new sequel. It’s even funnier than the first.

“If you loved in before, come back and find out what mishaps happen next. And if it’s your first time, come and join the fun and have a brilliant night out.”

Brookside’s Sarah White returns to the role of Sheila after playing her in The Salon at St Helens in 2017 and the Epstein Theatre in 2018.

Sarah’s other theatre credits include Margy in The Morris at Liverpool Everyman, Rita in three tours of Naked Truth, Drama Queen at the Unity Theatre, The Darker Side of Birds (Hope Mill Theatre), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Nottingham Playhouse), Abigail’s Party (The Torch Theatre), an Ugly Sister in Cinderella for Regal Entertainments at the Epstein, and most recently, Lisa in The Netherley Hillbillies at Liverpool’s Royal Court.

TV roles include 10 years as Bev McLoughlin/Dixon in Brookside, Doctors, Overlanders, Edge of Heaven and Moving On, while big screen appearances include God’s Own Country and Ammonite.

Hollyoaks’ Darren John Langford is Tony. Previous stage roles include Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice at the Edinburgh Fringe, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Jack Frost in Freezin’, Daniel in Patrick Marber’s Closer and Les in Les and Ali’s Big Balearic Adventure. His many panto performances include Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk, Abanazer in Aladdin and the Big Bad Wolf in Little Red. A former artistic director of Men in Dressing Gowns Theatre Company, he is currently associate artist of Page-2-Stage Productions Ltd.

Darren starred as Spencer Gray in Hollyoaks for more than two years, for which he earned award nominations and critical acclaim. Other TV credits include Emmerdale, Portal and Witch Trinity, and big screen appearances in Emily and Retribution.

Katy McKenna plays Tia. Katy is a real favourite with St Helens audiences and her credits include The Greatest Show, Stomping Steiners, a UK tour of The Snow Queen, and The Scouse Cinderella at Liverpool’s Royal Court. She is also an experienced panto performer whose previous roles include Goldilocks in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Fairy Sparkle in Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Belle in a national tour of Beauty and the Beast.

Meanwhile Roy Brandon returns to the role of Neil after playing the character in The Salon in 2009 and 2011.

Theatre audiences will know Roy from a host of other memorable performances in productions such as Council Depot Blues, Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels, Brick Up 2 – The Wrath of Ann Twacky, Sons of the Desert and Reds and Blues at the Royal Court, and many panto appearances including an Ugly Sister in Cinderella alongside Cilla Black at the Liverpool Empire in 2008, five years of Everyman Rock ‘n’ Roll pantos, and Dame Queenie in Sleeping Beauty at St Helens.

His many screen appearances include Coronation Street, Brookside, Bread, Liverpool One, Playing the Field, The Responder, Brassic, Merseybeat, Mobile, Lilies and Nice Guy Eddie.

Emily is played by Jenna Sian O’Hara. Lancashire-born actress and singer Jenna’s stage credits include Beyond the Pier at The Royal Court, RuneSical at the Edinburgh Fringe and Achy Breaky Bride at St Helens Theatre Royal, while she has also appeared in Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks and the Three Bears for Regal Entertainments. She is due to tour as Sue in Rita, Sue and Bob Too for Regal Entertainments in 2025.

Conor Barrie is Dmitri. Liverpool Theatre School graduate Conor returns to the St Helens stage after playing baddie Baron Von Vippermall in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Easter. Other stage credits include Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast at the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight.

In 2023 he starred alongside Stephen Graham in Boiling Point while further screen credits include Hollyoaks, Villain and Bariau for S4C.

And Joe Cowin makes his St Helens debut as Jay. Joe graduated from Rare Studio Liverpool in June 2023. Notable credits include The Yarn and As You Like It for Imaginarium Theatre, and Daylight for zomdic films. Most recently he appeared as Shane in Tip Tray Theatre’s acclaimed one-man play I Am Steven Gerrard at the Hope Street Theatre and in Liverpool Royal Court’s Studio.

Writer Drew Quayle said:

“I’m delighted to be returning to St Helens Theatre Royal and its wonderful team. It’s the place where it all began and the perfect venue for the debut of the sequel to The Salon.”

And director Chantelle Nolan added:

“Drew Quayle’s hilarious comedy The Salon was a massive hit when we first staged it at St Helens 15 years ago and since then every time it’s returned it’s proved one of our best-loved and most popular shows. So I’m thrilled Drew has revisited Curl Up and Dye’s larger-than-life characters for another series of hair-raising adventures to entertain our Theatre Royal audience.

“I’m also delighted that several of The Salon’s previous casts are returning for this sequel including, of course, Leanne Campbell in the central role of Carol. They will be appearing alongside both other Regal Entertainment regulars and also newcomers like Darren and Joe.

“I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room now. With such a brilliant group of talented performers and with Drew’s fantastic script, I know it’s going to be one of the highlights of the autumn at St Helens Theatre Royal.”