The circus is rolling up for Take That’s Sunderland show
North East performer Zoe Birkett will join Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald on stage when the stadium spectacular arrives on Wearside
A giant mechanical elephant, fire breathers, acrobats, circus performers and a catalogue packed with hits are all heading to Sunderland next week when Take That bring their Circus Live Tour back to the Stadium of Light on June 9.
Among the spectacle, North East audiences will have an extra reason to celebrate.
Consett-born West End star Zoe Birkett is joining Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald as guest vocalist on the stadium tour, which revisits the band’s record-breaking 2009 Circus shows.
The original tour became the fastest-selling in UK history, shifting more than 600,000 tickets in under five hours and eventually attracting audiences of more than a million people.
After opening the latest run of dates in Southampton last week, early reports suggest the production has lost none of its wow factor.
A huge big-top-inspired set provides the backdrop for a show packed with dancers, aerialists, stilt walkers, pyrotechnics and some of Take That’s biggest hits.
One of the standout moments sees Zoe join the band for a blazing rendition of Relight My Fire, delivering the famous vocal made iconic by Lulu on Take That’s chart-topping 1993 hit.
Zoe, who has enjoyed leading roles in productions including Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and The Bodyguard, shared some emotional social media posts featuring the performance this week.
They included footage showing Zoe rehearsing with her young daughter alongside clips of her performing to packed stadium crowds and flashbacks to her breakthrough turn on TV talent show Pop Idol 25 years ago.
She posted: “It’s only show two and I can say I’m having an awesome time, thank you to the warmest men in showbiz Take That for letting me join you on this epic tour!”
Take That’s Sunderland date is one of a string of UK and Ireland stadium shows which also feature support from The Script and Belinda Carlisle.