Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar shows off his impressive singing skills in his new musical Kiss Me, Kate.
The veteran actor, 65, plays tough-talking Superintendent Ted Hastings in the BBC1 drama, who’s tasked with eradicating ‘bent coppers’ from the force.
But the Irishman is also a talented singer and displays his vocal range in his musical theatre debut, which opens on the West End this summer.
In this exclusive first-look video, Adrian is seen belting out show track Where Is The Life that Late I Led? alongside a big band, proving he’s equally comfortable as a crooner as he is an actor.
He previously showed off his singing ability on ITV series Ridley, which aired in 2022, but fans will see him in a different light in his role as theatre director Ted Graham in Kiss Me, Kate, the beloved comedy farce, set to the soundtrack by legendary US composer Cole Porter, which first ran on Broadway in 1948.
Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar shows off his impressive singing skills in his new musical Kiss Me, Kate
The veteran actor plays tough-talking Superintendent Ted Hastings in the BBC1 drama, who’s tasked with eradicating ‘bent coppers’ from the force
Speaking about his love of singing, Adrian said: ‘My mother was a fabulous soprano and I sang a lot as a young boy. I’ve always had a voice and I’ve always wanted to use it.’
He added: ‘I sang a lot of boy soprano stuff and I even won prizes, but then I let it go.
‘At the age of 15 I started a country band with friends, playing music other young people at the time thought was really stupid: Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Hank Snow. I didn’t intend to be an actor, I was going to be a singer in a band.’
Adrian has previously sang on The Late Late Show in Ireland and in BBC drama Ridley, in which he was also seen playing the piano.
But singing on stage at the Barbican will be a whole new experience for Adrian and he’s looking forward to showing fans what he’s capable of.
Plus, the venue is holds a special place in his heart as it’s where his performing career started.
He explained: ‘I’m so delighted to be returning to the stage this summer to my spiritual home at the Barbican, where I started my career at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, especially in this Cole Porter classic with the wonderful creative team including Bart Sher and Stephanie J. Block. Summer 2024 just got a lot brighter.
‘There are fabulous songs. The cast are wonderful, so I can only see this being a really joyous production. It’s going to be a spectacle. It’s going to be the blockbuster of the summer.
Adrian has previously sang on The Late Late Show in Ireland and in BBC drama Ridley, in which he was also seen playing the piano
Singing on stage at the Barbican will be a whole new experience for Adrian and he’s looking forward to showing fans what he’s capable of
The actor stars alongside Broadway legend and Tony award winner Stephanie J. Black in the show
He added: ‘If you watch my TV series Ridley you will know I do some singing in that so it’s not quite the big transition you would imagine.
‘And I’ve always loved musicals and have the chance to do this big musical Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican. We’re going to deliver three hours of escapism with Kiss Me, Kate.
‘People are going to be able to forget about everything that’s going on and have a lot of fun. And when they come out, the world will have changed a little bit for the better.’
Adrian stars alongside Broadway legend and Tony award winner Stephanie J. Black in the show.
She plays his character Fred Graham’s on-screen ex-wife Lilli Vanessi who features in his latest production, the musical version of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and the pair clash on and off stage, which is why the show is billed as ‘is ‘a love story about two people who hate each other.’
The production runs from June 4 to September 14 and is directed by Bartlett Sher, who has previously helmed The King and I and To Kill A Mockingbird.
- For tickets, visit KissMeKateMusical.com
