American Psycho

By Duncan Sheik – Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa

American Psycho is a 2013 musical with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. It is based on the controversial 1991 novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.^[1] Set in Manhattan during the Wall Street boom of the late 1980s, American Psycho is about the daily life of wealthy young investment banker Patrick Bateman.

Run

Dates	Type & Version	Theatre
Dec 03, 2013-01 Feb, 2014	Musical, Original	Almeida Theatre , London, UK

Background

In 2008, it was confirmed that producers David Johnson and Jesse Singer were developing a musical adaptation of the novel to appear on Broadway.^[2] A workshop took place in Manhattan in 2011, with Benjamin Walker playing the lead role of Patrick Bateman.^[3] In April 2012, it was announced that London theatre company Headlong would stage the musical’s world premiere^[4] during their 2012-13 season.^[5]

Synopsis

Living the high life in 1980s Manhattan, Patrick Bateman has it all – looks, money, style and status. He and his entourage buy the most expensive designer clothes, eat at the most exclusive restaurants and party at the hottest clubs. But privately, Patrick indulges in another kind of transgression. And people – including those closest to him – keep disappearing.

Production History

American Psycho began previews on 3 December 2013,^[6] at the Almeida Theatre, London,^[7] before holding its official opening night on 12 December,^[8] with booking initially until 25 January,^[9] but later extended by a week to 1 February 2014.^[10] The show has a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa^[11] with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik^[12] and is directed by Rupert Goold,^[13] with choreography by Lynne Page, set design by Es Devlin, lighting design by Jon Clark, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, video by Finn Ross, musical direction by David Shrubsole and sound by Paul Arditti.^[14] Notable casting for the production includes Matt Smith as Patrick Bateman, Susannah Fielding as Evelyn Williams, Jonathan Bailey as Tim Price, Ben Aldridge as Paul Owen and Lucie Jones as Victoria.^[15]^[16]A typical London performance runs 2hrs 40mins, including one interval of 20 mins.^[17]

Video

Musical Numbers

“Clean” ^[18]
“Everybody Wants to Rule the World”
“Cards”
“You Are What You Wear”
“Oh Sri Lanka”
“True Faith”
“Killing Time”
“In the Air Tonight”
“Hardbody”
“If We Get Married”
“Not A Common Man”

“Mistletoe Alert”
“Hip to Be Square”
“Clean” (reprise)
“Killer Wolf”
“A Nice Thought”
“End of An Island”
“I Am Back”
“Don’t You Want Me”
“A Girl Before”
“This Is Not an Exit”

Principal Roles and London 2013 Cast members

Character	Original London actor^[16]^[19]
Patrick Bateman	Matt Smith^[20]
Paul Owen	Ben Aldridge
Craig McDermott	Charlie Anson
Tim Price	Jonathan Bailey
Courtney Lawrence	Katie Brayben
Jean	Cassandra Compton
Sabrina	Holly Dale Spencer
Evelyn Williams	Susannah Fielding
Detective Kimball	Simon Gregor
Christine	Holly James
Victoria / Hardbody Bartender	Lucie Jones
Sean Bateman	Tom Kay
Patrick’s Mother / Mrs Wolfe	Gillian Kirkpatrick
David Van Patten	Eugene McCoy
Luis Carruthers	Hugh Skinner

The Novel

American Psycho is a novel by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the first person by Patrick Bateman, a serial killer and Manhattan businessman. The book’s graphic violence and sexual content generated a great deal of controversy before and after publication. A film adaptation starring Christian Bale was released in 2000 to generally favourable reviews. The Observer notes that while “some countries [deem it] so potentially disturbing that it can only be sold shrink-wrapped”, “critics rave about it” and “academics revel in its transgressive and postmodern qualities.” In 2008, it was confirmed that producers David Johnson and Jesse Singer were developing a musical adaptation of the novel to appear on Broadway. In January 2013, it was announced that this musical would open in London in December 2013.

The book was originally to have been published by Simon & Schuster in March 1991, but the company withdrew from the project because of “aesthetic differences”. Vintage Books purchased the rights to the novel and published the book after the customary editing process. The book wasn’t published in hardcover in the United States until 2012, when a limited hardcover edition was published by Centipede Press. although a deluxe paperback was offered. Ellis received numerous death threats and hate mail after the publication of American Psycho

Creative

Book Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Music and Lyrics Duncan Sheik
Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis
Director Rupert Goold
Set Design Es Devlin
Costume Design Katrina Lindsay
Choreography Lynne Page
Lighting Jon Clark
Musical Director David Shrubsole
Sound Paul Arditti
Video Finn Ross
Casting Pippa Ailion CDG
Dialect Coach Richard Ryder
Associate Designer Chiara Stephenson
Associate Choreographer Rebecca Howell
Assistant and Performance Musical Director Genevieve Wilkins
Assistant Director Whitney Mosery