Based on the thriller novel by Bret Easton Ellis which also inspired the 2000 film starring Christian Bale, American Psycho – The Musical will have its Australian Premiere at the Hayes Theatre Co from 10 May 2019. The producers of the bold new stage production of American Psycho – The Musical have announced that the iconic role of Patrick Bateman will be played by stage and screen star Ben Gerrard.
No stranger to drama, having worked extensively in film, TV and theatre. Gerrard is a well-known face on Australian television screens with credits including starring roles in Outland (ABC), Open Slather (Foxtel) and Molly (7 Network) for which he received an AACTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Drama. He also made a memorable appearance in the feature film Wolf Creek 2.
Gerrard most recently impressed audiences and critics as Cymbeline in the Bell Shakespeare/Griffin production The Misanthrope and has been touring the last few years in the highly acclaimed production of I Am My Own Wife (Oriel Group/Red Line) for which he received a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Actor in an Independent Production. He is now returning to Hayes Theatre Co after appearing in their hilarious production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 2016.
“I am stoked to have Ben Gerrard join the cast of American Psycho in the role of Patrick Bateman,” said Director Alexander Berlage. “American Psycho is a bold examination of our world through the lens of 1990s epicentre of excess: New York City. The role of Patrick Bateman not only requires a highly skilled and incredibly versatile performer, but also someone with an alluring and frightening enigmatic presence.
“I am so excited to work with Ben on this new production as he not only brings a depth of skill, boldness of character and outrageous dark hilarity to the role, but also brings a great empathy, truth and in depth analytical understanding of both the role and world of the work.”
“I have been a long-time fan of Ben’s work spanning both television and stage. He is a true chameleon performer and an outrageous comedian. I can’t wait to work with him on this new production,” added Berlage.
American Psycho – The Musical tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a young, handsome and wealthy investment banker living in the epicentre of excess, Manhattan, NYC, during the Wall Street boom of the late 1980s.
With impeccable taste and unquenchable desires, Patrick, our unreliable narrator, and his elite group of friends spend their days in designer labels in chic restaurants and exclusive clubs. But at night, Patrick takes part in a darker indulgence, and his glamorous facade of sanity starts to slip…
With a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale) and music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and featuring classic 80s hits from Phil Collins, Tears for Fears, New Order and Huey Lewis and the News, American Psycho – The Musical is a pitch black comedy about what it means to be alive in the world we live in.
“I guess in a way, we are sort of a photo negative of Hamilton, the anti- American dream… Instead of the birth of the nation, it’s the death of the nation…” – Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
American Psycho – The Musical plays the Hayes Theatre Co from 10 May 2019. For more information, visit: www.hayestheatre.com.au for details.
Image: Ben Gerrard to star as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho – The Musical – photo by George Sandman Popov