Joy of friendship is explored in Menopause The Musical 2 heading for Chesterfield

Menopause The Musical 2 - Cruising Through The Menopause is a voyage through lives, loves and losses and will be staged at the Winding Wheel Theatre on Thursday, February 16. 2023.

The sequel to the smash-hit show, billed as 'the ultimate' girls night out, moves the story on five years and includes hysterical parody songs. It’s a heartfelt, reassuring and unflinching look at the joys of menopause and friendship.

The cast will be headed up Mary Byrne (X-Factor), Jessica Martin (Copycats), Rebecca Wheatley (Casualty) and Susie Fenwick (musical theatre star).

Mary Byrne's story is the stuff of fairy tales and films. She's the Tesco supermarket checkout operator who took a chance in life at the age of 50 by auditioning for Britain and Ireland's biggest TV talent show the X Factor. Although she was pipped for a place in the 2010 X Factor final, Mary won the hearts of millions with her big personality and powerhouse voice. Mary went on to sing for Queen Elizabeth II on her State visit to Ireland, share the stage with Neil Diamond to perform for more than 55,000 fans in Dublin's Aviva Stadium and has just released her fourth album, Mary Byrne sings the 60s.

Jessica Martin got her big break on television as the sole female impressionist in Copycats. She was also a regular voice actor on the iconic Spitting Image series and starred alongside Bobby Davro in his impressionist series Bobby Davro's TV Weekly. As an actress she played Mags, an intergalactic werewolf, in the seventh doctor season of Doctor Who. She made her West End debut opposite Gary Wilmot in the hit show Me and My Girl and has performed in more than 30 musicals to date.

Rebecca Wheatley is best known as the receptionist Amy Howard in Casualty. Other television roles include Doctors, Holby City, Wycliffe, Daziel and Pascoe, Pie in the Sky and the comedy series Time Gentlemen Please with Al Murray.

She has enjoyed singing live in venues such as The Opera House, Belfast and The Royal Albert Hall as well as many TV programmes including Top of the Pops and the National Lottery Live.

Rebecca played Housewife in the original Menopause The Musical for six years.

Susie Fenwick returns to her previous role as Soapstar for Menopause The Musical 2. She has performed in more than 20 musicals in London's West End, including the closing cast of CATs, and played Genie Klein in Beautiful - The Carol King Musical.

Tickets cost £33 for Menopause The Musical 2 at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel. Book online at www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or call 01246 345222.