The Kinks' Ray Davies set to star in own musical

Former Kinks frontman Ray Davies has written a musical about growing up in post-war London.

Davies composed 20 new songs for the production, which he is also set to narrate when it hits the stage later this year.

'Come Dancing' focuses on the vibrant London ballroom scene of the 1950s - a time before rock and pop music had fully arrived.

As a youth, Davies said he used to watch his sisters go to the capital's ballrooms and dances every Saturday night. He would later write one of The Kinks' big hits - also called 'Come Dancing' - about his eldest sister, Rosie.

It is thought that Davies has been planning the musical for almost a decade.

In 2000, he told Rolling Stone: "'Come Dancing' is a musical with lots of actors and actresses. It's about my sisters and how they lived through that time in post-war Britain."

The musical is directed by Kerry Michael, who recently took the helm of the theatre production of 'The Harder They Come', an adaptation of the film starring reggae artist .

'Come Dancing' opens at the Theatre Royal Stratford East,
London on September 13.

See Stratfordeast.com for more information.

Ray Davies tickets: