FRESH from playing George Leeman in this summer's York community play, The Railway King, at the National Railway Museum, stalwart York actor Rory Mulvihill is making preparations for his principal role in Penny Millionaire in 2016.

He will lead the cast as artist Paul Gauguin in next January's world premiere of York composer and producer Bev Jones's final musical, and already Rory has met up for a sing-through with the composer at the piano at Thistle Hill, the Knaresborough care centre where Bev now lives.

In the picture, Rory is holding a copy of the original Penny Millionaire score, hand written by Bev, who subsequently wrote a bigger version, all computerised, for the new production that will form Bev's last musical, now that he has dementia.

Penny Millionaire, the tragic tale of Gauguin, the French Post-Impressionist painter, began life as a joint venture between Bev and Stephen Ward in 1976. Later Bev completely re-wrote the musical with new arrangements, new songs and a new script with modern theatrical twists that he completed in 2012. His illness, however, has prevented him from overseeing its progress from page to the stage, so his wife, Lesley, has taken up the mantle to direct next January's production at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York.

"The original Penny Millionaire was performed in 1978, years before I came to York, so I never saw it, but I do recall Bev telling me how he formed an ad-hoc company for the production, largely populated by York Light Opera members, and that he was a very reluctant Gauguin," says Rory. "Having written the part for a tenor, he then couldn't find one of sufficient quality and, although a baritone, had to do it himself."

All these years later, Rory is delighted to be taking part in a Bev Jones show full of passion, anger, frivolity, sorrow and most of all love, set in Paris and the South Seas, as he continues his long link with Bev.

"Participation in next year's show will be the final opportunity I will ever have to be in involved in a Bev Jones production, after an association of over 30 years and after more than 40 shows together," he says. "That will inevitably bring added emotional pressure, which I hope to channel into energising my portrayal of Gauguin."

When meeting up with Bev, Rory sang an original number, Angel Of Serenity, which still dominates the show as its signature song. "The music in Penny Millionaire is multi-faceted, but essentially lyrical and melodic, and the standout songs have always been Angel Of Serenity and King No Country," says Rory.

Gauguin's Post-Impressionist art was not widely appreciated until after his death in 1903, but is Rory a fan? "I don't know enough about art to make an informed decision about Gauguin's work," he says. "I would however say that I am already very familiar with it and that, whatever else it may be, it is intriguing and continues to draw me in. No pun intended."

Rory will be starring opposite his ex-wife, Sally Lewis, who will play Mette Gauguin in Bev's musical account of a very turbulent relationship that does not end well. Other principal roles will go to Steven Jobson; Chris Hagyard; Adam Dawson; Paul French; Craig Kirby, as the Narrator; Iain Harvey, as the Devil; and Simon Trow, Terry Ford and Michael Tattersall, as the artists Pisarro, Monet and Sisley respectively.

Lawrence Crawford will play a Mime Artist and female roles will go to Demi Lanham Bond, Hilary Dyson, Angela Edwards, Kelly Bolland, Beth Stevens, Clare Meadley and Lois Hardy as Gauguin's Spirit.

Wendy Binns and David Binns have been added to the principals' list in the newly created parts of Madame Dubois and Monsieur Dubois, while Alexis Jagger, Freya Green and Bailey Smith will take principal children's roles and there are roles for dancers and an ensemble of artists too.

Lesley Jones is accompanied in the production team by musical director James Rodgers and floor manager Iain Harvey, when he is not busy doing the Devil's (CORRECT) work.

The company will gather for its first read-through in August. Penny Millionaire will run from January 18 to 23 2016 at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, at 7.30pm nightly plus a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk