Strike a light! Declan Bennett & Bronté Barbé are a match in Striking 12 at the Union Theatre

London’s Union Theatre is to stage Tony Award-winning Rachel Sheinkin, and musical duo Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda’s, Off-Broadway hit musical, Striking 12, this December.

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl, Striking 12, will star Declan Bennett (Once, Jesus Christ Superstar) as Brendan and Call The Midwife’s Bronté Barbé as The Match Girl.

They are joined by Danielle Kassaraté, Kate Robson-Stuart and Leon Scott.

It’s New Year’s Eve and Brendan is done. His fiancée has left him, he’s going to lose his job and his boss is making him work late.

The last thing he wants to do is celebrate. A chance encounter with a lightbulb seller changes everything.

Director, Oliver Kaderbhai said: “Striking 12 feels like the perfect Christmas show. It’s brilliantly witty and beautifully poignant with songs that evoke those classic American Christmas movies.

“We’ve got an incredible cast who’ll be providing the music too, and I’m extremely excited to see what we build in rehearsals together.

“Let’s see if we can capture just some of the essence of this magical season to present to our audiences each night, and make those dark winter nights a little brighter.”

Striking 12 runs at the Union Theatre from November 28 – December 23.