ONE of the UK’s most versatile actors and performers, Brian Conley, continues his successful musical theatre career with Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Barnum at Leeds Grand Theatre in April.

The musical follows the life and dreams of America’s Greatest Showman, Phineas T Barnum, a man renowned for his shameless peddling and promotional activity and credited with saying ‘every crowd has a silver lining’.

Aged 25, Barnum paid $1,000 to obtain the services of Joice Heth, a woman who claimed to be 161 years old and the nurse of George Washington; Barnum exhibited her in New York and New England earning himself about $1,500 a week.

He went on to display a mermaid, Jumbo the elephant and the famous General Tom Thumb.

Barnum’s warmth and the excitement of his imagination were a force to be reckoned with and throughout his life he continued to draw in the crowds before teaming up with James A Bailey to create the ‘Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth’.

With a host of circus performers welcoming audiences into the auditorium, expect balancing acts on theatre seats and people leaping through hoops, stunning costumes, great songs and all the colour and joy of the circus, Barnum is a delight for people of all ages.

Barnum is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday, April 14, to Saturday, April 25. Tickets are on sale now priced from £21.50 to £48.50.

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call box office on (0844) 8482700.