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A golden milestone: Kevin Kennedy celebrates 50 years in show business.  

The Coronation Street favourite, who started performing at just 14, is marking the milestone with one of his darkest roles yet as Mr Isaacs in The Picture of Dorian Gray: A New Musical. 

Best known for playing Norman “Curly” Watts for 20 years, Kevin has enjoyed a long career on stage, with West End credits including Chicago, We Will Rock You and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But for Kevin, whether it’s television, theatre or music, there has always been one thing at the heart of his career. 

“Ultimately, whatever the medium, I love telling stories,” he said. 

“I think in the world we live in, we need that escapism. We need laughter, we need heroes and villains and perhaps more importantly than ever, we need the occasional happy ending.” 

Live theatre, however, has always held a particular place for Kevin. 

“That was always my main ambition. It’s what I trained for and where I started my career. I found my way into television along the way, but I’ve now spent much of the last 20 years performing on stages around the world.” 

Now, five decades after he first started performing, Kevin is taking on a brand-new musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.  

A faithful retelling of Wilde’s Gothic tale, The Picture of Dorian Gray: A New Musical follows a young man whose extraordinary beauty, wealth and charm become his downfall after a single wish binds his fate to a mysterious portrait. 

“The fact that it is an entirely new production was part of the attraction and makes it equally exciting and slightly terrifying,” he continues.   

“Occasionally I like to do something that scares the pants off me.” 

Kevin plays Mr Isaacs, a deplorable businessman who runs an old theatre, with young actress Sibyl Vane as his protégée. 

“Isaacs is a pretty deplorable human being with virtually no redeeming features whatsoever, which, of course, makes him absolutely delightful to play!” adds Kevin.  

A powerful original score brings Victorian London to life in a sung-through theatrical experience, with the 13-strong cast heading out on a UK-wide tour from October. 

Speaking about the production, creator Mark Middlemiss said: “Having someone of Kevin’s experience and standing involved in the production is incredibly exciting.  

“He’s a household name, but he’s also a fantastic actor, and he brings real star quality to the role of Mr Isaacs.” 

For Kevin, there is an enduring appeal to Wilde’s gothic classic which was first published in 1890.  

He said: “At its heart, it’s a story about unchecked ego, vanity, celebrity and power and I’m not sure you could find themes much more relevant today. It’s a very dark story, and that’s part of what makes it so interesting.” 

“There’s almost a Stephen King-meets-Oscar Wilde quality to it, with this wonderfully sinister atmosphere.” 

The Picture of Dorian Gray: A New Musical is at Westlands Entertainment Venue on Saturday 20th Februay 2027.