The show, a musical version of the film Finding Neverland about Peter Pan writer J M Barrie, is produced by Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Its premiere is taking place at Curve in a major coup for the theatre before heading to the West End next year.
(Pictured are Mercury editor Richard Bettsworth (left) and Julian Ovenden, who plays J M Barrie in Finding Neverland.)
The Mercury has worked with Curve to run an exclusive readers' evening in which 200 half-price tickets were offered through the newspaper. The tickets also invited readers to an after-show party to meet members of the cast including the two leads, Julian Ovenden and Rosalie Craig.
And the newspaper has itself been incorporated into the show. A mocked-up copy of the Leicester Mercury is flashed up on a screen early in the production as part of a montage of reviews of an earlier play by J M Barrie.
Leicester Mercury editor Richard Bettsworth said the readers' evening was a great success and the after-show party was the "icing on the cake" of a memorable and enjoyable evening.
He said: "It was well-attended and the stars chatted to people with warmth and charm. I am grateful to them for their support for this event and to the staff at Curve for helping us to put on this readers' evening.
"I am also delighted that the Mercury itself has become part of the show."
