In a glorious return to London, Carousel was the first of a series of musicals at the Royal National Theatre funded in part by the Cameron Mackintosh Foundation. Hailed as a “revelation” by Frank Rich of The New York Times, it opened on December 10, 1992. This revelatory new production was helmed by director Nicholas Hytner, and featured new choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan. The cast featured Joanna Riding as Julie Jordan, Michael Hayden as Billy Bigelow, and – as Nettie Fowler – Patricia Routledge, whose performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” reminded London audiences of the power of one of the show’s most enduring songs. The production won four Olivier Awards that year, including  Best Musical Revival and Best Director of a Musical.