Douglas Mayo

Douglas Mayo has had a life long love affair with musical theatre. He has authored several books on publicity and marketing for amateur theatre groups. He is in the process of developing a musical based on his original story concept.

My 2017 Theatre Highlights – Douglas Mayo

Features, Reviews, Touring, West End
Book now for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane

We asked our review team to nominate their 2017 theatre highlights. Douglas Mayo nominated his favourites. 42nd Street (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) Never did I ever think I would see a production of 42nd Street on stage on the scale that is currently on stage at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The cast including Tom Lister, Jasna Ivir, Clare Halse, Stuart Neal and the sublime Sheena Easton would have been more than enough but add Douglas W Schmidt’s incredible set that fully utilised the enormous stage of the Theatre Royal and Roger Kirk’s fabulous costumes and you were all set for an experience unlike any other. I quite honestly had tears of joy streaming down my face throughout. Book tickets for 42nd Street. Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre) Hyped to oblivion, it was great to see a show that lived up to the hype. I’ve been listening to the cast album … Read more

Top Touring Shows of 2017

Features, Reviews, Touring
The Addams Family UK tour

Douglas Mayo nominates the top touring shows from 2017 and congratulates the teams of people who make these amazing shows travel the length and breadth of the UK each week. The Addams Family One of the best new touring productions of 2017, Andrew Lippa’s The Addams Family was an absolute joy. Stunning performances backed up by a stunning production. Producers Katy Lipson and the Music and Lyrics consortium should be justifiably proud. I repeat my call for a cast album since no recording of the revised show exists and hope that the show will return for another tour. Read our review. Legally Blonde As vivacious, wonderful and heart-felt as the original London production, Lucie Jones takes on one of the great modern musical theatre roles and triumphs in this new production produced by UK Productions. A joyous night in the theatre to shake away real life blues! Read our review. … Read more

REVIEW: Must Close Saturday, The Decline and Fall Of The British Musical Flop ✭✭✭✭

Book, Reviews
Must Close Saturday Review by Adrian Wright

Must Close Saturday The Decline and Fall of the British Musical Flop by Adrian Wright Boydell Press 4 Stars ISBN: 9781783272358 Order a copy from Amazon.co.uk If like me you have musical theatre running through your blood, Adrian Wright’s hefty new tome makes for an interesting read. It’s certainly kept me entertained over the festive period. Like Ken Mandelbaum’s Not Since Carrie… which chronicled Broadway musical flops, Wright chronicles British flops from 1960’s The Lily White Boys to 2016’s The Go Between. Whether you agree with Wright’s definition of a flop or not, seeing this weighty collection of British musicals collected together makes you realise that there is probably no subject that is off-limits for musicalisation. The Holocaust, French painters, the Rector Of Stifley, Edward and Mrs Simpson, Marilyn Monroe, Lewis Carroll, Jack the Ripper, the Virgin Mary, sexual problems, the electric chair, the wives of Henry VIII and variations … Read more

FIRST LOOK: Bananaman the musical at Southwark Playhouse

Features, Gallery, Off West End
Bananaman the musical at Southwark Playhouse

Take a look at Pamela Raith’s great first look production images from Bananaman the musical now playing at Southwark Playhouse. Bananaman began life in the Nutty comic in 1980, and was a flyaway success, transferring to The Dandy before joining the world’s longest-running comic, The Beano in 2012 and he is now one of The Beano’s flagship characters. A send-up of the likes of Superman and Batman, he was the subject of the hugely popular TV cartoon that ran between 1983 and 1986 for three series and 40 episodes on the BBC and featured the voices of Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie from The Goodies. Fans of the the TV series will remember the iconic opening sequence, “This is 29 Acacia Road. And this is Eric Wimp. He’s a schoolboy who leads an amazing double life. For when Eric eats a banana an amazing transformation occurs. Eric is … Read more

West End musicals to look out for in 2018

Features, News, West End
Girl From The North Country musical

We’re eagerly anticipating these fantastic West End musical which are heading our way in 2018. Have you booked your tickets? JANUARY Girl From The North Country Following a critically acclaimed season at the Old Vic Theatre, Girl From The Old Country transfers to the Noel Coward Theatre for a strictly limited season. Conor McPherson  weaves the iconic songs of Bob Dylan into a show brimming with hope, heartbreak and soul. Read our review. BOOK TICKETS FOR GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY Eugenius Eugenius, the teenage love story set against a background of comic books and superheroes comes to The Other Palace. Fast becoming a cult phenomena, Eugenius will bring out your inner Geek. BOOK TICKETS FOR EUGENIUS AT THE OTHER PALACE FEBRUARY All Or Nothing All Or Nothing – The Mod Musical follows the rise and demise of The Small Faces. This home-grown musical comes to the West End’s Arts … Read more

Hamilton celebrates London opening with Ham4Ham Brit Pop Tribute

Features, Hamilton The Musical, News, Video, West End
Ham4Ham London opening

To celebrate the London opening of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton the musical, this great video featuring Lin-Manuel, Alex Lacamoire, the orchestra and cast of Hamilton created this great Brit Pop mash up. In true Aaron Sorkin ‘West-Wing’ style, this amazing sing and walk takes you from the orchestra pit of the show, backstage and then onto David Korins’ magnificant set on the stage of the newly renovated Victoria Palace Theatre. Ham4Ham started as a way to entertain the Hamilton fans waiting for tickets outside the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The shows soon became an institution with the great and good of Broadway taking part. You can see some of the Ham4Ham shows here. Enjoy! Read our review of Hamilton London  

Chicago returns to London’s Phoenix Theatre

News, West End
Chicago Tickets Phoenix Theatre London

Following a five and a half year absence, Chicago the musical returns to London’s West End as the show celebrates its 21st Anniversary. Now the longest-running American musical in history, Chicago will open at the Phoenix Theatre from 26 March 2018. Chicago originally opened at the Adelphi Theatre in 1997 to rave reviews, winning the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production. It transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in April 2006, then transferred to the Garrick Theatre until September 2012. It’s fifteen year run made Chicago the West End’s longest-running revival. Barry Weissler, who, along with his wife Fran, has produced the show in New York, London and around the world, said, “This year we celebrated the production’s 21st Anniversary and had our most successful year to date.  Chicago is as relevant and timely as the day we opened.  After spending the last several years touring throughout the UK it … Read more