Features

UPCOMING: Crazytown: The World Of Ryan Scott Oliver

Features, News
Crazytown Ryan Scott Oliver

Julian Eaves takes a look at Crazytown : The World of Ryan Scott Oliver which is being presented at The Other Palace Studio on Monday 26 March 2018. There’s a welcome return to London coming up for the multi-talented Ryan Scott Oliver, one of the most original – and accomplished – musical theatre voices in New York.  Having made a sensational splash in this building last year in the debut staging of ‘35MM: A Musical Exhibition‘, and a kind of love-letter to his husband-to-be, the photographer Matthew Murphy: in fact, it remains his one non-commissioned work; everything he has done has been to order.  Anyway, the same team that made that remarkable show such a hit – director Adam Lenson and MD Joe Bunker – have gone the whole hog and turned themselves into producers as well, in order to ensure that this show gets before the public. And what … Read more

FIRST LOOK: Adrienne Warren in Tina The Musical

Features, Gallery, Tina The Tina Turner Musical, West End
Book now for Tina the Musical at Aldwych Theatre starring Adrienne Warren

We get a First Look at Adrienne Warren playing Tina Turner in Tina the musical at London’s Aldwych Theatre. Now in previews, word of mouth is already starting to spread that Tina the musical and its leading lady are Simply The Best! Based on the life of iconic performer Tina Turner, Tina chronicles her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee to her coronation as the global Queen of Rock’n’Roll. Tina Turner didn’t just break the rules, she rewrote them. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, choreography is by Anthony van Laast, with set and costume designs by Mark Thompson, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Nevin Steinberg, projection design by Jeff Sugg and orchestrations by Ethan Popp. The cast comprises Adrienne Warren, who plays the title role, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Ike Turner, Madeline Appiah as Tina’s mother … Read more

Take That Launch London Season The Band From Theatre Rooftop

Features, Gallery, West End
The Band launches in London

Take That today launched the London season of hit musical The Band with a special performance on the roof of the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Take That joined the cast of new musical The Band today performing on the roof of the Theatre Royal Haymarket where the show will play this Christmas from 1 December to 12 January 2019. Take That are co-producers of Tim Firth’s award-winning new musical The Band which features their music. Since opening at the Manchester Opera House in September 2017 the show has broken box office records around the UK. The musical stars Rachel Lumberg as Rachel, Alison Fitzjohn as Claire, Emily Joyce as Heather, Jayne McKenna as Zoe, AJ Bentley, Nick Carsberg, Curtis T Johns, Yazdan Qafouri and Sario Solomon, winners of BBC’s Let It Shine, as The Band, Faye Christall as Young Rachel, Katy Clayton as Young Heather, Rachelle Diedericks as Debbie, Sarah Kate Howarth as Young Claire, Lauren Jacobs … Read more

New London Theatre To Be Renamed The Gillian Lynne Theatre

Features, News, West End
New London Theatre to be renamed the illian Lynne Theatre

Andrew Lloyd Webber has announced the purrfect tribute to Dame Gillian Lynne with the re-naming of the New London Theatre. This will be the first time that a West End Theatre has been named after a woman. The announcement was made by Andrew Lloyd Webber at a special event at the New London Theatre last night. “I am delighted to be able to announce that the New London Theatre is to be renamed as the Gillian Lynne Theatre,” he said. “Gillian has been a pioneer of British musical theatre and dance. Gillie’s groundbreaking work on Cats inspired and launched countless careers in dance. It is only fitting that the theatre in which she created Cats is named in her honour.” The 92 year old legendary choreographer and director was responsible for the ground-breaking choreography for Cats and The Phantom Of The Opera two of the shows which led the British … Read more

All the winners from the Manchester Theatre Awards

Features, News, Regional, Touring
Manchester Theatre Awards 2018

Mark Ludmon takes a look at all the winners from the Manchester Theatre Awards 2018 Oldham Coliseum’s staging of Florian Zeller’s drama The Father has won the title of best production along with best leading actor for Kenneth Alan Taylor in the Manchester Theatre Awards. The north-west premiere of the play, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Kevin Shaw, was among a number of home-grown productions to receive accolades at today’s ceremony at The Lowry in Salford alongside touring shows. Janet Suzman was named best actress in a leading role for the revival of Martin Sherman’s one-woman show Rose at Home. Both awards for supporting roles also went to productions at Home: Katie West for Uncle Vanya and Andrew Sheridan in the UK tour of Duncan Macmillan’s People, Places and Things. Paul Auster’s City of Glass, adapted by Duncan Macmillan and premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith in London, racked … Read more

The Grinning Man Holds Special Performance In Aid Of Theatre MAD

Features, LGBT, News, West End
The Grinning Man

The Grinning Man raises money for Theatre MAD in special performance for West End friends performers and colleagues. On March 6, The Grinning Man put on a unique performance raising money for the charity TheatreMad (the Make A Difference Trust) at Trafalgar Studios. Casts and crews from 16 other West End productions accepted the invitation to attend the one-off performance . The star-studded audience was captured in a giant group selfie taken from the stage. Productions represented at the performance included : 5 Guys Named Moe, The Birthday Party, Dreamgirls, Fat Friends, 42nd Street, Billy Elliot, The Book Of Mormon Girl From The North Country, Kinky Boots, Les Miserables, Phantom Of The Opera, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Hamilton, The Lion King, Mamma Mia, and Young Frankenstein. The Make a Difference Trust raises funds for HIV and AIDS projects that build awareness and provide care, support and education in the UK … Read more

Olivier Awards 2018 – Full list of Nominees

Features, West End
Olivier Awards 2020

The nominees for the 2018 Olivier Awards have been announced with Hamilton receiving a record 13 nominations. Elaine Paige and Alexandra Burke have announced the nominations for the 2018 Olivier Awards. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton leads the race with a record-breaking 13 nominations closely followed by The Ferryman with 8 nominations. The 2018 Olivier Awards will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 8 April 2018 in a ceremony hosted by Catherine Tate. Full list of Olivier Award 2018 nominees BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL Michael Jibson for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre Ross Noble for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre Jason Pennycooke for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre Cleve September for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL Sheila Atim for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic Tracie Bennett for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier Rachel John … Read more

INTERVIEW: Joe Pasquale on playing Frank Spencer in Some Mother Do ‘Ave ‘Em

Features, Interviews, Touring
Some MOthers Do 'Ave 'Em

We speak to Joe Pasquale on being Frank Spencer in the Some Mothers Do ‘Ave’Em on stage, living dangerously and a naughty on-stage habit… What can people expect from the stage show of Some Mothers Do ‘Av ‘Em? Proper family comedy that is set in the 70s and is so funny that you will laugh solidly for two hours. In the original TV series there were a lot of crazy stunts. How about the stage show? I’m doing it all – hanging by my ankles, chicken chasing and all sorts. If it’s not dangerous or life threatening I’m not interested anymore. Michael Crawford is inexorably linked with the character of Frank Spencer. Will you be imitating his performance? No. That would be an insult to Michael. I will be projecting my own personality on to the role. When we did the final workshop we had an invited audience. All the … Read more