Features

FIRST LOOK: New London Wicked cast – July 2017

Features, Gallery, News, West End, Wicked the musical
Wicked Tickets London Book Now

We are pleased to bring you these production images by Matt Crockett from the new London cast of Wicked the musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Now in its 11th year, the critically acclaimed,smash-hit musical is now the 17th longest running show in West End Theatre history. These first pictures show Alice Fearn (Elphaba), Sophie Evans (Glinda), Bradley Jaden (Fiyero), Melanie La Barrie (Madame Morrible), Andy Hockley (The Wizard) and Jack Lansbury (Boq) who will lead the new London cast from 24 July 2017 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, joining current cast members Martin Ball (Doctor Dillamond) and Sarah McNicholas (Nessarose) who take to the stage on Monday 24 July 2017. Whilst the West End production continues the new national tour of Wicked will start touring the UK and Ireland in January 2018. See the full Wicked UK tour schedule. WICKED TICKETS LONDON

UPCOMING: Mary and Kiki – Two new musicals

Features, News
Mary Stuart

This week Julian Eaves took a look at two new musicals in development Mary Stuart and Kiki, the Queen of Montparnasse. MARY STUART, Karamel Café, Mountview Academy A lot of drama schools commission new work, and this is one of the primary places to go to find new and exciting musical theatre. That is emphatically what we find here in this remarkable new work in development by German writer and dramaturg, Kolja Schallenberg, and his gifted and perfectly well-matched composer-collaborator, Paul Glaser. Schallenberg translates Schiller into English here, and while the effect is literary and worthy, in his desire to be ‘authentic’ and preserve the intention of the original (a rather high-bourgeois, if not actually courtly one – think of Shakespeare, but without the common touch), where this script really scores is in the chunks Schallenberg gives to Glaser to set to music. There, the magic occurs. The combination of … Read more

Hamilton – A Beginner’s Guide Part Two

Features, Hamilton The Musical, West End
Hamilton a beginner's guide

So now we know who Hamilton was and how this theatrical juggernaut started but what about the show itself. In this second part of our Hamilton Beginner’s Guide we look briefly at the Public Theatre tryout season and the phenomena of Ham4Ham. HAMILTON: THE BASIC PREMISE Somewhere along the line as Hamilton was developed a tag line started to be used when speaking abou the production – “Hamilton is the story of American then told by Americans now”. This simple yet bold statement allowed for some of the most diverse casting in musical theatre history. Miranda said “It’s a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have about the founding fathers at the door.” He noted “We’re telling the story of old, dead white men but we’re using actors of color, and that makes the story more immediate and more accessible … Read more

INTERVIEW: Playwright Inua Ellams – Barber Shop Chronicles

Features, Interviews, Regional, West End
Playwright Inua Ellams on Barber Shop Chronicles

The Playhouse’s first co-production with the National Theatre, Barber Shop Chronicles is the dynamic new play inspired by a Chapeltown barber, written by rising literary star Inua Ellams (Black T-Shirt Collection, the National Theatre, The 14th Tale, Fringe First winner). Vibrant and joyous, Barber Shop Chronicles spans continents following African men from London to Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra, contemplating the role the barber shop plays in their lives. Directed by Bijan Sheibani (A Taste of Honey, National Theatre, War Horse, US tour 2012-2014), Barber Shop Chronicles is a co-production with West Yorkshire Playhouse, the National Theatre and Fuel, running in Leeds from 12 – 29 July and returning to the National Theatre on the 29 November 2017. Read our review of Barber Shop Chronicles. Where did your inspiration first come from when writing Barber Shop Chronicles? A friend told me about a charity wanting to pioneer a programme … Read more

FIRST LOOK: Simon-Anthony Rhoden and Verity Rushworth join cast of Kinky Boots

Features, Gallery, News, West End
Kinky Boots Tickets - Adelphi Theatre

Simon-Anthony Rhoden has joined the cast of Kinky Boots taking on the role of Lola whilst Verity Rushworth has now joined the cast as Lauren. Recent new cast members also include Jed Berry, Momar Diagne, Lauren Drew, Dale Evans, Jordan Fox, Rosie Glossop, Keith Higham, Ben Jennings, Georgia Louise, Emma Odell, Anthony Reed and Dominic Tribuzio. Continuing with the show are David Hunter (Charlie Price), Alan Mehdizadeh (Don), Cordelia Farnworth (Nicola), Michael Hobbs (George), Suzie McAdam, Jemal Felix, George Grayson, Robert Grose, Melissa Jacques, Robert Jones, Jane Milligan, Robin Mills, Sean Needham, Jon Reynolds and Dominic Tribuzio. Kinky Boots won three Olivier Awards including Best Musical. It features a score by Cyndi Lauper and Book by Harvey Fierstein and is Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Kinky Boots is now playing at the Adelphi Theatre and is booking until 24 March 2018. Book Kinky Boots Tickets. KINKY BOOTS TICKETS – … Read more

Hamilton – A Beginner’s Guide Part One

Features, Hamilton The Musical, West End
Hamilton musical

With the imminent arrival of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, we thought a beginner’s guide might be in order for those of you Brits who are new to the world of Hamilton. So here we go:- WHO WAS HAMILTON? Alexander Hamilton was born in 1755 (or possibly 1757) in Charlestown , Nevisto a Scottish father and mother of French/English ancestry.  Orphaned after hismother’s death and father’s abandonment, Hamilton grew up in the care of a cousin and a merchant family, later being sponsored to travel to gain an education at King’s College (now Columbia University). Hamilton was one of the founding father of the United States, the founder of the US financial system, an interpreter and promoter of the US Constitution. He was active in helping to end the slave trade and was responsible for the creation of the US Coast Guard. Hamilton was … Read more

FIRST LOOK: New cast of Mamma Mia! at Novello Theatre London

Features, Gallery, Mamma Mia! the musical - Mamma Mia! tickets, West End
Book now for Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre

We are pleased to bring you these great first look production photographs by Brinkhoff and Migenburg of the new cast of Mamma Mia! who began performances on 12 June 2017. The new cast includes Sara Poyzer as Donna, Georgina Castle as Sophie, Kate Graham as Tanya, Jacqueline Braun as Rosie, Richard Trinder as Sam, Alasdair Harvey as Harry, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart as Bill and Christopher Jordan-Marshall as Sky, Georgina Castle, Bobbie Little, Harriet Bunton, Damian Buhagiar, Nye Rees and Caroline Deverill, Alishia-Marie Blake, Stuart Hickey, Mark Isherwood, Matt Jordan-Pidgeon, Tyler Kennington, Madeleine Leslay, Natasha O’Brien, Alice O’Hanlon, Alexanda O’Reilly, Adam Paul-Robertson, Oli Reynolds and Katy Stredder. They will be joining Tabitha Camburn, Adam Clayton-Smith, Katy Day, Katy Hards, Jennifer Hepburn, Robert Knight, Stacey Leanne Mills and Robbie Scotcher, who are already in the Ensemble. Nearly 8 million people have now seen the London production of Mamma Mia! breaking box office  records … Read more

FIRST LOOK: David Hare’s Racing Demon at Theatre Royal Bath

Features, Gallery, Regional
Racing Demon by David Hare at Theatre Royal Bath

The Theatre Royal Bath has released these great first look production photos of David Hare’s play Racing Demon directed by Jonathan Church. Four clergymen seek to make sense of their mission in inner-city London whilst facing their own personal crises. There’s Lionel Espy, a cleric whose faith is wavering as his parishioners dwindle; tabloid-hounded gay vicar Harry Henderson; ‘Streaky’ Bacon, a genial reverend with a taste for tequila, and a charismatic young curate, Tony Ferris whose arrival is set to fan the flames, whilst his sexual relationship with his lover turns to ash. The day of judgement is at hand for all. The cast of Racing Demon includes Olivier Award-winning David Haig will star as Lionel Espy,  Sam Alexander, Michelle Bonnard, Anthony Calf, William Chubb, Paapa Essiedu, Andrew Fraser, Ian Gelder, Rebecca Night, Amanda Root and Ashley Russell. Racing Demon is the first production in Jonathan Church’s innaugural season as … Read more