Interviews

FIRST LOOK AND LISTEN: The First Revival of The Woman In White

Features, Interviews, Video, West End
The Woman In White Tickets

We are pleased to bring you this first look and listen of the upcoming revival of The Woman In White at Charing Cross Theatre. This great clip of I Believe My Heart features Anna O’Byrne and Ashley Stillburn. A wildly exciting romantic musical with a tempestuous tale of love, betrayal and greed, The Woman In White is adapted from Wilkie Collins’ haunting Victorian thriller of the same name and f eatures music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel and a book by Charlotte Jones. The Woman In White is directed by Thom Southerland and begins previews at the Charing Cross Theatre on 20 November 2017 for a limited season. BOOK TICKETS FOR THE WOMAN IN WHITE  

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

INTERVIEW: Mikhail Baryshnikov on Brodsky Baryshnikov

Features, Interviews
Book tickets for Brodsky Baryshnikov at the Apollo Theatre

Brodsky/Baryshnikov is a one-man show, performed by legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, based on the poems of Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky. The production is an emotional journey deep into the poet’s visceral and complex compositions. Baryshnikov walks onto the stage unmasked and unguarded and tells us the story of their 22-year friendship that began in 1972 in an unnerving expose. Brodsky/Baryshnikov is Baryshnikov’s nostalgic tribute to his once dear friend. We managed to catch up with Mikhail Baryshnikov as he started his London performances and spoke about this new show:- Why are Brodsky’s poems so important to you? It was more than 50 years ago when I first read Joseph Brodsky’s poems and they hit me hard. Truth and grace in words and his works are extraordinarily relevant to the present. I try to be truthful to myself and to be as truthful as I can to my friend. Yes, it’s … Read more

INTERVIEW: Tom Stocks – Founder Of Actor Awareness

Interviews, News, West End
actor awareness

Not so long ago, I read an article in which Dame Judi Dench voiced her concerns that acting talent is being buried by wealth segregation. It seems that those who cannot afford Drama School training, who don’t get accepted onto a Drama School programme, or choose to complete their higher education at a University, are being pushed onto a diverted path into the industry. So, how can we make a change to ensure that the industry gives a fair opportunity to all, no matter your background? Driven by the inequality and lack of diversity so rife within the arts industry, Tom Stocks launched ‘Actor Awareness’, a campaign to fight for those actors from less privileged backgrounds to have the same opportunities available to them in equal measure as to those with stronger financial support. Sheltering in the Spotlight Studios from a wind which blew away a pretend Summer, I caught … Read more

INTERVIEW: Andy Moss Talks About Ghost

Features, Interviews, Touring
Book tickets for Ghost UK Tour

How exciting is it to be doing Ghost – The Musical? So exciting! I did a few things just after I left college but nothing of note so this is my first treading of the boards since then. I’m so excited but it’s also a bit nerve-wracking – not the idea of performing in front of an audience but because it’s such an iconic role. Patrick Swayze’s shoes are big shoes to fill, for sure, and my mate Richard Fleeshman did Sam in the original West End production and he was amazing too. So there’s a bit of pressure but we’ve not gone for a carbon copy of either the West End or Broadway versions. What was it about this particular show that made you say yes? Number one, I’m a massive fan of the movie. Number two, I’ve been dying to get back on stage for a while now. … Read more

INTERVIEW: Frances Ruffelle Talks The Wild Party and New Musicals

Features, Interviews, News, West End
Frances Ruffelle to star as Queenie in The Wild Party at The Other Palace

We had a brief moment during rehearsals for The Wild Party to talk to British Musical Theatre star Frances Ruffelle about new musicals, The Wild Party and her attraction to new talent. What Is The Wild Party About? It’s a very debauched poem written in the 1920’s at a time when prohibition forced people to hold parties in their own homes with drug taking, bath tub gin and a lot of free love. It’s about a racy 24 hours in the life of New York chorine Queenie. She’s unsatisfied with her life. Having come to New York to make it big, she’s now stuck with her lover Burrs who is violent and nothing has quite worked out as she planned. Unhappy, she gets her fulfilment from multiple lovers and partying her life away. In the midst of the partying, she has a revelation that she needs to find her own … Read more

Jennifer Holliday On Dreamgirls and The Colour Purple

Interviews, News, Video, West End
Broadway legend Jennifer Holiday talks about The Colour Purple and Dreamgirls

Our friends at Theater Talk have recently released this great interview with Jennifer Holliday, who is currently appearing in The Colour Purple on Broadway. Holliday is perhaps best-known as the original Effie in the Broadway production of Dreamgirls thirty years ago, a performance that won her a Tony Award. It’s an interesting conversation talking about how the role developed, her working relationship with director / choreographer Michael Bennett. For musical theatre fans this is a real treat and of interest as London finally gets a chance to see Dreamgirls on stage for the first time. Enjoy this interview and if you haven’t already … BOOK TICKETS FOR DREAMGIRLS AT THE SAVOY THEATRE

Andrew Lloyd Webber Celebrate Three Shows Currently On Broadway

Broadway, Gallery, Interviews, News, West End
Andrew celebrates having 3 shows runnng consecitvely on Broadway

The first-ever Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical, CATS opened last night (31 July 2016) at the Neil Simon Theatre. After the triumphant opening night performance, celebrity guests celebrated with Andrew Lloyd Webber, star Leona Lewis, and the New Generation of CATS with a Jellicle Ball at Gotham Hall. Earlier in the evening, Andrew Lloyd Webber celebrated three shows currently running on Broadway with a photo opportunity backstage that included Leona Lewis (as Grizabella from CATS), Alex Brightman (as Dewey Finn from School of Rock – The Musical) and James Barbour (as the Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera). BOOK NOW FOR SCHOOL OF ROCK ON BROADWAY BOOK NOW FOR CATS ON BROADWAY BOOK NOW FOR THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ON BROADWAY