News

Cast announced for Nativity! The Musical in Birmingham and on tour

News, Touring
Casting announced for Nativity The Musical UK Tour

West End stars are among cast announced for the world premiere of the musical of hit film Nativity! at Birmingham Rep and on tour. Daniel Boys will play Paul Maddens, a primary school teacher trying to put on a nativity show against the odds, while Simon Lipkin will play over-enthusiastic classroom assistant Mr Poppy. Sarah Earnshaw, who was part of the original London cast of Wicked, will play Paul’s ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Lore. They will be joined by Andy Barke, Jamie Chapman, Jemma Churchill, Gary Davis and Katia Sartini. Further casting and children’s casting are to be announced soon. Nativity! The Musical will be at The Rep from October 20 to November 12 before going on tour. It is in association with Jamie Wilson, Entertainment One Films, Ramin Sabi and Belgrade Theatre Coventry. Based on the 2009 comedy starring Martin Freeman and Marc Wootton, the musical will feature songs from the … Read more

INTERVIEW: Claybourne Elder

Features, News, West End
Claybourne Elder - You and Me and Sondheim

American comedian and musician Claybourn Elder brings his one-man show You and Me and Sondheim to London for one very special performance on April 30, 2017, at 7.30pm at the Arts Theatre London. Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel award-nominee Claybourne Elder comes to London direct from Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Claybourne shares it all from growing up as a gay Mormon to becoming a modern interpreter of Sondheim. Get intimate with one of New York’s favourite theatre personalities in this hilarious and heartfelt show. Joining Claybourne will be a few, special, surprise guests. We took a few moments to speak to Claybourne prior to his arrival in London. Book Tickets for Claybourne Elder BT: Tell me a bit about your background? CE: I grew up in Utah as the youngest of 8 children and most of my siblings are psychologists, so I always … Read more

Yank! The Musical Announces London Transfer

News, West End
Yank! Hope Mill Theatre

Following its critically acclaimed UK premiere at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, producers have today announced that the moving, war-time gay love story Yank! will come to London’s Charing Cross Theatre for a limited season from 3 July – 19 August 2017. Tickets for Yank! are now on sale. Yank! is based on the true, hidden history of gay soldiers during World War, focusing on the life of Stu, a scared Midwestern youngster who is called up to serve in the forces in 1943, becoming a reporter for Yank Magazine, a journal ‘for and by the servicemen’. Telling the stories of the men in Charlie Company, Yank! explores what it means to be a man, and what it is to fall in love and struggle to survive in a time and place where the odds are stacked against you. Originally produced Off-Broadway in 2010. Yank! features a book and Lyrics by … Read more

Fringe festivals plan global day of celebration

Features, News, Off West End
World Fringe Day

The organisers of Edinburgh Festival Fringe have announced plans for an international day celebrating the fringe movement. More than 200 fringe festivals from across the world will join together on World Fringe Day on Tuesday July 11. It marks the 70th anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s first fringe, which takes place in August. Performers, creatives, theatre companies and other fringe participants and audiences are invited to take part on July 11 by sharing their love for all things fringe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s chief executive Shona McCarthy said: “We can’t wait to join with our sister fringes across the world to celebrate the wonder and joy of fringe festivals in this auspicious year. This is an incredible opportunity for fringe organisers, venues, participants and audiences to take part in a truly international celebration of creativity that will transcend national boundaries, demonstrating the … Read more

Trafalgar Studios revives Disco Pigs with Harry Potter star

News, West End
Disco Pigs at Traflagar Studios

Enda Walsh’s explosive play Disco Pigs is to be revived at Trafalgar Studios in London to mark the 20th anniversary of its British debut. It will star Evanna Lynch, best known for playing Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films, and Colin Campbell, who was most recently seen in Dublin By Lamplight at Dublin’s Corn Exchange for Abbey Theatre. It will be directed by John Haidar. After premiering in Cork and Dublin in 1996, Walsh’s breakthrough play made a huge impact at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1997, transferring to the Bush Theatre in London. It starred Cillian Murphy alongside Eileen Walsh. Disco Pigs is a fast and formally inventive portrait of two teenage Irish misfits, Pig and Runt, inseparable since being born at the same time on the same day in the same hospital. They speak in their own language, play by their own rules, … Read more

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andrew Lloyd Webber Talk Musical Theatre

News, West End
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda chat about musical theatre

Last night Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andrew Lloyd Webber addressed an audience of industry figures, new writers and musical theatre fans to talk about their careers and musical theatre in general. The evening hosted by Paul Taylor Mills at The Other Palace is to be the first of a series of evenings curated by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It’s an eye-opening discussion from a pair of musical theatre geeks who just love everything about what they do. Take a moment to enjoy this wonderful conversation if you are a lover of musical theatre.