REVIEW: Common, National Theatre ✭✭✭
Trimmed down by about 30 minutes since previews began, Common has gained momentum in time for press night although it still feels like it needs more work.
West End
West End Plays: The latest West End news and venues. Buy West End tickets for musicals, plays and other theatre events.
REVIEW: Annie, Piccadilly Theatre ✭✭✭
Annie Piccadilly Theatre, 4th June 2017 3 Stars BOOK TICKETS Miranda Hart is the big name draw in this bouncy, colourful revival of the perennial childrens’ and families’ favourite about the cute little girl with the endlessly repeated big tune. While she may not be able to act, sing or dance in any recognisable ‘musical theatre’ way, she pleases the audiences every time she sets foot upon the stage and will presumably do enough to bring this production the ticket sales it seeks until such time as a better offer comes along. Nikolai Foster is the artistic director of Curve Leicester and the director of this production; and it is his avowed mission to make his base the home of great musical theatre. How – exactly – this revival fits into that grand plan I will leave it to him to explain, but there are any number of producing houses the length … Read more
REVIEW: Sand In The Sandwiches, Theatre Royal Haymarket ✭✭✭✭
Sand in the Sandwiches is absolutely delightful, a one man play in which Sir John Betjeman – a remarkable performance by Edward Fox – looks back on his life and career via a series of poems and anecdotes. In a frequently gloomy world, this is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
REVIEW: La Strada, The Other Palace ✭✭✭
A wonderful cast of 13 actor-musicians transports us into their marvellously pleasant interpretation of the movie.
Audra McDonald’s journey to Lady Day in London
Mark Ludmon hears from Audra McDonald about her “long journey” to playing Billie Holiday on stage I fell in love with the voice of Audra McDonald when I first saw her perform as part of the Divas at the Donmar season in 1999. Combining a pure soprano with emotional intensity, she was already a three-time Tony winner for Carousel, Ragtime and Master Class and went on to appear in more musicals and serious dramas, including Raisin in the Sun which earned her another Tony award. Despite a stellar career on the American stage and screen and a number of best-selling solo albums, she has remarkably never performed in a musical in London’s West End. This is about to change when she takes to the stage of the Wyndham’s Theatre to play Billie Holliday in the transfer of her 2014 hit Broadway show, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. It … Read more
Injury leads to cast change in On The Town at Regent’s Park
Jacob Maynard is now playing Chip in On The Town due to the indisposition of Fred Haig. Book Now!
Alice Fearn and Sophie Evans to lead new Wicked cast
Now in its 11th smash hit year at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, the producers of Wicked have announced that Alice Fearn (Elphaba) and Sophie Evans (Glinda) will lead the new cast who start performances on Monday 24 July 2017. Also joining the cast are Bradley Jaden (Fiyero), Melanie La Barrie (Madame Morrible), Andy Hockley (The Wizard), Jack Lansbury (Boq) and Laura Pick (Standby for Elphaba), joining current cast members Martin Ball (Doctor Dillamond), Sarah McNicholas (Nessarose) and Carina Gillespie (Standby for Glinda). Alice Fearn (Elphaba) originally joined the London production of Wicked in 2016, as Standby for Elphaba, and will now assume the role. Her previous West End appearances include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Shrek The Musical, Into The Woods, Les Misérables (also the film version) and The Woman in White. Sophie Evans (Glinda) was the acclaimed runner-up in the BBC talent show ‘Over the Rainbow’ and subsequently played ‘Dorothy Gale’ in … Read more
The Girls Announces West End Closing Date and UK Tour
Dafydd Rogers and David Pugh, producers of Tim Firth and Gary Barlow’s musical comedy The Girls, have announced that the show will play its final London performance at the Phoenix Theatre on Saturday 15 July 2017. The critically acclaimed award-winning production will then commence a two-year UK Tour on 15 August 2018 at the Leeds Grand Theatre visiting 42 theatres across the UK. To be kept informed of details of The Girls UK Tour JOIN OUR MAILING LIST. The Girls is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies, who decide to appear nude for a Women’s Institute calendar in order to raise funds to buy a settee for their local hospital, in memory of one of their husbands, and have to date raised almost £5million for Bloodwise. This musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how it happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, … Read more
