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Musicals update November 2021

News about Love Story’s 10th anniversary concert, Bonnie and Clyde in concert, Gatsby the Musical and the return of Sasha Regan’s HMS Pinafore

Erich Segal’s iconic novel Love Story became a much-loved film and, in 2010, a hit West End musical. Now stars reunite, along with the creative team behind the acclaimed Cadogan Hall concert of Howard Goodall’s The Hired Man. Alongside the original West End leads Emma Williams and Michael D Xavier is Michael Matus (Phantom of the Opera, La Cage Aux Folles) who plays the role of Phil. Joining them are Rebecca Caine (Les Misérables, The Sound of Music, Preludes), Simon Green (Titanic, Mrs Henderson Presents) and Jenna Boyd (Come From Away).

The company is completed by Simbi Akande (The Prince of Egypt), Jordan Cunningham (Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Alison Driver (What’s New Pussycat?), Charlie-Jade Jones (West Side Story), Maximillian Murphy (Parade), and Nikhil Singh Rai (Les Misérables, Mountview). Love Story is simple and poetic. Wealthy Harvard student Oliver falls for artistic Radcliffe student Jenny and they marry against his family’s wishes – a choice that leads to disinheritance. Goodall’s soaring melodies and the late Stephen Clark’s words are sure to tug on the heartstrings in a night not to be missed. Continue reading “Musicals update November 2021”

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Book Review: Dear Audience

Just a quickie for this as the book is almost sold out now, but Sophie Ross and Danny Kaan’s coffee-table book Dear Audience is such a beautiful book that I’d encourage you to go and purchase one of the few remaining copies. Striving to photographically celebrate the arts industry from a wide range of performers through producers, MDs and writers, it is a nicely high-quality publication that matches that aim. 

In the interest of fairness, I can’t pick favourites from the many many names featured here, just look at the tags to see the impressive roll-call. What really elevates the book though is the inclusion of heartfelt letters from some of the participants, adding a really personal note to the whole endeavour, reminding us of the personal cost of the pandemic alongside what it has done to the sector as a whole. Track down those last copies now.

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Review: Royal Court’s Living Newspaper #7

Writers between the ages of 14 and 21 get their turn to take over the Royal Court’s Living Newspaper for its seventh and final edition

“Did you see what I done?”

The seventh (and final) part of the Royal Court’s Living Newspaper is actually something of a Brucie bonus, an additional edition

Naomi Lundie-Smith’s existential tube journey in summer friends? sees Jemima Mayala reflect poetically on the passing joys of that particular season. Ruby Stokes’ Paths; Unparalleled speaks of hard-won truths – appropriate to any age – about online dating, delivered with wryly resigned recognition by Frances Mayli McCann.

I also really enjoyed the intertwining narratives of Blessing Adetunji’s Beyond Touch (of a) Screen, enhanced by evocative movement work from Kemi Awoderu andTyrone Huntley. And one of the more reliably entertaining elements of the newspaper format doesn’t disappoint here, with the musical front page Lockdown FM striking in its punchy immediacy.

Photos: Isha Shah
Living Newspaper #7 is streaming via the Royal Court until 9th May

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News: writers and cast for Living Newspaper #7

Written by Blessing Adetunji, Fatima Kazmi, Tyreke Leslie, Naomi Lundie-Smith, Sam Pickering, Taichi Shinokubo and Ruby Stokes.

What does it mean to count your life in years and lose one? What happens when you re-emerge into the ‘real’ world and find there are still fights to be won?

Edition 7 is written by a group of writers aged 14-21 who’ve been working together online since June 2020. This final edition of Living Newspaper explores the fear of 21 June, a world where the stars talk in Morse code, the difference between  people online and IRL, the effects of class on love and what it means to say goodbye to those friends you only have for the summer. Continue reading “News: writers and cast for Living Newspaper #7”

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News: the 21st Annual WhatsOnStage Awards arrive on 14th March

The 21st Annual WhatsOnStage Awards are forging ahead, with a ceremony and concert recorded at the Turbine Theatre and streaming on Sunday 14th March. Tickets available here.

2020 being what it was means things will have to be different and the concert will be shining a light on a mixture of performances from shows that had their runs disrupted by the pandemic, those created during lockdown and those to look forward to in the future. Continue reading “News: the 21st Annual WhatsOnStage Awards arrive on 14th March”

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News: Scots in the City returns online for St Andrew’s Day

An all-Scottish line-up of stars of stage and screen will perform in Scots in the City on Sunday 29 November. The concert, held in early celebration of St Andrew’s Day (30 November), will be livestreamed from the Phoenix Arts Club in the heart of London’s West End. 

The show is produced by West End leading performers Kieran Brown (The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Les Misèrables) and Shona White (MAMMA MIA!, Les Misèrables, Chess), who set up Scots in the City to promote the very best of Scottish culture outside the motherland, with a focus on Musical Theatre. This is the third show in their concert series. Continue reading “News: Scots in the City returns online for St Andrew’s Day”

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News: Hiba Elchikhe launches Out Of The Darkness, Into The Spotlight

In collaboration with Nimax and The Theatre Café, West End performer Hiba Elchikhe is thrilled to announce a brand-new musical theatre based web series: Out Of The Darkness, Into The Spotlight.

Bringing a little bit of glitter to the grey, this three-episode series hopes to not only entertain, but shine a light on the performers who are keeping the West End alive, even during lockdown.  Continue reading “News: Hiba Elchikhe launches Out Of The Darkness, Into The Spotlight”

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September theatre news, the UK version

Chichester Festival Theatre has announced their Autumn plans and it looks to be a good’un. It includes:
– Sarah Kane’s Crave, directed by Tinuke Craig and starring Erin Doherty and Alfred Enoch, staged in a socially distanced Festival Theatre for 10 performances and live streamed to digital audiences
– for Christmas, a series of festive concerts (including one with Rebeccas Caine and Trehearn), followed by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre in a new version of Pinocchio by Anna Ledwich, directed by Dale Rooks
– Michael Ball, Sheila Hancock and Patricia Routledge in conversation with Edward Seckerson
– cabaret and comedy including Frisky & Mannish, The Black Cat Cabaret, Barely Methodical Troupe, Rich Hall, Suzi Ruffell, Russell Kane and Rosie Jones
– music ranging from a celebration of Sondheim with West End stars, to a song recital by Kate Royal, a new concert from Joe Stilgoe and a portrait of Rachmaninoff with Henry Goodman and Lucy Parham Continue reading “September theatre news, the UK version”

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Review: Evita, Open Air Theatre

Jamie Lloyd’s reinvention of Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre proves a storming success

“I could find job satisfaction in Paraguay”

If this was the production of Evita that was forever touring the UK, then we could all be a hell of a lot more enthused about the future of UK theatre. Bill Kenwright might have the business side locked down with dull predictability but at the Open Air Theatre, Jamie Lloyd is unleashing a torrent of creative genius which proves inordinately exciting to witness.

He offers up a complete reimagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical and one which feels sparkingly fresh in every single aspect. The open bleachers of Soutra Gilmore’s design which turns our focus to the human relationships here, the striking physicality of Fabian Aloise’s choreography with its haunting screaming faces and way-cool domino effect points to societal trauma and most crucially, Lloyd allows the shadow of populist politics to loom large. Continue reading “Review: Evita, Open Air Theatre”

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Review: The Great Wave, National Theatre

Fascinating but shocking history, and beautiful theatre. Don’t miss The Great Wave at the National Theatre

“It doesn’t mean…It doesn’t mean, that”

Francis Turnly’s new play The Great Wave explores a fascinating but shocking slice of history, severely underexplored in this country. And Indhu Rubasingham’s production thereof is one which puts East Asian experience, and actors, front and centre, a pleasing but too-rare sight to see in any of our theatres, never mind the National.

Its history covers the tense relationship between North Korea and Japan, notably in the late twentieth century when the former carried out a series of abductions of citizens of the latter, but all concerned hushed up the story. Turnly focuses down to the micro through the experience of one family but also amps up the macro, as past Japanese imperialism and the grotesqueries of the North Korean regime are also placed under the microscope. Continue reading “Review: The Great Wave, National Theatre”