150 musical performers from across the West End and Broadway have come together to perform a stellar version of “Make Them Here You” from Ragtime in support of Black Lives Matter and the Stopwatch campaign.
Review: thoughts on Turn Up London
I wasn’t going to write up Turn Up London but in the end, it was just too darn good to leave unremarked. I’m just going to whip through my highlights though, and urge you to stay tuned for any future for this excellent and essential project. Continue reading “Review: thoughts on Turn Up London”
News: even more black MT talent turning it up for TURN UP!
Theatrical superstars Sharon D. Clarke, Noma Dumezweni, Clive Rowe, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Johnnie Fiore, Brenda Edwards, Zaris-Angel Hator, Rachel Adedeji, Aisha Jawando, Norm Lewis, Brittney Johnson, Brandi Chavonne Massey and Joe Aaron Reid and more join the lineup for TURN UP! , a live stream event supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
The live stream event is streaming for The Bail Project, The Okra Project, The Black Curriculum and UK Black Pride – in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
TURN UP! will stream on Friday 10th, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July at 7.30pm prompt. The performance streamed on Sunday 12th July will be captioned. Tickets cost £10 for one stream/show, or you can watch all 3 nights for £25, all profit (after streaming costs and applicable taxes) will be split between our four charities, tickets are available now from club11.london/turn. Continue reading “News: even more black MT talent turning it up for TURN UP!”
Lockdown treat: Dreamgirls Lockdown Live
The opening section of this, with Dreamgirls composer Henry Krieger and Amber Riley is just lovely. I’d’ve loved more of the singing.
In aid of MAD Trust COVID-19 HARDSHIP CRISIS FUND
10 of my top moments of the decade
Ever behind the curve, I present 10 of my top moments in a theatre over the last ten years (plus a few bonus extra ones because whittling down this list was hard, and it will probably be different tomorrow anyway!)
Extraordinary Public Acts for a National Theatre
The establishment of the Public Acts programme at the National Theatre offered up something sensational in Pericles, an initiative designed to connect grassroot community organisations with major theatres, resulting in a production that swept over 200 non-professional performers onto the stage of the Olivier to create something that moved me more than 99% of professional productions. A truly joyous and momentous occasion.
Honourable mention: this year’s musical take on As You Like It proved just as heart-swellingly beautiful over at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. Continue reading “10 of my top moments of the decade”
Re-review: All change on the Strand for Dreamgirls and Kinky Boots
All change on the Strand for Dreamgirls and Kinky Boots post closing notices at the Savoy Theatre and Adelphi Theatre respectively, and I revisit both.
“Never let ‘em tell you who you ought to be
Just be”
Come mid-January, the Strand will look a fair bit different for theatregoers as both Kinky Boots and Dreamgirls have posted advance closing notices, leaving the Adelphi and the Savoy respectively on the same date, Saturday 12th January. As sad as it is to see any show close though, both of these musicals have had a fairly decent run (Kinky Boots opened in August 2015, making it nearly 3 and a half years; Dreamgirls in November 2016, reaching two) and given how merciless the commercial market can be, I think both productions can hold their head up high with their West End runs.
And getting ahead of the game with those closing notices means that people still have many the opportunity to catch either or both of these shows before the final curtain. (I should add too, that both shows have announced that they will be touring the UK going into 2019.) I’ve paid both a revisit relatively recently and am happy to report that they both remain well worth seeing, due to some mighty fine performance. Oliver Tompsett has only just stepped into the role of Charlie Price but he is nigh-on perfect casting and his majestic voice suits Cyndi Lauper’s score down to a T and he’s clearly getting on well with Simon-Anthony Rhoden’s impressive Lola. Continue reading “Re-review: All change on the Strand for Dreamgirls and Kinky Boots”
The Curtain Up Show Album of the Year 2017 winners
Best UK Cast Recording
42nd Street – 2017 London Cast Recording
Bat Out Of Hell The Musical – Original Cast Recording
WINNER: Dreamgirls – Original London Cast Recording
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Original Concept Recording
Girl From The North Country – Original London West End Cast Recording
The Wind in the Willows – Cast Recording
Best American Cast Recording
Anastasia – Original Broadway Cast Recording
Come From Away – Original Broadway Cast Recording
WINNER: Dear Evan Hansen – Original Broadway Cast Recording
Hello, Dolly! – New Broadway Cast Recording
Spongebob Squarepants – Original Cast Recording
Sunday in the Park with George – 2017 Broadway Cast Recording
Best Solo Album/Non Cast Recording
WINNER: Collabro – Home
Leading Ladies – Songs From The Stage
Marisha Wallace – Soul Holiday
Patti LuPone – Don’t Monkey With Broadway
Rachel Tucker – On The Road
Sheridan Smith – Sheridan
Re-review: Dreamgirls, Savoy
Falling in love with Marisha Wallace in Dreamgirls is far too easy!
“You want all my love and my devotion”
As Dreamgirls goes into its second year in the West End and has just welcomed a new cast into the Savoy, what better time to revisit this most glittering of musicals. I must admit to going in with something of a sceptical mindset last time around, both in trying to resist the hype and letting thoughts of ticket prices and imported US leading ladies play on my mind. But all such things aside, this really is a belter of a show, a glowing, full-throated roller-coaster of an experience.
Marisha Wallace, Moya Angela and Karen Mav now share the role for which Amber Riley has won pretty much every award going and tonight’s Effie was the delightful Wallace, a powerhouse of a presence who pretty much nails it from start to finish. Another visitor from Broadway Brennyn Lark’s Deena is well played but I really loved Asmeret Ghebremichael’s Lorrell, possibly becoming the brightest of the Dreams despite the way the script goes. And off the men, Joe Aaron Reid’s Curtis remains a villainous delight.
It’s always lovely to see ensemble members be rewarded for their hard work and both Tosh Wanogho-Maud and Kimmy Edwards have made the leap, now playing Jimmy Early and Michelle Martin respectively. And the production as a whole remains as slick and shiny as it did when it first opened – with all those crystals, how could it not! Keep your eyes peeled for deals on the off-chance they pop up, or take a chance on TodayTix’s daily lottery – it’s worth the shot. And if that weren’t proof enough, here’s some productions shots courtesy of Dewynters. Continue reading “Re-review: Dreamgirls, Savoy”
The Curtain Up Show Album of the Year 2017 nominees
Best UK Cast Recording
42nd Street – 2017 London Cast Recording
Bat Out Of Hell The Musical – Original Cast Recording
Dreamgirls – Original London Cast Recording
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Original Concept Recording
Girl From The North Country – Original London West End Cast Recording
The Wind in the Willows – Cast Recording
Best American Cast Recording
Anastasia – Original Broadway Cast Recording
Come From Away – Original Broadway Cast Recording
Dear Evan Hansen – Original Broadway Cast Recording
Hello, Dolly! – New Broadway Cast Recording
Spongebob Squarepants – Original Cast Recording
Sunday in the Park with George – 2017 Broadway Cast Recording
Best Solo Album/Non Cast Recording
Collabro – Home
Leading Ladies – Songs From The Stage
Marisha Wallace – Soul Holiday
Patti LuPone – Don’t Monkey With Broadway
Rachel Tucker – On The Road
Sheridan Smith – Sheridan
Scott Alan announces Live at Zédel residency with special guests in 2018
Live At Zédel, Soho’s unique live entertainment concept at The Crazy Coqs, will host a week-long residency by acclaimed international songwriter Scott Alan, who will be joined by a host of special musical theatre guests each evening. Audiences will be treated to Scott, along with his special guests singing tunes from all 7 of his recordings and brand new songs from his upcoming release, Lifeline. Continue reading “Scott Alan announces Live at Zédel residency with special guests in 2018”