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News: The Show Must Go On line-up revealed

Theatre Support Fund+, the team behind ‘The Show Must Go On!’ campaign and MZG Theatre Productions are delighted to announce 18 West End shows and an all-star musical theatre cast coming together for a unique one-off concert in the biggest West End celebration this summer in THE SHOW MUST GO ON! LIVE AT THE PALACE THEATRE from 2 – 6 June 2021.

All shows which appear on the iconic The Show Must Go On! design will be performing alongside Pretty Woman and a West End debut performance from Back To The Future. This will be the first time in history these West End musicals will come together for one night of pure joyous entertainment which celebrates the wealth of talent in London and includes a multi award winning creative team, over 50 performers and an orchestra made up of some of the finest musicians in London. Continue reading “News: The Show Must Go On line-up revealed”

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News: the West End starts to make plans…

With a ‘roadmap’ in place, the West End is starting to make plans for a summer that might look something close to normal

© Tristram Kenton

The Prince of Egypt will return to the Dominion Theatre from 1st July, operating under socially distanced restrictions until 4th September, after when they intend to return to ‘normal’! The show has also extended its run until Saturday 8th January 2022.

The production has confirmed that the entire cast and orchestra of almost 60 artists, will be presented in its original form at all performances. The cast of 43 is led by: Luke Brady (Moses), Liam Tamne (Ramses), Christine Allado (Tzipporah), Alexia Khadime (Miriam), Joe Dixon (Seti), Debbie Kurup (Tuya), Mercedesz Csampai (Yocheved), Adam Pearce (Hotep), Tanisha Spring (Nefertari) and Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron). Further casting is to be revealed. Continue reading “News: the West End starts to make plans…”

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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: Lambert Jackson Productions and The Theatre Café announce the return of Leave A Light On

Lambert Jackson Productions and The Theatre Café have announced the return of popular online concert series Leave A Light On, with 70 performances being re-streamed via stream.theatre.

Shows from across the two series’ feature Zoe Birkett, Jordan Luke Gage, David Hunter, Cassidy Janson, Lucie Jones, Beverley Knight and Layton Williams many more famous West End faces.

Shows will be available to watch every day at 5pm and 8pm from 15 March to 24 April. Continue reading “News: Lambert Jackson Productions and The Theatre Café announce the return of Leave A Light On”

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Mid February musical news

The producers of FIVER, the sell-out hit musical, which follows the dramatic journey of a five-pound note, are releasing a cast album in March. The album, titled Fiver (Live Concert Recording), is the product of three special, live streamed concert versions of the show, written by Alex James Ellison and Tom Lees, which played to a global audience in November 2020.

Featuring Dan Buckley, Aoife Clesham, Alex James Ellison,
Hiba Elchikhe and Luke Bayer, the album is available for pre-order now on iTunes and on CD and will be released on Friday 5 March. Continue reading “Mid February musical news”

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Review: All I Want For Christmas Is Theatre

If you’re feeling festive and missing musical theatre, then All I Want For Christmas Is Theatre is the place to be

“But it’s not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here”

Thespie’s Reunited series has been a fun way of getting your musicals fix over the past few weeks and in a rather clever move, they’ve managed to put together a Christmas special featuring the companies already featured, plus some brand new special guests. So All I Want For Christmas Is Theatre so we get to see Team Schwartz and Team Girl Power again and my personal faves, Team Juliet as they tackle a range of festive classics.

For me though, it was the promise of concerts to come that proved most exciting. The tight harmonies of Heathers alumni Sophie Isaacs, Jodie Steele and T’Shan Williams were a particular delight on both ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ and the women of Pretty Woman are in wonderfully high spirits on both ‘Last Christmas’ and ‘Santa Baby’ so consider my appetite whetted for their forthcoming gigs. Continue reading “Review: All I Want For Christmas Is Theatre”

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Review: Oops!… I Streamed It Again

Alumni of & Juliet reunites for Oops!… I Streamed It Again, a wide-ranging and effective mix of pop, rock and musical theatre

“Maybe I’m brainless
Maybe I’m wise”

The second of Thespie’s Reunited Series concerts reassembles some of the core cast of & Juliet and sets them loose on a wide-ranging songbook that encompasses pop, rock, musical theatre and a bit of Disney too.  Whereas the first gig had its focus firmly on Stephen Schwartz and revelled in its evening dress and swanky hotel setting, the looser feel of Oops!… I Streamed It Again makes it feel more like a genuine cabaret rather than a statelier theatrical show. 

The easy informality between the five performers is evident from the start, as inter-song banter reveals bromances and full-on fangirling when it comes to a particularly Wicked reunion. And because the vibe is just that much more chilled, an eclectic setlist that leaps from David Bowie to Anastasia, Hadestown to REO Speedwagon feels entirely organic and will have most people reaching for the Crazy Coqs cocktails list to complete the mood. Continue reading “Review: Oops!… I Streamed It Again”

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News: Thespie to stream concerts throughout December

Theatre discovery platform Thespie has announced the Reunited Series, bringing together more than two dozen of the UK’s top musical theatre artists for a series of filmed concerts premiering throughout December.

Developed by Aimie Atkinson, Thespie’s Creative Producer and the Olivier nominated star of Pretty Woman and SIX), each concert presents ensemble music performances (filmed in COVID-secure London venues), and ranges from musical theatre hits, to pop music, to favourite Christmas songs. The program of each concert has been developed by the artists involved and will also include intimate interview footage. Continue reading “News: Thespie to stream concerts throughout December”

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News: concerts announced, warning given

I thought Liam Tamne’s tweet thread about diversity was worth flagging up ahead of today’s concert announcements as talk about change is proving awfully cheap compared with actually actioning it…

The West End Does… team returns to the stage with West End Does: Christmas 2020 at Cadogan Hall on 13th December. They promise a socially distanced West End Christmas extravaganza, featuring stars of the West End performing songs and carols with Louise Dearman, Killian Donnelly, Rachel John and Oliver Tompsett announced as headliners and special guests to be announced in the coming weeks. Continue reading “News: concerts announced, warning given”

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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”