Matt Lucas’ ‘Thank You Baked Potato’ reaches its apotheosis with this West End frenzy
Don't bother, they're here
As we move towards the year end, so award season gets into full swing and What’s On Stage have now revealed their nominations celebrating everyone who works in theatre apart from sound designers and musical directors. As ever, these awards tend to work around which fanbase can weaponise the strongest and so there’s lots of love for shows which might not necessarily be troubling many other shortlists…
Still, am liking the recognition for Milly Thomas and Dust, Es Devlin’s luminous set work for Girls & Boys, and Six and The Grinning Man getting into the cast recording category (though can’t quite work out how Come From Away fits into there as well…). And it’s a bit sad that the way their eligibility period works means that Hamilton comes up against Company, making the supporting actress/actor categories ridiculously difficult to choose between.
You can vote here until 31st January, and winners will be announced on 3rd March.
Best Actor in a New Production of a Musical
Alex Wadham, The Full Monty: The Musical, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
WINNER – Giles Terera, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
Jamal Kane Crawford, Fame, UK Tour
Jamie Muscato, Heathers The Musical, The Other Palace/Theatre Royal Haymarket
Louis Maskell, The Grinning Man, Trafalgar Studios
Marc Antolin, Little Shop of Horrors, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Best Actor in a New Production of a Play
Aidan Turner, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Noël Coward Theatre
Ben Batt, The York Realist, Donmar Warehouse/Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
WINNER – Ian McKellen, King Lear, Chichester Festival Theatre
Matthew Tennyson, A Monster Calls, Old Vic
Reed Birney, The Humans, Hampstead Theatre
Tyrone Huntley, Homos, Or Everyone in America, Finborough Theatre Continue reading “2018 BroadwayWorld UK Awards – Winners’ list”
Best Feel Good Show
Kinky Boots
Show You Came Out Dancing To
Five Guys Named Moe
Best Female Performer
Rachel John for Hamilton
Most Heart Stopping Show
The Ferryman
Soundtrack of My Soul
Hamilton
Best Male Performer
Layton Williams for Rent
Best Finale
Kinky Boots
Aesthetic On Point
The Grinning Man
Performer Who Saved The Day
Adam Bayjou for Les Mis
Couldn’t Wait For It To Open
Five Guys Named Moe
Best Ensemble
Hamilton
Friendliest Venue
The Old Vic
“The plan is to fan this spark into a flame”
It’s not been a hot minute since I last saw Hamilton so just take a look at my original review for the deets.
Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is”
Change doesn’t just happen, it has to be ushered in by visionaries determined to shake up the status quo to allow the rest of us to shuffle in in their wake. This is true of many things but particularly when it comes to diversity in our theatres, which makes it pleasing that this first production of Hamilton outside of the US has maintained its commitment to multiracial casting in its depiction of the travails of ill-fated Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.
Sure, shows such as Motown the Musical and Dreamgirls offer much-welcomed opportunities for performers of colour. But its the vision of the likes of Michael Buffong and Talawa casting an all-black Guys and Dolls and Hamilton writer Lin-Manuel Miranda and director Thomas Kail making this decision that allows those performers to get the kind of credits on their CV that would otherwise never be gained. Continue reading “Review: Hamilton, Victoria Palace”
“Just you wait…just you wait”
With priority booking having sold out its allocation ahead of public booking opening on Monday 30th January (12pm), Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton has certainly had its share of advance publicity and it is certainly proving reluctant to leave the spotlight as it has now announced initial casting for several of its key roles.
Christine Allado (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds), Rachelle Ann Go (Eliza Hamilton), Tarinn Callender (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison), Rachel John (Angelica Schuyler), Jason Pennycooke (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson), Cleve September (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton), Giles Terera (Aaron Burr) and Obioma Ugoala (George Washington) will open the London production later this year, with further casting to be announced at a later date.
Continue reading “News and thoughts – Initial casting for Hamilton announced”
And because things come in threes, here’s the news about West End Sings’ Christmas single ‘If We Only Have Love’ by Jacques Brel. Released to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Childline and all proceeds will go to the charity. The track can be pre-ordered from Friday 2nd December and will be released on Friday 9th December.
The song features stars from several West End Musicals plus the Sylvia Young Choir, with music by the producers of two out of the last three Christmas number 1s. Just some of the people singing are Dean John-Wilson, Cassidy Janson, Lucy St Louis, Davina Perera, Dylan Turner, Daniel Boys, Ben Forster, Rachelle Ann Go, Caroline Sheen, and Claire Sweeney – more details can be found on their website.
Best Choreography in a New Production of a Musical
Drew McOnie – Hairspray – Leicester Curve
Best Costume Design in a New Production of a Play or Musical
Sue Blane – The Rocky Horror Show – Playhouse Theatre
Best Direction of a New Production of a Musical
Trevor Nunn – Cats – London Palladium
Best Direction of a New Production of a Play
Lyndsey Turner – Hamlet – Barbican
Best Featured Actor in a New Production of a Musical
Steve Rushton – American Idiot – Arts Theatre
Best Featured Actor in a New Production of a Play
Will Austin – Gods And Monsters – Southwark Playhouse
Best Featured Actress in a New Production of a Musical
Kerry Ellis – Cats – London Palladium
Best Featured Actress in a New Production of a Play
Rachel Lumberg – Romeo and Juliet – Sheffield Crucible
Best Leading Actor in a New Production of a Musical
Killian Donnelly – Memphis – Shaftesbury Theatre
Best Leading Actor in A New Production of a Play
Benedict Cumberbatch – Hamlet – Barbican Theatre
Best Leading Actress in a New Production of a Musical
Imelda Staunton – Gypsy – Savoy Theatre
Best Leading Actress in a New Production of a Play
Olivia Vinall – The Hard Problem – National Theatre
Best Lighting Design in a New Production of a Play or Musical
Hugh Vanstone – Future Conditional – Old Vic
Best Long-Running Show in the West End
Les Miserables Queen’s Theatre
Best Musical Direction (Fringe or regional)
George Dyer – Annie – UK tour
Best Musical Direction (West End)
Richard Morris – American Idiot – Arts Theatre
Best New Musical in the West End
American Idiot – Arts Theatre
Best New Play
The Play That Goes Wrong – Duchess Theatre
Best New Production of a Musical (Fringe/Regions)
The Spitfire Grill – Union Theatre
Best New Production of a Play (Fringe/Regions)
Crucible – Manchester
Best Performance in a Long-Running West End show (Female)
Rachelle Ann Go – Les Miserables – Queens Theatre
Best Performance in a Long-Running West End show (Male)
Jon Jon Briones – Miss Saigon – Prince Edward Theatre
Best Revival of a Musical
Grand Hotel – Southwark Playhouse
Best Revival of a Play
Harvey – Theatre Royal Haymarket
Best Scenic Design in a New Production of a Play or Musical
Es Devlin – Hamlet – Barbican
Best Sound Design in a New Production of a Play or Musical
Chris Whybrow – American Idiot – Arts Theatre
Theatrical Event of the Year
Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Concert – Prince Edward Theatre
Theatrical Venue of the Year
Queens Theatre
Understudy of the Year in any production of a Play or Musical (Female)
Marsha Songcome – Miss Saigon – Prince Edward
Understudy of the Year in any production of a Play or Musical (Male)
Luke Baker – American Idiot – Arts Theatre
“Why God? Why today?”
I wasn’t the hugest fan of Miss Saigon first time round as my review from then clearly attests but I’m never one to be entirely closed-minded (though it may not often seem that way…) so when the opportunity to take a friend who had not previously been popped up, I made a return visit to the Prince Edward Theatre. The show is still basking in the glow of recently winning 9 What’s On Stage awards and it is clear that it is attracting a younger and atypically passionate crowd (for a West End show at least).
That passion cuts both ways though as the overexcited group behind us couldn’t hold back from the flash photography and the young woman in front of me was less enthused than the rest of her party and spent most of the show on Facebook. It makes for a different kind of theatre experience when you’re having to do battle with that kind of behaviour but given my continued lack of engagement with the storyline of this particular musical theatre behemoth, it was as much a distraction for me as anything. Continue reading “Re-review: Miss Saigon, Prince Edward Theatre”