Renée Elise Goldsberry – There Ought To Be Clowns

December 14, 2020December 18, 2020

News: Broadway stars unite for Rock the Runoff

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July 1, 2020August 30, 2020

A new Hamil-teaser – Phillipa Soo, the Original Hamilton Cast & The Roots Sing ‘Helpless’

A new Hamil-teaser – Phillipa Soo, the Original Hamilton Cast & The Roots Sing ‘Helpless’ in advance of the movie’s release on Friday

June 22, 2020July 5, 2020

News: #Hamilfilm Official Trailer released

The #Hamilfilm Official Trailer has now been released – excited yet?

May 12, 2020January 26, 2021

News: Hamilton film to premiere on Disney+

It wasn’t meant to be airing until late 2021 but the filmed version of the Broadway production of Hamilton will now be airing this summer. With the cinematic release of In The Heights being pushed back to next year, it means that Lin-Manuel Miranda will still get his chance to take over our households once again.

The film was made with the original Broadway cast (whom I was lucky enough to see) just two weeks before Miranda left the cast. And as it turned out, I saw Javier Muñoz as Hamilton so this means I’ll finally get to see Miranda delivering the music, lyrics and book he wrote and for which he has subsequently won every award going. Continue reading “News: Hamilton film to premiere on Disney+”

April 16, 2020November 8, 2020

Lockdown treat: Hamilton reunion

One of the best things to happen since this whole shitshow started. In fact, the whole show from John Krasinski is marvellous.

December 28, 2019October 2, 2020

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”

April 17, 2017November 26, 2018

Album Review: Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers

“I have dreamed what a joy you’ll be”

Who knew that exploring the soul of Richard Rodgers would reveal a Lauryn Hill sample and a guest rap from upcoming Bronx rapper Zaire Park? And that’s just on ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’ alone. But that’s exactly what you find on Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers, a project co-produced and co-curated by Billy Porter, the Tony Award-winning Broadway actor and musician.

With lyricists Oscar Hammerstein II and Lorenz Hart, legendary composer Richard Rodgers redefined the American musical theatre with now-classic musicals like Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, and The King and I. And now Porter pays tribute to his legacy by reinterpreting his songbook with an entirely more contemporary soulful bent. In his own words, “I like to think of this as the Richard Rodgers version of the Hamilton Mixtapes.” Continue reading “Album Review: Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers”

January 29, 2017October 27, 2018

Round-up of news and treats and other interesting things

Hamilton-mania never dies down – as the first news about the UK cast arrives, the original Schuyler Sisters are reuniting this weekend!

When you FaceTime your friends from ?? because they’re practicing their SONG FOR THE SUPERBOWL (WHAT?!) pic.twitter.com/2rKARtaUW6

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) January 27, 2017

Continue reading “Round-up of news and treats and other interesting things”

December 26, 2016December 28, 2018

9 of my top moments in a theatre in 2016

The end-of-year lists of favourite plays and performances should be on their way soon, once the food coma has abated, but to tide you over, here’s my list of 9 of my top moments in a theatre over 2016, the things that first come to mind when someone says ‘what did you enjoy this year’. For reference, here’s my 2015 list and 2014 list.

The ‘arrival’ of the Hope Theatre

I’ve been gazumped by The Stage in recognising this Islington fringe theatre for a stellar year but it is no more than Matthew Parker and his team there deserve. Over the course of 2016, intelligent and exciting programming has made the Hope into a must-see venue for me, no mean feat in a market already full of fringe venues and new ones opening every time you look up. From promoting new writing to astutely chosen revivals, scorchingly personal writing to themed seasons culminating in delightfully campy lesbian musicals, this theatre has been on fire all year long and has made me excited to see every single thing they put – and there’s precious few places, large or small, that can say that.

Wizards and magic and owls, oh my

I’d have to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child again before deciding officially whether it is a great piece of drama or not, but there’s no doubting that it is a stonking piece of theatre and the atmosphere at the very first shows was something quite amazing to be a part of, even from the back row of the balcony. The romantic sweep of Christine Jones’ set and Steven Hoggett’s movement, John Tiffany’s endlessly imaginative direction and of course, the masterfully jaw-dropping effects from Jamie Harrison. It felt like something I’d never seen before and in the case of Sprocket the Owl, it was something no-one else saw either!

Continue reading “9 of my top moments in a theatre in 2016”

August 21, 2016December 17, 2018

Round-up of summer album reviews