The 1980 musical has won Tony Award’s for Best Musical (1980) and Best Revival (2001) and has played on Broadway and in the West End, as well as numerous national and international tours. Now, 42^nd Street embarks on a UK tour from 1^st June 2012, led by West End stars Dave Willetts and Marti Webb in the respective roles of Julian Marsh and Dorothy Brock.
Dave Willetts is a musical theatre veteran, having played leading roles in West End shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard and Les Miserables and touring productions of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and South Pacific. Marti Webb is a musical theatre actress with a long list of credits to her name, such as Blood Brothers, Evita, Tell Me On A Sunday, Cats and Oklahoma, among many others. Now they are set to start this new adventure together, taking this timeless tap-dancing musical extravaganza to twenty-three UK venues throughout 2012. The production will feature costumes and sets from the 2001 Broadway revival with audiences treated to all the beloved songs of Al Dubin and Harry Warren’s original score, including the likes of ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Keep Young And Beautiful’ and of course the title track ‘42^nd Street’ in, “a journey to musical comedy heaven with breathtaking routines and glorious choreography”.

The UK tour is presented by Martin Dodd for UK Productions, the production company behind previous successful tours like Beauty and the Beast, South Pacific and Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. Mark Bramble, the award-winning director and 42^nd Street book writer (co-written with Michael Stewart), will direct the tour, with choreography by Graeme Henderson and musical supervision by Gareth Williams.

The 42^nd Street tour kicks off at the Rhyl Pavilion on 1^st June 2012 for two dates before continuing on to visit Oxford, Sheffield, Belfast, Glasgow, Woking, Birmingham, Blackpool, Plymouth, Eastbourne, Bradford, Cardiff, Southampton, Norwich, Bromley, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Aylesbury, ending its journey at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham (27^th Nov-1^st Dec 2012).

If you’re a fan of the ‘old-school’ musical, then 42^nd Street is a show that is sure to be right up your alley. Billed as, “the greatest tap dancing musical of all time”, it promises to give audiences a few hours of high-quality entertainment. When it first made its debut in 1980, the now-iconic line, “you’re going out there a youngster, but you’ve got to come back a star” could just as easily have been referring to the show itself, as well as chorus girl Peggy Sawyer – 32 years later and I think 42^nd Street has most definitely proved itself to be a star that continues to shine brightly.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 16^th May 2012

Original writers Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn adapted their TV creation for the stage in 2010, where it made its debut at the Chichester Festival Theatre. That same year, it transferred to the West End before embarking on a national tour. A second West End run at the Apollo Theatre followed shortly after, until it moved to its current home in September 2011. It opens at Trafalgar Studios 1 on 6^th June 2012.

Produced by Mark Goucher and Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions, Yes, Prime Minister stars Graham Seed as unfortunate Prime Minister Jim Hacker and Michael Simkins as civil servant Sir Humphrey Appleby. They follow in the immortal footsteps of original screen actors Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne.

Life is always filled with stress and strife, but as they say, ‘laughter is the best medicine’. The rip-roaring humour of Yes, Prime Minister is the perfect cure for ‘the blues’, and with its plotline of a coalition government facing economical meltdown, audiences may laugh a little harder when it moves to its new home – just 400 yards from 10 Downing Street.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Tuesday 15^th May 2012

Some names you will know and some you may not, but Waiting For More provides a wonderful opportunity to familiarise yourself with them all. Presented by #1Entertainment, the event at Soho’s popular theatrical venue Freedom Bar features new songs from writers such as Joey Contreras, Marcy and Zina, Kerrigan-Lowdermilk, Brad Alexander and Gaby Alter. It will also include the compositions of one of my personal favourites, Scott Alan, who has previously visited the UK on a number of occasions to perform for London audiences.

A host of West End vocalists will be there on the night to perform the songs of each of these writers. There are some great names in the line-up, with the likes of Stevie Tate-Bauer (Wicked, Lord of the Rings), Sian Walker (Cinderella, The Little Big Club), Andrew Waldron (A Chorus Line, The Sound of Music), Phoebe Fildes (A Little Bit of Rogers and Hammerstein, An Evening with Max Reinhardt), Michelle LaFortune (Joseph, Oklahoma), David Malcolm (Kiss Me Kate, An Ideal Husband), Chantal Amber-Rose (La Boheme, Cinderella), Gareth Andrews (Patience, Dick Whittington), Andy Bryant (Wicked, Fresher), James Darch (Fresher), Colin Burnicle and Tash Holloway. Angharad Sanders will also be a guest vocalist, in addition to providing musical direction for the event.

In an extra treat for the audience, American composer Bobby Cronin will be making a special guest appearance to perform some of his work. Two of Cronin’s new shows, Daybreak and Concrete Jungle, are currently being premiered here in London.

You don’t have to be an avid fan of new writing to enjoy the event. Waiting For More is a celebration of musical theatre and offers a little glimpse at its future, as these writers forge a promising new path forward.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Tuesday 15^th May 2012

Waiting For More is at Freedom Bar Soho on Sunday 20^th May 2012, 7.30pm.

With a modern soundtrack, an appearance of an ipad, and Joan entering chewing gum dressed as a gothic rock chick listening to her iPod, we know this will be no ordinary revival.

The Rose Theatre, Bankside, steeped in history is the perfect setting for Saint Joan. Bernard Shaw wrote St Joan soon after Joan of Arc’s canonisation by the Roman Catholic Church.

We follow Joan of Arc’s story, in which a young peasant girl hears voices that tell her to raise a siege against Orleans and to eventually crown the Dauphin at Rheims Cathedral. The voices that she is so sure are Divine Inspiration, lead to her tragic death.

Betrayed and convicted of Heresy and sentenced to the ultimate punishment of death, Joan accepts burning at the stake as preferable to a lifetime of imprisonment.

This cast of 7 actors are excellent and do a fantastic job of playing many different characters. All the performances are dynamic with boundless energy, with great characterisation.

Suzanne Marie has huge amounts of charisma and her quirky Joan is a pleasure to watch. We really feel for her when she explains her reasons for choosing death over imprisonment declaring ‘You think that life is nothing but not being dead?’

I really enjoyed Becca Laidler’s performances too, especially her librarian. Spencer Lee Osborne rose to the task of playing the most different characters, from a meek steward to the sinister executioner.

Cleverly the action takes place over the two levels of the theatre, making Joan’s death very dramatic.

The epilogue that sometimes drags in other productions keeps our attention by being filmed on location and shown to the audience on a screen.

The dress code may be modern but there are clever costuming hints to represent the characters as Bernard Shaw intended. After seeing this production I look forward to seeing more work of Constanza Hola.

This may be a small scale production but your enjoyment of it will be huge.

Review by Joanna Forest @joannaforest

Saint Joan at The Rose, Bankside

From Friday 7th December 2012 until Saturday 5th January 2013 Savage will join the cast of a truly unique and magical theatrical event that will be taking place on the Greenwich Peninsula under the canopy of The O2. A purpose built 1900-seat theatre will host what Whatsonstage called “a classy panto” starring the inimitable Lily Savage as one of the greatest dames in pantomime, Widow Twankey.

Lily Savage, who will be performing by very kind permission of Mr Paul O’Grady, had this to say “Lily had such a great time playing Widow Twankey last time in Southampton that I am delighted she gets to have another go and that this will be in her very own, brand new purpose built theatre at The O2 – which will be filled with the magic of Old Peking!”

Booking From: Friday, 7 December 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 5 January 2013
Matinees: 1.30pm, 2pm and 5.30pm
Evenings: 7.30pm

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The Theatre at the O2
Peninsula Square
London
SE10 0DX

Directions: Take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich, where the O2 Arena is located.

The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe is a classic fantasy story from novelist C. S. Lewis; I would imagine nearly every child grew up reading the Chronicles of Narnia books or watching the film versions – I know I certainly did. The adventures of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are ingrained in my childhood memories, as they entered the magical land of Narnia through a seemingly innocuous wardrobe to do battle against the tyrannical White Witch and fulfil a prophecy, with the help of an assortment of mythical beings and, of course, a wise and magical lion. It’s a timeless tale that appeals to both children and adults alike and now, threesixty have brought C. S. Lewis’ world to life with their new production of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.

The threesixty theatre is a sight to behold. The state of the art theatre tent stands at over 100 feet high and seats 1480 people per performance, but perhaps most importantly, it was designed with the notoriety of our unpredictable English summers  in mind, so whatever the weather, come rain or shine, the audience’s theatre experience will always be a comfortable and enjoyable one. The circular space provides audiences with an unrestricted view of the centralised stage, but also allows the company to utilise the ground-breaking surround video projections that were such a hit with audiences in their previous production, Peter Pan, which went on to tour America and the Far East after its sell-out premiere in London.

Now they’ve returned with a follow-up production of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, which opened there on 8^th May 2012 and runs till 23^rd July 2012. Award winning director Rupert Goold has adapted C. S. Lewis’ story for the stage with co-direction by Michael Fentiman, and original composition from Adam Cork. Sally Dexter stars as the White Witch, alongside Brian Protheroe (The Professor), Forbes Masson (Mr Tumnus) and Paul Barnhill and Sophie Louise Dann (Mr and Mrs Beaver), with young actors Philip Labey, Carly Bawden, Jonny Weldon and Rebecca Benson taking on the roles of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. Three actors (puppet captain Jane Leaney, Christian From and Will Lucas) bring Aslan to life in spectacular fashion through the art of puppetry in an impressive creation by Tom Scott and the set, costume and puppet design team.

This visually stunning production promises to be a fantastic family experience, offering audiences one of the best-loved stories of all time with the accompaniment of innovative performance and threesixty’s trademark stop motion images which are projected 360 degrees onto the inside walls of the canvas tent. If you’ve enjoyed C. S. Lewis’ books and the subsequent film versions, then this live stage production is the perfect next step this summer.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Monday 14^th May 2012

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I have always been intrigued by the circus and the incredible skills of acrobatics. However, I have never seen a show that showcases their talent. Along with a mixture of dance, magic and music, Cantina showed me a completely different type of theatre.

Cantina is the headline show of Priceless London Wonderground’s, a venue to showcase a variety of cabaret, circus and strange curiosities throughout the summer. Set in a traditional 1920s Spiegeltent, it provides a lively atmosphere and sets the tone for the forthcoming show. Despite quite a restricted view due to a post holding the tent up, the seating arrangement contributed to the atmosphere and sitting within a booth enabled me to talk to other members of the audience. However, with a larger stage the performers could use more room and I would be able to see a great deal more.

The show consists of 6 artists performing individual and group feats, which made the audience stunned with amazement. A variety of different feats were displaced to keep the audience entertained, these included tightrope walking in heels, corde lisse, contortion, balance tricks and acro dance. The show opened with the tightrope act and I was shocked that it was even possible in heels. This start grabbed my attention and I never lost it throughout. The corde lisse was particularly exciting due to the danger element and shock factor, while the magic act in the nude was hilarious. The music complemented the action and joined the feats together so that it was not a disjointed show.

With so many jaw-dropping moments and spectacular acts, this is a show not to be missed!

Reviewed by Kayleigh

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Monday 14th May, 2012

The musical is set in Durham during the harsh political and financial climate of 1984/85 when Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, took on the Miner’s Union and the miners went on strike in protest. Times were tough for the working class and the strikes affected not only the whole community but the country.

The story of the musical follows how Billy Elliot finds an escape in ballet during a difficult time, as his father and brother are miners on strike. Despite initial disapproval from his family, Billy continues with his passion and auditions for the Royal Ballet School, which could change his life completely. This powerful storyline is complemented by Elton John’s passionate music and Peter Darling’s striking choreography.

The ensemble really make this show something special. They play the characters of miners, police and children, which intertwine in spectacular dance sequences (including my favourite between the police and the young ballet dancers). Spectacular but tragic as they only further emphasise how much the political climate affects everyone in the community. Dance is used to express the narrative and becomes a release for Billy (played on the night by the incredibly talented Ryan Collinson) to express his emotions.

Despite the gloomy backdrop of the strike, the musical contains a number of comical scenes and carefully timed jokes. Including Billy’s best friend Michael’s ( Michael played by Reece Barratt on the night) number “Expressing Yourself”, where the two boys dress up in Michael’s mum’s frocks. This song carries the strong notion that “…everyone is different, it’s the natural state” and shows that the community still has spirit. Another scene that masks some of the underlying sadness with humour is “We’d Go Dancing”, sung by Billy’s Grandma (played by Ann Emery) and danced by the male ensemble. In supporting Billy’s new found interest, Grandma reveals how much she used to love to dance.

Gillian Bevan played by Mrs Wilkinson (Billy’s dance teacher) as a supporting but tough woman. She encourages Billy to pursue his talent and is more than willing to stand up to his family. Bevan shows Mrs Wilkinson’s motherly affections as Billy grows to trust and enjoy the company of a mother-like figure. Along with Billy and Mr Braithwaite played by Simon Ray Harvey, the trio perform an impressive number “Born to Boogie”. This number shows the fun Billy gains from dance and how he can escape from the harsh backdrop.

The Elliot family is beautifully played but the intense connection between Billy’s Dad (played by Deka Walmsley) and Billy’s older brother, Tony, (played by Michael Peavoy) intrigues me the most. Both are miners in constant protest and riots with the police, strong in their stance. However, when Mr Elliot decides to return to work (and breaks the strike) to provide financial support for Billy’s dream, Tony becomes infuriated. The pair argue in the number “He Could Be a Star” and Tony reminds his father how the miners must stay united.

A superb British musical with a powerful storyline, guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings. An absolute must-see!

Reviewed by Kayleigh

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Saturday 12th may, 2012

Dancers Inc. presents REVOLUTION, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, which is set to be a fast-paced, futuristic and inspiring performance, showcasing some of the most recognised dancers in the UK at present from recent TV shows such as Britain’s Got Talent, Got To Dance and So You Think You Can Dance as well as tours with Take That, Cheryl Cole and X-Factor.

The line up of twenty super-talented handpicked performers will include Aaron Renfree (Flashdance & We Will Rock You, The X Factor Live Tour and choreographing for Little Boots and The Saturdays), Tobias Mead (Britain’s Got Talent finalist), Charlie Bruce (So You Think You Can Dance winner) and Lizzie Gough (So You Think You Can Dance and and BBC’s Alesha’s Dance Stars panelist) plus many more…

REVOLUTION is a fusion of the UK’s finest commercial dance & choreographic talent, and the brainchild of Artistic Director Chris Manoe, who is also MD of I.N.C and producer of REVOLUTION. “I wanted to create an innovative, cool edged, hard hitting dance show which is accessible to the general public. We have some incredible dancers here in the UK and I want REVOLUTION to really showcase the talent. The performance will be perfect for any age and it promises to be a really great fun night out!”

Revolution stars Kimberly Wyatt and Adam Garcia

Adam Garcia co-founded the internationally successful dance troupe Tap Dogs which brought him stardom! Since then, Adam has been on and off the stage and screen, going on to achieve incredible success and being nominated for numerous awards in his acting career. Adam received a Laurence Olivier nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Tony Manero in the 1998 smash-hit revival of Saturday Night Fever (London Palladium). He originated the role of Fiyero in the West End production of Wicked (Apollo Victoria) in 2006.

Adam has recently finished the third series of the popular SKY1 show Got to Dance, where he appeared as a judge alongside Ashley Banjo (Diversity) and Kimberly Wyatt

Kimberly Wyatt is probably best known as an original member of the group The Pussycat Dolls. Her career is bursting with creativity as she continues to pursue her passion for dancing, singing, acting, and writing. Not only has she toured the world, sold millions of albums, and won VMA Moon Men for Best Dancing in a Video and Best Dance Video, she also shares her knowledge of dance as a Judge on the hit show Got to Dance, on Sky1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Douglas Mills has performed in the Tap Dancing industry for nearly 20 years. He was part of the original cast of Tap Dogs where he played the lead role around the world. He was also the featured Tap dancer on Take That’s Circus tour.

Charlie Bruce was the winner of the 2010 BBC series So You Think You Can Dance and was then invited to perform on the American series of So You Think You Can Dance. From there she went on to make her West End debut playing Baby in Dirty Dancing.

Tobias Mead is best known as a finalist of the 2010 series Britain’s Got Talent. Tobias also performed on the Living series of Dirty Dancing: Time of Your Life and the BBC special Darcey Dances Hollywood with Darcey Bussell.

Aaron Renfree was once a member of the pop group S Club Juniors, he then went on to become a part of the original cast of Flashdance which toured the UK. He made his West End debut in We Will Rock You.

Lizzie Gough is best known as a finalist from the BBC Series So You Think You Can Dance. She has also danced for Take That on their tour of Circus, and danced on the European street dance tour Blaze

BB Kaye best known as a featured model in E4′s Dirty Sexy Things, he also danced for Rihanna on The X Factor, Beyonce at the Europe Music Awards and Christina Aguilera at The Michael Jackson Memorial. BB has also danced for artists including The Pussycat Dolls, Black Eyed Peas and Whitney Houston.

Callum Powell has recently performed with Kimberly Wyatt and Adam Garcia on the Semi-Final of Sky 1′s Got to Dance. He also performed on The X Factor Live 2011 and danced at the Fashion Theatre at Clothes Show Live 2011. He was also a featured dancer in the series Britannia High and has performed in several west end shows, including Dirty Dancing and We Will Rock You.

Dominique Tipper has recently made her film debut in Noel Clarke’s latest picture Fast Girls to be released June 2012. As a dancer Dominique has performed with Cheryl Cole, Kimberly Wyatt, Darcey Bussell and Rihanna. Dominique is one half of I.N.C Choreographers ICON.

Erin Dusek most recently performed at Move It 2012 with D.inc. Wear, Kimberly Wyatt & Adam Garcia. Erin has also performed on Sky 1′s Got to Dance, The X Factor Live 2011 and at The Clothes Show Live. She has also danced with Take That, JLS, Leona Lewis, Pixie Lott, Kanye West and Cheryl Cole. Erin made her film debut in the 2011 picture Captain America: The First Avenger.

Glenn Ball has most recently choreographed & presented The Only Way is Essex – Essexercise DVD. Glenn made his film debut in Rob Marshall’s 2009 picture Nine and recently in Madonna’s 2011 film directorial debut (W.E.). He has also performed with international artists including Kylie Minogue, Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey and Leona Lewis.

Holly James has played Dionne’s understudy in the Broadway transfer of Hair. She was also a soloist in the West End run of Shoes at The Peacock Theatre. She was also a dancer on Peter Andre’s XLR8 tour and featured in Justin Timberlake & 50 Cent’s music video for ‘Ayo Technology’. Holly also had a top ten hit with the song ‘I’m in Heaven‘.

Jak Tuite-Leach is ten years old and is a street dancer specialising in popping, locking and krumping. He has performed at the Clothes Show Live, StreetDance XXL at the Royal Festival hall and Peridot Past Present and Beyond Tour. Jak is also part of the Birmingham dance crew Tru StreetDance.

Kieran Daley-Ward has performed with Mariah Carey and with Christina Aguilera at the Michael Forever Tribute. He also featured in the Nintendo Wii advertising campaign for We Sing/We Dance. He has recently performed with Leona Lewis on ITV’s Red or Black, Alexandra Burke on BBC’s Let’s Dance and was a backing dancer for The X Factor Live 2011.

Katie Collins recently featured in Alexandra Burke’s video single Elephant and has toured with Leona Lewis. She has also performed with artists including Jessie J, Kanye West, Kylie, Pixie Lott and Paul McCartney. Katie also recently performed with D.inc. Wear at The Dance Show 2011 and Move It 2012.

Mark Jennings made his West End debut in Dirty Dancing understudying the role of Neil. He was a featured dancer on ITV’s An Evening with Beyonce and in Cheryl Cole’s video for her single Parachute. He has also modelled for clients including Sony, Avon, Arkiv and Stella McCartney. Mark has also performed with Kimberly Wyatt at The Wireless festival and Sky 1′s Got To Dance.

Myles Brown has performed in Flashdance The Musical and Respect La Diva. Myles has also danced on the National Television Awards, The Brit Awards, The Royal Variety Show and has performed with artists including James Morrison, Plan B, Pixie Lott, JLS, One Direction and Boyzone.

Pamela Smith is probably best known as the winner of Living’s Dirty Dancing: Time of Your Life. She has performed with Rihanna and Janet Jackson on The X Factor and danced in Lady Gaga’s video for Bad Romance and Usher’s video for OMG. Pamela has also danced for Katy Perry on The Ellen Show and Jessie J on Strictly Come Dancing.

Rachel Muldoon has performed as the Announcer, Go-To-Hell Kitty and played the lead role of Roxie Hart in the West End run of Chicago and Cassandra in the UK tour of Cats, she has also performed in Wicked, Grease and Shall We Dance (Sadler’s Wells). Rachel was interviewed by us in 2011. She has also danced for Kylie Minogue, Alexandra Burke and is also the face of Miss Selfridge’s Burlesque Campaign. Most recently Rachel has completed the Asian tour of Notre-Dame De Paris the musical.

Ross Sands has performed with Take That on their Progress tour. He also performed alongside Darcey Bussell in the BBC special Darcey Dances Hollywood and was a backing dancer on The X Factor 2011. Most recently Ross has worked with The Saturdays, Beyonce, Kylie, The Wanted and Alexandra Burke.

Sarah Robinson has performed with Take That on their European Progress stadium tour, she has also toured with Sarah Brightman, Boyzone, The X Factor and Kanye West. Sarah also danced for the Fashion Theatre at The Clothes Show Live 2011 and with Darcey Bussell in the BBC special Darcey Dancers Hollywood. Most recently Sarah has performed on the The X Factor Live Tour 2012.

Zehra Zem performed with Janet Jackson on The X Factor and was also a featured performer in MMXI LIVE at Sadlers Wells. She has also danced for Rihanna at The Brit Awards and toured with Kelly Rowland. Zehra most recently performed with LMFAO on The Jonathan Ross Show.

Important Information: Performances are on Sundays only.
Booking From: Sunday, 6th May 2012
Booking Until: Sunday, 10th June 2012
Evenings: Sunday 7.30pm

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Theatre Royal Haymarket
Haymarket
London
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Saturday 12th May, 2012

Carl Mullaney is a former student of the Arts Educational School London. He joined the West End cast of Les Miserables in June 2011, where he plays Bamatabois, a role he previously undertook on the international touring production of Les Miserables. In February (2012), he was also presented with an opportunity to cover the principal role of Thernadier, taking to Twitter to express his excitement at finally making it onstage in a role he had waited almost 2 years to play.

Before life in Les Mis however, Mullaney had hardly been sitting idle; the most prominent prior theatre credit he has to his name is that of Chicago, in which he played the dual-gender role of Mary Sunshine in the international tour before going on to reprise the role in the West End production. He also appeared as the character in the show’s 10^th anniversary gala performance. Other theatre credits include Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens, Frank’s Closet and Drama Queen. He is also a regular guest vocalist on the London musical theatre cabaret scene, having been involved in the late night Les Mis Gives… cabaret series, events for The Make A Difference Trust (such as A West End Christmas) and many others; most recently appearing as a special guest at fellow cast member Scott Garnham’s debut solo cabaret at the Delfont Room earlier this month.

Mullaney can add event host to his rapidly extending repertoire, having hosted his own cabaret as part of the A Spotlight On… series at the Landor Theatre in January 2012 and also landed the regular gig of hosting the popular Kinky Kabaret at Freedom Bar, Soho every Monday night.

I’ve seen Mullaney perform at a variety of theatrical events, but the last time I saw him was at MADTrust’s West End Eurovision at the Dominion Theatre on 26^th April 2012. He performed with the rest of his Les Mis cats mates, leading their entry of ‘Ne Partir Pas Sans Moi’ (Celine Dion, Switzerland, 1988) in full drag queen glory, decked out in a glorious array of red, white and blue. He looked and sounded simply sensational and there wasn’t a drag queen in the whole of London who could have outshone him on that night.

Carl Mullaney is one of the West End’s brightest stars, in every sense of the word. He comes to life on the stage and infuses everything he does with a sense of enthusiasm and what can only be described as pure joy for the craft. A talented performer with a wonderful voice, I expect we’ll be seeing him on various West End stages for many years to come.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Saturday 12^th May 2012

You can follow Carl Mullaney on Twitter: (@carlmullaney)

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A Song Cycle For Soho was branded a beacon of hope for the future of British musical theatre by The Stage, with Anita Butler of British Theatre Guide commenting that, “you don’t have to be a Soho-ite – or even a Londoner – to love it; love it, you will.” More and more platforms for new writing are becoming available as support continues to grow, and a project like this which aims to further the cause is always a positive occurrence. In a move which continues to celebrate British writing, a live recording of all 16 works presented at the event is to be released on Monday 14^th May 2012, produced by Simon Greiff (SimG Records) and Neil Marcus (MMD). The CD includes acclaimed songs such as ‘If Nobody Knows Your Name’ (Stuart Matthew Price), ‘The Ballad of the Horseley Brothers’ (Dougal Irvine), ‘Mummy Knows Better’ (Barnaby Race) and ‘Self Respect’ (Christopher Ash and Carl Miller). All proceeds from sales of the CD will go to Musical Mercury Developments to help fund future projects.

In a pre-empt to the official release date, a CD signing will be held at Dress Circle this Saturday (12^th May 2012) from 12-1pm.

As much enthusiasm as I have for all area of the theatre industry, the promotion of new writing is something I will always strive to encourage – but never just for the sake of it. The names attached to this project are outstandingly talented individuals who will hopefully inspire the world of musical theatre for years to come. They each have their own special something to offer, and if the industry is to grow in a healthy and positive direction, then their efforts need to be supported; this is just one of the ways in which we can do that.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 11^th May 2012

The winner will also have the chance to meet leading cast  AND have a backstage tour before the start of the musical and enjoy a glass of champagne after the show with cast (subject to availability).

To enter the competition you simply have to answer the following 3 questions and email your answers to chicago@lastminutetheatretickets.com

1.    What is the name of the corrupt matron in the county jail?
2.    What is the name of the tabloid columnist in the musical?
3.    Which decade is the musical set in?

You must email your answers by Thursday 24th May and the winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday 25th May. PLEASE only enter if you are able to attend on Thursday May 31st – and arrive at the Garrick Theatre at 6:30pm for a fabulous evening’s entertainment!

As a condition on entering the competition you must ALSO visit the following webpage and either Tweet, Facebook Like, Google Plus or Share the page.

www.lastminutetheatretickets.com/chicago-the-musical.html

Chicago is the winner of the 1998 Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and is the longest ever running Broadway musical revival in London’s West End.

This award winning production is filled with superb choreography written by Bob Fosse. The show is about murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, violence, adultery treachery, so begins the musical. The twenties are roaring with hot jazz and cold-blooded killers.

Garrick Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0HH

If you can’t wait to see if you win 2 tickets in our competition and want to book tickets to see Chicago, the booking links are as follows;

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Editor: Neil who you can follow on Twitter at @LondonTheatre1 and Facebook

Thursday 10th May, 2012

A Song and a Sip is a show which began life in 2010, dreamt up by the creative minds of Scottish theatre company InsideOut Productions. With their line-ups of talented professional performers, previous shows in and around Scotland have been highly successful, so much in fact that it is now resident at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow and the Byre Theatre, St Andrews. Striving to follow this impressive achievement, it is making its way southwards for its London debut.

On Sunday 20^th May 2012, A Song and a Sip comes to the Leicester Square Theatre to bring London audiences their first taste of this Scottish delicacy as they are taken through a myriad of some of the best songs in musical theatre. Lending their voices to this celebrated event are a superb line-up of stars, including Glaswegian singer Edward Reid who became a hit on ITV talent show Britain’s Got Talent when he auditioned with Leona Lewis’ version of ‘Run’, replacing the original lyrics with various children’s nursery rhymes. Reid has been involved in earlier A Song and a Sip shows in Scotland, as has Sabrina Carter who will also be joining the London line-up. Carter has previously performed in musical theatre productions of Jekyll and Hyde and Wicked, and is currently one of the cast members of popular West End play The 39 Steps. Other West End stars who will be there singing on the night are Jacqueline Hughes and former Love Never Dies star Kieran Brown, both of whom are currently appearing in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Completing the line-up is former Legally Blonde and Wicked actress Caroline Keiff, who commented to say she was “thrilled to be part of its inaugural London performance”. They will be singing numbers from beloved musicals such as Les Miserables, Avenue Q and Wicked, among many more.

The event will be musically staged by creator/producer Paul Harper-Swan, artistic director of InsideOut Productions. Harper-Swan was born in Glasgow and trained for several years in musical theatre and acting, going on to earn a long list of theatre credits that include such roles as Boris/Father in the UK tour of Beauty and the Beast. Speaking about A Song and a Sip’s first London show, Harper-Swan said, “I am thrilled we are working in association with the Leicester Square Theatre to bring this amazing cabaret to a London audience. We have had some incredible casts over the past few years and our London launch cast is just amazing.” He also shared that future dates for the cabaret had already been booked at the London venue.

A Song and a Sip has everything that London theatregoers could want: a great venue, fantastic songs and, most importantly, an outstanding cast of vocal guests. Harper-Swan has described it as, “a must-see show, full of song, banter and of course a glass of vino”; if all of that isn’t enough to tempt the money out of your wallet, then I don’t know what is. This promises to be a thoroughly entertaining and unmissable night – so make sure this is one you don’t miss out on.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Thursday 10^th May 2012

A Song and a Sip will be at the Leicester Square Theatre on Sunday 20^th May 2012, 4pm & 7pm.

Following a staggering 1,200+ solo appearances at the London Palladium, DES O’CONNOR is set to star at the world renowned venue for the very first time in a stage musical.

Star of stage, screen, and music, Des was awarded the CBE in 2008 for his services to entertainment and broadcasting and is widely regarded as one of the UK’s best loved and most respected stars.

FROM TUESDAY 22nd MAY FOR THE SHOW’S FINAL SEASON…

He will take over the iconic role of THE WIZARD in ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’s reimagining of THE WIZARD OF OZ, presented by Bill Kenwright and The Really Useful Group, from TUESDAY 22 MAY and play the show’s final season.

Since Des’ first TV appearance in 1963 he has starred in his own shows for over 45 years – longer than anyone else anywhere in the world. His most recent titles include the Des O’Connor Tonight Specials, the award-winning ITV talk show Today with Des and Mel and his interview last year on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, which was the highest-rated of the series. He has just enjoyed a special 80th birthday TV show on ITV, a celebration enjoyed by millions.

He is also a hugely successful music and recording artist, having produced no less than 36 albums, selling over 16 million copies to date, and spending a staggering 117 weeks in the top ten of the charts. On stage, Des has appeared at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, The Sydney Opera House and over 1,000 times at the London Palladium, with his starring role in Oz returning him to a theatre with which he is synonymous.

Des will star alongside SOPHIE EVANS, runner up in BBC’s ‘Over the Rainbow’, who despite just missing out on the top spot, charmed the millions who tuned in to watch her, ensuring they would never forget the red-headed girl from Wales. And in addition to the eponymous role, Des will also play the character of Professor Marvel, for whom a new song has been specially written, The Wonders of the World. This is one of several brand new songs by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and TIM RICE.

Alongside Des and Sophie are EDWARD BAKER-DULY (Tin Man), MARTIN CALLAGHAN (Lion), PAUL KEATING (Scarecrow), EMILY TIERNEY (Glinda) and MARIANNE BENEDICT (The Wicked Witch of the West).

The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum is directed by Jeremy Sams, choreographed by Arlene Phillips, music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg, with additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, set and costumes designs by Robert Jones, and produced by Bill Kenwright and The Really Useful Group.

The Wizard of Oz Tickets

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Booking Until: Sunday, 2ndSeptember 2012
Matinees: Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30pm, Sunday at 3pm
Evenings: Tuesday  to Saturday 7:30pm.
Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

London Palladium
Argyll Street
London
W1F 7TF

Wednesday 9th May, 2012

Minchin first fuelled the flames of his involvement when he appeared on BBC Radio 4 for regular segment Desert Island Discs and played ‘Heaven On Their Minds’, a song from the musical. Speaking about his selection, Minchin said, “I reckon I sang this song standing in my parents’ living room, to the vinyl original recording, about 500 times, and subsequently got to understudy the role of Judas in two separate Perth productions of JC Superstar but I never played the role and I keep thinking one day I’m going to play Judas. I just love it because it is just pain and rock.” Shortly after it was broadcasted, The Telegraph reported on Minchin’s casting, along with American pop singer Nicole Scherzinger as prostitute Mary Magdalene. The former Pussycat Dolls singer and US X-Factor judge already has a connection to Lloyd Webber, having recorded a version of the title track from Love Never Dies and performed as Christine in a rendition of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance with former Phantoms Ramin Karimloo, John Owen Jones, Simon Bowman and Earl Carpenter. Minchin took to twitter that same day to apparently confirm the news, posting a link to the article along with a message on the social networking site that said, “I didn’t know this was on the cards when I recorded Desert Island Discs. (It’s not Nicole, but the rest is accurate).”  

Much has been made of Minchin’s casting as treacherous disciple Judas due to the Australian musician/comedian’s atheism, a subject he has been very outspoken about in the past. There has already been speculation that the televised ‘Superstar’ talent search could become a source of ridicule as judges tell contestants: “You could be Jesus”. The addition of atheist Minchin to a musical which contains strong religious/political themes has been considered by some to be another ‘tacky’ and ‘tasteless’ move – words first spoken by lyricist Tim Rice about the plan to cast Jesus through means of a TV show.
To add my two cents here, I don’t think the personal religious beliefs of someone has any bearing whatsoever on the role/musical they choose to play/be involved in. To deny someone the chance because of their beliefs would be much more controversial, and of course, completely unacceptable. The two things are completely unrelated; the only point of interest should be whether Minchin is capable of taking on the role. With his unruly blonde hair and dark eyeliner, Minchin is not an obvious choice for Judas at first glance, but he has displayed his musical talent through the songs he performs in his live shows and the unequivocally popular Olivier Award-winning Matilda The Musical in the West End, for which he wrote the music and lyrics. I think he will be an exceptional addition to what is one of my all-time favourite musicals.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 9^th May 2012

Book your seats right away to make sure you don’t miss out on this half-price offer.

What’s the show about?
Innocent Dorothy is caught in a tornado in humdrum Kansas that carries her away to an enchanted land called Oz. She joins a Cowardly Lion, a Tin Man and a not-too-bright Scarecrow along the Yellow Brick Road in a magical search for a mysterious Wizard whose power can solve all their problems.

Why should I see it?
The Wizard of Oz features everything you loved about the classic movie version and more. Alongside popular hits like Over the Rainbow, there are new Andrew Lloyd Webber songs, spectacular sets and eye-popping special effects.

With Sophie Evans delightful as Dorothy, it’s a bewitching experience whether you’re young or simply young at heart.

What should I do now?
Book before 10.30am on Thursday to save 50% on top price tickets. This is an incredible deal so they’re going fast.

Then prepare yourself to be swept up in a whirlwind of blissful nostalgia, stirring adventure and glorious music, in a fable to friendship that’s as timeless as friendship itself.

The Wizard of Oz Tickets

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Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

London Palladium
Argyll Street
London
W1F 7TF

Here Comes The Sun is the follow-up album to her 2011 debut album You And I, which featured songs from such classic musical theatre shows as Les Miserables, Chicago and Jekyll and Hyde. Her second album includes interpretations of some of Dearman’s favourite songs, including ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’ (Randy Crawford), ‘Uninvited’ (Alanis Morrisette) and the title track ‘Here Comes The Sun’ (The Beatles). There is also a stunning duet with fellow West End star Steve Balsamo (who will soon be seen as a judge on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Superstar TV talent search), in which they cover Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Time After Time’. A former aspiring pop singer, Dearman was once part of the band Ill Street, but found the call of a life on the stage too hard to resist. She recently shared that, despite a love of pop music, she prefers the “more dramatic songs… I love complex lyrics, and of course the opportunity to really belt out a song.” She described her latest album as more of a reflection of her true musical tastes which highlights “the real me.”

Dearman has performed since an early age, having taken dance lessons since she was three years old and appearing in the children’s choir of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium when she was thirteen. She went on to train at Laine Theatre Arts, graduating with the Musical Theatre Award and Opera Award in 2008, and from there, she went straight into the touring production of Joseph as the narrator. Her other notable theatre credits include Jan in Grease (UK Tour, Victoria Palace Theatre), Lucy Harris in Jekyll and Hyde (National Tour), Mimi/understudy Miss Adelaide and Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre), Eva Peron in Evita (UK Tour) and Grizabella in Cats (Cyprus). She also provides the singing voice of the animated character Cara in the Confused.com television adverts covering songs such as Queen’s ‘Somebody To Love’.

Dearman signed copies of her album at Dress Circle on Saturday 5^th May 2012, and Monday 7th May was its official release date. She posted a message on twitter yesterday to thank fans who have already bought themselves a copy, tweeting, “Thank you all so much for your lovely messages! So excited my album is officially out today! Thank you all for your support xxx”. On 13^th May 2012, she will be celebrating the release of the album with an exclusive concert performance at the Bush Hall in London.

Louise Dearman is a wonderful talent with a beautiful voice. For anyone who agrees, Here Comes The Sun is now available to buy from Amazon, iTunes and Dress Circle.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)  

Tuesday 8^th May 2012

A stadium musical celebrating long-running soap ITV Coronation Street opens this week at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester. Originally intended to open there in March, the scope of the production resulted in delays and it instead makes its debut on Wednesday 9^th May 2012. Street of Dreams takes inspiration from some of the most famous moments in the soap’s 51-year history and features some of ‘the Street’s’ classic past and present characters, including William Roache (Ken Barlow), Julie Goodyear (Bet Lynch), Kym Marsh (Michelle Connor) and Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts), among others. Many of the musical numbers come from an album written for Coronation Street’s 50^th anniversary in 2010, with such songs as ‘Eh Chuck’ and ‘Norman Bates With A Briefcase’ set to appear in the show. With an 84ft set that recreates the iconic cobbled street and a song-and-dance spectacle that creator Trisha Ward has compared to Moulin Rouge, Street of Dreams aims to use the unmitigated success of ITV’s popular soap and take it to new and unprecedented areas by bringing together theatregoers and Coronation Street’s dedicated following of viewers.

BAFTA-winning film and stage director John Stephenson has lent his magic touch to the musical, which includes a 25-piece orchestra and the Olivier Award-winning choreography team of Stephen Mear and Karen Bruce, along with a 38-strong West End cast, featuring such names as Jodie Prenger. Street of Dreams is the brain-child of writer, composer and lyricist Trisha Ward, who first began thinking of taking on the challenge four years ago when (false) rumours of a Coronation Street musical started circulating. After presenting the idea to the ITV bosses, the wheels were set into motion and the task of turning the soap into a full onstage production began.

Paul O’Grady fronts the musical as the narrator, having been a life-long Coronation Street fan. O’Grady has spoken about his excitement at being involved, saying that, “Chunks of script from 30 years ago are engraved in my memory so to relive it all alongside unforgettable characters and talent on the stage, revisiting such iconic scenes from across the years, is just brilliant.”

After making its world premiere in Manchester this Wednesday (9^th-10^th May 2012), Street of Dreams goes on the road to play further dates at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast (21^st-22^nd May 2012) and the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle Upon Tyne (29^th-30^th May 2012). If it receives a warm reaction from audiences, Coronation Street executive producer Kieran Roberts has revealed that more tour dates could be in the pipeline.

I don’t know if Street of Dreams is the type of musical that is ‘up my street’, but it does look as though a lot of thought has gone into making this a high-quality production that is more about entertainment value than just making a profit. It is certain to appeal to many people, and if it can live up to the hype that has surrounded it so far, then who knows; Eastenders The Musical might actually become a reality too. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether this new development in the world of theatre is a good thing or not though.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Monday 7^th May 2012)

David Hare was approached to write a new curtain-raiser for the 100th anniversary of Rattigan’s birth. Hare explains in the programme that “My play is written as a tribute to Rattigan, and aims to share common themes with his”.

Two one act plays, featuring two acts of kindness.

South Downs is set in a school in 1962. Hare was at Lancing in the early 60s and gives us a fascinating personal insight into the loneliness, trials and constant struggles of growing up in an English public boarding school.

Our hearts break as we meet 14-year-old John Blakemore, played superbly by 16-year-old Alex Lawther. Blakemore is bright and questioning, unlike so many of the other pupils. He refuses to keep a low profile just in order to fit in, and speaks up on many occasions wanting to discuss and demanding answers to all the big issues that are important to him, making him very unpopular in the process. He doesn’t want to adhere to rules simply because they are the rules. He questions the rules. This is done with no trace of disobedience or impertinence, just his simple boyish curiosity. He is ridiculed by the other boys for living in a semi-detached house and having a sailor as a father.

Prefect Jeremy Duffield luckily takes an interest in Blakemore. Worried that his unhappiness is reflecting badly on him, he tries to steer Blakemore towards popularity and an easier school life. He too has an inquiring mind and enjoys being part of the debating team, but advises Blakemore to conform for his own benefit. Duffield is played by handsome Jonathan Bailey, who captures perfectly a confident young man, happy in his own skin – a stark contrast to Blakemore.
When Duffield learns of Blakmore’s admiration for his actress mother, he orchestrates an introduction, which turns out to be a life-changing event for Blakemore.

If South Downs depicts how the pupils view their masters, in contrast The Browning Version explores these perceptions from the teachers’ perspective.

Rattigan, who was a pupil at Harrow, transports us to a public school in the south of England in 1940s. We meet classics master Andrew Crocker Harris on the eve of his retirement. Troubled by a heart condition he is leaving to teach at a smaller school with less pressure.

Looking back at his teaching career, he is suddenly plagued with regret that his teaching style has made him unpopular with the students. Surviving in an unhappy marriage, with his wife having an open affair with the science teacher Frank Hunter, the headteacher is adamant in not marking his leaving in any way special and the humiliation of being refused a pension from the school, Crocker Harris is at an all-time low.

A school boy, Tatlow, who has been having extra lessons with Crocker Harris, brings him a gift of the Browning version of ‘Agamemnon’. This act of kindness is perfectly timed. However his wife cruelly claims all is not what it seems, leading to disastrous consequences.

Nicholas Farrell is excellent as Crocker Harris and Mark Umbers gives a dynamic performance as Frank Hunter. Anna Chancellor gives stand-out performances as glamorous actress Belinda Duffield and conniving Mille Crocker-Harris.

South Downs/The Browning Version is an absolutely unmissable treat of an evening.

South Downs and The Browning Version Tickets

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Booking From: Thursday, 19th April 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 21st July 2012
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm

Harold Pinter Theatre
Panton Street
London
SW1Y 4DN

Review by Joanna Forest

Sunday 6th May, 2012

Ghost The Musical

Olivia Phillip joined the Ghost company in the January cast change, moving to the Piccadilly Theatre from the Palace Theatre, where she was performing as a swing in the now-closed Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. The 2009 graduate of Phil Winston’s Theatreworks made her West End debut in Priscilla, where she was first cover to Diva 2 and second cover to Diva 2, describing the show as “very me” in reference to the glitter, the glamour and, of course, the costumes.

Phillip realised her love of performing from a young age. She took dance lessons at the Victoria Stansfield School of Dance from the age of four and could often be found singing along to Disney’s The Little Mermaid in her bedroom. After graduating from Phil’s, she went on to play Diana in A Chorus Line (Lowry, Pele Productions), Tiger Lily in Peter Pan (Theatre Royal, Brighton) and Jenna in The Shade Ain’t Right (Edinburgh Fringe Festival). She also appeared on the Channel 5 television programme Don’t Stop Believing as part of the supergroup. In a nice pre-empt to her current role, she was also a part in the launch of Ghost The Musical at Abbey Road Studios and the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, which she called an “amazing” experience to be involved in the developmental stages.

Phillip may still be in the early stages of her career, but she has got off to a pretty good start by being involved in two of the West End’s most popular musicals. She still has a lot of ambition for the future, the roles of Elphaba in Wicked and Celie in The Colour Purple being two of her dream roles to play. Before embarking on her current path of stage performance though, she wanted to be a writer and has previously spoken about how she still plans to write a novel one day. Growing up, she always had a supportive family behind her and drew inspiration from the performers she saw onstage, saying in an interview that, “nothing compares to seeing a live show and just knowing that you have to up your game to get to where you want.” Now one of those onstage performers herself, Phillip will surely be an inspiration to other young hopefuls visiting the West End and dreaming of being up on that stage themselves one day, just as she once did.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Sunday 6^th May 2012

You can follow Olivia Phillip on Twitter: (@OliviaPhillip)

Roald Dahl’s much-loved story bursts into life on stage in this brand new musical version by Dennis Kelly and award-winning musician and comedian Tim Minchin. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination.

Her parents think she is a nuisance and she thinks, quite rightly, they are only interested in watching telly. Life is not much better at school, where the monstrous headmistress Miss Trunchbull terrifies both students and teachers ALIKE. Then one day Matilda discovers she has a very special power and decides it’s time the grown-ups were taught a lesson. Be warned, the children are revolting…

Read our Matilda The Musical Review

Matilda Musical Tickets

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Important Information: Suitable for ages 6+
Currently Booking Until: Sunday, 17th February 2013
Matinees: Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm, Sunday 3pm
Evenings: Tuesdays 7pm, Wednesday to Saturday 7.30pm
Running Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Cambridge Theatre
32-34 Earlham Street
London
WC2H 9HU

Friday 4th May, 2012

The Bodyguard

Owens comes from a theatrical family, with both his Welsh parents being actors. He trained at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), leaving early to tour with theatre company Cheek By Jowl performing Shakespeare’s plays. He has a long list of theatre credits to his name, but his most notable roles were as Nick in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Almeida Theatre), Dan in Closer (Lyric Theatre), George in The York Realist (Royal Court Theatre) and Peter in Paul (Cottesloe, National Theatre). He was most recently on stage in Loyalty (Hampstead Theatre) and Blood and Gifts (National Theatre). Alongside his theatrical work, Owens has also had success in film and television. Many may recognise him from his recurring roles as Indiana Jones’ father in the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-93) or Paul Bowman-MacDonald in Scotland’s Monarch of the Glen (2002-05), but he has also appeared in a number of big-screen films, including the 2006 film based on the life of poplar children’s author Beatrix Potter, Miss Potter, in which he played solicitor William Heelis whom she married.

With two such acclaimed names leading the musical, The Bodyguard is already promising to be a quality production, instead of one which is just cashing in on current trends.

While Owens’ casting has been confirmed, there are always rumours floating around about others. This week, the gossip mill has been at work on The Wizard of Oz. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of the classic musical is booking until 28^th October 2012 and ‘word on the Strand’ is that these may be its last months before closing for good. Strictly star Russell Grant is currently performing as Professor Marvel/The Wizard at the Palladium but finishes his twelve-week run this month – it is believed that Des O’Connor may be the man who takes over from him to lead the musical along the final leg of its yellow brick road. TV presenter and singer O’Connor made his West End debut in 2011 in Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre where he played the roles of Older Bobby and Phil – Bobby’s Dad. With no official confirmation yet, it’s anyone’s guess as to how accurate the news is, but past experiences have shown how easily information leaks out and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a press release any day now…

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 4^th May 2012

In the non-stop two hours of the play, the party in question revolves around the murder of a child with a meat hook, staged in a Vietnam-style fantasy of the Party Guest. The gang ultimately have to face the question of how far they are willing to go in order to save the people they love.

Cast includes Ciaran Owens, Frank C Keogh, James Fynan, Ben Dilloway, Katie Scarfe and Henry Lewis.

Directed by Ned Bennett. Designed by James Turner. Produced by The Greenhouse Theatre Company.

Frank C Keogh is making his West End debut as Darren and he very kindly took some time out to answer some questions about himself and the play.

You trained at Birmingham School of Acting and performed in several stage productions, including King Lear, The Playboy of the Western World and Antigone. How would you say Drama School has prepared you for life as a professional actor?
Being at Birmingham School of Acting allowed me to take the time to really understand the technical aspects and tools an actor needs to have to make the most of forging a successful career. It also gave me the opportunity to find my personal acting qualities and build upon them in order to have a solid structure that I could take out into the industry. Overall I learnt that it takes hard work and drive to push through, and eventually good things come.

You have appeared in Casualty and are soon to be in Eastenders. What do you enjoy most about filming?
I‘m about to film for EastEnders but I already know I am going be in awe of it. It really is a dream come true for me…I can’t wait.
Casualty was a complete blast. It was my first step into television and it allowed me to do my thing on camera. Everybody made it an experience to remember and I am happy to have met and made some great friends from it.

What is it like watching yourself on national television and is it something you always wanted to do?
Honestly, it’s scary but amazing at the same time. It was always a hope of mine to work in television and now that it’s happening I feel very fortunate.

You played the part of Darren in Mercury Fur at the Old Red Lion Theatre which transfers at the end of May to Trafalgar Studios 2. What can you tell us about the play and your character?
The story revolves around two brothers, Elliot and Darren, who are preparing for a party organised by their boss Spinx who facilitates the wildest, most depraved sexual fantasies for his clients. It is set in a savaged, post-apocalyptic East London. Imagine if the riots of 2011 had gone on at that level it did for four years. Chaos had become a way of life and that’s where this play sits. It’s a dark piece but it has truth and out of that truth comes humour and heart. Ultimately the play is all about love.
Darren is the younger brother to Elliot. He has issues within his personal being that affect his behaviour which at times can go in any direction. Darren can be mischievous and violent but somehow he is covered in the beauty of innocence and love.

There is so much to see on stage in London. Why should everyone come along and see Mercury Fur?
For me when I go to see a play I hope to feel something and have my thoughts provoked. This does not always happen but Mercury Fur will do these things. It will grab you by the face and pull you into a world in which you will feel, laugh, scream and cry. It’s a theatrical ride of epic proportions and the West End needs to and will shake.

Philip Ridley’s play which has been described as “Almost unbearable to endure and yet so compelling you can’t stop watching” (The Guardian). Do you enjoy being a part of a production that is not typical mainstream?
Absolutely. Philip Ridley is such an incredible writer and his work warrants these kinds of responses because it’s so visceral. This production pushes the boundaries and as an actor it’s what I look for as I truly love being on the edge.

The run at Trafalgar Studios ends in June, what plans have you got for the rest of 2012?
You know I would love to go away somewhere; I haven’t been on holiday in ages. Apart from that my plan is to keep doing what I do and keep hitting those jobs.

Which actors inspire and influence you?
There are certainly a few to choose from who do those things. However, I would have to say the actors that truly inspire and influence my acting are the incredible Eddie Marsan, Johnny Harris, Toby Kebbell, Paddy Considine, Stephen Graham and Tom Hardy.

What are your main ambitions as an actor and what more can we expect from you?
I want to keep moving forward, keep learning and improving and overall to be successful in doing something I adore. I think you can expect a whole lot more so keep an eye out.

Many thanks Frank for an interesting insight into yourself and Mercury Fur.

You can follow Frank on Twitter @FrankCKeogh and his website at www.frankckeogh.co.uk

Interview questions by Neil who you can follow on Twitter @LondonTheatre1

Mercury Fur Tickets

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Booking From: Tuesday, 29th May 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 23rd June 2012
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 3.30pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.45pm

Trafalgar Studio Two
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2DY

Thursday 3rd May, 2012

In 1961 emotions run high as talented young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win the hearts of their adoring female fans – and more importantly, the gorgeous Laura. But when Laura shows that she’s no slouch with the guitar, rock ‘n’ roll fame beckons…..

Featuring the hit songs Lets Dance, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Shaking All Over, In Dreams, Bobby’s Girl, Three Steps To Heaven, Little Town Flirt, Only Sixteen, Almost Grown, Sleepwalk, Runaround Sue, The Locomotion, Happy Birthday Sweet 16, What A Wonderful World, Half Way To Paradise, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, Let’s Twist Again and many more hits from music’s golden era!

Creators
Written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran
Directed by Bob Tomson
Musical Supervisor Keith Strachan
Choreography by Carole Todd
Design by Sean Cavanagh
Lighting Design by Mark Howett
Sound Design by Ben Harrison
Costume Design/Supervisor by Bridgid Guy

by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, inspired by the album, Dreamboats and Petticoats

Currently Booking Until: Saturday, 24th November 2012
Matinees: Thursday 3pm, Saturday 4pm
Evenings: Monday to Friday 7:30pm, Saturday 8pm

Playhouse Theatre
Northumberland Ave
London
WC2N 5DE

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Thursday 3rd May, 2012

This is why I think the ‘Search For A Twitter Star’ competition is such a good thing. There have been a number of theatre-themed twitter accounts cropping up on the site, but some of them seem to have been created just to undermine those in the industry by poking fun at them; the secretive @WestEndProducer is not one of them though. He regularly posts amusingly insightful tweets which, although occasionally fly a little close to the post, are never deliberately intended to cause offense to anyone and with over 15,000 followers, his appeal to the twitter theatre community is continually growing. Part of that is due to the competition he has been running over the last few months.

‘Search For A Twitter Star’ is an online talent competition @WestEndProducer created to help find a new potential leading lady/man for the West End. Hundreds of people have entered by submitting videos of themselves singing to YouTube, with free reign as to what song they perform and how they choose to do so. The competition deadline ended last week, and the process of selecting 40 quarter finalists from all of the entrants is now underway, which will then be followed by a public vote to decide who the 10 finalists will be. They then go on to the live final in what is looking to be a momentous event at the Lyric Theatre on 9^th July 2012.

The five males and five females will have the opportunity to perform on a West End stage as they compete against one another to become the first ever ‘SFATS’ winner. Embracing the growing effectiveness of online promotion, everyone who takes up one of the 900 seats in the theatre will be encouraged to tweet their comments and feedback on the contestants throughout the event with the eventual winner chosen through an audience twitter vote. A panel of industry professionals will also be there to judge each contestant’s performance, comprised of West End star Louise Dearman (Wicked), musical director Mike Dixon, casting agent Anne Vosser and West End agent Gemma Lowy Hamilton. Tony Green is producing the event, backed up by the creative team behind the recent gala performance of Children of Eden at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Drew Baker will direct, with James Draisey as musical supervisor and Ben M. Rogers as production designer.

The competition has attracted massive amounts of interest, even receiving a mention in The Evening Standard yesterday. The live finals are set to be one of the biggest nights in the 2012 theatrical calendar to date. What I find so wonderful about it is the opportunity that it offers to, not only the lucky winner, but everyone who makes it to that final. In these types of live talent searches, it has often happened that those who place second, third or even lower in the competition, actually go on to carve out a successful career in the industry regardless. The best thing that ‘SFATS’ offers though is hope, as well as a sense of validation. There are so many talented people out there who don’t believe in themselves or are too afraid of rejection or being ridiculed to actively pursue their dream – not everyone can make it through to the final, but something as simple as a few positive compliments on their video entry could be just the boost of confidence they need to push them in the right direction. The positivity surrounding this competition is inspiring and that is a positive thing in itself.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Thursday 3^rd May 2012

Torch Song Trilogy

Douglas Hodge returns to the Chocolate Factory in a directorial role after last appearing in his Olivier and Tony award-winning role of Albin in the Chocolate Factory’s production of La Cage aux Folles, which was also written by Harvey Fierstein.

The role of Arnold will be played by David Bedella. David was last seen at the Chocolate Factory in the European premiere of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Road Show. His performance as Satan in Jerry Springer the Opera won him an Olivier award. Other theatre credits include Billy Flynn in Chicago (Garrick Theatre) and Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show (West End and UK tour).

The role of Arnold’s mother, Mrs Beckoff, will be played by Sara Kestelman. Sara has worked extensively in theatre, TV and film. Sara’s theatre credits include Copenhagen (National Theatre and Duchess), Nine (Donmar) and Cabaret (Donmar) for which she won an Olivier award for her performance as Fraulein Schneider.

Booking From: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
Booking Until: Sunday, 12th August 2012
Matinees: Saturday and Sunday 3.30pm
Evenings: Tuesday to Saturday 8pm

Menier Chocolate Factory
51-53 Southwark Street
London
SE1 1RU

Torch Song Trilogy Tickets

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Thursday 3rd May, 2012

The reason that people love revivals is that they either bring back fond memories for them of the last time it came to town, or provide an exciting opportunity to see something you may have missed that last time around. I, like many others, have experienced both of these instances for myself: the first musical I ever saw was Jesus Christ Superstar on a school outing and it started me down a path that has proved so rewarding that it will always be a show that holds a special place in my heart. Although I couldn’t say that I was an avid fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s televised casting programmes, I am rather looking forward to the next in the series in which the search for a Jesus to front the planned arena tour of JCS will ensue, mainly because of the show choice which will theme this particular programme. Ever since hearing what a success the new Toronto production of JCS, which is now doing just as well on Broadway, was, I’ve been eager as a beaver to see the show return to our shores, so this arena tour is something I’m enthusiastically awaiting. In terms of shows I have missed, there are of course the obvious big-hitters such as Miss Saigon, Cats and the likes of, which I never had the opportunity to see live on stage. In more recent years, the one show which always springs to mind when thinking about ones I missed out on is Lord of the Rings. I’ve read J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic novels multiple times and the spectacular film trilogy that followed them will always remain among my favourite movies, so seeing the world of Middle-Earth and its inhabitants brought to life on stage is something I will always regret not having seen.

Everyone has favourite musicals which they would like to see back in the West End. Last year, I fell in love with Lend Me A Tenor and the talented cast who executed every brilliant aspect of farce with unbounded perfection. I’ve rarely enjoyed the first-time experience of a show as much as I did that one, and in another case of early closure, I felt its absence was a sore loss for the West End – as was Love Never Dies. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom sequel was a visually-stunning production with a sumptuous and passionate score and, although it undoubtedly had its critics, it was exactly to my taste. Lend Me A Tenor and Love Never Dies are definitely two musicals I should like to see revived, but it’s not only musicals from the past few years that I have on my own little list. Last Saturday, I stumbled across The King and I while flicking through the TV channels. That film is one from my childhood, and one which I have always adored. For all the times I’ve seen the onscreen version though, the onstage version I never saw – and I really wish that I had. I think if The King and I were to announce its West End return tomorrow, I’d be one of the first in line for tickets.

These shows only represent a fraction of the missed opportunities I’d like to see offered up again. The extensive amount of shows rolled out on the theatre production line can only be a good thing for the health of the industry, which always needs fresh juice to keep it alive; the downside of this though is that it’s nigh on impossible to see everything you would like to. Like I say, these are just some of my favourite shows which I would like to see revived and not everyone will agree with my particular choices. We all have our personal favourites – so which are yours?

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 2^nd May 2012

Phantom of The Opera

Phantom of the Opera is set in the Paris Opera House during the 19th century, where the facially disfigured Phantom haunts and terrorizes the occupants. The musical is based on the classic French thriller about a terrifying and legendary figure who emerges from the depths of The Paris Opera House and manifests the mythic opera ghost in terrifying reality.

The mysterious masked Phantom falls in love with the beautiful young soprano Christine Daae and takes her away to his subterranean lair below the theatre to teach her to sing “like an angel”. Although at first she becomes entranced by him, she loves another: Raoul, a nobleman and patron of the Opera. She is faced with a stark choice: stay with the Phantom forever, or he will kill Raoul.

Phantom of the Opera is the jewel in the crown of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The musical has achieved in excess of 99% of potential capacity wherever it has been presented.  Why don’t you go and see if you can be enchanted by the Phantom?

Phantom of The Opera Tickets

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Booking Until: Saturday, 27th April 2013
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pmRunning Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Interviews

Killian Donnelly (Raoul)

Sofia Escobar (Christine Daae)

Her Majesty’s Theatre
57 Haymarket
London
SW1Y 4QL

Directions: Take the Bakerloo or Piccadilly line to Piccadilly Circus station and exit onto Haymarket. The theatre is approximately 5 minutes walk.

Wednesday 2nd May, 2012

The show then transferred to London where it played for six months before closing. Bill Kenwright took over the show and after a successful year-long national tour it opened in the Albery Theatre (now The Noel Coward Theatre) in London in 1988 before transferring to its current home at the Phoenix Theatre.

The musical is still showing after more than twenty years. Blood Brothers is set in Liverpool and is a story about twins separated at birth but whose paths cross later in their lives. It is an emotional story about twin brothers Mickey and Eddie, who grow up in quite different social circumstances.

The story begins with a single mother in financial need who gives away one of her new-born twin sons and attempts to keep each of the brothers from discovering their true identity. However, their lives become inter-linked and her secrecy leads them to a tragic ending.

This is one of the all time great British musicals. Blood Brothers the Musical has touched the hearts and minds of a generation of theatregoers in dealing with two of the most pressing social issues of our time – inequality and unemployment.

The amazing score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

Blood Brothershas won four awards for Best Musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway.

Recommended age for children is 12 and above. Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted to the theatre.

BLOOD BROTHERS THE MUSICAL TICKETS

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Currently booking Until: Saturday, 24th November 2012
Matinees: Wednesday, Thursday 3pm and Saturday 4pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7:45pm
Running Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Phoenix Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0JG

Directions: Take the Piccadilly or Northern line to Leicester Square station. The theatre is a 5 minute walk.

Wednesday 2nd May, 2012

In 1935 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers lit up Hollywood’s silver screen with one of the best dance musicals of all time.  RKO Pictures’ Top Hat has now arrived in the West End at the Aldwych Theatre. According to the sensational reviews, standing ovations and sold out theatres around the country on its pre-London tour, Top Hat will be a sensational hit in London.

Tom Chambers (Holby City heartthrob and Strictly Come Dancing winner) plays the Broadway sensation Jerry Travers who dances his way across Europe to win the heart of society model Dale Tremont, played by triple Olivier Award nominee Summer Strallen (Love Never Dies, The Sound of Music, The Drowsy Chaperone).

Full of Irving Berlin’s greatest hits: including Cheek to Cheek, Let’s Face the Music & Dance, Isn’t It a Lovely Day to Be Caught in the Rain, Top Hat, White Tie & Tails. The show also includes fantastic tap dancing, ballroom dancing and a little bit of Busby Berkeley thrown in for good measure. Top Hat is a giddy, glorious celebration of 1930s song and dance, featuring magnificent sets, over 200 costumes and a love story that will set the hearts racing!

Top Hat Musical Tickets

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Read our Top Hat REVIEW

OPENING NIGHT 9th May, 2012

Booking From: Thursday, 19th April 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 26th January 2013
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2.30pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm
Running Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Aldwych Theatre
49 Aldwych
London
WC2B 4DF

Tuesday 1st May, 2012

NATIONAL THEATRE

DETROIT:

The National Theatre brings Lisa D’Amour’s play Detroit to London’s Southbank, with director Austin Pendleton attached to the production. Detroit is a drama set in the suburbs of a mid-sized American city and circles around the friendship between Ben and Mary and their new neighbours Sharon and Kenny. The friendship that rapidly springs up soon starts to spin out of control as ‘inhabitions are obliterated and the fragility of Ben and Mary’s off-the-shelf lifestyle is laid bare’. The five-person cast includes Clare Dunne, Will Adamsdale, Stuart McQuarrie, Justine Mitchell and Christian Rodska. Previews for Detroit begin at Cottsloe, National Theatre from 8th May 2012 and the play opens 15th May 2012, running until 14th July 2012.

ANTIGONE:

Sophocles’ classic play Antigone comes to the National Theatre with a new version by Don Taylor. In the midst of civil war, Creon strives to gain control of the city. When he refuses to bury the body of his niece’s rebellious brother however, Antigone defies his edict and is consequently condemned to be buried alive, until prophet Teiresias warns against angering the Gods: ‘Creon hesitates and his fate is sealed’. Directed by Polly Findlay, the play has a superb line-up which is led by Jodie Whittaker (Antigone) and Christopher Eccleston (Creon). Antigone’‘s preview period begins at Olivier, National Theatre from 23rd May 2012. It opens 30th May 2012 and runs until 21st July 2012.

DRAMA

STEP 9 (OF 12):

This one-man show from the pen of Rob Hatyes tells the story of Keith, an alcoholic who is looking to set the past to rights. A lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse means he has a lot to apologise for, especially to the couple who raised him as a child. As he rakes up the memories of all the things he has done and the people he has hurt along the way, we soon see that past actions can still have shocking repercussions in the present. Blake Harrison plays the troubled Keith in a production directed by Tom Attenborough. Step 9 (Of 12) begins previews today (1st May 2012) and opens 4th May 2012 for a three-week run, ending 26th May 2012.

CHILDREN’S CHILDREN:

The story is centred around Michael and Gordon, who have been best friends since their days at acting college. Twenty years on though, Michael is ‘Mr Saturday Night TV’ while Gordon is weighed under by piling debts. A daughter who is more interested in her ‘film-maker’ boyfriend than her dad’s problems is just another example of the downward spiral his life has taken. When he asks to borrow money from Michael to pay off his debts however, a series of events are set into motion, revealing ‘irreparablecracks in the characters’ relationships’. Darrell D’Silva plays Michael opposite Trevor Fox as Gordan, who are both joined by Emily Berrington (Effie), Beth Cordingly (Louisa), John Macmillan (Castro) and Sally Rogers (Sally). Children’s Children is written by Matthew Dunstar and directed by Jeremy Herrin. Produced by off-West End venue, the Almeida Theatre, the play starts previews from 9th May 2012 and opens 24th May 2012, running until 30th June 2012.

Another two plays which would be worth looking out for are to play at the Almeida Theatre: Belong (Upstairs) opens there 2nd May 2012 and Love Love Love (Downstairs) 3rd May 2012.

COMEDY

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW:

Joe Orton’s popular play all begins with psychoanalyst Dr Prentice’s instruction for his new secretary to undress. He is subsequently interrupted by a a variety of characters, including his wife, her blackmailing lover, a meddling goverment inspector and an inquisitive policeman, and hiding a naked woman soon becomes the least of his worries as ‘libidos run riot, identities are swapped and social decorum is decorated’. Produced by MJE Productions and directed by Sean Foley, What The Butler Saw stars Omid Djalili (Dr Rance), Tim McInnerny (Dr Prentice), Samantha Bond (Mrs Prentice), Georgia Moffett (Geraldine Barclay), Jason Thorpe (Sergeant Match) and Nick Hendrix (Nicholas Beckett). Previews start from 4th May 2012 at the Vaudeville Theatre, opening 16th May 2012 and booked to run until 25th August 2012.

THE SUNSHINE BOYS:

The laughs continue with Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys, who are a renowned comedy double act that, unfortunately, haven’t spoken to one another in years. When CBS decides to organise a nostalgic trip down memory lane with The History of Comedy, Willie Clark and Al Lewis reunite for one last show together – if they can forget about those grudges they’re still holding that is. Thea Sharrock directs a star cast that includes Danny Devito (Willie Clark) and Richard Griffiths (Al Lewis), alongside Rebecca Blackstone (Miss MacKintosh), Nick Blakeley (Eddie), Peter Cadden (Voice of TV  Director), Johnnie Fiori (Registered Nurse), Adam Levy (Ben Silverman) and William Maxwell (Patient). A co-production between Sonia Friedman Productions and Richard Willis, The Sunshine Boys has taken over the former home of Legally Blonde for its preview period, opening at the Savoy Theatre 17th May 2012. It is booking until 28th July 2012.

Another production to add to the growing list is Abigail’s Party starring the likes of Jill Halfpennny, Natalie Casey and Joe Absolom. It opens at the Wyndhams Theatre on 18th May 2012.

MUSICAL

TOP HAT:

This love story between dancers Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont has previously been touring the UK, and now it has twirled its way into the West End. Famous American tap dancer Travers is making his West End debut, and then meets the ‘girl of his dreams’ in Tremont, following her Europe as he attempts to win her love. Top Hat has been adapted for the stage by Matthew White (who also directs) and Howard Jacques, from the RKO motion picture, written by Dwight Taylor and Allan Scott. Irving Berlin provides the music and lyrics. Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen star as Travers and Tremont, alongside Martin Ball (Horace Hardwick), Vivien Parry (Madge Hardwick), Ricardo Afonso (Alberto Beddini) and Stephanie Boswell (Bates). The production by Kenny Wax, Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley, Ted Hartley, Flora Suk-Hwa Yoon and Lee Menzies is already in preview mode at the Aldwych Theatre, opening 9th May 2012. It is currently booking until 26th January 2013.

RAGTIME THE MUSICAL:

An award-winning run at the Landor Theatre last year has seen a resurgence of interest in this early twentieth century-set musical which unites three families who are separated by race and destiny in a story of ‘hope and transformation’. Now Ragtime, which is based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow, comes to the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park. With a book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the Open Air Theatre’s production has a wonderful line-up of names that includes Tamsin Carroll, Rosalie Craig, David Birrell, Stephane Anelli, Katie Breyben and many more. Previews begin 18th May 2012 and it opens 28th May, running until 8th September 2012.

Other new musicals to see are the transferring The Mystery of Edwin Drood, opening at the Arts Theatre 22nd May 2012, and The Suit, opening at the Young Vic Theatre on 23rd May 2012.

CONCERT

NIGHT OF 1000 VOICES:

The popular annual charity event returns to the Royal Albert Hall on 6th May 2012 in a celebration of musical theatre.In the Olymipc and Jubilee year, the night will have a Best of British theme to it with a range of talent from both the West End and Broadway performing songs from such classic musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon featured. Guest vocalists from our shores include Daniel Boys, Kerry Ellis, Ricardo Afonso, Bonnie Langford, Peter Polycarpou, Sally-Ann Triplett Clive Rowe and Caroline Sheen, not forgetting the 1000 Voices Massed Choir. For 2012, Hugh Wooldridge hosts the night’s events which aims to raise funds for the Leukaemia Research charity.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Tuesday 1st May 2012

The Bodyguard, former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer (Lloyd Owen), is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron (Heather Headley) from an unknown stalker. Both of them expect to be in charge – what they don’t expect is to fall in love.

This is a romantic thriller, The Bodyguard features a multitude of Whitney Houston’s greatest hits, including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I’m Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, How Will I Know, I Wanna Dance With Somebody and one of the greatest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.

Important Information: Suitable for 12+
Booking From: Tuesday, 6th November 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 27th April 2013
Matinees: Wednesday and Saturday 3.00pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm

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Adelphi Theatre
409-412 Strand
London
WC2R 0NS

A lot of work goes into the organisation of an event this size, from both the MADTrust team and the West End entrants. For the latter, it all begins with the WEE idents and the selection of the Eurovision song they will perform; from there, the casts go through weeks of choreographing, musical arrangement, costume-making and rehearsals, and all of this in their own time for the benefit of the charity. MADTrust too, put in the time to make the night a success. Apart from drafting in the ten West End shows the event needs, there is the celebrity judging panel which needs to be finalised, the venue, the awards, the selling allocation of tickets for both the audience and celebrity guests/press, promotion and so much more. It all takes months of preparation and, with the move to the bigger setting of the Dominion Theatre this year, that work inevitably becomes more time-demanding.

The outcome always makes the workload involved worth it however. West End Eurovision raises thousands for the charity, which goes a long way to helping them in the work that they do, and of course, in the tradition of MADTrust events it is also a fantastic fun night of camp and cheesy entertainment for everyone involved.

We had some truly outstanding entries this year, but there were some which really stood out for me personally: The Wizard of Oz put together a brilliantly creative entry with their Roman-esque themed performance of ‘Boom Boom’ (Armenia, 2011) – I don’t think anyone is going to forget the sight of cast member Martin Callaghan whipping around those nipple tassels in a hurry. The cast of Les Miserables decked out in red, white and blue were superb in ‘Ne Partir Pas Sans Moi’ (Switzerland, 1988) and Carl Mullaney was the most sensational drag queen in Theatreland that night. I hear that Rock of Ages’ pirate-themed ‘Wolves of the Sea’ (Latvia, 2008) is still stuck in people’s heads; it certainly was a catchy number and their staging of it was faultlessly executed. I also felt that Shrek The Musical really captured the spirit of Eurovision with ‘Fly On The Wings of Love’ (Denmark, 2000), especially with those flowing white outfits; Alice Fearn’s vocals were also nothing short of stunning. All the shows did an amazing job though and everyone will have their favourites, from those I’ve mentioned to Phantom (‘Fairytale’, Norway, 2009), Mamma Mia (‘Bonjour’, Switzerland, 1969), Billy Elliot (‘Shir Habatlanium’, Israel, 1987), Wicked (‘Poupee De Cire, Poupee De Son’, Luxemburg, 1965) or The 39 Steps (‘Boom Boom Boomerang’, Austria, 1977). The clear favourite of the night though was the eventual champions of West End Eurovision 2012: Sweeney Todd.

Sweeney pulled out all the stops with their performance of cast member Michael Ball’s 1992 UK Eurovision entry ‘One Step Out of Time’, which was placed second in the original international singing competition. Their staging of it was exceptionally funny and Matthew Gent was ingenious in his impersonation of Ball – which is why I featured him in my most recent In Profile article. The show received a standing ovation from the audience, due in the part to the surprise appearance of the demon barber himself and his partner in crime. Ball strolled out onstage during the performance behind an ‘oblivious’ Gent, stalking him before ‘slitting his throat’ and grabbing the mic to take over the performance, which was topped off by the addition of Imelda Staunton who dragged the ‘deceased’ Gent offstage with the parting shot of “It was 20 years ago Michael, get over it!”, before they both returned to mop up the ‘blood’ from the stage. It was a very deserving win for the cast, who also walked away with the award for ‘Best Creative Entry’ – Les Miserables took home the ‘Best Ident’ award, courtesy of Adam Linstead and Scott Garnham.

The only setback to the night was the unfortunate series of technical glitches that occurred throughout, most notably with the sound issues during Les Mis’ performance (which had to be started over) and the scoring board during the end-of-night voting. As the votes were added up by hand backstage, celebrity judge and West End star Kerry Ellis stepped in to save the day though with an impromptu performance of ‘Somebody To Love’ which brought the house down. She was simply sensational and thankfully helped to prevent the evening ending on a down note. MADTrust have promised to investigate the cause of the technical problems and were just as disappointed as the audience and shows with the turn of events. It’s an unfortunate part of live theatre sometimes and I’m sure many of you have experienced similar issues during a West End show, but we do appreciate how understanding everyone has been about it. Thankfully, most people haven’t forgotten that WEE is all in aid of a wonderfully inspiring charity and the good work that they do and didn’t let it spoil their enjoyment of the night which, apart from the technical gremlins, was once again a highly fun and successful event. On a side note, a list of each show’s placement on the night will shortly be posted on the MADTrust website.

West End Eurovision as been going strong for five years now and will return in 2013 bigger and better than ever before. As always, MADTrust is hugely grateful to everyone who came together to make this night happen and hopes to have everyone’s continued support – after all, West End Bares is only a little over four months away!

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Monday 30^th April 2012

The rain may be falling but it’s all about Summer in the Aldwych Theatre this year. On arriving, it’s the name I hear the most and when leaving it’s the voice I can’t get out of my head.  I’ve heard of ‘stealing the show’ but Summer Strallen has taken the phrase to a new level.

Top Hat is a musical sensation based on the 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, a movie famous for its musical hits and jaw-dropping tap numbers. It’s the story of boy meets girl, girl thinks boy is married, boy thinks girl is crazy, girl slaps boy, boy carries on pursuing her anyway. Oh, and a lot of tap.

Sitting in the plush Aldwych Theatre – the third row in the stalls no less – a hush falls over the audience as the musical director conducts the orchestra to begin. In the style of 1930s musicals, a long overture introduces us to the music of the show and immediately you start swaying in your seat, smiling along with Irving Berlin’s stunning score. Then, the beautiful show girls and the six-feet-four men enter instantly giving us what we want – a big old tap number.

As the huge opening number ends and the incredible dancers ignore the sweat seeping through their costumes, we are introduced to our main attraction (emphasis on attraction) Jerry Travers, played by the talented Tom Chambers. Jerry is the lead of this touring tap show and a star in the business. He is natural, relaxed, confident in his talent and very, very handsome. The only thing he hasn’t got is a West End credit. Enter Horace Hardwick (Martin Ball) a pill-popping West End producer keen to get Jerry’s show in town.

Horace invites Jerry up to his hotel room so they can talk business but Jerry’s passion and talent get the better of him and before we know it he’s tapping away around the room with a hat stand as his dance partner. This outburst causes much displeasure to another hotel guest staying in the room below Mr Hardwick. A stunning revolve appears at the back of the stage, a silk-lined bed with a breathtaking beauty ringing down to the front desk. On the roof of the revolve is a dimly lit dancer mirroring Jerry’s moves. A gorgeous moment, both clever and classy.

The woman is clearly aggravated so storms down to the room herself. When she enters, the room lights up. She is so beautiful that Jerry falls instantly in love. Her name is Dale Tremont (not that she will divulge this information to Jerry) played by our very own Summer Strallen. She politely asks him to keep it down and leaves. Jerry treats us to a cheeky grin before lining the floor with sand and continuing.

From here on in, Jerry becomes obsessed. He sends the whole flower stand up to her room and hijacks her horse and carriage, disguising himself so she will talk to him.  Out in the rain they share a dance and a kiss, a truly magical moment.

The complications begin when Dale asks the hotel manager the name of the man staying below her and is told ‘Horace Hardwick’. It gets even more confusing when we discover that Dale is friends with Horace’s eccentric wife Madge Hardwick (Vivien Parry).  Horace and Madge have been married three years and they survive on barely seeing other and spending all of Horace’s money. The pair are a comedy duo at its best, a lovely contrast to our two dramatically romantic leads.

Hilarity ensues as Dale continues to mistake Jerry for Horace. The story, as you can imagine, becomes a slapstick event of disguised butlers, dancing porters, unintended marriages, hilarious mistakes and sad misunderstandings.

The melodrama of this show is heavily supported by a fantastically talented cast. Tom Chambers is truly charming Jerry. He is a love-sick puppy with a smile that makes your knee’s weak, the voice of an angel and moves comparable to Astaire.

The supporting roles especially feed our comedy needs, with Stephen Boswell playing the adorably loyal Bates, Horace’s butler and spy, and Ricardo Afonso playing the overly camp, dramatically eccentric clothes designer Alberto Beddini. Bates is sent to watch over Mrs Hardwick and Dale and he does a fantastic job hiding himself under the identities of a waiter, a priest and a woman. Alberto, although seemingly camp, ends up confessing his love for Dale and becomes insane when he discovers that Jerry/Horace has eyes for her too.

The back bone of this show is the ensemble. Not only do they dance with stunning discipline, they are also required to play what seemed like ten roles each. Transforming themselves from an ensemble of tap dancers to maids and waiters and guests and beachgoers, these gorgeous women and very tall men are a constant source of delight.

However, the true star of this show is Summer Strallen. Her performance of Dale Tremont is timeless, classic and spot on. Not only does she look sublime, her voice is gorgeous and she plays Dale with charm and grace. She is instantly loveable with a fiery quirk that keeps Jerry wanting more.  Not forgetting the famous Strallen sister high leg kick, which we see plenty of in ‘Wild about you’.

The most stunning number for me was ‘Cheek to Cheek’. It shows Dale and Jerry in a ballroom, still engulfed in all the confusion, Dale is furious with Jerry (who she thinks is Horace). But, just for a moment, she lets her feelings take over and accepts an invitation to dance with him. The lights are low, the music a masterpiece and suddenly it’s just the two of them. Jerry is in a fine suit and Dale in a flowing feathered baby pink dress. The romance is heart-wrenching, complimented by the soft choreography and the perfect harmonies.

By the end of the show, my cheeks were hurting. The show, although undeniably cheesy, has you grinning throughout. The music, the laughter, the dancing – all has that feel good factor. So, if you’re looking for a bit of sunshine on a rainy day, Top Hat is the show to leave you smiling, Cheek to Cheek.

Review by Rebecca Birch (Twitter: @BirchR)

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Monday 30th April, 2012

“As a producer, I want to change the face of British musical theatre and show the world what we can do on this little island with this great art form. No small task, ha, but somebody has got to do it!”

Michael Peavoy is a young actor who recently made his West End debut in the hit musical Billy Elliot and is playing the title character’s older brother Tony.

He originally trained as a chef but soon realised that acting was what he really wanted to do. He subsequently trained at RADA and received the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Award. Shortly after graduating, Michael made his professional debut in a NT production of Hamlet.

Michael is very passionate about new musical writing and his new company Michael Peavoy Productions is “all about producing and promoting the best of new British musical theatre“.

Despite his busy schedule, Michael kindly answered the following questions about himself, his career and his company. Enjoy!

You trained as a chef. What’s your favourite dish?
You know what, I worked in some amazing kitchens alongside some incredible chefs – but you can NEVER beat a good bit of fish and chips! If I’m working and earning I’ll treat myself to a portion of mushy peas as well. I love a good Eggs Florentine in the morning.

What made you change your mind about your career choice?
Performing was always something that I loved. Be it in the local scouts or in high school shows that we used to put on. But where I come from in Salford, opportunities to explore being on stage were few and far between. I did initially go to college to do a BTEC in Performing Arts at Pendleton College, but at the time the course was very young and didn’t really have much of a structure, so it felt like a bit of a waste of time. So I did the chef thing as a result of dropping out. It was when I went back to college to do Business Studies a year later, this is having trained as a chef for a year at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, I would take part in the season shows there and the bug got me again. It was doing Into the Woods with an incredible cast that got me. Sondheim alongside the likes of Faye Brookes (now Elle in Legally Blonde on tour) and Charlotte Harwood (about to be seen in Loserville at WYP) was just too good a thing to not want to do for the rest of your life. So I dropped Business Studies and joined Faye and Charlotte on the Musical Theatre BTEC course which had now grown and developed into a wonderful little training.

Did anyone in particular inspire you or have you got any role models?
I have a few. My GCSE drama teacher Julie Flowers was the first person to say to me ‘you could be on stage‘ so that set the ball rolling, I suppose. And her classes were what kept me going through school. Neill Bennet and Gary Willis who ran the courses at Pendleton then played a huge part in encouraging and surrounding me with really driven young performers who I had a great time training with. I should also mention Johnny Kerrigan. He was a friend of mine who we sadly lost after battling with cancer for a year. I was 17 at the time and that really made me realise that I have an opportunity to go and do what I want to do and live the life I want to live. So everything I do now, I always have Johnny there in my head driving me on. It really put things into perspective and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am to be able to do a job I love.

You went on to study at RADA. Did you enjoy your time there?
RADA was incredible. To be surrounded by the level of talent was mind-blowing at times. I was lucky to be in a year full of extremely driven individuals, so I was able to learn of a lot from people. My only acting experience prior to RADA was at college, so to see people at that level working and learning alongside me was a blessing.

While still at RADA, you received the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Award. Wow! How did that make you feel?
It was a shock!! Like I said, it was Sondheim’s Into the Woods that made me want to do this, so to be honoured in his name was a real treat. And his work really means a lot to me and is the reason I love musical theatre. Plus, it’s a really great event and recognises the ability to perform a song and not just sing it – which sounds like an obvious thing, but I by no means had the strongest voice in the competition and, according to the judges, it was the performance on the whole that won me the prize. So I was really flattered!

After graduating, you joined the cast of the NT production of Hamlet. This was your professional debut. Please share a memory or two.
First day of rehearsals with the meet and greet. I’d been out of drama school for two weeks and there I was in a room with my hero Rory Kinnear, James Laurenson, Claire Higgins – I could list the whole cast. I suppose that moment that I realised – ‘I’m actually doing this’ – was one that will stick with me for a long time. Plus, opening night. I had the first line! So to dive onto the Olivier Stage in a Nick Hythner production of Hamlet at the National Theatre – you can’t ask for much more, really.

You recently made your West End debut at the Victoria Palace Theatre as ‘Tony’, Billy Elliot’s older brother. How did you feel when you found out you’d landed the role?
I was over the moon! It wasn’t a show that I had seen before the audition process started, but I had been auditioning for Julian Webber, the director for a few weeks prior to being called in for Billy Elliot. So I went to see the show and was just blown away. I’m not a fan of huge commercial musical theatre. It has its place, and I completely get it, but I’d much rather see a play. For me Billy Elliot, whilst obviously being part of the West End Musical machine, is a Lee Hall play with a few great songs and the most incredible bunch of kids. So it was a no-brainer when I was offered the role.

The role of Tony is a demanding one. Please describe ‘your’ Tony. How have you made the role your own?
It’s a tough one, because you have to remember that this show has been around for a while now. So whilst I wanted to make Tony MY Tony, I had a jigsaw that I had to fit in to. I hope my Tony has a lot of clarity. For me, the story of the miners is what the show is about, so I hope that I represent the generation that fought against Maggie Thatcher and their argument and their struggle. 90% of what I do on stage seems like a fight, like Tony is constantly playing devil’s advocate to Billy’s story, so its a difficult part in that sense because everybody is on the side of Billy. It’s easy to forget that what Tony is fighting for is the livelihood of the people of Easington and every miner up and down the UK who eventually lost their jobs and had their lives ruined by the Thatcher regime. I suppose because I represent a real population, a real group of people who really did go through this, I want to make sure every night they are represented as truthfully as they can be. I suppose that’s what I hope ‘my Tony’ does.

How do you cope with the emotional aspect of Tony’s journey each night?
I’m not the kind of actor who gets too caught up in roles. Rory Kinnear was interviewed during Hamlet and he said that ‘acting isn’t a therapy session, its a job‘ and I think that stuck with me. It is, emotionally, really hard work, and I do go to places to make those emotions as real as possible, but it is a job at the end of the day and if I couldn’t detach from the role, I’d be a mess! And I’m young yet, so I don’t feel like I have any excuses to economise my performance, so I try to give 110% every night, albeit really tiring. Two show days are hard work!

What’s it like to be working with incredibly talented child actors?
It’s the best. It never ceases to amaze me how talented they are. Those days when you’re tired and you have two shows and you think to yourself ‘this is going to be hard work‘ you look at what those little buggars have to do and it sorts you right out!

What’s your favourite Billy Elliot song? And your favourite scene?
Solidarity. I think it’s a piece of storytelling genius. And my favourite scene is probably the toilet scene between Billy and Debbie with the infamous line … I won’t spoil it for the people who haven’t seen it, but it makes me laugh every night.

Why do you think Billy Elliot is such a popular show?
Because of the genuine heart, I think. People come to see a big glamourous ‘West-Endy’ musical, and the first scene of the show is set in a dirty old miners’ welfare and it’s full of chunky miners and completely devoid of Jazz hands. Then all of a sudden there’s a man in pants hammering away and a Dad who is falling apart and can’t cook a sausage and a grandma who is completely losing it - I think it shocks people in a lot of ways. But when the kids get going and we see Billy start to learn about dancing, it’s just incredible. It really takes your breath away watching those little buggars do what they can do. Also – Lee Hall knows how to write a bloody good story and Stephen Daldry and Peter Darling have created this incredibly detailed world that you just get sucked into.

So on the one hand you are starring in one of London’s long-running and most popular musicals; on the other hand, you are very passionate about new musical writing. What sparked your interest in new writing?
I’ve performed at quite a few new writing evenings over the past few years and it’s always a really exciting thing, stepping onto a stage and representing a writer. After watching the Sondheim Society competition the year before I won – which is also paired with the ‘Stiles and Drewe Award for best song’ – I got really interested in which song would win. So that started it off. I got to listen to a lot of material when choosing what song I would sing in the final and it was a really exciting prospect to be the first person to sing these songs in front of an audience. So thats where it all came from. I’ve met so many wonderful writers of the past three years and I’ve been lucky enough to sing a few of their songs. It’s frustrating that the only real opportunity we get to do new material is in the form of a concert.

Please tell us about Michael Peavoy Productions?
Ah yes! It’s my new company and we’re basically all about producing and promoting the best of new British musical theatre. That’s kind of it! As I was saying, it stems from a frustration from both myself and the composers that new musicals just aren’t getting out there. I think there are many reasons for that. The lack of funding in the past from the Arts Council has meant there hasn’t been anybody nourishing new writers, however, they are now funding the brilliant Mercury Musical Developments, who we work in association with, and Perfect Pitch. Two brilliant companies who are there to develop the work. We have a long way to go to catch up with the US. But we have to start somewhere and I hope that what we’re doing will be the catalyst to really get it all going. And I’m surrounded by some incredibly talented people who are enabling that to happen, special mention to Steve Marmion and Charlie Briggs from the Soho Theatre and Danielle Tarento who is an incredible force and will be integral to this movement. I should also mention Mr Michael Haslam, my Musical Supervisor and Robert Jackson, my associate – the passion of us lot together, I hope, will mean that we can really drive this thing forward and change the face of British musical theatre.

Michael Peavoy Productions will host the Craig Barbour Award alongside the Opening Doors: Festival of Firsts on Sunday, 13^th May 2012 at Soho Theatre – a very exciting event for anyone interested in and involved with new musical writing. What can you tell us about what will be happening on that night and why people should book tickets ASAP?
Ok, so we have the Craig Barbour Award starting at 5 pm. It’s a new award for composition and we’ll be seeing ten composers performing two songs each as they battle it out for the award. Not only do they get a nice trophy, they’ll receive a cash investment and we’ll also be producing an ‘audience with’ at the Soho Theatre for them to showcase their work. Very exciting times! Then in the main house theatre at 8 pm our audience will have the opportunity to gaze into the crystal ball of musical theatre and see extracts from 3 new shows from 3 stunning writers. It’s going to be a really important day for new writing and if anybody out there is interested in seeing what the future holds for musical theatre, they should come along! We have a stellar cast for both events, Lucy May Barker, Gavin Fowler, Nigel Richards, Jack Shalloo, Dani de Waal, Chloe Hart to name a few, it would be great to kick off with a bang! So come along!

Are there any other exciting future projects you’d like to tell us about?
There may be …… I can’t reveal too much at the moment, but there are a few plans in the pipeline. For now, come along to Opening Doors and you’ll have a taster of what is to come!

What are your long-term ambitions?
I honestly just want to work. I’d love to emulate what Bertie Carvel has done in musical theatre, then again I’d love to get on TV and create a role in a brilliant drama or play a part in a big Hollywood film. I’d be content with a few more roles like Tony! As a producer, I want to change the face of British musical theatre and show the world what we can do on this little island with this great art form. No small task, ha, but somebody has got to do it!

What roles would you love to play and why?
I’m desperate to play George in Sunday in the Park With George at some point – well, I’d be happy with any of Sondheim’s leading male parts! Give me Sweeney Todd, or Franklin Shepherd anyday. Then again I want to play Richard III and I want to play Henry V – As you can tell I want to do lots.

Is there anyone you would really like to work with?
I’d love to work with two directors – Mike Leigh and Howard Davies. The standard of work they both create is mind-blowing. And to go through Mike Leigh’s process is a bit of a dream of mine. Maybe its because he’s a Salford boy as well.

If you could go and see any West End musical or play tonight, which one would it be and why?
I’d go to see Matilda again because it’s incredible!!

What is something embarrassing or unexpected that has happened to you on stage?
I had an awful moment in the penultimate scene in Billy Elliot – this is quite disgusting so if you have a weak stomach, you’ve been warned! My final speech is quite an emotional one and I have to use lots of breath to support the level of vocal effort. One night I used a little bit to much and it decided to come out via my nose and bring with it… well you can imagine. So there I was, mid-speech, mid-tears and snot all over my face. You can imagine how the Billy reacted, which doesn’t help!

What do you like to do to chill out?
Play computer games and laugh at my girlfriend. She’s very funny.

And a few quick-fire questions for you…
Wine or beer? Beer.
Singing or dancing? Singing (if you’ve seen me dance you’ll know why!).
Ballet or Opera? Opera.
Pets? Love ‘em, though my dog Fred passed away a few years ago at the old age of 16. I’d love to get another dog soon.
Your favourite book? I loved reading Oliver Sack’s Musicophilia. SO interesting!
Pub or Night Club? Pub.
Favourite holiday destination? Egypt. Purely for the beauty and wonder of the historical sites.

And anything else you might like to add, maybe a message to your fans?
Keep supporting new writing! Some of it is just incredible. We have to keep encouraging the great writers and giving them a space to play in. If we don’t we’re going to end up with stages full of jukebox musicals, and shows like Wicked and Parade will disappear because nobody will want to write anything original! So get out there and find new writing. If it’s bad, stick with it, because the only way we can improve is by learning from our mistakes.

Thank you very much for your time, Michael and all the very best for your exciting projects!

Interview by Sandra Palme (Twitter: @LondonTheatre2)

Follow Michael on Twitter: @Michael_Peavoy

Michael Peavoy’s website

Billy Elliot Tickets

APP USERS: Billy Elliot Tickets

Sunday 29th April, 2012

Gent led the Sweeney cast in their performance of the UK’s 1992 Eurovision entry ‘One Step Out of Time’ (which placed second in the competition) in an inspired homage to Ball, who represented us that year. Gent had Ball down to a tea, from every action and facial expression – until Ball sneaked up from behind to slit his throat and take back his mic, of course…

Gent is a 2008 graduate of the Mountview Academy Of Theatre Arts. That same year, he joined the ranks of students on the Les Miserables barricades at the Queen’s Theatre as Feuilly, also covering the principal role of Marius.  From there, he moved on to the second of the West End’s biggest hitters, The Phantom of the Opera, performing in the ensemble as well as understudying the leading role of Raoul. His other theatre credits include the roles of Michael in Christopher Lane’s European premiere of Bright lights, big city (Hoxton Hall), Tom/cover John in the acclaimed production The Hired Man (Landor Theatre). He also participated in the 25^th  Anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011 and has performed with the cast of Les Miserables at the Royal Variety Performance and Classical Brits, as well as an involvement in the 25th Anniversary concert celebrations at the O2 Arena.

Gent is also a regular host of the Show Off Piano Bar, a musical theatre sing-song around the piano that is held every Friday night at Café Koha in the West End. He and Sarah Lark can often be found there with musical director Nathan Martin, hosting the evening’s events and singing themselves. I’ve been there and it is a wonderful, laid-back and intimate night that is probably about as ‘stagey’ as can be and fabulous with it.

I’m hoping that Gent’s superb display at West End Eurovision will help to bring his name to theatre fans who may not have previously been aware of it, or his considerable talent. Matthew Gent has a very bright future ahead of him – and not just as an expert air puncher! For now, he is surely having a ‘ball’ of a time in Sweeney Todd (a favourite musical of his), but when that adventure comes to an end, I think Gent is going to have many more to look forward to.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Saturday 28th April 2012

Unlike Glee, which only contains smatterings of musical theatre within its episodes, Smash has an unadulterated focus on the business of show business. The concept of Smash is formed around the creation of a musical based on Marilyn Monroe, taking viewers on an inside look at the process of putting on a new musical on Broadway. Being a drama series, there are inevitable moments of fact vs fiction, but on the whole, I felt that it offers a pretty interesting and insightful picture of what the process entails. In the first episode, we see the idea of a Marilyn musical planted and it quickly gathers momentum with a demo song being recorded, a director recruited and auditions to cast the lead role of Marilyn Monroe taking place. For musical theatre fans, that would probably be enough on its own to get them watching, but for millions of other TV viewers who don’t already have that love of the industry, Smash needed something more to bring them in too.

It would have been easy to make Smash a razzle-dazzle sensation of a show, with lots of glamour, glitz and big musical theatre-style numbers, but without any further substance to it, that would have quickly lost its razzle and Smash would have failed to dazzle the viewers. What gives me a good feeling about its chances of success is the time it dedicates to the story and characters within the show. It seems to be prepared to take its time setting up the story arcs that will unfold throughout the season and has avoided stereotyping in the introduction of the characters, instead giving them enough depth to make you intrigued as to how they will develop and what we are yet to discover about them. There isn’t a blinkered focus on just one or two of the characters, but a nice balance between them all and, with the added bonus of a great cast that includes Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston, Smash has some pretty solid foundations to build upon.

What I like about Smash is that it didn’t take the easy route of following the paths of two girls looking to make it on Broadway, but instead decided to incorporate every aspect that is a part of musical theatre life. The characters of Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) provide the Struggling Starlet perspective for the viewers, alongside Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) as the show writers, Eileen (Anjelica Huston) as the producer and Derek (Jack Davenport) as the director. The added ‘ensemble’ of characters’ boyfriends, husbands, assistants and so forth also serve to widen the show’s scope beyond the bright lights of Broadway.

With only one episode under my belt, it would be impossible to categorically state that Smash is the hit show we needed to make people more open to the idea of musical theatre, but I certainly have high hopes for it. There are some superb original musical numbers seamlessly worked into the show and Mcphee and Hilty both possess great voices. I loved the last song of the episode (Let Me Be Your Star) and the choreographed performance of a baseball-themed number for the Marilyn musical was stunningly executed. Smash feels fresh and exciting, paying homage to the musical theatre industry in an inspired manner that will surely please theatre enthusiasts and hook in a whole bunch of new ones. Whether it can keep this up throughout the entire season remains to be seen, but if it can, then Smash could be one of the most effective promotional tools for musical theatre we currently have.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Thursday 26th April 2012

Fans have been calling for a Twilight musical, and in January 2012 they (kind of) got their wish when Twilight popped up at New World Stages in New York for a one night only concert performance with Twilight: The Musical, a parody reading of the Twilight books with original songs such as, ‘Life Sucks When Your Boyfriend Is A Vampire’. In the UK, we’ve given vampire enthusiasts a brand new theatrical production with the musical comedy Vampirette.

In full pun glory, Vampirette is billed as a musical comedy with bite as it prepares for its debut at the Manchester Opera House this May. The fang-tastic new musical features youthful vampire Vampi who, despite that pesky little matter of being, you know, dead, just wants to date, shop and all those things that come with a normal life. Vampirette is written by Jonathan Choat and directed by Ed Curtis, featuring a great line-up of names in its cast. Starring as Vampi is WWRY’s Lauren Samuels, with Adam C. Booth as her brother Rudi and Stuart Matthew Price (Shrek) as Andrew Van Helsing. Other names include Jay Worthy as Dr Acula, Caroline Deverill as Countess Zanguina, Matthew Rixon as Igor and Norman Bowman as slimy reporter Stanley Pea, with Emma Cannon, Rhiannon S. Porter and Kathryn Rooney as the Vampettes. The audience are encouraged to get into the spirit of things by vamping it up in costume, with a prize being awarded to the best-dressed vampire each night. The musical includes some classic hit songs, such as Come Fly With Me, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and Total Eclipse of the Heart.

Vampires are often portrayed as dark, brooding creatures of the night, frozen in time as they face an eternity of life; you only have to watch the Twilight films and the television series of The Vampire Diaries to see more of these dramatized realisations. Vampirette aims to bring a little fun to their sunless world, making you scream with laughter instead of fear. Everyone likes a good vampire story and that’s just what we have here, with the added chance to fully immerse yourself in the experience with some fangs, black clothes and a little fake blood to complete the package. Vampirette plays at the Manchester Opera House from 4th-19th May 2012, so if you enjoy the theatre as well as toothy nightwalkers, then this is the show for you.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 27th April 2012

“I span the genres. I cycle, I cook, I grow things, I read. And then I sit in front of the telly like most of us and pretend I’m a Welsh rugby player, or a mafia boss or Ned Stark for an hour or two.”

Hadley Fraser is a very popular and incredibly talented young actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Music and was made an Associate in 2011.

Hadley made his West End debut as Marius in Les Miserables, played Grantaire in the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the 02 Arena in 2010 and has returned to this long-running West End musical, this time starring as Javert.

Other theatre credits include Assassins, The Far Pavilions, The Shaughraun, Pacific Overtures, The Fantasticks  as well as The Pirate Queen (Broadway).

Hadley appeared as Raoul in the 25th Anniversary staging of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, alongside his friend Ramin Karimloo who played the Phantom. The two actors also write and perform music together; their band is called Sheytoons.

Hadley will finish in Les Miserables in June so make sure you catch him and his brilliant portrayal of Javert before he leaves! Hadley has kindly taken some time out from his hectic schedule and answered some questions about himself and his career. Enjoy this fantastic interview!

When did you first realise that you wanted to sing and act?
It was all relatively by accident to be honest. My parents, I think, were always keen for my brother and I to explore lots of different hobbies and activities as children. Music and singing lessons were one of those, and I suppose I followed that course by default (albeit with massive enjoyment). It wasn’t until university that I really thought about trying it professionally.

Have you got any role models?
A few, yes, from all walks of life. Musically I admire a great range of people – from Kurt Elling to Darrell Scott to Maurice Durufle. Actors I admire tend to be those who bob along slightly unseen but massively appreciated by those around them; such as Iain Glen and Denis O’Hare. I adore cycling too, and have huge admiration for any professional cyclist; the demands of that particular sport are unlike any other – the discipline and strength (both physical and mental) necessary to complete just a single day’s racing is inspiring.

I have read somewhere that you actually wanted to become a journalist. What made you change your mind?
I tried my hand at performing rather more seriously at University and loved it. I think I had an inkling that I wouldn’t want to get twenty years down the line, not having given it a go and be left wondering “what if?”

You trained at the Royal Academy of Music. Please tell us about your time there.
The Royal Academy Musical Theatre course suited me terrifically well. The concentration on vocal technique and acting through song was very useful to me.

In 2002, you made your West End debut in Les Misérables playing Marius. What are your memories of that time?
I have to admit, I didn’t really know what to expect. I left the Academy early to start rehearsals, so I was still very naïve and wide-eyed. I learnt a great deal from my first year in the business – what to do and what not to do. Fundamentally I think it reinforced the feeling I had harboured about wanting to make a go of the profession.

In 2006, you originated the role of Tiernan in the Broadway production of The Pirate Queen. Please share a memory or two!
I arrived in New York a couple of days before rehearsals started, and was so excited I couldn’t really sleep. I didn’t seem to feel any jet-lag; just felt apprehension and excitement in equal measure. The first morning I woke up as a New Yorker my eyes opened about 4am and I couldn’t get back to sleep. So I walked from where I was staying right through the heart of Manhattan, and eventually came out on the Hudson River. From there (I think I was the only person on board), I took a boat trip right the way round the island thinking to myself “well, this is it, this is where you’re going to be!” I couldn’t believe it, and still couldn’t really when we opened. Obviously the show didn’t go as well as planned, but I would repeat the experience again at the drop of a hat.

How does Broadway, where you spent a couple of years, compare to the West End?
There are similarities and differences. There is perhaps more of an appreciation of musical theatre as an advanced art form in New York (where theatre stars can still sell out a run, and are household names in the city). I think we’re guilty of compounding the issue here in the UK somewhat, and patronising audiences a little. Sondheim alone is living proof that musical theatre can be complex and challenging. That’s not to disparage London, Sondheim’s work is fully appreciated here – but our capital occasionally feels like a slightly stern older brother, incapable of loosening up and broadening his views. Perhaps he’s beginning to change his mind about musical theatre though, I don’t know – something like LONDON ROAD at the NT might be proof of that. I have experienced equally extraordinary nights at the theatre in both cities.

How have you changed as an actor/singer since you led Pirate Queen? What have learned along the way?
Well firstly I have to correct you and state that Stephanie J. Block led THE PIRATE QUEEN. I was overjoyed to be her second-in-command. I think I learnt a lot over the years – the most significant learning curve was the two years I spent in LA. After PQ, I decided to have a little break from the theatre, and head down to California to try my luck. That was a different world, and the routine of screentests and camera classes broadened my focus as an actor, and (I hope) refined my skills a great deal.

You have returned to Les Mis and are currently playing the demanding role of Javert. Personally, I think he is one of the most tragic characters in the musical – although a lot of people might not perceive him that way. How would you describe your Javert?
Tricky question really. Everyone who knows the show or the novel feels an immense kinship with the characters, and believes that they understand them. And each person who does is absolutely right, even if their take on the character fundamentally disagrees with the next person. For me, Javert represents all that Valjean isn’t. He is unyielding, unforgiving, emotionally brittle, a zealot, and obsessive. Though, and on this point I agree with you, he is human. His journey concludes with such a cataclysmic realisation of what has gone before, that you can’t help but feel some sympathy towards him.

What are your favourite songs in Les Mis?
I have a soft spot, naturally, for Javert’s suicide – though this may come from my appreciation of how superbly it combines music, narrative and emotional threads all in one fabric. It’s hard to single out any others. They’re all so strong in different ways.

A lot of new musicals have had to close early recently because not enough people go and see them. A difficult situation. I know you support new musical writing. In your opinion, what’s the answer (if, indeed, there is one)?
I’m not sure, to be frank. I don’t think there is a quick fix to the dilemma. What frustrates me is the notion that there is no good-quality new writing out there. There is, tons of it. The danger of sounding hypocritical here is significant –  at the moment I make a living performing in a good show that has had a permanent home in the West End for 25+ years. People still want to see said show, but naturally as someone who cares about new writing and about the health of the industry in the long-term, you’d like to see more new writing being given access to the big houses. Then that becomes a question of risk-taking for those putting their money into these projects, and frankly none of us can tell the other what to do with our money. What about the late 70s, 80s and 90s that saw such a huge explosion of original material making it on to the West End stage? A lot of factors had to come together to facilitate it. I’m sure it’ll come around again.

And then, on the other hand, there are shows like Les Mis – a musical about the Paris Uprising of 1832 that has been running for 25 years. Why do you think Les Mis has been such a success?
It’s a quality piece of theatre, full-stop. At the time, it was forward-thinking (despite being adapted from older source material), and still retains that freshness of story-telling to this day. It has universal appeal, and is exquisitely written and realised.

Talking of new writing, you have actually written the book for the brand new production of ‘Houdini the Musical’ – a project that also involves your friend Ramin Karimloo. You are hoping to take the show to the West End at the end of 2012. Is there anything at all you might be able to tell us about this exciting project?
Well, it’s been put on the back-burner for now, though not forgotten about. The team all have commitments now that preclude our original plan for the show’s opening. But I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it.

In October 2011, you played Raoul in the 25th Anniversary staging of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall. What was that like for you?
A delight, and (without wanting to sound sycophantic) an honour. I know there would have been raised eyebrows at my casting, but, as Kiera Duffy so sagely put it, “I didn’t cast myself”. One is then left with the realisation that you have to do justice to a piece and a character that means a huge amount to a lot of people – but remembering that the reason you were selected in the first places was to made educated and informed acting decisions based upon what you bring to the production and the part. It all happened so quickly that in my memory it’s all a bit of a blur. I was proud to be a part of such a historic occasion, and was welcomed by the extended Phantom family very warmly. My understanding of the character is that Raoul has to be a valid opponent to the Phantom, and a valid choice for Christine. In that way, he doesn’t strike me as a sap (though there is a tenderness and youthfulness to him), rather he is an confident aristocrat trying to wrestle back control of a situation (and control over a woman he thinks he loves) that has spiralled away from him. He is up against another man (I think Raoul knows the “Phantom” is mostly smoke and mirrors); a man who doesn’t seem to be playing by the rules.

What is something embarrassing or unexpected that has happened to you on stage?
Let’s just say I worked with David Burt on three separate occasions. That man alone provides enough unexpected moments in one evening, let alone three different productions.

If you could go and see any West End musical or play tonight, which one would it be and why?
I’ve not seen Matilda yet. That’s first on my list when my current contract expires, along with Noises Off. Gutted I won’t catch The Ladykillers before they close.

You have also done TV and film work. What has been your favourite role so far and why?
I suppose thus far my filming experience has been relatively limited. I’d have to say it’s a large part of my ambition to further and expand that. I’m looking forward very much to being part of the Les Miserables film though.

As a Dr Who fan of many years, I just have to ask: what was it like to appear in the programme? What was it like on set?
It was a lovely set to be on. I was never a massive Dr Who fan, so again didn’t know quite what to expect. Even though I had a smallish part, I still sporadically get Dr Who fans waiting at stage door with things to sign.

Is there anyone you would really like to work with (TV/film/theatre)?
Uggie.

What have been your career highlights to date?
I’m proud of pretty much everything I’ve done.

In 2003, Ramin Karimloo understudied for you in Les Mis and the two of you have been friends ever since. You formed a band together – please tell us about the Sheytoons.
Sheytoons – it all came about when Ramin was asked to write some songs for his album. He called me up to see if I wanted to write with him and I jumped at the chance. Seemed like a great deal of fun. The whole thing really grew from there.

What are your long-term ambitions?
I’d like to keep progressing, keep learning. As I’ve mentioned, I’d like to do more screen work, but wouldn’t we all. I enjoy working on new material and challenging myself to write and create. All of these things still remain, and I haven’t fulfilled any of them as much as I’d like thus far. I suppose I feel I still have a way to go, and I’m keen for the opportunity to demonstrate that.

What do you like to do to chill out?
I span the genres. I cycle, I cook, I grow things, I read. And then I sit in front of the telly like most of us and pretend I’m a Welsh rugby player, or a mafia boss or Ned Stark for an hour or two.

And anything else you might like to add, maybe a message to your fans?
I have to say I’m constantly surprised at the support I receive. I suppose twitter and the growth in social networking have made it easier for people to show and express their support – but nevertheless, for someone like me who can walk quite blissfully down the street without fear of recognition but who works as a performer occasionally in the semi-public eye it’s very flattering and most appreciated when anyone takes the time to write a kind word or two. I’m naturally relatively reticent, but I hope when I can I let people know how much it means.

Thank you very much for your time and all the best for your future projects!

Interview by Sandra Palme (Twitter: @LondonTheatre2)

Hadley’s website
Follow Hadley on Twitter: @hadleyfraser

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One of the most entertaining aspects of musical theatre is the tradition of the ‘muck-up matinee’. On a cast member’s last day, it’s become common for the rest of the cast to do things to ‘muck them up’ during the matinee performance. This can include tricks such as switching costumes, pulling faces or different accents, popping up in scenes they’re not usually in, changing song lyrics, replacing props and so on. The cast are usually very careful to be subtle in what they do and ensure any shenanigans are still in keeping with the running of the show. One great example I heard was from Phantom, in which one of the cast members hid in the boat used in the scene where the Phantom takes Christine down to his lair, surprising the actor playing the Phantom, who then had to get through the title song without letting on that she was there. A muck-up matinee is all about these little in-jokes between the cast and they will often go over the heads of the audiences. Still, there is a question of whether muck-up matinees should go on.

There are those who are very much against the tradition, believing that it can spoil the theatre experience for the audience and that it’s unfair to mess around with the show when people have paid out for tickets.They’ve also accused the performers of just being self-indulgent in their antics, to the detriment of the show. As I previously said, a muck-up matinee is usually very subtle and unnoticeable to anyone not onstage, but if you are an audience member who is very familiar with the show, then you are probably going to pick up on some of it. In that instance, I can understand why those fans wouldn’t enjoy a muck-up matinee as dedicated fans of a particular show are often fiercely protective of it and won’t appreciate seeing it, in their eyes, compromised by the antics of the cast. The answer is pretty simple though: just don’t go. The claim that first-time audience members who find their trip falls on a muck-up matinee will have their first experience of the show ruined is one which, in my opinion, has no merit whatsoever. If you don’t know about the tradition, then you aren’t likely to notice anything amiss and, if you do know about it, then simply avoid that performance if you don’t agree with it.

There are many fans who delight in a muck-up matinee and will book tickets specifically to see that performance, looking out to see just how many of the cast’s tricks they can spot. I’ve never been to one myself but I don’t have an issue with it. It’s a bit of fun for the cast and, as long as it doesn’t detract anything from the performance for the audience, what’s the harm in that?

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 25^th April 2012

Written by David Edgar to celebrate the 400 years anniversary of the King James Bible, this is the remarkable tale of the most famous book of our time.

In 1604, King James I commissioned a new bible to be printed in his name and with his licence. This is where our story begins. This Bible was to be in English and although translations existed already, this was to be his definitive edition. There was much controversy around a Bible in the English language. Many felt that ‘The Word of God’ should be accessible to everyone and anyone, while the Clergy feared this would put them out of a job.

The play opens on a heated debate between the academic clergy who had been gathered together to put the finishing touches to the King James Bible. We learn here that the Bible is open to interpretation depending on how skilful the translator thinks he is. We see these men quibbling over the choice of certain words, these important words, ‘The Word of God’. This discussion is led by Lancelot Andrews played by the magnificent Oliver Ford Davies.

Moving back in time to 1536, we meet William Tyndale. He is held captive in Flanders, awaiting his death found guilty of Heresy. This remarkable man, passionate that even the ploughboy should be able to read the Bible – ‘The layman must have the Scripture and read for himself’, he translated the New Testament into English. Knowing this was risking his life, he fled to Hamburg, but was arrested in Antwerp in 1535. We meet him on the eve of his death where he is visited by a young Priest. Tyndall reveals to the Priest he has also translated the Old Testament. The Priest smuggled this outlawed translation of an English Bible back to England. A conflation of Tyndale’s and Miles Coverdale’s translations were published. This edition eventually was put into every English Church in 1539 until it was banned in 1543.

The highlight of the play is when Tyndale returns after his death to speak with Andrews in a dream-like sequence. He is overawed to learn his death was not in vain, his role vital in the quest for the making of an English Bible. Tyndale had succeed in adding “majesty to the meaningful”. Stephen Boxer as Tyndale and Ford Davies superbly act this incredible meeting.

They are supported with an excellent cast, The Royal Shakespeare Company living up to its unprecedented reputation . Jodie McNee is outstanding as Mary, a servant to Lancelot Andrews, a fiercely intelligent girl, disturbed by the continual discussions and talks leading to the changing of Gods Words.

An incredible set designed by Francis O’Connor and costumes by Sarah Bowerman help to add authenticity to this intriguing story.

If someone were to describe something to me now as ‘The Gospel Truth’, I will have learnt that even ‘The Gospel’ is open to interpretation.

‘Written on the Heart’ is an entertaining education.

Written on The Heart Tickets

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Duchess Theatre
Catherine Street
London
WC2B 5LA

Thursday 26th April, 2012

Natasha’s film credits also include ‘Burlesque Fairytales’ in 2010 starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Stephen Campbell Moore.

This May will see Natasha perform on stage in a run of ‘When Women Wee’, a Dirty Stop-Out Production which received rave reviews at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, particularly singling out Natasha’s performance.

“Fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011 welcome to the unedited, uninhibited thoughts and behaviours that happen inside the female mind and public toilet. When Women Wee offers a voyeuristic look at the lives of a multitude of women in all stages of love, life and intoxication. An uncompromising and unapologetic comedy with genuine conversations included! Bear witness to the nightly break ups, breakdowns and breakthroughs that all happen ‘When Women Wee’…”
Soho Theatre

Natasha took some time out from her busy schedule to answer some questions about herself and her career.

Since 2010 you have been establishing yourself as a film actress appearing in Burlesque Fairytales, The Tapes, Demons Never Die and soon to be released Victim. What have you enjoyed most about your roles so far?
I have enjoyed  creating, learning, researching and exploring, and being employed!

You have a lead role in the horror film The Tapes, what was it like making the film?
Beautiful. It was a labour of love from everybody involved. We had freedom to play and it is a film I will always be grateful for.

On stage you are appearing in When Women Wee, which was a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe and is transferring to the Soho Theatre (8th – 19th May). What can you tell us about the play and how your character fits into the storyline?
It’s a play about women. Women will find solace in familiarity; men are transported into an unknown realm where they will find out what really goes on in the sacred space that is the female toilet! We highlight the ridiculousness of our culture through comedy so we can laugh at ourselves and realise how absurd our behaviour sometimes is. I have many characters and share the stage with four other talented ladies as we take on 25 unforgettable characters.

Why should everyone go and see the play?
Join us as we follow the young, the old, the divorced, the drunk and the depressed through the trials and tribulations of friendship, alcohol, men, menstruation. Oh and MDMA…

What are your plans after When Women Wee?
I plan to work even harder.

Looking to the future do you have a preference for acting on stage or screen, or happy to continue with both? 
I am obsessed with both. I love the danger of theatre, and love shocking my fellow cast members some nights and the camaraderie on stage is just fantastic. But I seriously hope I am lucky enough to continue to do both for the rest of my life.

Do you have any role models that you aspire to be like?
My Italian nan.

What do you like to do to chill out?
I like to read fashion magazines with a Marlboro Light.

In one sentence how would you describe yourself?
As an actor in the stage show ‘When Women Wee‘ at SOHO Theatre.

Best wishes Natasha for the play at the Soho Theatre and for the future.

Questions by Neil who you can follow on Twitter @LondonTheatre1

Soho Theatre
21 Dean Street
London W1D 3NE
Box Office 020 7478 0100

Wednesday 25th April, 2012

Jonathan has many television credits to his name including playing the lead role of Leonardo da Vinci in BBC1’s Leonardo. He has also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing Prince Arthur in King John.

Jonathan took some time out from his busy schedule to answer some questions about himself and his career. Enjoy!

You were born in Aylesbury Vale, Oxfordshire. What was it like growing up there?
I was born in a village called Benton in Oxfordshire and it was typical village life. I went to the local C of E Primary School, and grew up with my three sisters, Mum and Dad. It was good that you could just have friends in walking distance at that sort of age and basically just make mud pies in the street. It wasn’t however particularly productive for performing arts.

What memories do you have of performing in school productions?
I remember one role where I was playing a raindrop in the story of Noah and his Ark.  I also remember playing a shepherd in the nativity when I was about four.

Where did you train and how did that prepare you for a career on the stage?
Well I didn’t go to drama school. I started acting when I was really young, about seven in The Christmas Carol at the Barbican in London. They sent out the casting director to the suburbs to find cast and I remember singing ‘Where is Love’ in the church, not really aware of who it was for, and my parents definitely had no idea. After that I had an agent and came within the structure and the rules of not missing school. I managed to do either a play or a little bit of TV during the summer holidays.

I was super lucky. Although I think drama school is really important I don’t believe there’s a right or wrong way of becoming an actor.  If I hadn’t had the experiences of working with other actors at a young age I don’t think I would have gone to drama school as those opportunities enthused me and made me passionate about drama.  I learnt quite a lot on the job and was able to take risks when playing parts. So yeah I didn’t go to drama school but everything worked out okay.

You have numerous television credits to your name including Channel 4′s Campus, BBC3’s Pramface and BBC1’s Leonardo, where you play the lead role of Leonardo da Vinci. What has been your favourite television role to date and why?
I have just got back from Cape Town where we have been recording the BBC’s Leonardo. Playing Leonardo de Vinci himself is very special. There’s also a lot of cool stuff to do such as artwork on stage, fighting with weapons etc.  So actually it’s a bit of playground as the props and the sets they created are excellent.

What do you like most about recording in front of a camera?
You can do the take again and I like that you’ve got downtime in between. I quite like the idea that you get to do it and then it’s there and you can’t really do anything about it. On stage if you do something wrong you can’t make it right for that performance but you can make it right for the next performance. I quite enjoy that.

Where did you make your professional stage debut and what was the role?
Well, on paper it’s playing Prince Arthur in King John for the RSC, and that was when I was about 15 I think.  I think that was the first time that I was totally aware of what I was doing.

How would you describe performing in the RSC?
It was great.  Everyone was so on top of what they were doing.  I remember it was quite physically challenging.  There’s also a lot of work vocally and I remember having bits of plastic in my cheek to try and get the pronunciation right. The company of people all work together as a unit and it was a great experience.

Following a successful run at Chichester, South Downs is transferring as part of a Double Bill with The Browning Version, to the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End. What can you tell us about South Downs and about your character Jeremy Duffield, and how he fits into the storyline?
Both the plays are set in Public Schools. For the Browning Version, Terrence Rattigan wrote about his time at Harrow. Dave Hare was asked by the Terrence Rattigan Estate to write a play to be performed alongside The Browning Version as a Double Bill. South Downs is based on his time at Lancing College and culminates in an act of kindness by a student’s mother.

John Blakemore is set apart by the fact that his forefathers hadn’t gone to public school and he doesn’t come from a typical public school family. He is a scholar but he refuses to conform as he considers the environment of the public school to be just a game. There are rules of a very strict hierarchy with the prefects essentially running the day to day matters of the school.

Basically John goes to the housemaster with a problem and that’s just not the way the game should be played.  A prefect is brought in, Jeremy Duffield, the chap I play, to sort out this precocious boy.  John is really suffering and he’s questioning things like why he’s not allowed to wear a CND badge, when everyone else is allowed to wear a crucifix. He’s also considering why his friends all just shut up and listen in class when they don’t fully understand. Jeremy tries to protect him, and fight his corner but the big act of generosity comes from Jeremy’s mother within a conversation and then it sort of plays out nicely.

South Downs is written by David Hare and The Browning Version by Terrence Rattigan. What unites these two plays and what sets them apart?
Well they fit together because of that act of kindness. South Downs is from a boy’s perspective. The Browning Version is from the master’s perspective and how the master doesn’t get the respect that he deserves.

How do these two plays compare with your own school days?
I think the idea that boys will be boys is an interesting one in South Downs and there’s so much detail. The fact that David Hare based the characters on his school days makes them so real. They’re so typical to anyone who has been to a public school.  But for me, specifically similarly to John Blakemore, I had to get a scholarship to go to the school my parents wanted me to go.  But there were many differences in the way that the public schools were run in the early sixties where for example there were no locks on the bathroom showers and boys were often forced to swim naked.  These things just wouldn’t happen now.  But I think I can relate more to the character and the situation and the feeling of going into a school where you haven’t grown up with the boys that otherwise would have grown up together and gone to prep school and that initial feeling of being an outsider and having to fit in and find out who you are.

There are many plays and musicals to see in the West End, why should theatregoers come and see these two plays?
These two plays have some incredible performances and so it’s theatre at its best where people are working hard and they’re putting on plays that are essentially laid quite bare.  They’re two gems that are quite simple but also great writing, two brilliant stories that are really moving, that are told, I think, touch wood, really well.

You have a range of roles on your CV including for the RSC, CBBC, regional theatre and the West End. Do you have a particular career path in mind or is diversity the key?
I think diversity is the key. I haven’t reached the time yet where I would say yes or no to anything, everything needs to be considered.

The forthcoming run at the Harold Pinter Theatre ends in July, what plans do you have for the remainder of 2012?
I’m going to be filming a new comedy for the BBC from the writers of Sherlock before Christmas, that’s been commissioned.  So that’s going to be quite hard marketing that whilst in a play.  It should be a nice challenge and there is a play that is in the pipeline and if that comes off I’ll be really excited.

What would you consider to be your strengths as an actor?
I really enjoy the moments where something goes wrong and I need to improvise and that gives me the ability to act as a ‘safety net’.

What do you like to do away from the stage?
I recently bought a mountain bike, so some cycling, walking, going to Cornwall, surfing.  And I’m also studying a course with the Open University because I didn’t go to an arts school. I had a place in it which I decided to surrender having deferred twice.

What message would you like say to your supporters?
Come and see the play and experience it and see what you think.

Thank you Jonathan for a super interview and best wishes for South Downs.

Credit: Jonathan Bailey Photographer Charlie Gray

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Wednesday 25th April, 2012

Chicago is the winner of the 1998 Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and is the longest ever running Broadway musical revival in London’s West End.

This award winning production is filled with superb choreography written by Bob Fosse. The show is about murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, violence, adultery treachery, so begins the musical. The twenties are roaring with hot jazz and cold-blooded killers.

Chicago is the story of Roxie, a chorus girl who has murdered her lover but manages to get acquitted with the help of a sleazy lawyer. Roxie dreams of starring in a vaudeville show but she only achieves celebrity status when she rides on the wave of publicity surrounding her courtroom acquittal. She teams up with another murderess, Velma Kelly, to form a very unusual nightclub act, which they hope will keep them in the public eye. Find out for yourself and see their success.

Chicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice, and the concept of the celebrity criminal. The musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about real-life criminals and crimes she had reported on. Two of the main real-life characters are Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner:

Annan, the model for the character of Roxie Hart, was 23 when she was accused of the murder of Harry Kalstedt. The Tribune reported that Annan played the foxtrot record Hula Lou over and over for two hours before calling her husband to say she killed a man who “tried to make love to her.” She was found “not guilty” on May 25th, 1924.

The show opens with Velma Kelly, who is a vaudevillian who murdered both her husband and her sister when she found them in bed together. She welcomes the audience to tonight’s show (“All That Jazz”). Meanwhile, we hear of chorus girl Roxie Hart’s murder of her lover, nightclub regular Fred Casely.

Roxie is arrested and is sent to the women’s block in Cook County Jail, inhabited by Velma and other murderesses. The block is presided over by the corrupt Matron Mama Morton, who has helped Velma become the media’s top murder of the week and is acting as a booking agent for Velma’s big return to vaudeville. Velma is not happy to see Roxie, who is stealing not only her limelight but her lawyer, Billy Flynn. The show goes on and is a great must see show.

CAST:
Sarah Soetaert (Roxie Hart, Rachel McDowall (Velma Kelly), David Bedella (Billy Flynn), James Doherty (Amos Hart), Jasna Ivir (‘Mama’ Morton), R. Whitehead (Mary Sunshine)

Have a read of Chicago cast interviews
(past and present)

Amra-Faye Wright
Debbie Kurup
Jonathan Wilkes
James Doherty
David Page
Jasna Ivir
Rachel Muldoon
R Whitehead

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Garrick Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0HH

25th April, 2012

Commemorating the 600th anniversary of her birth, Joan of Arc’s story rises from the ashes once more; this time from the pen of Bernard Shaw and his Nobel Prize winning masterpiece ‘Saint Joan’. After a successful and award nominated run of Shakespeare’s Henry VI part I in May 2011,The Rose, Bankside, opens its doors once again to the maid, for a big birthday party!

The Rose, Bankside has programmed the only performance of Shaw’s masterpiece to be staged in London, in this commemorative year. It will take place between 8th May and 1st June, the month that also commemorates Joan’s burning and sainthood.

Set in modern times, the maid is now a socially rejected punk girl, who successfully offers  courage to the morally defeated French politicians. This, enabling them to fight against the English and recover France for the French.

With an international and cosmopolitan cast, the play is directed by Constanza Hola, author of the critically acclaimed Weak Edward. The rebel Latin American playwright and director comes back to crime at The Rose, bringing a completely new and unexplored side of Joan to life.

Hola highlights the ironic and humorous moments of the text, giving a twist to the prototypical characters. Using several comedy elements as grotesque and melodrama to drive the audience towards deep and smart dramatic climax.

Inspired by the politics of power and gender, the ecclesiastic leadership is exercised no longer by men but by powerful and charismatic women who oscillate between their duty of burning heretics and Joan’s charisma.

In a world where frontiers are not settled anymore a play talking about Nationalism, the eternal struggle between religion and power seems to be very present.

Book tickets online for Saint Joan

The Rose, Bankside
56 Park Street, London
SE1 9AS
info@rosetheatre.org.uk
0207 261 9565

Tuesday, 24th April, 2012

The Mystery of Edwin Drood was Dicken’s last novel, published in episodic installments. The author died before completing it, leaving the literary world clueless as to what the intended ending was to have been: who murdered Edwin Drood, if he was murdered at all? Holmes’ musical first appeared on the scene in 1985 at the New York Shakespeare Festival and subsequently transferred to Broadway, where a West End production also followed. The Broadway production won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It draws from Dickens’ original novel and the great British traditions of pantomime and music halls. What really made Drood stand out from other productions was its multiple ending form, the first Broadway musical to implement such an angle. Described as ‘a play within a play’, Drood features a cast who play music hall performers portraying Dickens characters, acting out the events from his novel. The outcome is left up to the audience however, who vote on: who killed Edwin Drood (or IF he was indeed killed), the identity of Dick Datchery and which two characters become romantically entangled, walking off into the sunset together. This interactive practice allows for multiple scenarios, all of which the cast have to be prepared for.

The West End production will star former Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters, alongside Natalie Day (Les Miserables) and Victoria Farley (Les Miserables). Other cast members include Daniel Robinson, Loula Geater, David Francis, Denis Delahunt, Richard Stirling, Chris Coleman, Oliver Mawdsley, Paul Hutton, Tom Pepper and Ben Goffe.

Avid readers and theatre fans alike will surely enjoy this “boisterous and madly enjoyable sing-along” that celebrates one of Britain’s Greats.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Tuesday 24th April 2012

“It’s such a good script, such a fascinating (true) story and Bob is such a great part, there’s so much to it and playing a real person is always interesting.”

Coming from a creative family, Matt joined the Stage 2 Youth Theatre at the age of 12 and appeared in numerous productions, including Faustus, Little Shop of Horrors, Equus and Godspell.

Immediately on graduating Matt performed in This is Elvis on a UK tour playing bass player Jerry Scheff.

Before joining Jersey Boys, the highlight of Matt’s career was portraying the musical legend of Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, which toured the UK, played at the Duchess Theatre for 18 months and then he revisited the role in Canada and Lubbock, Texas. He also spent time with Buddy Holly’s family in their hometown where he was warmly welcomed.

Matt recently took time out from his busy schedule to answer some questions about himself and his career. I am sure you will enjoy what he has to say!

You grew up in Birmingham and your Jersey Boys biography says “he grew up surrounded by puppets and music”. Can you expand on this?
I come from a very creative family; both my parents are incredibly talented artists. My Father can craft literally anything out of wood and throughout my childhood he made puppets for the Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre under the direction of a man called John Blundell and for a company called Ragdoll that made children’s TV like Pob, Teletubbies and Rosie and Jim. I spent one crazy summer holiday on Teletubby Hill! He also carved beautiful rocking horses for several years. Music runs through both sides of my family, my mother loves singing and has a beautiful voice as well as playing the flute and the piano and thanks to her I started playing the violin when I was young. Her brother was a phenomenal talent on the violin which I suppose was a big influence, but funnily enough he gave me an Oscar Peterson tape to listen to and playing Boogie Woogie and Jazz piano became a real passion for me.

You joined ‘Stage 2 Youth Theatre’ when you were twelve and were involved in over 40 productions. What are your favourite memories from then?
Being part of Stage 2 was just so inspiring, Liz Light (who founded and runs the company) produces fantastic shows, run and performed almost entirely by young people. Being involved with every aspect of a show from making the puppets for Little Shop of Horrors, coming up with slogans for the marketing and print, acting in heavier plays like Faustus, Equus, The Crucible, musicals like Godspell… the list goes on really!

Immediately after graduating you played Steve Binder and Jerry Scheff in Bill Kenwright’s This is Elvis on a UK Tour. Can you describe this experience?
I was employed as an Actor/Musician playing bass guitar and the band were just amazing, although it was a little daunting as bass wasn’t my strongest instrument! It was great to be employed so fast after graduating too – that doesn’t always happen and I count myself lucky in that sense. Simon Bowman was playing Elvis and I learnt a lot about showmanship from working with him.

You portrayed the musical legend Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story, on a UK tour for four months, and then during its eighteen month run at the Duchess Theatre. How did it feel to play the part of the legendary Buddy Holly?
Unreal. I couldn’t believe I’d landed that part. I remember watching the show as a kid when it toured to Birmingham, the actor playing Buddy had just finished ‘True Love Ways’ and I turned to my Dad and said ‘I could do that’, and he said ‘maybe baby, one day.’ Funny how things turn out!  I really cut my teeth playing Buddy. When I auditioned I could play chords on the guitar but I’d never played lead, I put in A LOT of hours practicing! It’s surprising how fiddly Buddy’s guitar work is when you try to recreate exactly what he played. Playing someone who is so well known and etched on people’s minds is also a difficult task, everybody has their own idea of what that person was like in the flesh and obviously Buddy’s voice was so unique. I think by the end of the run I’d got a pretty good handle on it. It was so much fun to do. I’d love to do it again someday. Although I’ve now played Buddy all over the UK, Canada and in Texas…

You were invited to Buddy Holly’s hometown in Lubbock, Texas where you stayed for three months and met his two brothers and other family members. Can you tell us about your time in Lubbock?
Dang! That place is HOT! To be honest I was surprised at being asked! A guy from England being asked to play Buddy Holly in his HOMETOWN?!? Crazy. I don’t think I’ve ever met more hospitable people than the folks in Lubbock. I have some amazing memories and experiences. I went to Larry Holley’s house and we sat and he told me stories about his brother. He got out his fiddle and passed me a guitar made by Buddy’s other brother Travis and we jammed together! Incredible when you think about it. I made good friends there too, Eddie and Ingrid (Buddy’s nephew and niece) are great people. We played a couple of gigs together while I was there which was just awesome. I went to the studio where Buddy recorded most of his hits – I’ve played on the original Celeste which features in ‘Everyday’ and the piano that can be heard on a lot of his tracks. There’s a funny video somewhere of me doing the Everyday solo on the Celeste and messing it up! I also visited his grave and laid a plectrum there, which is the customary thing to do. Seeing his grave was a humbling moment for me. He suddenly became a very real person rather than just this bespectacled, guitar-wielding musician.

How did Buddy Holly’s family view your portrayal of him?
They were very kind and positive about it. It must be a very odd thing to watch an actor play your deceased brother. Larry Holley said ‘That kid really does the best job at playing Buddy.  He acts and talks just like Buddy did.  The way he stands and moves when he is singing and playing is the same way Buddy played.  He captured Buddy’s movements and personality better than anyone else ever has.” So I guess I did something right! I was fine on our opening night until the director came up to me five minutes before we started and said ‘Just so you know… Buddy’s brothers and Peggy Sue are watching’ Never been so nervous about anything in my life!

What is your favourite Buddy Holly song?
They’re all great. Raining in My Heart, Ollie Vee, True Love Ways…

You are currently performing as Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys, can you describe your character and how he ‘fits in’ with the group?
Bob is the youngest but is the brains and the songwriter of the group. When he joined he saw the potential in the band and really focused it into something that would be successful. He’s very close to Frankie and they have an incredible trust between them, which kind of opposes his relationship with Tommy Devito. Tommy allowed Bob into the group but finds himself being usurped as leader as they mature. Bob has a great journey in the play, you really see him grow from a driven teenager to a successful, confident man.

How would you describe any similarities that you have with Gaudio?
I’m a musician myself and I’ve got an analytical mind – I often find myself taking a step back from situations and working out the solution from an external point of view rather than diving in with a raw spontaneity. Although that’s not always strictly true! However I usually get myself into trouble with the latter.

Have any of the original Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons seen you perform in the show? If so, what feedback did you get?
I was incredibly lucky to have some one-to-one time with Bob Gaudio himself in a studio in New York before we started to go over the songs and he gave me some valuable feedback. Frankie watched last year and was also very positive. They’re both great people. They’re incredibly down to earth for men of their stature.

What is it that you enjoy most about appearing in Jersey Boys?
The jackets! Actually it’s being part of one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Like everyone else, I was just blown away when I saw it. It’s such a good script, such a fascinating (true) story and Bob is such a great part, there’s so much to it and playing a real person is always interesting. I like the challenge it brings vocally and the discipline it takes. Working with such talented people is a privilege too.

Why should everyone go and see Jersey Boys?
Because it’s brilliant. Every facet of the show is truly first class. You want a good story? You get it. Good music? In abundance. Spectacle? You can’t take your eyes off it. Its dangerous, its funny, its heart-breaking. It’s so slick, I don’t think I’ve seen a show which is as oiled to perfection as Jersey Boys.

The time will come when you are no longer in Jersey Boys, looking to the future do you have any long-term ambitions?
I have so many ambitions, I’ve seen incredible plays at the Donmar and the National Theatre and it’s the stories you see told on stages such as these that excite me but I would also love to do another musical. The good ones are just so infectious to watch and to be in. They’re so exciting. I like the idea of doing work that stretches you and takes you out of your comfort zone. I didn’t expect my career to go in this direction – don’t get me wrong I’m glad it did! But straight acting was where I started really. I’d love to do a really good drama series on TV. Another dream is to voice computer games and cartoons. So… everything really!

Is there anyone in particular who has inspired you the most in your singing and acting career?
Lots of people, a few are Freddie Mercury, Nat King Cole, Gary Oldman, Oliver Reed, Robin Williams, Charlie Chaplin… quite a varied bunch really.

Apart from being on the stage, what other career choices did you consider?
Design. I’m always figuring out how things are made and put together.

What do you like to do to chill out away from the stage?
I like cycling, going to the gym, playing Frisbee. Watching good live music. I love being near the water. Although if the weather is good there’s nothing better than lounging in my hammock and reading a good book.

What message would you like to say to your supporters?
Everyone I’ve met at a stage door (or on Twitter!) has been extremely kind and enthusiastic towards my career. Thank you all very much! You’re all ace!

Many thanks Matt and best wishes!

You can follow Matt Wycliffe on Twitter at @MattWycliffe

Official website at www.mattwycliffe.com

Matt Wycliffe’s (Matthew Wycliffe) full list of credits on his agent’s website at www.access-uk.com

Interviewed by Neil who you can follow on Twitter @LondonTheatre1 or on Facebook

Book Jersey Boys Tickets

APP USERS: Jersey Boys Tickets

Tuesday 24th April, 2012

Let us entertain you with a host of the biggest names in the West End.

We will be joined in Covent Garden by a wealth of West End stars including:
Sabrina Aloueche, Mig Ayesa, Adrian Hansel, John Wilding, Tenors of Rock, Scott Garnham, Liam Doyle, Tori Allen-Martin, Lauren Varnham, Mazz Murray, Woman Band, Chloe Hart, Brenda Edwards, Liam Tamne, Ian Carlyle, Victoria Hamilton-Barrit, Sandra Marvin, Ryan Dawson, Lucy Sinclair, Katie Paine, Rebecca Trehearn, Parnell Page, Jack Hawitt and Danielle York.

West End in Concert: Covent Garden is here for ‘One Night Only’ and you’d be a fool to miss it.

West End in Concert is committed to delivering concerts of excellence. Working with the best West End performers to deliver a memorable evening filled with sensational voices.

Performers and leading cast from: Les Miserables, We Will Rock You, Wicked, Rock of Ages, Miss Saigon, Hairspray, RENT, Hair, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar, High School Musical, Flashdance, Ghost The Musical, Dirty Dancing and X Factor.

The concert Musical Director will be Mr Chris Macklin.

In order to help with their funding, West End in Concert are sponsoring young aspiring performers/artists who gained places on musical theatre courses but weren’t awarded a scholarship.

Book Tickets for West End In Concert

Follow West End in Concert:

www.twitter.com/westendconcert

https://www.facebook.com/events

West End in Concert: Covent Garden – Sunday 20th May, 2012
Doors Open at 6.30 for a 7:00pm (prompt) start.

St Paul’s Church
Covent Garden
Bedford Street
London,
WC2E 9ED

Monday 23rd April, 2012

One way would be to utilise the power of television to turn viewers on to the joys of theatre. When Glee first premiered, I know that a lot of people were optimistic that this could be a great encouragement for musical theatre. Based around an American high school glee club, one of its central characters (Rachel Berry) is a musical enthusiast who dreams of making it on the Broadway stage. In High School Musical style, the characters spontaneously break into song and dance routines and a number of songs from stage musicals have featured in episodes, along with a visit to New York where two of them sneak into the Wicked theatre to perform on its stage. The problem with Glee however is that, although it started off strong, it has gradually disintegrated into yet another show which panders to popular pop trends. Even though a number of its actors have decent voices, Glee has become so heavily autotuned that it doesn’t even sound like them anymore – and don’t get me started on the awful miming. In my opinion, the integrity of the show/actors would be much improved if they actually sang live during filming. It’s not only that though; Glee has lost all its originality with its ‘theme weeks’ where they focus on a particular pop artist. Every number turns into a near perfect replica of that artist’s music video – for Britney Spears week, you could have been watching a countdown of her greatest hits on MTV for all intents and purposes.

I can’t help but think that Glee has missed a golden opportunity. It caters to the younger demographic and it could have been a great way to promote the virtues of musical theatre in a way that makes them excited about the art form and encouraged them to explore it for themselves. Instead, last week’s episode in which the kids talked about their dreams for the future had them talking about wanting to become actors and famous singers, the likes of Whitney and Mariah. It’s hardly the healthiest example to set an impressionable generation who think that fame is the golden prize to aim for.

If Glee has fallen short of the target though, a new series could perhaps be the redeeming arrow of American television. Smash is a musical drama series which centres around the development of a new Broadway musical based on the life of American pin-up Marilyn Monroe. I must confess that I haven’t seen anything of it yet, but I have heard a multitude of positive feedback from people within the theatre industry who have. The core of this series is the stage musical and it is further bolstered by the appearances of Broadway stars such as Norbert Leo Butz. There is already a lot of buzz surrounding it and I have high hopes that this could succeed where Glee failed, although only time will tell.

The point is, there are so many wonderful qualities about musical theatre and if more people opened themselves up to the experience, it could rise to become a far more mainstream art form than it currently is. There’s no doubt that theatre has its fans, but it’s time to look at new ways to bring in the yet to be converted audiences that surely exist out there.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Monday 23rd April 2012

Carnall is one of the ensemble members of Ghost. An accomplished dancer, he trained in Coventry at the Allesley School of Dance before moving on to Laine Theatre Arts. Since graduating from there in 2009, Carnall has gone on to play roles in a expansive range of productions, including: Kiki the Colorist in Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre), Mercedes in La Cage Aux Folles (Playhouse), ensemble/cover Gollum  in The Lord of the Rings (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Scranton Slim/Dance Captain/cover Rusty Charlie and Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre), ensemble/cover Emile and Beast’s Man in Beauty and the Beast (RSC, Stratford-Upon-Avon), Protean in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (National Theatre), Bobby/cover Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever (UK Tour), ensemble/cover Goran in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), Curtis/cover Michael Spofford in The Witches of Eastwick (Prince of Wales Theatre) and Bailiff in Chicago (Adelphi Theatre). Carnall was also in the cast of Candide (ENO), Kevin in Debbie Does Dallas (Oxford Old Fire Station) and was a featured artist in the original cast of Fosse (Prince of Wales Theatre), as well as doing Cats at the Larnaca Municipal Theatre in Cyprus. A stint on a QE2 world cruise as a featured artist is another notch to add to his belt.

Carnall is currently the dance captain at Ghost, so if you’ve enjoyed the show’s choreography, he’s one of the people to thank for that. His choreography skills were also utilised for Make Me a Song (Players Theatre) and he was the assistant choreographer in Bugsy Malone (Queen’s Theatre) and Tin Pan Alley (Edinburgh Festival). It was through his dance/choreography talent that I first met Carnall. He is a regular contributor to one of The Make A Difference Trust’s most popular annual events West End Bares, creating the scintillatingly sexy burlesque-style routines for dancers from a wide variety of West End shows to perform before an audience on the night. West End Bares helps to raise a lot of money for MADTrust and Carnall’s efforts are a big part of its success. A lot of work goes into an event of this size and, on the participants side, it involves weeks of rehearsing – as choreographer, Carnall’s work is so much more time-consuming. Let’s not forget either that everyone who gives their time to MADTrust does so through a desire to help a worthwhile charity and nothing more, so their efforts should be doubly appreciated.

Darren Carnall is a wonderful talent and a great addition to the cast of Ghost the Musical. He has a wealth of theatre experience and is very talented in his field, as anyone who has attended West End Bares in the past can surely attest to. If you do go to see Ghost, I would urge you to keep an eye out for him – he won’t be hard to spot as believe me, this is one star that is hard to miss.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Sunday 22nd April 2012

Joanna Loxton is a former student of the Brit School of Performing Arts, going on to train at the Guildford School of Acting. She is currently part of the Phantom ensemble, returning from a former stint in the production a few years previously. As part of her ensemble duties, she undertakes the role of Madame Firmin and is also understudy to Madame Giry, having played the role onstage on several occasions. One of the perks of being in the 25th Anniversary company of Phantom was the opportunity to be involved in the celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2011; Loxton called it an “honour” and a “gift” and likened the experience to “one big extended happy family reunion”. Included in her list of theatre credits is another milestone musical, Les Miserables, which, after 26 years, is the West End’s longest running musical. Loxton was in the 25th Anniversary UK touring production and also featured in the 2010 25th Anniversary concert at the O2 Arena. Other West End credits include being in the original cast of Marguerite at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket and a taste of Broadway, with the role of Mabel in the Broadway version of The Pirates of Penzance at Guildford Yvonne Arnaud. She features on the cast recordings of Marguerite and Les Miserables (25th Anniversary). Loxton already has an impressive list of musicals under her belt but is still in the early stages of her career and has a lot of opportunities ahead of her. One of her ambitions is to tackle the as yet untackled area of comedy, citing the role of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors as one she would like to play. She certainly has a lot going for her; blessed with good looks and a whole heap of talent, Loxton is sure to go far. In the GSA Musical Theatre Showcase back in 2004, The Stage described Loxton as a “shimmering operatic soprano” in her performance of ‘Poor Wand’ring One’ from Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. I’ve heard her voice on a number of occasions now and she truly is in possession of a great gift. Joanna Loxton has a very bright future ahead of her and I am looking forward to seeing the rise of this young star.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Saturday 21st April 2012

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 20th April 2012

Shows will close to make room for others; that’s an inevitability of theatre life. You can’t make room for the new without first clearing out some of the old. Variety may be the spice of life, but it is also the lifeline of the theatre industry – if you eat at the same restaurant every night, eventually you’re going to get bored of the menu. Exciting (and neccessary) as change is though, it will of course bring sadness with it as fans have to say goodbye to some of their favourite shows. There are many reasons why a show will close: sometimes a limited run is all it was awarded, sometimes it’s due to financial reasons and sometimes, well, it’s just its time. Every show has its following, whether it is a global hit or the equivalent of a ‘cult classic’, and will be missed by someone. In the world of theatre though, no show is ever truly gone.

The core of any musical is, unsurprisingly, its music – perhaps that’s why it takes up the majority of the word? So even though a show may have packed up its bags and disappeared off into the sunset, it will always live on through its music. It takes a very special show to have its full score appreciated; more likely than not, there will always be one or two stand-out songs that firmly house themselves in people’s hearts. Everyone’s taste is different though and sometimes it’s the ‘filler’ numbers which take that place. Whatever songs it is that take your fancy, chances are that they will pop up again as part of a cabaret or concert performance somewhere along the line.

The event coming up this Monday (23rd April 2012) at the Landor Theatre is a prime example of the seemingly eternalness of the stage musical. If It Only Even Runs A Minute is a concert series that started off in New York and celebrates the shows which left the theatre scene too soon and the less-appreciated musical theatre songs through live performance, behind the scenes stories and photos. In its UK debut, produced and hosted by Oliver Southgate and Lydia Grant, If It Only Even Runs A Minute features London theatre names such as Thomas Sutcliffe, Nicole Faraday, Rachael Bingham, Christopher Barratt, Ross Aldred, Kelly Chinery and more. They will be performing songs from musicals like The Fantasticks, Annie Get Your Gun, Lend Me A Tenor, Betty Blue Eyes and Ordinary Days, along with many others.

Musical theatre never dies. There are some shows which are repeatedly revived and always seem to keep their sparkle – the revival of Crazy For You and the more recent return of Singin’ in the Rain serve to prove this point. For those which can’t quite seem to find their way back however, it’s outlets like concerts/cabarets that keep them alive.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 20th April 2012

Featuring the original, hugely iconic Vangelis score and a magnificent ensemble cast, Chariots of Fire brings alive the incredible true story of two British athletes whose honour, sacrifice and courage brought them glory and immortality on the greatest sporting stage of all.

In an extraordinary summer, this is one event that will leave you breathless with excitement.

Booking From: Friday, 22nd June 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 10th November 2012
Matinees: Wednesday and Saturday 3pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.45pm

Chariots of Fire Tickets

APP USERS: Chariots of Fire Tickets

Gielgud Theatre
35 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
W1D 6AR

Friday 20th April, 2012

There are always new cast recordings popping up from the latest show in town; the recording of the popular West End production of Sweeney Todd, fresh from Chichester, was recently released, for example. It doesn’t have to be the new kid on the block which excites theatre fans though. I only saw Wicked for the first time this year when I went along to review the cast change, and I fell in love with it there and then. At my daughter’s insistence, I bought the Broadway recording (calls for a new London cast recording continue to fall on deaf ears) and it is now one of our favourite in-car CD’s.

There have also been some recent individual efforts from several of the West End’s established performers, most notably Phantom and Love Never Dies star Ramin Karimloo. The self-titled album Ramin is the Iranian-born actor’s first release on the Sony record label and to say that it has been flying off the shelves is an understatement. It’s no wonder though; Karimloo is an exceptional talent in possession of a phenomenal voice and his album contains a selection of original songs and covers that truly display his voice to the best of his ability. I’ve seen him onstage in Love Never Dies, alongside Hadley Fraser in their band Sheytoons, performing at West End Bares for MADTrust and was also invited to his album showcase at Cafe de Paris in March 2012 – with every encounter, I’ve never failed to be impressed by his vocal ability. Not only that, but Karimloo is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, which is one of his most endearing qualities and why he has such an immense following of fans that adore him.

Another West End star who is equally as talented is the legend that is John Owen Jones. Most known for the West End roles of Jean Valjean and The Phantom, Jones is currently making his way around the UK with the brand new touring production of The Phantom of the Opera, in which he plays the title character. Despite a busy schedule however, he found time to record a second album, which was released this week. Unmasked follows his 2009 self-titled debut album and features a mix of some of musical theatre’s most popular songs and other classic tracks. Jones has an extraordinary voice that is rich, strong and incredibly emotive. The last time I saw him perform live was in the finale of the 25th Anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2011, where he sang alongside Ramin Karimloo, Colm Wilkinson, Anthony Warlow and Peter Joback; an unforgettable experience. Hearing him sing, it’s easy to understand why he is considered to be one of the best Phantoms in its entire 25 years history.

A whole host of West End performers have taken the album route: Mark Evans, Annalene Beechey, Stuart Matthew Price and Louise Dearman, to name a few. The latter released her debut album You and I in 2005, and on the 7th May 2012, she’s at it again with her follow-up album Here Comes The Sun. It features her covers of some of the Pop world’s best-loved songs, including a duet with Steve Balsamo on Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Time After Time’ (one of my favourite songs, incidentally). Theatre fans will never tire of  hearing their favourite West End stars sing, and an album is the ideal way to bottle up a little of their talent so that the fans can enjoy their melodious tones whenever the urge takes them. We have already had some tremendous offerings from a number of the West End’s brightest stars and no doubt more will follow. I know there are certain people I would like to see release an album – but who would be your choices?

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Thursday 19th April 2012

Somewhere in my Mind is the debut album from Sterling, featuring 13 brand new songs, the majority of which are taken from his original musical Roundabout (a collaboration with MLS lyricist Bob Gould). He has assembled a superb host of West End stars, both established and new, to sing on the album, including: Craig Rhys Barlow, Adam Bayjou, Killian Donnelly, Jonathan Eio, Ross Hunter, Ashleigh Jones, Craig Mather, Rosa O’Reilly, Kit Orton, Rhiannon Sarah Porter, Jack Shalloo, Jos Slovick and Jonathan Williams, with Sterling himself also performing one of his own tracks. Hailed as “a strong collection of some of the best new writing, complimented by beautiful performances” (The Public Reviews), Sterling’s album is fresh and contemporary with a sound he describes as a combination of “acoustic rock, pop and traditional musical theatre”. Somewhere in my Mind is released on the SimG Records label, joining the ranks of names such as Dougal Irvine, Annalene Beechey and My Land’s Shore.

An actor/singer/songwriter/musician, Shropshire-born Sterling is a multi-talented individual with a list of theatre credits to his name. After studying Acting at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and graduating from the Shrewsbury College of Performing Arts in 2010 with a National Diploma in Musical Theatre (Distinction), Sterling was a featured artist in The Musicals of Boubil and Schonberg concert in Birmingham and played Peter Cratchit in Ray Shell’s production of A Christmas Carol, as well as working as its musical director. He recently returned from Birmingham Stage Company’s UK tour of The Jungle Book where he performed in the ensemble and covered the leading role of Mowgli. While still training, Sterling was also involved in a number of other productions and workshops of original musicals.

Sterling is an intelligent young man who is clearly passionate about his music. From the upbeat to the heartfelt, each of his songs grab your attention and stay with you long after you’ve heard them – I was always particularly taken with ‘Gone’, a beautiful ballad performed by Jonathan Williams that is powerful in its simplicity.

Joe Sterling will be appearing at Dress Circle this Saturday (21^st April 2012, 11.30am) to showcase a few of his songs and also for an album signing. He will be joined by featured album vocalists Jos Slovick and Rosa O’Reilly, with the addition of Ben Stott. It will be a chance for existing fans to hear the tracks performed live and for new fans to see just what he is all about.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 18^th April 2012

Featuring the Open Air Theatre’s celebrated fusion of original music, movement and unique setting, this magical, comedic and seductive tale is set to be one of the theatrical highlights of the year.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596, and portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of 6 amateur actors, who are manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play is one of Shakespeare’s most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world.

The play features three interlocking plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta, and set simultaneously in the woodland, and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon.

Important Information: Suitable for ages 11 and over.
Booking From: Saturday, 2nd June 2012
Booking Until: Wednesday, 5th September 2012
Matinees: Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 2.15pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7:45pm
Running Time: 3 hours

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Open Air Tickets

APP USERS: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Open Air Tickets

Open Air
Inner Circle
Regent’s Park
NW1 4NR

Connie plays aspiring writer Ruth Sherwood who arrives in New York with her beautiful younger sister Eileen. The indomitable pair meet an array of colourful characters along the way, creating chaos at every turn in their search for romance, success and a free meal from Walgreen’s deli.

1930s New York City bursts onto the stage in this major new production with fantastic choreography, stunning costumes, a sensational score and a sparkling cocktail of comedy, adventure, love and romance.

Wonderful Town Tickets

APP USERS: Wonderful Town Tickets

Booking From: Tuesday, 29th May 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 2nd June 2012
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2:00pm
Evenings: Tuesday to Saturday 7.30pm

Southampton Mayflower Theatre
26 Commercial Road
Southampton, Hampshire

Thursday 19th April, 2012

We were holidaying at Perran Sands, one of the Haven holiday parks. Anyone who has been to a Haven, Park Resorts, or similar retreat will know that part of the package includes the clubhouse’s night-time entertainment. Live acts and the children’s entertainment team are a familiar sight at any holiday park around the country and Cornwall was no exception. Having previously worked the bar at a holiday park in New Romney, I more than knew what to expect – I danced along to all the party tunes behind that bar every shift and can still do a mean ‘King Caractacus’ – but yet I couldn’t seem to switch off that Eye of Judgement which is such an necessary part of what I do. On our last night there for example, four of the entertainment team came onstage to sing a selection of popular pop songs. One girl clearly thought shouting was the same as belting while another’s voice was so thin and weak that she just couldn’t make herself heard over the music (a fact I’m guessing she knew as she kept holding the microphone out to the kids on the dance floor). The three which sang were flat and had no range in their voices and I was completely bored listening to them. They absolutely proved a point for me though, which was that not every ‘singer’ deserves to be on a stage in London’s West End. I know some people whose exceptional voices would blow these holiday entertainers out of the water – yet they remain within the throng of the ensemble. To make it to the West End, you have to not only have the voice that ensures people really notice you, but a whole host of other attributes and skills along with it. To actually go on and become a West End leading man/lady, you have to be a true star in every sense of the word and, as is often the case, very lucky too. This is why it grates on my nerves when celebrities (some, not all) are cast in West End shows when, if they weren’t a famous name who can put bums in seats, they would have no chance of getting the role otherwise. Acting, dancing and so on aside, some singers are unfortunately destined to be no more than a ‘karaoke voice’. The pub I work at on weekends holds karaoke nights every Saturday and there are some people in there who sing and are hailed as a sensation who should apply for The X-Factor immediately! I wish I could bring them all along to a West End show sometime and show them what true talent sounds like. If they could hear our West End girls and boys perform then they just might gain a little perspective and think twice before sending in that application form to Simon Cowell.

I don’t mean to put these people down – holiday entertainers are there to be the providers of a bit of cheesy, camp fun. They get their stage, they get their lights and they get their audience, but that is where the similarities to life in the West End ends; unless you’re including the man-centric folk too, if you know what I mean. Ooh ah! My daughter was as crazy as a cat on catnip around them and, as far as she was concerned, they gave her just as good a time as a show in the West End would. I smiled at their character costumes, joined in the Mexican Waves, clapped along to the music and may even have laughed at their awful, cringe-worthy jokes a few times; when it came to their singing show performance though, I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t take them seriously. This is what a theatre life has done to me I fear, nothing else can match the high bar that it sets and simply pales in comparison. My experiences in the world of theatre have turned me into a metaphorical bouncer, guarding the door to Club You’ve-Got-It with my little list of preferred guests who are good enough to get in. In a way, it was a little saddening to realise that,unlike the general holidaymakers, I can’t sit there oblivious to what the entertainment team are lacking in and just go with it now, but the talent I have seen in the West End (and fringe theatres) has enriched my life to such an extent that it more than compensates for this small loss. I still had a good, fun time on my holiday, but now I can fully appreciate just how lucky every audience in every London theatre really are.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Monday 16^th April 2012

Mastercard Best New Play
WINNER:  Collaborators at the Cottesloe Theatre
Jumpy at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
One Man, Two Guvnors at the Lyttelton theatre
The Ladykillers at the Gielgud theatre

Best Revival
WINNER: Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
Flare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Much Ado About Nothing at the Wyndham’s theatre
Noises Off at the Old Vic theatre

Best Entertainment and Family
WINNER: Derren Brown: Svengali at the Shaftesbury Theatre
Midnight Tango at the Aldwych theatre
Potted Potter at the Garrick theatre
The Tiger Who Came To Tea at the Vaudeville theatre

Best Actress
WINNER: Ruth Wilson for Anna Christie at The Donmar Warehouse
Celia Imrie for Noises Off at the Old Vic
Kristin Scott Thomas for Betrayal at the Harold Pinter theatre
Lesley Manville for Grief at the Cottesloe theatre
Marcia Warren for The Ladykillers at the Gielgud theatre

Best Actor
WINNER: Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller for Frankenstein at the Olivier Theatre
David Haig for The Madness Of George III at the Apollo theatre
Douglas Hodge for Inadmissable Evidence at the Donmar Warehouse
James Corden for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Adelphi theatre
Jude Law for Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse

Best Performance in a Supporting Role
WINNER:  Sheridan Smith for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Bryony Hannah for The Children’s Hour at the Harold Pinter theatre
Johnny Flynn for Jerusalem at the Apollo theatre
Mark Addy for Collaborators at the Cottesloe theatre
Oliver Chris for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Lyttelton theatre

Best Actress in a Musical
WINNER: The Matildas for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre
Kate Fleetwood for London Road at the Cottesloe Theatre
Sarah Lancashire for Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello theatre
Scarlett Strallen for Singin’ In The Rain at the Palace theatre

Best Actor in a Musical
WINNER: Bertie Carvel for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre
Nigel Lindsay for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Paulo Szot for South Pacific at the Barbican theatre
Reece Shearsmith for Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello theatre

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
WINNER: Nigel Harman for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Katherine Kingsley for Singin’ In The Rain at the Palace theatre
Paul Kaye for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge theatre
Sharon D Clarke for Ghost The Musical at the Piccadilly theatre
Sophie-Louise Dann for Lend Me A Tenor The Musical at the Gielgud theatre

Best New Musical
WINNER: Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre
Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello theatre
Ghost The Musical at the Piccadilly
London Road at the Cottesloe theatre
Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Best Musical Revival
WINNER: Crazy For You at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Singin’ In The Rain at the Palace theatre
South Pacific at the Barbican theatre
The Wizard Of Oz at the London Palladium

Best Director
WINNER: Matthew Warchus for Matilda The Musical
Nicolas Hytner for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Lyttelton theatre
Rufus Norris for London Road at the Cottesloe theatre
Sean Foley for The Ladykillers at the Gielgud theatre

Best Theatre Choreographer
WINNER: Peter Darling for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre
Andrew Wright for Singin’ In The Rain at the Palace theatre
Javier de Frutos for London Road at the Cottesloe theatre
Stephen Mear for Crazy For You at the Regent’s Park Open Air theatre
Best Lighting Design
WINNER: Frankenstein designed by Bruno Poet at the Olivier Theatre
Anna Christie designed by Howard Harrison at the Donmar Warehouse
Ghost The Musical designed by Hugh Vanstone at the Piccadilly theatre
Matilda The Musical designed by Hugh Vanstone at the Cambridge theatre

Best Set Design
WINNER: Matilda The Musical designed by Rob Howell at the Cambridge theatre
Ghost The Musical deigned by Rob Howell at the Piccadilly theatre
One Man, Two Guvnors designed by Mark Thompson at the Lyttelton theatre
The Ladykillers designed by Michael Taylor at the Gielgud theatre

Best Costume Design
WINNER: Crazy For You designed by Peter McKintosh at the Regent’s Park Open Air theatre
Matilda The Musical designed by Rob Howell at the Cambridge theatre
Shrek The Musical designed by Tim Hatley at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
South Pacific designed by Catherine Zuber at the Barbican theatre

Best Sound Design
WINNER: Matilda The Musical designed by Simon Baker at the Cambridge Theatre
Frankenstein designed by Underworld and Ed Clarke at the Olivier theatre
Ghost The Musical designed by Bobby Aitken at the Piccadilly theatre
The Ladykillers designed by Ben and Max Ringham at the Gielgud theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
WINNER: Theatre Royal Stratford East for Roadkill
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester for Mogadishu at the Lyric Hammersmith
The Donmar Warehouse for Salt, Root And Roe at the Trafalgar Studios 2
The Royal Court theatre for The Village Bike at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

Best New Opera Production
WINNER: English National Opera’s Castor And Pollux at the London Coliseum
English National Opera’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the London Coliseum
English National Opera’s The Passenger at the London Coliseum
ROH2′s Clemency at the Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
WINNER: ENO for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme
Amanda Holden for her translation of Castor And Pollux at the London Coliseum
Mark-Anthony Turnage for his composition of Anna Nicole (Royal Opera House) and Twice Through The Heart (Sadler’s Wells)
Richard Jones for his direction of Anne Nicole, Il Trittico (Royal Opera House) and The Tales Of Hoffmann (London Coliseum)

Best New Dance Production
WINNERS: Desh by Akram Khan Company at Sadler’s Wells
Gardenia by Ballets C de la B at Sadler’s Wells
Some Like It Hip Hop by ZooNation
The Metamorphosis at the Linbury Studio

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
WINNER: Edward Watson for his performance in The Metamorphosis at the Linbury Studio
Sylvie Guillem for her performance in her production of 6000 Miles Away at Sadler’s Wells
The Design Team for their work on the Royal Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland
Tommy Franzen for his performance in ZooNation’s Some Like It Hip Hop at the Peacock theatre

BBC Radio 2 Audience Award
WINNER: Les Miserables
Billy Elliot – The Musical
Jersey Boys
Wicked

Special Award
Sir Tim Rice awarded with a Special Award in celebration of his outstanding contribution to musical theatre.

Thank you The Olivier Awards www.olivierawards.com

Sunday 15th April, 2012

West End Eurovision is the brainchild of MADTrust volunteers Garry Cruickshank and Kevin Henry, whose love for the Eurovision Song Contest led them to create its theatrical equivalent. Every year, ten West End shows gather to compete against one another, performing a past Eurovision song entry in a bid to be crowned the West End Eurovision champions. Two cast members from each show are allocated the job of judge and, along with the celebrity jury panel, cast their votes in true Eurovision style to determine which show will walk away as the winners that year. It is a very fun, very camp night, and since its conception in 2007, WEE has grown to become a firm favourite with theatre fans. Last year’s event garnered unprecedented press coverage and completely sold out – I lost count of how many phone calls the MADTrust office received from latecomers desperate to get their hands on a ticket. This year, 2012 marks WEE’s fifth anniversary, so it seems particularly fitting that Ghost The Musical’s taking over of the Piccadilly Theatre (WEE’s home for the past 4 years) has led to the event being moved to the altogether larger venue of the Dominion Theatre, currently housing We Will Rock You. As with every passing year, WEE is going to be bigger and better than ever before and MADTrust have a whole box of treats in store.

TV personality Gaby Roslin returns to host the event, this time joined by stage and screen actor John Partridge, former Cats cast member (Rum Tum Tugger) and current Eastenders star (Christian Clarke). Already confirmed to be on the judging panel are West End leading lady Kerry Ellis (Wicked, WWRY) and American film/TV and stage star Stefanie Powers. As has become the tradition, there will also be a special appearance from a past Eurovision entrant; this year sees international recording artist Javine Hylton perform onstage at WEE 2012. Hylton represented the UK in in 2005 with the Eurovision song entry ‘Touch My Fire’. Heart FM radio presenter Toby Anstis is also back as the audience’s link to all the backstage action, while comedienne and TV/radio presenter Kate Copstick will be chatting to everyone on the red carpet.

West End Eurovision was the first MADTrust event I was ever involved in so I do have a bit of a soft spot for it, even if it did cost me a glass of champagne in a bet with my fellow MADTrust volunteer Jo Smith when Priscilla placed higher than Phantom. A lot of work goes into putting the event together from our end, but I will forever be in awe of the amazing lengths the casts from each show entrant go to for it. They come up with the most fabulously complex and detailed performances, spending months rehearsing the song and their dance routines, as well as creating their own costumes; all while tirelessly promoting the event and the charity. They all put such an effort into the night and are so enthusiastic about being a part of it that it’s just wonderful to see. West End Eurovision would be nothing without their participation, so I would like to say an early thank you to all of this year’s show entrants for the continuing support for MADTrust. The ten West End shows taking part in WEE 2012 are: Billy Elliot, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, Rock of Ages, Shrek, Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera, The 39 Steps, The Wizard of Oz and Wicked.

As well as competing to be the champions of West End Eurovision, the shows will also be fighting it out for the honour of winning ‘Best Ident’. I’m sure that by now, most of you have viewed the video idents online and will agree with me that they have all done a superb job on them. I was there for the 2012 WEE ident launch party last month where all the show’s casts came together for the idents first public showing; there are some highly comical and rather impressive offerings this year, and even though the shows are officially in competition, it’s great to see that they are actually very supportive of one another. It’s the theatre fans who decide which show’s ident takes the crown in 2012 and voting is already open, so please, watch the idents and of course share them with as many people as possible, but don’t forget to place your vote too. Each ident has its own unique tag (comprised from the show’s initials) which you can text to 70099 – voting cost £1 with up to 95p going to MADTrust.

The fifth annual West End Eurovision takes place at the Dominion Theatre on Thursday 26^th April 2012, 11.30pm. For further information and booking details, visit the MADTrust website at www.madtrust.org.uk. I hope to see you there!

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 13^th April 2012

To view the video idents and vote: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAD418AFC2076FACA&feature=mh_lolz.

I was reminded of a past conversation I had with actor Andrew Langtree, who is currently playing Carl Bruner in the West End production of Ghost The Musical. Even though his character is portrayed as the ‘baddy’ of the show, Langtree has always said that he doesn’t consider Carl to be a bad guy. He spoke about it in an interview for this site last year, saying that, “I don’t really think of him as a baddy at all. Just as someone who has a slightly wonky moral compass.” Langtree looked between the lines with Carl to explore how he came to the point where he would do these terrible things, realising how easily a, “sane, normal person like you or I could take a slide out of control with just a few poor choices and the right/wrong environment.” Langtree isn’t the only West End star who has a different viewpoint when looking at some of the show’s ‘baddies’; I interviewed Les Miserables’ Hadley Fraser in September 2011 who, in discussing his character in the show, said, “I don’t think Javert is inherently evil, I think he’s just massively misunderstood. He has his version of justice and what is right and is animalistic about how he establishes that.”

I remember when I was studying Psychology in college and had to explore the reasoning behind why someone becomes a suicide bomber. From our perspective, terrorists are just evil people who take the lives of innocent victims. Looking at it from their perspective though, there is a social and cultural belief that what we call an act of terrorism is a means of achieving honour and status for you and your family in death and being rewarded. It’s not something we can understand perhaps and of course I’m not condoning the awful attacks they have made on us, but I can open my mind enough to realise that evil is in the eye of the beholder; it’s all about perspective. When you lift the curtain to look at how someone become the ‘baddy’, you’ll often see that there were actually a lot of things that led them to that point and that, in fact, they aren’t the all-out bad guy you first thought they were.

Wicked is a show that is exactly about that. It explores the untold story of the witches of Oz and completely turns upside down everything that we thought we knew about the Wicked Witch of the West, and once you’ve seen it, you’ll never look at The Wizard of Oz in the same way again. I’ve also always found it interesting that a character like the Phantom has become so beloved with audiences. People willingly overlook the violence, the kidnapping and the murders that he commits in The Phantom of the Opera, and do you know why? Because they are also given a glimpse of the torment, loneliness, rejection and prejudice he has experienced in his life because of his facial disfigurement, which allows them to understand how such an existence could twist someone’s mind enough to make them do the things he does. If the audience didn’t see these things, then they would most likely see the Phantom as being simply evil.

Whichever show/baddy you look at, I think you’ll find that if you move away from the absolutes of black and white/good and bad, then you’ll see in the shades of grey that the quintessential ‘baddy’ actually doesn’t exist.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Thursday 12^th April 2012

“I love Emerald City because the whole cast are on stage and it’s so much fun and colourful.”

Sophie’s early singing career gained a solid foundation with the Mid-Rhondda Operatic Society where she not only enjoyed herself but also expanded her knowledge of musicals.

As her career developed, and following several television appearances with CCBC, S4C, BBC Wales and also X Factor on ITV, Sophie was a finalist on BBC’s Over The Rainbow where she achieved success in being recognised as a potential Dorothy for The Wizard of Oz.

Sophie has now achieved her ambition and is starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s fabulous musical. I hope you enjoy reading what Sophie has to say.

You were born in the village of Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales. What was it like growing up there?
It’s a beautiful place, I am very proud of where I am from, although there isn’t much opportunity for performers.

Just like many other children you appeared in plays and musicals at school. Which one was your favourite and why?
Probably The Sound of Music. I played Briggita!

You joined the Mid-Rhondda Operatic Society from a young age until your early teens. How did that help you develop as a singer and a performer?
It gave me a lot of experience and it was great fun. I did about ten shows and it also broadened my knowledge of musicals.

Before your stage success you appeared on television including The Big Performance (CBBC), The Big Talent Show (S4C) and a centenary documentary about the Tonypandy Riots (BBC Wales). How does performing on television compare to the stage?
It’s very different although I love both. I’m very comfortable in front of a camera. Television is very intimate but so is theatre.

Before Over the Rainbow you also appeared on X Factor. What life skills have you learnt from being in these reality TV programmes?
That every little thing is experience and getting knock-backs if used in the right way can make you a stronger performer.

During Over The Rainbow you lived with fellow contestants Stephanie Fearon and Tegan Edwards. What was it like living alongside people that were also competing with you?
Fine. I loved living with the girls.

What can you remember as being the highlights from the night you made your debut as Dorothy?
Seeing all my friends and family there supporting me! And getting a standing ovation at the curtain calls. I cried – a lot.

On the night you performed as Dorothy , how did it feel knowing there were so many supporters of yours in the audience from Tonypandy Community College?
It was amazing. My school are very supportive.

During rehearsals for Dorothy you have had Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber on the piano and Bill Kenwright sitting close by watching. How have they helped you along your journey?
I can’t thank them both enough. They really have taken me under their wings. Without their help I wouldn’t be where I am today. They are two extremely generous men.

While playing the part of Alternate Dorothy you have also completed your training at The Arts Educational Schools in London. How have the vocal coach Ceris Deverill, Musical Director Chris Hocking and other staff helped you in your career?
Very much so. I’d never really had professional singing lessons.

Having been confirmed as the lead role you recently made your ‘debut’ as the full-time Dorothy. Did that feel special and different to when you first played the part?
Yes, I really feel like part of the cast now. It’s demanding but amazing.

How would you describe your Dorothy?
Optimistic, caring, a dreamer and very strong.

What is it like backstage during a performance of The Wizard of Oz?
Well I don’t really get to see backstage as I’m never off. But it is pretty manic.

What is your favourite scene in the musical?
I love Emerald City because the whole cast are on stage and it’s so much fun and colourful.

With Michael Crawford being replaced by Russell Grant as The Wizard, you now have another experienced performer to learn from. How important has it been for you to have such professionals around you at the start of your career?
It’s been very important. Michael Crawford is an absolute legend and he taught me a lot. Russell is so much fun – he has also taught me a lot.

Performing with animals can sometimes be a bit tricky. Has Toto ever been a bit ‘naughty’ on stage and can you tell us about it?
One of the dogs does like to hump my arm sometimes – ha ha.

Away from the stage, in the summer of 2011 you and other Welsh celebrities lived together at a campsite for eight days and studied the Welsh language. Can you describe that experience and how important is being Welsh to you?
Being Welsh is SO important to me and I had an absolute ball doing Cariad@iaith. I would love to do it again.

I have read that you have inherited your singing voice from your mother. Your father is Welsh, surely he can sing?
He’s not so good ha ha.

How important is it for you to visit your home in Wales and keep your ‘feet on the ground’?
I visit every weekend. I love being home with my family and friends. They keep me grounded.

As well as being on stage you have also sung a duet with Welsh baritone Mark Llewelyn Evans on his debut album Let the Light In. Have you any further recordings planned?
Yes. I would love to release singles but more down the pop route.

A few quick fire questions...

What is your favourite colour?
I like lots of colours, but green, red and purple.

What is your favourite breed of dog?
Jack Russell.

What would be your ideal name for a dog? Something really random like Henry.

If you could fly anywhere in the world for a day where would it be? Hawaii

Any finally… any message to say to your supporters?
I can’t thank the people who support me enough. They are so kind to me, and I really appreciate everything they do.

You can follow Sophie on Twitter @SophieEvans1993

Many thanks Sophie for a lovely interview.

Interview questions by Neil who you can follow on Twitter @LondonTheatre1

The Wizard of Oz Official Website

The Wizard of Oz Tickets

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Thursday 12th, April, 2012

Relevance is always an important factor in a show. If an audience can relate to its characters and plot, then the job is halfway done already. Why do you think TV shows such as The Inbetweeners are so popular with youths? Yes, The Inbetweeners is funny, undoubtedly, but laughs alone can’t explain its success. I can’t say I’ve ever been a teenage boy, but putting myself in their shoes (a frightening thought), I can imagine how most would see recognisable qualities in one or more of its four main characters or find themselves watching a familiar scene from their own life unfold on the screen in front of them. I’ve come across a ‘Will’, ‘Simon’, ‘Jay’ and ‘Neil’ at some point in my 27 years and I’m sure I’m not the only one. This is why the sitcom has done so well for itself: it’s real and relatable and perfectly captures the mind set and escapades of the dreaded teenager to a T. Just the other day, I was at the bus-stop and saw a car of young boys pull up on the other side of the road to shout out, “Bus wanker!” at their friend who was also waiting there. Another group of lads then came running along the street, with one diving through the car’s passenger window and another jumping onto its roof as the car drove off again. I do hope I’m right in assuming they were also friends of the car boys… This could have been a scene lifted straight out of The Inbetweeners though, which reflects my point exactly. Give the youth of our society something they can relate to and they will love you for it. This is true of television, so it can also be true of theatre.

In their youthful eyes, theatre is decidedly ‘uncool’. Therefore, to draw them in, it must offer them that same reality and relativity that TV shows like The Inbetweeners do. It’s hardly a unique idea on my part; there are plenty of writers and producers who have appealed to the young generation with the work they put on the stage. A nice example would be Dougal Irvine’s Departure Lounge which was based around the simple concept of four lads stuck in the departure lounge of a Malaga airport waiting for a delayed flight home from their holiday. There was much more to it than that, of course, but that basic plot would spark the interest of a young person much more than some of those playing in the West End right now. There are many young lads out there who have gone on a boy’s holiday abroad to let off a bit of steam after the stress of exams – in fact, I do believe that was exactly the premise of The Inbetweeners film…

There is also a workshop presentation of a new musical on 16^th April 2012 that adds to the topic of this blog. Pierced follows the lives of five teenagers throughout the summer after they leave school, which includes such comical events as obsessing over a new crush, dreaming of finding fame on The X-Factor and social network stalking. Tamar Broadbent wrote the show while studying for her BA English exams at the University of Bristol last year and premiered it in a brief run in Bristol in June 2011, to critical acclaim. Broadbent is now a musical theatre student at the Central School of Speech and Drama and has joined forces with director Drew Baker as they plan to take the musical for a London Fringe run in 2012. The workshop this month features Dougie Carter, Rosanna Colclough, Sam Hallion, Lauren Austin and Liam Ross Mills in its cast. Everything within this new musical is likely to appeal to the younger generation as it once again offers them that sense of similarity; indeed, the Pierced is billed as a show that, ‘powerfully represents the voice of the 21^st century 18 year old’.

Taste is always selective, and what you might think will be to someone’s liking can actually be the complete opposite of their taste. Without a doubt, there are plenty of teenagers out there who adore all forms of theatre and have even gone so far as to dedicate their lives to it as a career choice. When it comes to those who are more comfortable in front of the TV or hanging out with their group of friends than spending a night at the theatre though, shows like these which accurately portray the youth of today in a real, but entertaining fashion, are a vital asset to the theatre scene and should not only be supported, but actively encouraged.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 11^th April 2012

When it comes to organising a large-scale event like a West End concert, the venue is an all-important factor. It must offer the performers a fitting setting, without being overwhelmed/underwhelmed by them. One venue that I have found adds a perfect dose of grandiose to a West End concert is the Actors Church. Located in Covent Garden, it is a beautiful place that adds a touch of class to any event. The first time I set foot in there was for A West End Christmas, which saw a selection of show casts and soloists perform. The most recent was the winter showcase of Giggin4Good, featuring the likes of soprano Rebecca Caine, new singer/songwriter Joe Stirling and a segment for the cast of new Welsh musical My Land’s Shore in their first live performance. Now, more talent from the West End are making their way to the Actor’s Church this month for what is sure to be another star-spangled night of glamour, glitz and fun.

West End in Concert is the debut event from the West End in Concert team, in an exclusive one-night-only concert performance on Sunday 20^th May 2012 that features a superb line-up of West End names. After their recent run at the Courtyard Theatre in the Tim Prottey Jones musical After The Turn, Tori-Allen Martin and Liam Doyle will be reunited to sing a duet together for WEC, while We Will Rock You’s U/S Scaramouche is set to team up with Les Miserables’ Enjolras as Lauren Varnham and Liam Tamne also duet together. Former Scaramouche Sabrina Aloueche will also be there on the night, singing with West End and Broadway star MiG Ayesha. Mazz Murray, who played Killer Queen in We Will Rock You for nine years, will perform with Gina Murray and Emma Kershaw in the three-strong all-female band Woman, while batting for the boys is the incredible The Tenors of Rock, fresh from supporting David Hasselhoff at his O2 gig. You-Tube hit Parnell Page will be there too, with Jack Hawitt and Richard Parnell-Page performing from their debut EP The After. Other big names confirmed to perform at West End in Concert are Les Miserables star and BroadwayWorld Awards’ ‘Understudy of the Year’ Scott Garnham, The Phantom of the Opera 25^th anniversary tour’s ‘Raoul’ Simon Bailey and We Will Rock You’s ‘Killer Queen’ and ‘Scaramouche’ (respectively) Brenda Edwards and Lauren Samuels, alongside Adrian Hansel, Chloe Hart, Victoria Hamilton-Barrit, Sandra Marvin, Ryan Dawson, Lucy Sinclair, Katie Paine, Rebecca Treharne and Danielle York.

It’s not often that an event that has such a diverse, talented group of individuals involved comes along. Getting them all together in one place to hear them all sing is every West End theatre fan’s dream – a dream that can be made real for just the price of a ticket. The theatre fan in me is dying to be there, but unfortunately I’m away on holiday that weekend so it looks like I’m going to miss out. If you can be there though, make sure you don’t miss out.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Tuesday 10^th April 2012

The set is an impressive three-tier high cathedral and designer Soutra Gilmourh has cleverly used plenty of stairs, passageways and very dark corners, perfect for hiding unnoticed in the shadows for eavesdropping. The aroma of incense and sinister lighting reflects perfectly the themes of this Jacobian tragedy, which are revenge, power, cruelty, corruption, class, incest and the status of women.

Director Jamie Lloyd has made sure that the Old English text of John Webster springs to life, at times hitting you hard in the face with the characters speaking the unspeakable, describing evil thoughts, plans and their despair, yet at other times Webster’s words can be astonishingly beautiful, when love, optimism and joy are spoken of.

The play is set in the court of Malfi in 1504 to 1510. The recently widowed Duchess has fallen desperately in love with Antonio, a steward. The Duchess’s greedy brothers forbid her to marry Antiono as they will not share their inheritance. The Duchess and Antonio marry in secret and sometime later – fearing for their safety - they hatch a plan of escape for themselves and three children.

Tragically things do not go to plan for the Duchess and her family and one of the most difficult moments of the play to watch is when the Duchess is murdered. Believing her husband and eldest child dead, and desperately bereaved, she stoically accepts her fate. Her death from strangulation is so superbly acted and terrifyingly drawn out that it actually leaves you shaken.

Another electrifyingly gory moment is when the Duchess is presented with a dead hand by her twin brother. Horrifically it is then revealed to her that it belongs to her beloved husband. She is then shown her husband Antonio and eldest child, hanging from ropes – dead. We discover later that they are in fact just waxworks and that they are both still living.

There is plenty more bloodshed, however, as the plot thickens, becoming a whirlwind of evil doings and revenge.

The play ends with the eldest child having survived this deadly environment becoming the heir to the Malfi fortune.

Eva Best is sensational as the Duchess, from her captivating entrance where she appears bathed in white light, as if to symbolise her pure heart; she has you completely absorbed in her desperate tale. In fact, Webster’s play was first printed as The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy.

Handsome Tom Bateman is totally dashing as Antonio, putting his love for the Duchess before protecting his own life.

Caroila, the Duchess’s waiting woman played by Madeline Appiah, is a stand-out performance. She is constantly by the Duchess’s side through all her turmoil and fiercely loyal till her own unfortunate murder.

The evil brothers Ferdinand and The Cardinal are superbly played by Harry Lloyd and Finbar Lynch, both chillingly evil - Ferdinand full of rage with extreme violent outbursts and The Cardinal a corrupt official in the Catholic Church who is dead to his conscience.

The spy Bosola is played forcefully by Mark Bonnar: bitter and confused he barks his laments at the audience.

This story is based loosely on real events of the time, and however shockingly violent these events might seem to us, it’s a sobering thought that this play reflects nothing that isn’t happening in the world today.

Fantastically acted by such a talented cast, this is a production you definitely will not forget.

Reviewed by Joanna Forest

The Duchess of Malfi Tickets

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Old Vic Theatre
London
SE1 8NB

A friend of mine told me about a performance of Les Miserables a few weeks back that was also attended by The Clapping Man. Some of you may have encountered him yourselves and know exactly who I’m talking about, but for those who haven’t, let me clarify. I first became aware of Clapping Man at a performance of Love Never Dies; we were both in the front row of the stalls, just a few seats down from one another. The opening number for Love Never Dies was (at that point) the glorious ‘’Til I Hear You Sing’, performed by the equally glorious Ramin Karimloo. It’s a belter of a song that has quickly become a firm favourite of both theatre fans and musical theatre performers alike, so when Clapping Man started enthusiastically applauding away on Ramin’s final note, before he had even finished singing, I put it down to his love for that particular song and thought nothing of it; till he did it again. Clapping Man proceeded to do exactly the same thing for every musical number throughout the entire show. Every time, on cue, there he would go, clapping away while whoever’s number it was was still singing. ‘So what?’ I hear some of you saying. It may seem an insignificant thing, but if you have experienced it for yourself then you will understand just how irritating it is. The music is such a big part of a musical and it’s easy to find yourself caught up in a song, especially with a show like Love Never Dies which has such a big, powerful score. So when someone does something distracting like that, it takes the focus away from the stage and prematurely breaks the connection between the audience and the music. Ever had someone laugh during an emotional scene in a film? It’s exactly the same type of situation.

I found out later that Clapping Man was in the Love Never Dies audience on an almost nightly basis and did this same thing every time. It seems he was becoming well-known as I heard from a number of people about him and his ‘habit’. I assumed it was a Love Never Dies ‘thing’ and, since the show’s closure, I haven’t heard even a murmur of him - till now. Yes, Clapping Man had resurfaced at Les Miserables and was back to his old tricks. At Love Never Dies, I had thought about whether the actors themselves had also been put off by him. Some may have been so wrapped up in their character that it didn’t even register, but surely some must have been aware of it? I know some of the Les Misers were, especially one in particular who told him in no uncertain terms at the curtain call to shut up, basically.

I have no doubt that Clapping Man is just an enthusiastic fan who can’t quite seem to control his excitement. He’s not being disrespectful and he’s not setting out to be deliberately irritating but his eager antics are just that. He serves as a perfect example of just how important it is to be aware of theatre etiquette when seeing a show. The likes of noisy eating and inopportune conversations are obvious no-no’s, but the less obvious ones can be equally as disruptive to the theatre experience. Something to think about perhaps.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Monday 9^th April 2012

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing is directed by Iqbal Khan whose credits include Broken Glass (Tricycle Theatre  and Vaudeville Theatre 2011) and The Killing of Sister George (Arts Theatre, 2011).

Important Information:
Audio Performances: Saturday 13th October 2012 at 2pm and Tuesday 23rd October at 7.30pm.  Captioned performance: Friday 26th October 2012
Booking From: Saturday, 22nd September 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 27th October 2012
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2pm
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm

Much Ado About Nothing Tickets

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Noel Coward Theatre
St Martins Lane
London
WC2N 4AU

Saturday 7th April, 2012

The audience are invited to experience an intense day and night of the life of this family. Set in the summer home in 1912, the audience are instantly introduced to an ill-stricken family. Mary Tyrone, the mother, with an addiction that we later learn is to morphine and Edmund, her son, with a violent cough that we later learn is due to tuberculosis. Mary’s illness, along with many other factors, constantly re-sparks old fights that the family are unable to forget. The play is very complex as each member of the family has a strong personality and personal story that contributes to the dysfunction of this family.

Despite some scenes lacking energy, the acting was simply high-class and completely believable. David Suchet gave a powerful performance as the head of the family, James Tyrone, often losing his temper with frustration towards his sons and his wife while trying to remain strong. Tyrone’s sons James Jr (often referred to as Jamie) played by Trevor White and Edmund played by Kyle Soller, each gave an interesting performance. The despise and love between the brothers is constantly debated and the two argue their differences throughout. However, for me I found Laurie Metcalf who played Mary Tyrone the most intriguing. Mary is a complex character based on O’Neill’s own mother and on his wife, Carlotta. Throughout the day we realise how bad Mary’s addiction is and the effects this has upon the family. And caught in the middle of this quarreling is the family’s maid Cathleen played beautifully by Rosie Sansom.

I was startled by the abrupt ending and wanted to learn more about how this family live in so much conflict. 3 hours was not long enough to learn about this complex family.

A strong story and a strong cast, this play is worth seeing without a doubt.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night Tickets

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Apollo Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue
London
W1D 7EZ

Booking Until: Saturday, 18th August 2012

Friday 6th April, 2012

Sweeney Todd

Barratt is one of the ensemble members of Sweeney Todd, who meets a grizzly end in Todd’s barber chair. He was part of the original cast when the musical production premiered at the Chichester Festival Theatre prior to its transfer to the West End. Before joining this cast though, he had already been making his mark in the world of musical theatre.

Barratt trained at the Royal Academy of Music and has always been a musical person. He took piano and keyboard lessons as a child, learning piano at the Royal Northern College of Music at the weekends, and sung in his school choir, performing ‘The Snowman’ at the Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent with the BBC Philharmonic. He also found influence in his father, who is a performer. After graduating from RAM, he was involved in a number of amateur productions which is where he realised his passion for musical theatre, and once deciding that was the direction he wanted to take, he didn’t look back. Barratt has had roles in a range of shows, including Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (RHUL), Jimmy Powers in City of Angels and Roscoe/Patrick in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Bloomsbury), lead tenor and understudy Leo/Carmen in The Producers (Drury Lane), Nur in Chiu Chin Chow (Finborough), ensemble and understudy Billy/Mr Snow in Carousel (Tour, West End) and Bamatabois/emsemble/understudy Enjolras in Les Miserables (Palace). He was also involved in the workshop of the Phantom sequel Love Never Dies.

Before he started on his current adventure in Sweeney Todd, Barratt spent several years in the company of The Phantom of the Opera. He began in the Phantom ensemble covering the role of Raoul, which he then went on to take over full-time. Barratt was playing Raoul for Phantom’s 10,000th performance, which saw composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and original Phantom Michael Ball make an on-stage appearance at the end of the night – alongside a giant Phantom-themed cake. It was during his time with the show that I first came across him. The cast of Phantom organised a late-night cabaret at the Delfont Room in 2011 in aid of The Make A Difference Trust, the West End charity I volunteer with. I was involved in the event and attended one of their rehearsal sessions where I not only got to see Barratt running through his performances for the night but also demonstrating his skill on the piano. I also got to hear the original song he and fellow cast member Nadim Naaman (who is playing Raoul in Phantom all next week actually; I recommend you go and see his performance) wrote for the cabaret, ‘A Complicated Love’. It was a stunning composition which quickly cemented him in my mind as a talented songwriter. The Trust were so impressed with Barratt in fact, that he was invited to be one of our special guest performers at the annual MADTrust Garden Party, where he (joined by Phantomers Nadim Naaman and Kate Batter) showcased more of his material, to great aplomb. More recently, he performed at another of the charity’s increasingly popular annual events, A West End Christmas; the Christmas-themed concert held at The Actors Church in Covent Garden. Having proven himself a great supporter of MADTrust and fast becoming a regular face at our events, the Trust are always pleased to work with Barratt – he will next pop up in Sweeney Todd’s performance entry for West End Eurovision at the Dominion Theatre on Thursday 26^th April 2012.

A man who is gifted in so many ways, Will Barratt has already accrued a number of accomplishments in his career thus far, including a leading role in the musical which inspired him: Phantom. There are still so many more accomplishments ahead for him to work towards. Barratt has ambitions to play several particular roles in musical theatre, such as Enjolras/Jean Valjean (Les Miserables), Chris/John (Miss Saigon) and the Phantom (The Phantom of the Opera) and has spoken out before on the constant learning curve that comes with working with such a rich variety of West End performers. The musical theatre road is a rocky one full of hurdles and there are many would-be stars who fall at some point in their journey, but I suspect Will Barratt is going to be one of the individuals who manage to make it all the way.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Saturday 7^th April 2012

Julius Caesar

The cast includes Ray Fearon as Mark Antony, Paterson Joseph as Brutus, Jeffery Kissoon as Caesar and Cyril Nri as Cassius.

Important Information:
Audio Performance: Saturday 8th September at 2pm and Wednesday 12th September at 7.30pm
Captioned Performance: Friday 14th September at 7.30pm

Booking From: Wednesday, 8th August 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 15th September 2012
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 2pmEvenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm

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Noel Coward Theatre
St Martins Lane
London
WC2N 4AU

Friday 6th April, 2012

The Westenders were formed in 2002 with one single objective: to bring the magic of musical theatre to the masses. The six-strong group tour around the UK performing everyone’s favourite songs from the West End’s longest running musical Les Miserables, along with a selection of classics from other popular shows. The Westenders were co-founded by Frances Fry (Les Miserables, Oliver!), Linda Jarvis (Les Miserables, Aspects of Love), Jill Nalder (Les Miserables, Oliver!), John Osboldeston (Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof) and MD Jae Alexander (West Side Story, Cats). A variety of West End stars have performed with them on stage over the years, including (for the boys) Andrew Newey (Miss Saigon, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat), Stephen Weller (Les Miserables, Martin Guerre), Shaun Kerrison (Les Miserables, Pirates of Penzance), Gareth Snook (Phantom, Les Miserables), Adrian Grove (The Threepenny Opera, Newfoundland), Alasdair Harvey (Les Miserables, Phantom), Nick Pound (Les Miserables, Cats) and Tim Rogers (West Side Story, Whistle Down the Wind) and (for the girls) Helen Hobson (Les Miserables, Heathcliff), Lisa Peace (Les Miserables, The Witches of Eastwick), Jill Nalder (Les Miserables, Oliver!), Lynda Jarvis (Les Miserables, Aspects of Love), Lyndsay Danvers (Les Miserables, Cats) and Lucy Newton (Les Miserables, Fame!). Spencer James (Mary Poppins, Guys and Dolls) is also a member of the team as the associate MD.

The Westenders’ shows have sold-out in venues all over the UK, as well as travelling overseas to Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands and Austria, and on the seas with cruise companies Cunard, Crystal and P&O.
In 2012, they will be touring the UK again with The Best Musicals Ever!, which visits Skegness, Colchester, Bury St Edmunds, Dartford, Gloucester, Blyth, Stamford and Maidstone between April – October 2012, before embarking on a European tour from 26^th October – 5^th November 2012. Their second album is also released this week. The Westenders: Hear The People Sing follows their highly successful debut album from 2009, which featured songs from musicals such as Les Miserables, It’s a Wonderful Life and West Side Story. Their new release is a double-sided album which once again offers fans a delicious spread of musical theatre classics to take a bite out of, with songs from Les Miserables, Evita, Mary Poppins, We Will Rock You, Blood Brothers, Phantom, Wicked and many more.

The Westenders is comprised of a group of outstanding individuals who have some fantastic musical theatre achievements to their name. They’ve stood on a range of West End stages and their collective number of more than twenty years’ experience in the industry is impressive by any standard. Now they’re sharing that experience with the world that exists outside of London and that is certainly something theatre fans are not going to want to miss.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Friday 6^th April 2012

As exciting as the arrival of a new show may be, the return of an old one can be just as thrilling. There have been a number of revivals in the West End, most recently Singing in the Rain took over at the Palace Theatre and has received a downpour of praise from audiences. Not every popular old show can find their way back to the West End though; some go on tour instead, bringing their particular blend of musical entertainment to audiences all around the country. Cats, for example, is set to tour in 2013. Others may come back for one night only, in a special celebratory performance. This may be in the form of a stage production, or most commonly, in a revised concert performance – this is exactly what is happening with Guys and Dolls this August.

Guys and Doll is a 1950s Broadway musical inspired by the short stories of Damon Runyan, most specifically The IdIyll of Miss Sarah Brown and Blood Pressure. It centres around the underworld of early twentieth century New York, a city of gangsters, gamblers and other unsavoury characters. With a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows and music/lyrics by Frank Loesser, Guys and Dolls was a runaway hit, spawning countless other productions in both London and America, and was adapted into a film in 1955 which starred Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine.

Now this summer, Guys and Dolls returns to London for an exclusive five-performance concert run at Cadogen Hall, from 22nd-25th August 2012. It features a superb line-up of performers: Ruthie Henshall stars as showgirl Adelaide, with Graham Bickley as her fiance and local bigwig Nathan Detroit. Anna-Jane Casey plays missionary Sarah, Tim Howar the gambling Sky Masterson and Dennis Waterman is the narrator. Accompanied by the 30-strong Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra – conducted by musical director Richard Balcombe – they will perform the musical’s popular score, including its classic songs such as Luck Be A Lady, If I Were A Bell and, of course, its title song Guys and Dolls. Stage direction comes from Stuart Labey.

Guys and Dolls is a funny and romantic musical that has remained a favourite with fans for over fifty years. There will be those who have seen a stage production of it and those who haven’t, but know its music. I’m sure there will also be those who know nothing about it whatsoever as well. Whichever of these categories you fall into, as a theatregoer, this is one concert you will definitely want to experience.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Thursday 5th April 2012

DRAMA

Long Day’s Journey Into Night:

There are an abundance of new drama-type productions on offer for April, starting with Long Day’s Journey Into Night at the Apollo Theatre. The 3 1/2 hour play is set in 1912 and centres around one day and night in the lives of the Tyrone family as they, ‘battle their demons, their pasts and one another’. An insightful look at both the individuals’ struggles and how they affect the family group, Eugene O’Neill’s play is one worth seeing. Directed by Anthony Page and featuring David Suchet, Laurie Metcalf and Kyle Soller in the cast, Long Day’s Journey Into Night began previewing on Monday (2nd April 2012) and opens officially on 10th April 2012. It runs at the Apollo Theatre until 18th August 2012.

An Instinct of Kindness:

Assisted suicide is a current hot topic in our modern society, the discussions of ‘yay or nay’ carrying with them not only a multitude of ethical issues but financial, religious, moral and so forth. One of the most significant elements to factor in these discussions however are the people at the centre of them and their story. Chris Larner is one such person who has personally been affected by the issue, travelling to Switzerland’s Dignitas clinic in 2010 to help his chronically ill ex-wife face her death on her own terms. In ‘a moving, bittersweet show’, Larner tells his story and explores all the issues surrounding assisted suicide. Open, honest, and even humerous at times, An Instinct of Kindness is likely to divide audiences, but it provides a poignant insight into a very important and relevant subject. Larner’s one man show has a preview night on 10th April 2012 and opens on 11th April 2012, playing at Trafalgar Studios 2 until 28th April 2012.

Wild Swans:

Alexandra Woods’ adaption of Jung Chang’s Wild Swans  comes to the Young Vic Theatre for one month as part of the World Stages London Festival. Set in China at the the heart of the 20th century, the play takes its audience on a journey of a nation’s transformation from the viewpoint of just one brave family, from the early struggles of Communist hope to Mao’s Cultural Revolution and the emergence of a new superpower. A co-production between Young Vic, American Repertory Theatre and Actor’s Touring Company, Wild Swans is directed by Sacha Wares and features an all-international cast. It begins previews from 13th April 2012 and opens on 20th April 2012. It runs at the Young Vic until 13th May 2012.

Other dramas to see in the West End this month include the Donmar Warehouse’s ‘triple threat’ of plays: Making Noise Quietly, Being Friends and Lost (23rd April-26th May 2012), and the double bill on offer at the Harold Pinter Theatre: South Downs and The Browning Version (24th April-21st July 2012).

National Theatre

Black T-Shirt Collection:

Inua Ellams’ drama tells the news story of two foster brothers as they build up their global t-shirt brand. As the audience find out about their journey from a Nigerian market to a Chinese sweatshop, they may also discover along with Muhammed and Matthew that success doesn’t come without a price. Directed by Thierry Lawson and produced by Fuel, Inua Ellams stars in her one woman show. It has a preview night on 12th April 2012 and opens at Cottesloe, National Theatre on 13th April 2012, running until 24th April 2012.

Misterman:

This co-production between The Landmark Productions and Galway Arts Festival is an innovative solo performance that sees Cillian Murphy playing a whole town population. Written by Enda Walsh (who also directs), it follows evangelist Thomas Magill as he goes on a mission to save the sinful folk of Innishfree, but even with God on his shoulder, Thomas’ task won’t be an easy one. Misterman previews at the Lyttelton, National Theatre from 14th April 2012 and opens on 18th April 2012. It plays there until 28th May 2012.

Collaborators:

Collaborators is a National Theatre in-house production, directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by John Hodge. The drama is set in Moscow of 1938 and centres around Mikhail Bulgakov, who has a sense of humour and freedom in a time when it is dangerous to have either – especially when the secret police are following you. So what will Bulgakov do when he is commissioned to write a play about Stalin for his sixtieth birthday celebrations? Alex Jennings, Simon Russell Beale and Lloyd Hutchinson lead the cast as Bulgakiv, Stalin and Vladimir respectively. Collaborators opens on 30th April 2012 at Olivier, NT and plays there until 23rd June 2012.

Concert

NYMT in Concert with Matt Lucas and Friends:

The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) was founded by Jeremy Jame Taylor in 1976 and has grown enormously since then. This year, they celebrate their 35th anniversary and, to mark the occassion, are producing a one night only concert. The concert will feature the current 2012 company and a selection of their established alumni. Appearing on the night will be TV funnyman and former Les Miser Matt Lucas, who will be joined by the likes of Gina Beck (Phantom, Wicked), Michael Jibson (Oliver, Our House), Amy Nuttall (My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Emmerdale), Stuart Matthew Price (Shrek), Lara Pulver (Parade) and Ian Virgo (The Kissing Dance, Eastenders). All proceeds from the concert will go towards supporting the NYMT Bursary Scheme. NYMT in Concert with Matt Lucas and Friends takes place at the Vaudeville Theatre on 22nd April 2012.

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Wednesday 4th April 2012

LET IT BE is a spectacular theatrical concert jam-packed with over twenty of The Beatles’ greatest hits! Relive The Beatles’ meteoric rise from their humble beginnings in Liverpool’s Cavern Club, through the heights of Beatlemania, to their later studio masterpieces with live performances of early tracks including Twist and Shout, She Loves You and All My Lovin’, as well as global mega-hits Yesterday, Hey Jude, Come Together and, of course, Let It Be.

Experience this multimedia rich electrifying spectacle which takes you back to the magical sixties when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends!

Booking From: Friday, 14th September 2012
Booking Until: Saturday, 19th January 2013
Matinees: Thursday and Saturday 3pm, Sunday 5pm
Evenings: Monday, Wednesday to Saturday 7.30pm

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Prince of Wales Theatre
31 Coventry Street
London
W1D 6AS

Shannon has a long history with the show: it gave him his first professional job in the UK and Ireland touring production where he played the ensemble roles of Pimp/Claquesous and understudied Marius and Enjolras, and he was also involved in the 10^th Anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall. A former Valjean too, tonight marks his return to the Queen’s Theatre after a two-year absence and there will be a lot of Les Mis fans who will be thrilled to see him back there.

Les Miserables is not the only area of theatre he can boast achievements in though. Shannon has a long list of theatre credits to his name, including having played both leading roles of Raoul and the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera – in what looks to be becoming a bit of a pattern, he took over the role of the Phantom from Ramin Karimloo then too, who left to play the progressed version of the role in Phantom sequel Love Never Dies. His other West End credits include Chris in Miss Saigon (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/UK & Ireland tour), The Man in Whistle Down the Wind (Aldwych Theatre), Rum Tum Tugger in Cats (New London Theatre), Guillaume in Martin Guerre (Prince Edward Theatre), Gringoire in Notre Dame de Paris (Dominion Theatre) and originating the role of John in The Beautiful Game (Cambridge Theatre), which earned him an Olivier Award nomination in 2011 for ‘Best Actor in a Musical’. Further theatre credits include the title role in Sweeney Todd (Gate Theatre, Dublin), Captain Walker in Tommy (Offenbach Theatre, Germany), Rick in A Slice of Saturday Night (Dublin Andrews Lane), Danny in Baby (Meralco, Manila) and Anatoly in Chess (Oslo Spektrum). Shannon has also been involved in a number of workshops and CD recordings and has a long list of concert credits to his name, featuring in such stage extravaganzas as Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas and Jesus), RNSO Proms West End Gala in Glasgow and 80 Years of Abbey Road, to name a few, and narrowly missed out on representing Ireland in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest with his song Language of Love, in which he duetted with Una Gibney.

Shannon has been steadily rising through the ranks of the West End scene and has now firmly rooted himself as an established West End name and fan favourite. He released his debut album, ‘Til I Hear You Sing in 2011, on which he performed a variety of music genres, from musical theatre to pop and swing/jazz. A strong performer with a versatile voice, Shannon has already proven that he is more than equipped to handle the challenging role of ex-convict Jean Valjean, and from 3^rd April-16^th June 2012, a whole host of new fans can come on down to the Queen’s Theatre to see for themselves.

Our previous interview with David Shannon

By Julie Robinson (@missjulie25)

Tuesday 3^rd April 2012

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How did you feel when you got the lead role in Ghost The Musical?
Ecstatic! I had been contemplating focusing on other areas of my career rather than purely musical theatre.  Such as straight acting, and spending more time on my passion for fashion design and creating leather bags. However, when I got the call telling me I had got the role I knew I couldn’t turn it down.

Is there anything about the audition process you might be able to share with us?
During my 2nd Molly audition, they were holding auditions for the American production next door, and so I bumped into Caissie Levy and the actress who won the American ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria’ audition. Being around all those wonderful actresses made me so nervous!!

What is your favourite song in Ghost?
‘I can’t breathe’ and ‘I had a life’ both sung by Sam in the show. I am off stage at that time so it’s the only opportunity I have to sit and listen to Mark Evans’ amazing voice.

Do you believe in psychic mediums and, if so, have you ever been to see one and what was that like?
Yes, and yes. It was awesome and very scary!

Why should everyone go and see Ghost The Musical?
I genuinely believe there is something for everybody. It is of course the classic love story on stage with amazing songs. The set, technology, illusions used in the production are incredible!

What is your favourite line in the show?
It’s a line when Oda Mae is shouting up at Molly’s loft:

Oda Mae: ‘Hey Molly, Do you hear me girl?’

Workman: ‘I hear ya! Have you ever heard of a phone lady?

Oda Mae: ‘Have you ever heard of kiss my butt!’

Ghost the Musical is very emotional: as an actor, how do you deal with this emotional ‘strain’ every night?
When I step into the Theatre I am 100% focused on the show. Outside, the only thing that keeps me sane is to try not to think about it, and cut myself off. I spend time seeing friends, working on my fashion designs, songwriting and going to the gym.

The role of Molly was originated by Caissie Levy. How will you make the role your own? Can you describe YOUR Molly?
I think only way you can take over the role is to not be inhibited, and look at the script with fresh eyes like you have never seen it before. You have to believe in the truth and honesty of the script. Working with our director Matthew Warchus was incredible, and the rehearsals were a very organic and original process in which he helped us to make the right choices and find our own way with such an intimate story.

The special effects are amazing. What do you think of them from an actor’s point of view?
We forget they are there as they are so much part of the action. We don’t get a chance to stop and appreciate what is going on behind or around us like the audience do. It is great to hear the audience’s reaction to the effects, like an inhalation of breath when Sam is ascending to heaven. It is very supportive.

When did you first use a Potter’s Wheel and what was your first creation like?
When I was aged 14 years and in my first year of GCSE art classes. I had very inspirational art teachers who encouraged us in every aspect of art. They had 3 Potter’s Wheels and a Kiln, so I had many opportunities to make pots and other objects. When I began working on Ghost, I hadn’t done any pottery for 10 years, but it was just like riding a bike, you don’t forget! I spend every interval playing and preparing the clay, and as I get more experienced my pot’s are getting bigger!

Best wishes and thank you!

You can follow Siobhan on Twitter @siobhandillonuk

Interview questions by Neil and Sandra who you can follow on Twitter at LondonTheatre1 and LondonTheatre2

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Piccadilly Theatre
16 Denman Street
London
W1D 7DY

Tuesday 3rd April, 2012

Everyone has seen the classic 1990 film Ghost starring the late Patrick Swayze and stunning Demi Moore. It was a film I watched repeatedly growing up, believing that no couple was ever as tragic as Sam and Molly.  So, on hearing that the epic blockbuster hit was being turned into a musical last year, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one with high expectations.

For those of you unfamiliar with the plot, our love story is based is New York City and centred around a couple just moving into their first apartment together. They are dizzingly in love, unable to keep their hands off each other and their limbs untangled – Sam Wheat and Molly Jenson. Sam is a high-flying businessman in the world of banking and Molly is an artist who creates beautiful sculptures. Their best friend, Carl, is often around the place and works with Sam. Our tale takes a twist for the worse one night when Sam is tragically shot, leaving Molly sobbing on top of his lifeless body. The twists keep on coming as we see Sam stuck in limbo, putting the pieces of his death together, discovering that not all was so perfect in his perfect life.

It was the thought of these extraordinarily known characters singing that originally made me uncertain. However, thanks to the stunning work of writers Bruce Joel Rubin, Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard not only does it work, it’s breathtaking. The music is so powerful that it vibrates through you and the lyrics are so moving, you can’t help but tear up from start to finish.

The show opens with a stunning overture. Spots of pink and silver light up the screen covering the stage, an enlarged image of Sam and Molly embraced in a kiss filling the space. As the picture fades away and the music builds, “GHOST” is projected onto the screen and you can feel the 1,200 audience members take in a breath at the sheer power of the music.

The title fades away and through the gauze type screen we see a large, dusty room covered in sheets. Enter Sam, Molly and Carl in blue denim dungarees and white T-shirts. We quickly find out this is to be the couple’s new home and in their excitement Sam, our heroic Mark Evans, pulls Molly, our kind-hearted Siobhan Dillon, into his arms and spins her around. This is an action that occurs a lot during the play and it makes every girl wish they had a six-foot-four-dreamboat to swing her around!

Molly begins to sing ‘Here right now’ - a song full of positivity and hope for the future, an exciting new chapter in their lives. The couple’s love for each other is beautiful, effortless and continues to grow.

The scenery swiftly changes and we see the couple settling into the apartment. Sam is staring out into the abiss and Molly, so head over heels for this man, states ‘I love you Sam, I really love you’. He replies, “Ditto”. The word that made the film. She is slightly stung by this so he tries to bring her around with a guitar and some comical hip movements in his serenade ‘Unchained melody’. The song that made the film.

After a big show number (‘More’) that shows us a bit into the business world of our two male leads, Sam and Molly are at dinner and she confronts him on why he can’t seem to say I Love You. This leads into a gorgeous song, ‘Three little words’. As they sing and argue and look longingly at one another the scenery moves seamlessly around them on their walk home. The song is brutally interrupted by a man demanding for Sam’s wallet. Suddenly the mood has changed, the lights darken and the couple freeze. A gun is pointed at Sam and all he has to do to live is hand over his wallet.

Through sheer trick of the eye we suddenly have our Sam, shouting down stage as the mugger runs off, and the deceased Sam, lying unmoving, with Molly hysterically crying over him.

This is where the magic really begins.

Our world comes crashing down as the deceased Sam is taken off on a gurney and our Sam follows, dumbstruck. At the hospital everything slows, Molly walks straight by Sam, crying into his jacket, his own corpse following in a body bag.

After a fairly odd encounter with some other ghosts in the hospital (with an almost unnecessary tap number), Sam finds himself outside a gritty looking psychic parlour. He watches an elderly lady enter and follows her inside through a beaded curtain. The parlour is owned by Ms Oda May Brown, played to perfection by Sharon D Clarke. Oda May’s assistants, dressed in tacky pink two-pieces, set the stage of the psychic’s domain. They sing a big brassy number to introduce their boss, full of step digs and high clicks. When we’re finally graced with Oda May’s presence, she’s bigger and better than you could wish for. Girl did Whoopi proud.

Once we’ve established that this ‘fake’ psychic can actually hear Sam, the fun begins. He tries to stress to her that he now knows the reasons for his death and that Molly could be in, potentially, a lot of danger. Will she help him? Will she hell. After a long chorus of “99 bottles of beer on the wall” he finally convinces her to go and visit Molly, with him at her side.

From here on in, the story becomes a vivid whirl of laughter, tears and heart-string-pulling. Sam meets a lot of people on the way who can help him, hurt him and who can’t hear him. The twist within the plot is heart-wrenching, betrayal at it’s very best.

The visual images throughout the show are stunning, with people duplicating as they die, Sam’s bodily parts going through objects and doors, and sometimes even disappearing altogether. There’s a reason Hugh Vanstone won Best Designer at the What’s On Stage Awards.

The ensemble are a brightly-coloured collection of business people, downtown everymen and very sharp dancers. They move as swiftly as the set and support the entire backbone of the musical. My personal favourite is ‘I’m Outta Here’, a fantastic number performed by Miss Clarke, where the ensemble are fierce, sexy and funny.

The cast are a stellar team supporting Evans and Dillon in their heavy lead roles. Andrew Langtree, who plays Carl Bruner, was off on this performance so I was treated to a performance by understudy Paul Ayres. Ayres was incredibly strong, he had a fantastic tone to his voice and portrayed the best-friend-turned-villain perfectly. Sharon D Clarke steals the show, having played Oda May Brown from opening night last year, she’s totally relaxed in the role and has had time to play with her character. She is the comic relief we so need in the midst of tragedy.

The other villain, Willy Lopez is played disgustingly well by Ivan De Freitas, who makes your skin crawl. The insane Subway Ghost, played by Craig Stein, is a mad man who’s been in limbo for far too long. He’s a small role playing a big part, which he does to perfection.

The music, the performances and the love are all breathtaking in this show. If you, like myself, are a fan of the film, I promise that you wont be disappointed.

Review by Rebecca Birch (Twitter: @BirchR)

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Tuesday 3rd April, 2012

As has become the norm for CJP events, they have gathered together a superb line-up of young West End voices to perform, with such guest vocalists as Lucy-May Barker (currently starring as Johanna in Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi Theatre), Chloe Hart (former Les Miser and Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray – she also has her debut solo cabaret coming up on 8^th April 2012), Christopher J. Orton (writer of new musical My Land’s Shore and currently touring the UK as Sir Lancelot in Spamalot) and Sabrina Aloueche (former Les Miser and, most recently, Scaramouche in We Will Rock You). Other talented performers set to sing on the Leicester Theatre stage include: Francesca Ashcroft, Matthew Barrow, Jamie Birkett, Jenna Boyd, David Brewis, Gemma Chance, Ross Cobbald, Rob Eyles, Danny Flitney, Nathalie Gunn, James Hume, Elizabeth Kent, Nicola Lashley, Louise Amelia Lloyd, Hazel Mallinson, Tim Morgan, Laura Beth Mortemore, Rhiannon Porter, Sean Ridley, Damian Robinson, Terry Saunders, Tyler Scott, Ziggie Sky Ward, Carrie Sutton, Ben Vivian Jones, Stephen Oliver Webb, Amelia Whitwood, Rebecca Wicking and Martin Williamson.

Also appearing are Kieran Brown (Love Never Dies, Wicked) and Celia Graham (Phantom, Love Never Dies), who will be performing a selection of songs from the up-and-coming writing team of Anderson and Petty. The composers recently hosted their premiere London concert at the Delfont Room which was a roaring success and told how they were “thrilled” to be involved with Your Song.

Every CJP event aims to raise funds for a particular charity that they hold close to their heart. For Your Song, all monies raised will be split between Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and Stillbirth & Neonatal Death (SANDS). Speaking about why these two charities were chosen, CJP producer Carrie Baxter said that GOSH, “deserves all the support it gets. We believe the work they do is irreplaceable,” and of SANDS, “this charity helped my mum and family deal with the loss of my brother. I have wanted to give something back to them for years and to finally be able to do so is something words cannot describe”.

Your Song promises to be a wonderful night of entertainment that is not to be missed. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I will have to do as I’m going away on holiday with my daughter that weekend, but I would urge anyone who can make it to do so. Your Song offers amazing West End talent, fantastic new writing and, of course, is all for two very good causes.

By Julie Robinson (missjulie25)

Monday 2^nd April 2012

Your Song takes place at the Leicester Square Theatre on 15^th April 2012, 7.30pm.

The one thing that did not disappoint was that the book stayed as close to the plot of the film as possible. As a fan of the original film, I’m glad that Bruce Joel Rubin does make sure all the iconic moments are there, the pottery wheel, the subway, typing on Carl’s computer. The dialogue is easy flowing, and the characters are exactly how we expect them to be.

The problem with basing your musical on a hugely successful film is that you already know people like the story, and so it relies more heavily on telling the story through music. As soon as the curtain went up, I was waiting for the moment Sam learns of Carl’s treachery, and I spent the first hour waiting for it, which meant I wasn’t concentrating properly on the lyrics, no matter how well the cast were doing.

I had already heard some excerpts of the music (written by Dave Stewart of  Eurythmics’ fame), and really loved the opening number “Here Right Now” with Molly (played by Siobhan Dillon) and Sam (Mark Evans), with its sharp contrast to the haunting “Overture”. Dillon and Evans have lovely voices that blend well together and both felt very confident in their fairly new roles. “With You” was another favourite of mine, a gut-wrenching ballad which Dillon performed with heart.

Special mention to Sharon D Clarke as Oda Mae Brown – she is an effortlessly cool performer and her comedic timing is faultless.

I have to say I really liked the choreography by Ashley Wallen, with its sharp angular movements and Smooth Criminal-esque leans, which were well executed by the ensemble. However, I couldn’t help but feel for the ensemble as the plot leans so heavily on the leads, there isn’t many scenes for them to really sink their teeth into. I don’t think this is the fault of either the director Matthew Warchus or Wallen, it’s just the way the story is written and there aren’t many places to write in “extra” scenes for crowds. Having said that, there was some really interesting physical theatre in the subway scenes.

The area that really stands out in this production is the technical aspect. Paul Kieve the illusionist for Ghost The Musical has quite the CV, with Matilda and The Phantom Of The Opera tour on there – and his quality of work is shown in the “deaths” and making Sam “walk” through walls. Also impressive was the use of video and projections by designer Jon Driscoll, creating the backdrop, weather and mood for each scene.

Lighting designer Hugh Vanstone has a neat idea to bathe Sam in a cool, ghostly white spotlight, whereas Molly had a warm yellower light.

On the whole, I enjoyed the evening, but I reserve a full hearty standing ovation simply because I’m not sure the story (which I love) and the music (which I liked) gelled enough. But, I guess that’s my thigh-slapping “let’s do a show in the barn!” background talking.

It’s a solid, well-produced musical that will undoubtedly please most fans of this genre.

Reviewed by @Anna_Comical_

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Saturday 31st March, 2012