Author: Kate Beswick

I arrived early at the Apollo Theatre. The auditorium was quiet and almost empty. From somewhere backstage came the sound of ‘Tit Willow’ from The Mikado. It played distantly and softly, as if someone was playing the tape for their own pleasure. It stopped soon, but the immediate impression of something being created for private…

I knew nothing about Blues music, knew even less about its origins, and less than that about the New York production of Memphis which has just transferred to London. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I arrived at the theatre a breath before the first note of music sounded, with just time to throw my coat over…