Summertime – An Evening of Gershwin, with Michael Ball (plus guests Gina Beck, Kerry Ellis, David Bardsley and Viv McLean) was performed at Kenwood House, London. Michael Ball’s name drew the crowds to the final Live By the Lake concert in the beautiful grounds of Kenwood House on a cool Sunday evening in north London, but […]
Singin’ in the Rain – Kenwood House
Singin’ in the Rain was screened as part of the Live By the Lake series at Kenwood House, London. It feels odd to be reviewing a film which just last year celebrated its 60th anniversary. But when it’s one of the most enjoyable films ever made – and very possibly the greatest movie musical ever […]
Great Expectations – Rose Theatre Kingston
Great Expectations is a Youth Music Theatre UK production at the Rose Theatre, Kingston. The immortal works of Charles Dickens have been turned into musicals with mixed success over the years – Oliver! was a massive hit for Lionel Bart, Pickwick ran for 694 performances in the West End and gave us ‘If I Ruled […]
The Prodigals – meet the team
The Prodigals is a new musical by Ray Goudie and Joe Harmston (who also directs), which runs at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry until 14 September. With its roots in the biblical tale of the Prodigal Son, it’s set in Afghanistan and tells the story of a father, Colonel Luke Gibson (Simon Bowman) and his two sons, Mike, a conscientious solder (Sam Ferriday) […]
Cabaret – Wimbledon Theatre and Touring
Cabaret was reviewed at the New Wimbledon Theatre, London before continuing on tour. Never mind what those ‘Best Musicals of All Time’ polls say, John Kander and Fred Ebb’s hilarious, poignant and, yes, frankly shocking interpretation of Christopher Isherwood’s autobigraphical novel is one of the greatest ever written, some would say THE greatest, and now […]
Bonnie and Clyde – King’s Head Theatre
Bonnie and Clyde was performed at the King’s Head Theatre, London. The story of the two outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow continues to capture the public imagination. Bonnie and Clyde’s violent exploits in the Great Depression have been a source of inspiration for music and the screen, most notably in the case of the well-known 1967 Hollywood […]
Liza On An E returns for UK tour
Following a successful West End debut earlier on this year, Australian performer Trevor Ashley is taking his show Liza On An E out on its first ever UK tour. Channelling the talents of the iconic Liza Minnelli, Ashley will appear at the Theatre Royal, Brighton (30 September), the Dancehouse, Manchester (1 and 2 October), The Auditorium Liverpool […]
DreamArts presents Twentyfour Seven
The next major project for DreamArts, the charity which creates opportunities for young people across inner London to learn through the creative arts, is a musical adaptation of Shane Meadows and Paul Fraser’s screenplay for the film Twentyfour Seven, performed from 3–6 September at the Embassy Theatre at London’s Central School of Speech & Drama. Twentyfour Seven has been developed into a musical involving a company of […]
Leanne Masterton – Crazy Coqs
Leanne Masterton performed Something Good at the Crazy Coqs, London. The tinkling piano strains to be heard over yet another packed house at the Crazy Coqs, as this most enchanting of London venues plays host to Leanne Masterton, performing her one-woman tribute to Richard Rodgers. A newcomer to this stage, Masterton has already performed in occasional […]
Sweeney Todd opens Brining season at WYP
Headlining his first full season, artistic director James Brining makes his directorial debut for West Yorkshire Playhouse with a ‘bold, contemporary production’ of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Sweeney Todd (adapted from the play by Christopher Bond). The musical features David Birrell in the title role, a part for which he won Best Actor in […]
Edinburgh Fringe – how was it for you?
So how was the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for you? Actor, director and performer Tim McArthur reflects on an entertainment experience like no other… You wish to go to the festival? The festival? The Edinburgh Festival Fringe? Yes, it’s been that theatrical time of year again when performers, comedians, producers, technical staff and all creative types decamped […]
Kieran Brown and guests – Union Theatre
Kieran Brown performed Music That Matters with a selection of guest artists at the Union Theatre, London. Beginning with a low-key entrance, and unusually the lights up rather than dimmed, actor and singer Kieran Brown (currently appearing in the Rodgers and Hammerstein piece Pipe Dream at the Union Theatre) opened with a gentle medley of ‘Someone’s Waiting […]
