Godspell 50th Anniversary Online Concert – available to watch until 29 August 2020. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ From Godspell in 1971 to Prince of Egypt, six weeks into its West End run when Covid-19 reared its ugly head and put theatreland into a coma, Stephen Schwartz has been a massive […]
Tag Archives | Hope Mill Theatre
Star-packed online concert to mark Godspell’s 50th
West End favourites Ruthie Henshall, Ria Jones and Jenna Russell will be among the star names joining an online charity concert marking the 50th anniversary of Godspell next month. Presented by Thomas Hopkins and Michael Quinn for Ginger Quiff Media in association with Hope Mill Theatre, the Godspell 5oth Anniversary Concert will stream worldwide on 27, […]
Hope Mill to celebrate writer Jonathan Harvey and launch writing prize
Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre will host a star-studded online celebration of the work of writer Jonathan Harvey, scheduled for 18 July 2020. Coinciding with the launch of Through The Mill, a new playwrighting prize which will include the opportunity of a mentorship with Harvey, An Evening With Jonathan Harvey will include an interview with the […]
Autumn dates announced for Hope Mill Theatre’s rescheduled Rent
Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre has announced rescheduled dates and the full creative team for its new production of Jonathan Larson’s innovative musical Rent. Originally due to play a limited season from 31 July 2020, with rehearsals scheduled to begin a month earlier, the venue has taken the decision to announce new dates (from 30 October […]
CD Review: Rags The Musical – Original London Cast Recording
RAGS THE MUSICAL – Original London Cast Recording (Ghostlight Records – download) Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Rags The Musical is my all-time favourite Strouse/Schwartz score. I absolutely loved the original (almost) Broadway version and, when I worked for a production company in London in the 1990s I tried desperately to get the […]
Hope Mill Theatre streams free online Rodgers and Hammerstein concert
With the UK theatrical premiere of the Broadway version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at Hope Mill Theatre on hold the team at the award-winning Manchester venue are streaming a free online concert celebrating the work of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Available until 3 May 2020 and hosted by Hope Mill’s founders William […]
West End stars will feature in Hope Mill Theatre’s online concert of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music
Hope Mill Theatre is staging an online concert featuring West End stars, celebrating the much-loved music from legendary songwriting duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, on 26 April 2020 at 7pm. Like many theatres across the country, Hope Mill Theatre has been closed since 17 March due to Covid-19. The venue ceased all productions and made the […]
Hope Mill Theatre’s Cinderella is postponed
The UK theatrical premiere of the Broadway version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella at Hope Mill Theatre has been put on hold indefinitely due to uncertainty surrounding the current crisis. The first musical from A Factory of Creativity, the new charity formed to take over the running of the popular Ancoats venue, the production was […]
Government statement on coronavirus means curtain comes down on West End and UK theatre
Theatres across the country went dark last night as the Government moved into the next phase of its fight against the coronavirus. In a statement released by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre, it was confirmed that all member venues would be closed until the Government’s advice against social gatherings during the […]
Manchester residency for Cameron Mackintosh scheme’s Finn Anderson
Scottish musical theatre composer and singer/songwriter Finn Anderson will take up a year-long residency at two of Manchester’s most prestigious venues as this year’s recipient of The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer scheme. Musical Theatre Network and Mercury Musical Developments have confirmed the writer who was a finalist in the Stiles & Drewe Best New Song […]
Luke Sheppard to direct Hope Mill Theatre’s Rent
Luke Sheppard will return to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre this summer to direct a revival of Jonathan Larson’s innovative musical Rent. Returning to the Ancoats venue for the first time since his critically acclaimed production of Spring Awakening in 2018, the director of current West End hit & Juliet will take charge of the new […]
Rags: The Musical – Park Theatre
Rags: The Musical continues at the Park Theatre, London until 8 February 2020. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ In an early scene of this musical about the New York Jewish immigrant experience in the early 20th century, Carolyn Maitland’s expert seamstress Rebecca is berated by Jack (Jeremy Rose), the dressmaker for […]
Alice Fearn and Emma Hatton feature in Park Theatre fundraiser celebrating Stephen Schwartz
Two of West End Wicked’s Elphabas, Alice Fearn and Emma Hatton will share the stage later this month for a special gala fundraiser at the Park Theatre in North London celebrating the work of the hit show’s composer Stephen Schwartz. Presented by Aria Entertainment and Hope Mill Theatre in association with Park Theatre, The Spark […]
Full cast for Rags The Musical’s London transfer
Carolyn Maitland, Dave Willetts and Sam Attwater will star in the London transfer run of Hope Mill Theatre’s critically acclaimed RAGS The Musical at Finsbury Park’s Park Theatre early next year. With starring roles in genre hits including Ghost (UK tour) and Groundhog Day (The Old Vic) Maitland will play Rebecca opposite The Phantom of […]
Hope Mill Theatre to present UK theatrical premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
The UK theatrical premiere of the Broadway version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella will be the first musical produced by A Factory of Creativity, the new charity formed to take over the running of Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre. Due to play the popular Ancoats’ venue from 9 May to 6 June 2020 before heading for […]
One-night only celebration of Stephen Schwartz will raise funds for the London transfer of Hope Mill’s Rags
Aria Entertainment and Hope Mill Theatre will continue their on-going successful partnership with Stephen Schwartz with a special gala fundraiser celebrating the writer’s work. Timed to raise funds to help finance the London transfer run of Hope Mill’s critically-acclaimed production of Schwartz’s Rags The Musical at the Park Theatre in North London, the show on […]
Mame – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Mame continues at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester until 9 November 2019, then tours until January 2020. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ When Hope Mill announced the first professional UK revival of Mame since its 1969 West End premiere, one colleague suggested that there may have been a reason for its lengthy absence. Let’s face […]
Jerry Springer the Opera – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Jerry Springer the Opera continues at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester until 31 August 2019. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ From its modest beginnings at Battersea Arts Centre, Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee’s Jerry Springer the Opera went on to create quite a stir at the National Theatre in 2003. There and in subsequent touring […]
Casting revealed for Hope Mill Theatre’s Jerry Springer The Opera
Details of the Northern-based talent lined up to appear alongside Michael Howe in the eagerly-awaited revival of Jerry Springer The Opera at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre this summer have been partly revealed. As previously announced the veteran stage and screen actor known for his roles in TV shows Life Begins, Solo and Hollyoaks, and on […]
New Northern producers debut with return of Jerry Springer
New production company Northern Ricochet is the driving force behind plans for a major revival of Jerry Springer The Opera at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre this summer. Nearly 15 years after the controversial multi-award-winning musical debuted in the UK, the new production will play the Ancoats’ venue from 8 until 31 August 2019. The production […]
Club Mex – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Club Mex continues at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester until 10 February 2019. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Club Mex is an original, high-energy and full-of-laughs – so many you’ll miss a few as you are still laughing at a previous punchy line – part-immersive, part-musical clubbing experience. Written by award-winning, comedian, actor and […]
Classic musicals and new British work to play Hope Mill Theatre in 2019
The highly successful partnership between Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre and London arts producer Aria Entertainment continues with a 2019 season that will include the UK premiere of a new version of the Broadway musical RAGS, the first UK revival of classic musical Mame and new British musical The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit, inspired by A […]
CBBC regular Jade Johnson wins a leading role in Hope Mill’s immersive musical Club Mex
CBBC regular Jade Johnson has won a leading role in the world premiere of Mexican-flavoured musical Club Mex at Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre after initially auditioning via Instagram. The World’s End star will play bride to be Mel alongside Alison Arnopp (Eugenius! The Other Palace, Dusty, Charing Cross Theatre) and Emma Louise Hoey (Wizard […]
Madalena Alberto and Eleanor Jackson join cast of Aspects of Love London run
Madalena Alberto and Eleanor Jackson will complete the cast for the London transfer of Hope Mill Theatre’s hit version of Aspects of Love early next year. One of the Southwark Playhouse’s final productions at its current Newington Causeway site, the London run of Aspects of Love will star most of those who appeared in the […]
Hope Mill Theatre and Aria Entertainment launch new drama course in Manchester
Northern-based performers will benefit from the launch of a new drama course which marks the latest development in the highly successful partnership between Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre and London arts producer Aria Entertainment. Aria’s Katy Lipson and Hope Mill’s Joseph Houston and William Whelton are the driving forces behind Hope Aria Academy, a part-time […]
Putting It Together – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Putting It Together continues at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester until 24 November 2018. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ ‘Having just a vision’s no solution, everything depends on execution: putting it together, that’s what counts’ – if ever there was a song to encapsulate the ethos behind the creation and development […]
Southwark Playhouse run for Hope Mill’s Aspects of Love plus new musicals Stay Awake, Jake & Benjamin Button feature in 2019 season
Hope Mill Theatre’s hit version of Aspects of Love, and the world premiere of a musical based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, will be among the Southwark Playhouse’s final productions to play the Playhouse’s current London site. Due to take up residence in two purpose-built new theatre spaces in late […]
Hope Mill Theatre’s Hair to tour the UK
Director Jonathan O’Boyle’s critically-acclaimed 50th-anniversary production of the classic rock musical Hair will take to the road in 2019. Following a successful transfer run at London venue The Vaults in 2017, the award-winning Hope Mill Theatre production of the cult show which captured the vibrancy of the youth movement in 1960s America will open at […]
The Return of the Soldier – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
The Return of the Soldier was reviewed at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester. The production transfers to the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich from 2-6 October 2018. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★★ ★ Writing in 1918 as the effects of the First World War still raged around her, Rebecca West’s The Return of the Soldier holds […]
Part immersive musical Club Mex to premiere at the Hope Mill Theatre
West End star Julie Atherton will direct the world premiere of Mexican flavoured musical Club Mex at Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre early next year. The second new musical from Global Musicals, the producers of current West End hit Six, will play the Ancoats’ venue from 17 January until 10 February 2019. Featuring a script […]
A passionate woman: New musicals champion & producer Katy Lipson brings Unexpected Joy & the From Page to Stage festival to the Southwark Playhouse
The European premiere of Unexpected Joy, opening this week at the Southwark Playhouse, tells the story of three generations of female singers and their week together to try and clear some long-held family feuds. Joy is a baby boomer pop star, who lived the hippie life and is now preparing for a concert to honour […]
Closets – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Closets at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Opening with a pre-show warning for ‘extreme campness’, time travelling new musical Closets is the perfect warm-up for the upcoming Manchester Pride; a fun, feel-good show celebrating love in all forms that also manages to be far more poignant and touching […]
Hope Mill Theatre’s Aspects of Love – cast and creatives revealed
Olivier Award nominees and West End regulars will take to the stage alongside newcomers making their professional debuts in the cast for the eagerly-anticipated intimate revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love at Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre. Hope Mill favourite Jonathan O’Boyle (Hair, Pippin) will return to direct the ten-strong company in the […]
From Page To Stage moves to Southwark Playhouse and launches Northern spin-off
Writers from across the world are once again being invited to compete with homegrown talent for a place in this year’s line-up at the popular From Page to Stage festival. Returning for its sixth year, the musical theatre event created by leading independent theatre company Aria Entertainment will move into the Southwark Playhouse from 10 until […]
Hope Mill’s last two shows of 2018 are The Return of the Soldier and A Christmas Story
British musical The Return of the Soldier and the UK premiere of Broadway hit A Christmas Story The Musical will be the final two in-house productions in 2018 from the highly successful partnership between Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre and London arts producer Aria Entertainment. Charles Miller and Tim Sanders’ musical adaptation of Rebecca West’s novella […]
Manchester Theatre Awards winners revealed
Leicester Curve’s acclaimed touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard won the battle of the musicals at this year’s Manchester Theatre Awards. Presented by Michael Harrison, David Ian and Curve, the production – directed by Curve’s artistic director Nikolai Foster – beat the equally high profile Funny Girl and Bat Out of Hell and […]
Cast and creatives revealed for Hope Mill’s Spring Awakening
Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre has revealed the cast and creatives for the upcoming revival of the Broadway hit Spring Awakening later this month. Directed by Luke Sheppard, the second of five in-house musical productions for 2018 from the successful partnership between Hope Mill and London arts producer Aria Entertainment is due to run from […]
Pippin – Southwark Playhouse
Pippin continues at Southwark Playhouse, London until 24 March 2018. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ There has never been much of a love affair between London and Pippin. The original production which opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in October 1973 was a dismal flop, despite the showstopping rendition of ‘No Time At All’ by […]
WhatsOnStage Awards 2018 – 42nd Street and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie come out on top
Leading the pack at the 18th annual WhatsOnStage Awards was 42nd Street, currently running at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which took home four prizes for Best Musical Revival, Best Choreography, Best Set Design and Best Costume Design – from a total of eight nominations. At a ceremony hosted at the Prince of Wales Theatre […]
Hope Mill Theatre to celebrate first two years with evening of song and backstage stories
The creative team behind Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre will step out from behind the scenes in April to celebrate the distinctive venue’s incredible first two years in operation. An evening of song and stories, An Aria of Hope and Dreams on Monday 16 April, will be hosted by Hope Mill’s co-founders Joseph Houston and […]
The ToyBoy Diaries The Musical – Hope Mill Theatre Theatre, Manchester
The ToyBoy Diaries continues at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester until 10 February. Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ Wendy Salisbury’s 2007 biographical novel charts the exploits of an antiques dealer of a certain age who, having raised a family and divorced two husbands, decides (in her own words) that she’s done with […]
Casting revealed for Pippin at the Southwark Playhouse
Casting has been announced for Pippin at Southwark Playhouse with Jonathan Carlton reprising his role as Pippin and Genevieve Nicole returning as The Leading Player. The principal cast is completed with Mairi Barclay, Bradley Judge, Tessa Kadler and Rhidian Marc. Players include Michelle Andrews, Andrew Halliday, Scott Hayward and Ellie Seaton. Jonathan O’Boyle’s production of […]
Manchester Theatre Awards 2018 nominees announced
Hope Mill Theatre’s acclaimed production of Yank! will battle it out with-high profile hits Funny Girl, Bat Out of Hell and Sunset Boulevard for the title of Best Musical at this year’s Manchester Theatre Awards. Funny Girl’s Sheridan Smith and Sunset Boulevard’s Ria Jones and Danny Mac are also among a number musical theatre stars […]
Cast and creatives revealed for The ToyBoy Diaries at the Hope Mill Theatre
The cast and creative team has been announced for the world premiere of The ToyBoy Diaries, the new British musical that is to be the first production staged in 2018 at the critically-acclaimed Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester. The production, adapted from the best-selling memoirs by Wendy Salisbury, runs from Thursday 18 January to Saturday […]
Hope Mill Theatre’s Little Women premiere run extended
An extra week has been added to the European premiere of Tony-nominated Broadway musical Little Women, the final production in the second season of shows from the partnership between Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre and London arts producer Aria Entertainment. Following rave reviews and due to high demand, the show’s original four-week run at the distinctive […]
Little Women – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Little Women continues at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester until 9 December. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Whilst its production of Hair has announced an extension to the London Vaults run, and its Pippin is due to open at Southwark Playhouse in February, Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre doesn’t show any signs […]
Hope Mill Theatre and Aria Entertainment reveal first shows for 2018
The world premiere of new British musical The Toyboy Diaries will be the first of three in-house productions in early 2018 from the highly successful partnership between Manchester’s award-winning Hope Mill Theatre and London arts producer Aria Entertainment. Running from 18 January until 10 February, The Toyboy Diaries was announced as part of a 2018 […]
Hope Mill Theatre’s Pippin to transfer to Southwark Playhouse
Jonathan O’Boyle’s production of Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson’s Pippin will transfer to Southwark Playhouse’s Large space in spring 2018 (23 February to 24 March, press night on 28 February). A soul-searching exploration of one man’s journey to find himself, his place and purpose in life, Pippin is a musical about an ordinary man […]
Hair the Musical – The Vaults
Hair the Musical continues at The Vaults, London until 14 January 2018. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ When the Age of Aquarius arrives, it will be sheathed in a sheen of perspiration. At least, if the 50th anniversary revival of Hair is anything to go by. Staged in one of the […]
Little Women at the Hope Mill Theatre – cast details
Casting has been announced for the European premiere of Tony-nominated Broadway musical Little Women, the final production in the second season of shows from the partnership between Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre and London arts producer Aria Entertainment. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1869 novel, the show which has a book by Allan Knee, with […]
