Karen Mason: Kander & Ebb… And All That Jazz! continues at the Crazy Coqs, London on 28 April 2025. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ It was material from less familiar shows that made this 70-minute tribute so captivating
Tag Archives | Kander and Ebb
Five Questions With: Karen Mason
It’s rare for Broadway actress-singer, recording star and cabaret great KAREN MASON to come to the UK – the last time she sang in London was in 2013. Here Jeremy Chapman catches up prior to the performer’s Kander and Ebb show And All That Jazz! at London’s Crazy Coqs on 24 and 28 April 2025, as part of Musical Theatre Review’s interview series Five Questions With…
New York cabaret and Off-Broadway round-up
Cabaret is back, alive and well in New York, as is Off-Broadway, writes Patrick Honoré. Karen Mason: Kander & Ebb and All That Jazz – Birdland ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Directed by Barry Kleinbort and expertly accompanied on the piano by her longtime musical director Christopher Denny, with Ritt Henn on bass, Broadway veteran […]
Music Review: Cabaret At The Kit Kat Club – 2021 London Cast Recording
CABARET – London 2021 Cast Recording (Decca Records). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ If you cannot get to the show itself, the album is the next best thing.
Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age – Edinburgh International Festival
Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age at Edinburgh International Festival. Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ As a finale for the Edinburgh International Festival, the audience welcomed one of Scotland’s favourite sons ‘back home’. While clearly proud of his Scottish roots, this cabaret centres almost entirely around Alan Cumming’s life in New York […]
Playhouse Theatre to be transformed for innovative production of Cabaret
London’s Playhouse Theatre is being transformed into the infamous Kit Kat Club in preparation for Cabaret starring Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne and rising star Jessie Buckley this November. As previously announced, the innovative production will feature multi-award-winning movie actor Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Red, West End and Broadway) in his genre debut as The Emcee […]
Casting for BarnFest’s The World Goes ’Round
Casting has been announced for the new co-production of Kander and Ebb’s musical revue The World Goes ’Round at The Barn Theatre’s first summer outdoor festival later this month. Co-produced by The Barn Theatre and Piers Cottee-Jones, the cast consists of George Arvidson (The Outpost, Les Misérables), Jenny Fitzpatrick (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Ghost), […]
Cirencester’s Barn Theatre to debut outdoor festival
A new co-production of Kander and Ebb’s musical revue The World Goes Round will be among the attractions at the Barn Theatre’s first summer outdoor festival. Following on from the Cirencester venue’s popular lockdown online activity, Barn Fest – Outdoor Theatre Festival will run from Friday (25 July) until 5 September 2020 and will feature […]
Online fundraising performance of Curtains announced
The UK producers of Kander and Ebb’s Tony Award-winning musical Curtains have announced a live stream of the show on 14 April 2020 at 7.15pm with all profits going to Funds For Freelancers. In response to the current situation Paul Taylor-Mills (artistic director of The Turbine Theatre), Helen Clarkson, Sasha Regan and Sita McIntosh have […]
Curtains – New Wimbledon Theatre and Touring
Curtains continues at the New Wimbledon Theatre, London until 18 January, then on tour until 11 April 2020. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Musical murder mystery Curtains resumed its UK tour in Wimbledon after an unexpected five-week West End run at the Wyndham’s Theatre, rushed in because of the premature closing […]
Curtains – Wyndham’s Theatre
Curtains continues at the Wyndham’s Theatre, London until 11 January 2020. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Instead of a holiday break for its extensive UK tour, the news of a limited engagement for the first big British production of Curtains at the Wyndham’s Theatre was indeed an exciting prospect. Thirteen years after its […]
London season for new touring production of Curtains
Just a few weeks after the launch of the new touring production of Kander and Ebb’s Tony Award-winning Curtains, the show’s producers have announced plans for a London premiere run this festive season. The production which launched at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre in October will take up residence at the Wyndham’s Theatre from 13 December 2019 […]
Curtains – Palace Theatre, Manchester and Touring
Curtains was reviewed at the Palace Theatre, Manchester and continues touring until 11 April 2020. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Rodgers and Hammerstein (or Hart), Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Lerner and Loewe may all be household names, but are Kander and Ebb? Yet John Kander and Fred Ebb gave us Cabaret […]
Ore Oduba and Carley Stenson join Jason Manford in Curtains tour
Former Strictly champion Ore Oduba will follow his theatrical debut in Grease by joining comedian Jason Manford for the new touring production of Kander and Ebb’s Tony Award-winning Curtains. Appearing at selected venues during the tour which launches this autumn, the BBC TV presenter will play composer Aaron Fox alongside the previously announced Manford (Chitty […]
Todrick Hall to play Billy Flynn in West End Chicago
American Idol star Todrick Hall will follow his recent run as Billy Flynn on Broadway by reprising his performance on this side of the Atlantic in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre. A judge and choreographer on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Hall who has also appeared on Broadway as Lola in Kinky Boots, […]
Alexandra Burke and Duncan James to play extra dates in West End’s Chicago
Alexandra Burke and Duncan James will be spending a little more time in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre in response to public demand. Originally scheduled to give her last performance as Roxie Hart last Saturday (14 October 2018), X Factor winner and recording artist Burke will now return to the show […]
Injured Denise Van Outen forced to postpone return to Chicago
Denise Van Outen has been forced to withdraw from her eagerly-anticipated run in the role of Velma Kelly in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre due to injury. The actress and television presenter who previously won rave reviews for her performance as Roxie Hart in the West End and Broadway productions of […]
Denise Van Outen is heading back to Chicago
Denise Van Outen will take on the role of Velma Kelly in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre later this month. The actress and television presenter who previously played Roxie Hart in the West End and Broadway productions of the show, will return to Cook County Jail as Kelly from 24 September […]
Alexandra Burke to play Roxie Hart in the West End’s Chicago
Alexandra Burke will take over from Sarah Soetaert in the role of Roxie Hart in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre from Monday 16 August 2018 until Saturday 14 October. The former X Factor winner and recording artist whose musical theatre career includes starring roles in The Bodyguard (West End and UK […]
The Rink – Southwark Playhouse
The Rink continues at the Southwark Playhouse, London until 23 June 2018. Star rating: five stars ★★★★★ In an age where some of the biggest musicals are either faithful movie re-creations or give up on the form completely by being mere dance spectacles, it is good to welcome back the masterclass in musical theatre that is The […]
Martin Kemp to play West End’s Billy Flynn in Chicago
Former pop star Martin Kemp will take over from Cuba Gooding Jr, as Billy Flynn in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre from Monday 2 July 2018. Recently seen on stage in the UK tour of Million Dollar Quartet, the Spandau Ballet guitarist will step into the role of the smooth-talking lawyer […]
Gemma Sutton joins Caroline O’Connor in cast of The Rink at Southwark Playhouse
Gemma Sutton will join Caroline O’Connor next month in the first London revival of Kander and Ebb’s The Rink in 20 years. Most recently seen as Fran in the hit show Strictly Ballroom (West Yorkshire Playhouse and Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto), Sutton will take on the role of Angel, the estranged daughter of Anna, the […]
It’s opening night for Chicago in the West End – we interview Ruthie Henshall, Josefina Gabrielle, Sarah Soetaert & Cuba Gooding Jr
After five years away, Bob Fosse and Kander and Ebb’s Chicago has found a new home at the Phoenix Theatre and has its official opening tonight (Wednesday 11 April 2018). The cast is led by Josefina Gabrielle as Velma Kelly, Sarah Soetaert as Roxie Hart, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr as Billy Flynn and Ruthie Henshall […]
Paul Rider back in role of Amos Hart in West End Chicago
Paul Rider will return to the role of Amos Hart in Chicago when the multi award-winning show returns to the West End for the first time in five and a half years later this month. Rider (Hairspray UK tour), who previously played Amos at both the Adelphi and Cambridge Theatres, will join the previously announced […]
Ruthie Henshall makes history with latest Chicago West End role
West End favourite Ruthie Henshall will become the first British actress to play all three female leading roles in Chicago when she joins Hollywood star Cuba Gooding Jr in the multi award-winning show, returning to the West End for the first time in over five years next month. Henshall, who originated the role of Roxie […]
Caroline O’Connor to star in London revival of The Rink at Southwark Playhouse
Currently starring on Broadway in Anastasia, West End and film actress Caroline O’Connor will be travelling back across the pond to star as Anna in the first London revival in 20 years of Kander and Ebb’s The Rink, having understudied the role of Angel in the 1988 London production of the show. The new production, […]
Award-winning Chicago returns to the West End
The world’s longest-running American musical, the multi award-winning Chicago, is to return to London’s West End after a five and a half year absence. Following a successful UK and international tour, Chicago will be transferring into London, with performances at the Phoenix Theatre from Monday 26 March 2018. Tickets will go on sale at 10am […]
Arts Educational Schools – Cabaret
Cabaret continues at the Studio Theatre, Arts Educational Schools London, until 7 November. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Cabaret is a marvellous show for students. No wonder it’s so popular with drama schools. Joe Masteroff’s powerful, poignant book with John Kander’s tuneful music and Fred Ebb’s cuttingly witty lyrics work together […]
Kander and Ebb’s The Rink to be revived at Southwark Playhouse
The first London revival in 20 years of The Rink by the Tony and Olivier Award-winning John Kander (music) and Fred Ebb (lyrics) will play at the Southwark Playhouse for a limited season from 25 May to 23 June 2018, with a national press night on Tuesday 29 May. This new production will be directed […]
Kenwright brings Norris’ Cabaret back to Blackpool
Rufus Norris’ acclaimed revival of Cabaret is heading back to the Blackpool Opera House as part of a nationwide tour. Presented by Bill Kenwright, the show which previously played the seaside venue in 2013 when the show featured former Pop Idol Will Young as the Emcee, will return to Blackpool from Tuesday 3 until Saturday 7 […]
The Song is You – Steve Ross – The Pheasantry
The Song is You – Steve Ross at The Pheasantry, London. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ What a brave Sunday evening this was after the first two nights of Steve Ross’ Pheasantry residency had to be cancelled after bronchitis rendered him virtually speechless. Although still clearly underpowered, the Prince of New […]
Janie Dee and her Gentlemen – The Pheasantry
Janie Dee and her Gentlemen continues at The Pheasantry, London until 14 September. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ It’s not every night Stevie Wonder, Spike Milligan, Alan Ayckbourn, Kander and Ebb, Sondheim, Gershwin, Bacharach, Lerner and The Cure appear on the same bill but that’s what we got -– and more […]
Chicago tour – Mica Paris to play Mama Morton
Platinum-selling singer Mica Paris will star as Mama Morton when the current tour of Chicago plays Sunderland Empire from 28 November to 3 December and Birmingham Alexandra Theatre for the Christmas season, from 12 December to 31 December. Also starring in Chicago are John Partridge as Billy Flynn, Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart, Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Neil Ditt as Amos Hart and A.D. Richardson as Mary Sunshine. Other cast include Daniele Arbisi, Nicola Coates, […]
The World Goes Round – The Best of Kander & Ebb – Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
The World Goes Round – The Best of Kander & Fred Ebb continues at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough until 3 September. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Staging musicals in-the-round is always a challenge. Just where, for example, should director Lotte Wakeham tell the the cast to focus for voice projection? The most successful at solving this […]
Chicago – Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury and Touring
Chicago continues at the Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury until 16 July and then tours until 26 November 2016. Rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ goes the saying and it’s one that applies to this slick and sophisticated reinterpretation of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse’s Chicago […]
Kander and Ebb revue part of Stephen Joseph Theatre summer festival
A 25th anniversary production of The World Goes Round –The Songs of Kander & Ebb will feature as part of the Stephen Joseph Theatre’s Summer Festival of entertainment in Scarborough. Conceived by Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman and David Thompson, and directed by Lotte Wakeham, this show features much-loved showstoppers like ‘New York, New York’, ‘All That Jazz’, and ‘Money, Money’, alongside lesser-known […]
Interview – Hayley Tamaddon starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago on tour
Having worked on television for the past few years, HAYLEY TAMADDON is back on the boards in the touring production of Chicago. With Emmerdale and Coronation Street, not to mention Dancing On Ice, behind her, the actress now takes on Roxie Hart in the supremely successful musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with former EastEnders […]
Chicago – New Wimbledon Theatre and Touring
Chicago continues at the New Wimbledon Theatre, London until 27 February and continues touring until 29 October 2016. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ As the Broadway revival of Chicago celebrates passing the landmark of 8,000 performances, this new UK touring production gives the show a new twist by casting performers who have all experienced reality show fame in a […]
The World Goes Round – The Songs of Kander & Ebb – St James Studio Theatre
The World Goes Round – The Songs of Kander & Ebb continues at the St James Studio Theatre, London until 7 February. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Even though The World Goes Round has not quite achieved the same kind of profile for Kander and Ebb as Side By Side By Sondheim has for another masterful […]
Cabaret – Aberdeen Arts Centre
Cabaret continues at the Arts Centre Theatre, Aberdeen until 6 February. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ When Sally meets Cliff in this toxic tale of the birthing of the thousand year Reich it’s obvious from the very start that the audience are in for a rough ride. The theatre space is transformed into a […]
Chicago 2016 tour – Sam Bailey cast alongside John Partridge and Hayley Tamaddon
Former prison officer turned reality TV star Sam Bailey will play the most famous jailer in musical theatre, Mamma Morton, in the touring version of Chicago next year. Bailey, who won the 2013 X Factor title, will join two former soap stars John Partridge (who will play Billy Flynn) and Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart on […]
Performance Preparation Academy – Cabaret
Cabaret was performed by Performance Preparation Academy at the Bellerby Studio Theatre, Guildford. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ Musicals don’t come much better than Kander and Ebb’s masterpiece about Weimar Germany in the early 1930s, the rise of Nazism and the terrible price the Jewish race -– and the world – was about to pay. Friday’s […]
Cabaret at Aberdeen Arts Centre – Carolyn Maitland and Lucas Rush lead cast
Tickets have gone on sale for a major new production of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret timed to mark Holocaust Memorial Day when it opens at Aberdeen’s Arts Centre Theatre on 27 January 2016. Current West End stars Carolyn Maitland (Miss Saigon) and Lucas Rush (American Idiot) will play the lead roles of Sally Bowles and the […]
The World Goes Round – The Pheasantry
The World Goes Round – The Songs of Kander and Ebb continues at The Pheasantry, London until 8 July. Star rating: 4 stars ★ ★ ★ ★ Those Broadway giants John Kander and Fred Ebb are so much more than Cabaret, Chicago, Funny Lady and that anthem to the Big Apple, ‘New York, New York’, and this classy confection, by […]
The World Goes Round – Oliver Tompsett and Debbie Kurup lead new production
West End performers Oliver Tompsett (Wicked, We Will Rock You) and Debbie Kurup (Chicago, The Bodyguard) will headline a brand new British production of The World Goes Round: The Songs of Kander and Ebb, which will play a limited run of four nights only from 5–8 July at The Pheasantry in Chelsea. The World Goes Round, an […]
Zorba! – New York City Center
Zorba!, an Encores! production, at New York City Center. Star rating: 4 stars ★ ★ ★ ★ Encores!, the series of fully staged concert revivals of musicals from the past, is winding up its 2015 season with a well-crafted mounting of Zorba!, a Kander and Ebb work that premiered on Broadway in 1968. The production makes a case for the […]
Performance Preparation Academy – The World Goes ’Round
The World Goes ’Round: The Songs of Kander and Ebb performed by Performance Preparation Academy third years at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford. Star rating: 4 stars ★ ★ ★ ★ You’d have to be seriously allergic to musicals not to enjoy this 32-song trawl through the genius of those Broadway giants John Kander and Fred Ebb, the team famous for Cabaret and Chicago […]
The Visit – Lyceum Theatre, New York
The Visit continues at the Lyceum Theatre, New York. Star rating: 5 stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Standing downstage center in The Visit, the long-brewing Kander and Ebb musical that has finally reached Broadway, Chita Rivera playing Claire Zachanassian, the richest woman in the world, declares: “I’m unkillable.” The applause that greets this declaration is, of course, not […]
Cabaret – Odyssud, Blagnac and Touring France
Cabaret was performed at the Odyssud in Blagnac, near Toulouse, France and continues to tour France until the summer. Star rating: 3 stars *** Only two years after the second and last run of the Sam Mendes revival of Cabaret at Theatre Marigny, comes this touring production at the beautiful Odyssud auditorium in Blagnac, near Toulouse, where […]
Brent Barrett – Life Is, The Songs of Kander and Ebb – Crazy Coqs
Brent Barrett performs his show Life Is – The Songs of Kander and Ebb at the Crazy Coqs, London until 24 January. Broadway star Brent Barrett returns to this highly successful cabaret venue where he made his triumphant debut a year ago. This time he presents the London premiere of his new show that celebrates a 50-year […]
