An all-star line-up of Herods will join Sam Ryder’s Jesus for the Theatre Royal Drury Lane run of the new London Palladium production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
Tag Archives | Michael Ball
Les Misérables 40th anniversary special gala event planned
The world’s longest-running musical, Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a star-studded charity gala performance on 8 October.
Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular – Utilita Arena, Sheffield and Touring
Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular was reviewed at the Utilita Arena, Sheffield. A worldwide arena tour is now underway, reinventing the production to bring the much-loved and enduring show to a large-scale audience. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★
Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular – more star signings and extra seats announced
More star signings have been confirmed for the highly anticipated Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular – the major new world touring production based on the record-breaking Les Misérables – The Staged Concert.
Cameron Mackintosh confirms first all-stars for Les Mis arena tour
Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Killian Donnelly and Bradley Jaden are the first star signings for the highly anticipated Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular – the major new world touring production based on the record-breaking Les Misérables – The Staged Concert.
Newsfeed 15 November 2023: Pasha Kovalev choreographs Barista The Musical, Michael Ball and Lucy St Louis cast in My Favorite Things and more
Former Strictly Come Dancing glitterball-winning pro Pasha Kovalev will provide the Latin-flavoured choreography for the new original production Barista The Musical next year.
Early closing date for re-imagined Aspects of Love
The new West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love will close three months earlier than planned.
Aspects of Love – Lyric Theatre
Aspects of Love is booking at the Lyric Theatre, London until 11 November 2023. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
West End favourite Dave Willetts joins Aspects of Love cast
Dave Willetts will join the cast of the eagerly anticipated new West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love in late May.
Aspects of Love – full cast and rehearsals begin
The full cast has been unveiled for the eagerly anticipated new West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love as rehearsals begin ahead of the May opening.
The National Lottery’s Big Night Of Musicals – AO Arena, Manchester
Was there any hankie big enough to disguise the tears when children and adults with learning difficulties, all members of David Stanley’s Music Man Project, joined Michael Ball during The National Lottery’s Big Night Of Musicals at the AO Arena, Manchester?
More details about The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals
The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals will be broadcast on BBC1 on Saturday 25 March 2023 at 7.50pm. For a second year, the event was held at the AO Arena, Manchester.
Michael Ball confirms Jamie Bogyo as the new Alex in Aspects of Love
Thirty-four years after Michael Ball starred as Alex in the original West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love, the musical theatre favourite has unveiled Jamie Bogyo as his successor in the role ahead of the new West End production.
Michael Ball to revisit Aspects of Love in the West End
Michael Ball will return to the West End next year in a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love re-imagined for the 21st century. Reuniting Ball with his director on the 2012 West End revival of Sweeney Todd, Jonathan Kent, the new production will begin performances at the Lyric Theatre on 12 May […]
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe: Together This Summer – Hampton Court Palace Festival and Touring
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe: Together This Summer was reviewed at the London Hampton Court Palace Festival. The show continues to tour until 12 July 2022. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Put those two old chums Michael Ball and Alfie Boe in an open-air arena anywhere, whether it be country pile, […]
West End Flea Market – judges and shows revealed
Leading theatrical charity Acting For Others has confirmed the judges and the hit shows lined-up to take part in this year’s West End Flea Market later this month. West End Flea Market regular Christopher Biggins will be joined by Michael Ball and Bridgerton’s Golda Rosheuvel to pass judgement on the stalls created by teams from […]
Novel debut for Michael Ball
Michael Ball will make his debut as a novelist with the publication of his first offering, the 1920s-set The Empire, in October. Published by Zaffre, the commercial fiction imprint of Bonnier Books UK, the musical theatre favourite’s story of a fictional theatre in the North of England is intended to be the first in a series […]
Tickets for a live screening of the sold-out Sondheim’s Old Friends Gala to be released
Tickets for a live screening at the Prince Edward Theatre of the sold-out Sondheim’s Old Friends Gala are to be released today, 30 March 2022. Priority will be given to the thousands of people who signed up in the hope of securing tickets but couldn’t be accommodated for the performance at the Sondheim Theatre. Booking […]
An all-star cast of Old Friends will celebrate Sondheim at the Sondheim
Cameron Mackintosh has invited many of Stephen Sondheim’s old friends to join him in celebrating his extraordinary talents and legacy at the theatre which was recently rebuilt in Sondheim’s honour. The all-star cast for OLD FRIENDS so far includes Michael Ball, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Bonnie Langford, Adrian Lester, Damian Lewis, Julia Mckenzie, […]
Hairspray – London Coliseum
Hairspray continues at the London Coliseum until 29 September 2021. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ During the curtain call for the new West End production of Hairspray I took in the view from my seat in the stalls. A full standing ovation has never looked so beautiful. Yes, there were 1,000 rather than […]
Les Dennis to return as Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray at the London Coliseum
Entertainment favourite Les Dennis will return to the role of Wilbur Turnblad when the eagerly-anticipated London Coliseum production of Hairspray the Musical begins performances on 21 June 2021. The stage and screen star whose varied career has taken him from the Northern club circuit to the RSC stage in Stratford-upon-Avon via the cobbles of Coronation […]
Musicals: The Greatest Show – BBC1 and BBC iPlayer
Musicals: The Greatest Show – BBC1 and BBC iPlayer (where it is available for a year). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ As soon as the great Ramin Karimloo launched into a sublime ‘Music of the Night’, tears started rolling down cheeks and shivers tumbled like a waterfall down the spine. We […]
Sheridan Smith to host Palladium show as part of BBC musicals special
Sheridan Smith will return to the London Palladium to host a star-studded transatlantic celebration of the music and stars of musical theatre and film on BBC Radio 2 later this month. Musicals: The Greatest Show will be the centrepiece of Radio 2 Celebrates Musicals – three days of programming on the national radio station along […]
Marisha Wallace releases new album Tomorrow and announces tour dates for 2021
At the same time as her new album ‘Tomorrow’ is released, West End and Broadway performer Marisha Wallace has announced an all-new UK tour for 2021. The musical powerhouse – who has dazzled both the Royal Variety Performance and Strictly Come Dancing in recent days – is heading out on a six-date tour next autumn. […]
CD Review: Together At Christmas – Michael Ball and Alfie Boe
TOGETHER AT CHRISTMAS – Michael Ball & Alfie Boe (DECCA Records – 602435330624) Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ I find this time of the year exasperating. Celebrities bringing out Christmas albums, rehashing all the old chestnuts and the only reason to buy it is because of the fan base. Sorry for […]
Les Misérables Staged Concert’s Sondheim run extended until February 2021
With performances due to begin as planned on 5 December, the eagerly-anticipated run of Les Misérables – The Staged Concert at the Sondheim Theatre has been extended for a second time following the announcement of new restrictions affecting indoor performances. In response to high public demand combined with the Government directive to theatres to reduce […]
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe return with new festive album ‘Together At Christmas’ and announce UK arena tour
Much-loved musical duo Michael Ball and Alfie Boe join forces again for new album Together at Christmas, out on Decca Records on 20 November 2020. They have also announces a UK arena tour in 2021, including a date at London’s O2 Arena on 19 December 2021. The record has everything you could want from a […]
CD and DVD Review: Les Misérables – The Staged Concert
LES MISERABLES – The Staged Concert – DVD and CD (CD – First Night – 093624888635; DVD – Universal – 832 111 3) Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ At least seven cast recordings in English and 26 foreign language cast recordings – do we really need another? That was the thought […]
Check out the new video for the just-released charity single from #CheerUpCharlie & West End Friends
‘You Will Be Found’ by #CheerUpCharlie & West End Friends, a fundraising charity single in aid of youth charity The Diana Award, has been released today (15 November 2020) by Auburn Jam Music to tie in with the start of National Anti-Bullying Week, which runs from 16-20 November. The star-studded single is led by ten-year-old Charlie Kristensen […]
Anti-bullying campaigner Charlie and West End friends feature on charity single
Inspirational young anti-bullying campaigner Charlie Kristensen is joining forces with a host of West End stars to release a charity fundraising single to mark the start of National Anti-Bullying Week (16-20 November 2020). Available from 15 November, the recording of ‘You Will Be Found’ from Dear Evan Hansen features the Berkshire 10-year-old along with a number […]
Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters will host first West End Woofs animal adoption event
Musical theatre royalty from both sides of the Atlantic will unite to host the UK’s first virtual dog and cat adoption event this month. Co-hosted by the West End’s Elaine Paige and Broadway’s Bernadette Peters, West End Woofs will be a UK-based version of Broadway Barks, the annual star-studded animal adoption event benefiting New York […]
Live cast recordings of Mary Poppins and Les Misérables – The Staged Concert to be released
Cameron Mackintosh, First Night Records and Warner Music have announced the upcoming release of the new live cast recordings of the producer’s hit West End productions announced of Mary Poppins and Les Misérables – The Staged Concert next month. Now available to pre-order, the Mary Poppins album will be released on 6 November with the […]
West End run of Les Miserables – The Staged Concert is extended by two weeks
Cameron Mackintosh has announced a two-week extension to the run of Les Misérables – The Staged Concert due to extraordinary public demand. Playing at the Sondheim Theatre over the Christmas period, the run which begins on 5 December 2020 is now extended to 31 January 2021. Cameron Mackintosh said: “The phenomenal speed at which the […]
Les Misérables, Phantom and Mary Poppins feature in BGT Final West End celebration
Sixty performers from some of the West End’s biggest shows will come together for a special star-studded performance presented by Cameron Mackintosh during this weekend’s Britain’s Got Talent final. Celebrating the 35th birthday of Les Misérables and the 34th birthday of The Phantom of the Opera, the star-studded piece will feature the companies of Les […]
Sondheim celebration planned for Chichester Festival Theatre autumn season
A star-studded celebration of the music of Stephen Sondheim looks set to be among the highlights of a live, socially distanced autumn season of entertainment unveiled by the team at the Chichester Festival Theatre. After hosting the crowd-pleasing Concert In The Park in August, artistic director Daniel Evans will take to the stage once again […]
Fame 30th to mark launch of new season of The Shows Must Go On
Universal’s popular The Shows Must Go On YouTube channel will return to streaming full shows on 25 September 2020 with the Fame The Musical – 30th Anniversary Tour. Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, the 2018 production stars pop star turned actress Mica Paris as Miss Sherman with Keith Jack (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, […]
Stars from the world of stage and screen donate treasured items to charity for the Theatre Super Auction
The auction specialists Bid-In Group is showing its support to the theatre and performing arts industry with the launch of the Theatre Super Auction, raising much-needed funds for the Theatres Trust, Acting for Others and Theatre Artists Fund. Funds raised from this event will be donated directly to the charities and organisations involved whose businesses […]
Hairspray at the London Coliseum is delayed once again – to April 2021
The producers of Hairspray the Musical have announced new 2021 dates for the eagerly-anticipated London Coliseum production. Originally due to open at the London venue in April this year, the production will now begin its strictly limited 19-week season a year later on 22 April 2021 (ending on 29 August). Featuring Michael Ball’s return to […]
Cameron Mackintosh warns theatre closedown could last until 2021
Cameron Mackintosh has voiced fears from theatre operators on both sides of the Atlantic that theatres will remain dark until early next year unless social distancing measures are lifted. Speaking to Michael Ball on BBC Radio 2, the leading producer and theatre owner: “For major producers both sides of the Atlantic, the truth is until […]
Lloyd Webber Albert Hall concert is the next offering on The Shows Must Go On channel
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s star packed 50th birthday celebration concert will be the next show to be made available free of charge as part of the newly launched The Shows Must Go On YouTube channel. Recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall on 7 April 1998, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Royal Albert Hall Celebration features a […]
Les Misérables – The Staged Concert (Digital Download)
Les Misérables – The Staged Concert, available as a digital download Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ In a time like this, when ghost lights are often the only illumination on theatre stages worldwide, casting my mind back to actually seeing a performance feels like a very long journey back in time. However, there […]
Les Misérables – The Staged Concert digital download will raise money for arts charities and the NHS
Cameron Mackintosh has announced the planned debut of the hugely successful Les Misérables – The Staged Concert on digital download in the UK and Australia, which will also raise much needed funds for performers, musicians and the NHS. For every digital download, available from Monday 20 April 2020 RRP £9.99, The Mackintosh Foundation will separately […]
Hairspray announces rescheduled season dates at the London Coliseum
The producers of Hairspray the Musical have announced new performance dates for the multi award-winning smash hit musical at the London Coliseum. The production will now begin performances on 1 September 2020 (press night is 8 September 2020) and plays a strictly limited 10-week season to 8 November. Until 4 May, all existing ticket holders […]
Ball and Boe to bring Back Together tour to the big screen
Cinema-goers will get the chance to see everyone’s favourite musical double act Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s latest touring show on the big screen for one weekend only in late March. Presented by leading cinema events’ specialists, CinemaLive, the final show at London’s O2 Arena on 7 March 2020 will be recorded to be shown […]
Paul Merton to star opposite Michael Ball in Hairspray
Comedy favourite Paul Merton will make his West End musical debut as Wilbur Turnblad in the eagerly-anticipated London Coliseum production of Hairspray the Musical. The stand-up star and long-time team captain on TV’s Have I Got News For You will join Michael Ball when he steps back into his Olivier Award-winning role as Edna Turnblad […]
Les Misérables The Staged Concert – At The Cinema
Les Misérables The Staged Concert live and as live at the cinema. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Thirty-four years after being Les Misérables’ first Marius, Michael Ball played Inspector Javert “probably for the last time” in the staged concert version which went live into cinemas nationally on 2 December and “as […]
New radio station celebrating musicals to launch
Stage and screen star Luke Evans and West End favourites Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Ruthie Henshall are among the big names assembled for the launch of new radio station Magic at the Musicals. Following four years of sell-out shows, the popular Magic Radio event featuring cast members from some of the West End’s biggest […]
Lizzie Bea and Marisha Wallace are cast in West End production of Hairspray
Lizzie Bea and Marisha Wallace will join Michael Ball when he steps back into his Olivier Award-winning role as Edna Turnblad in the eagerly-anticipated London Coliseum production of Hairspray the Musical next year. Currently performing in the UK tour of Kinky Boots, Bea will star as Tracy Tunblad with Dreamgirls’ Wallace following her co-starring role […]
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert – Gielgud Theatre
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert continues at the Gielgud Theatre, London until 30 November 2019. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ When it comes to international musical phenomena of apparently boundless longevity and popularity, Les Misérables is the unquestionable champion. Cameron Mackintosh’s decision to, once again, stage a concert version of the […]
Final casting for star-studded concert version of Les Misérables
Rehearsals have begun for the eagerly-anticipated, star-studded concert version of Les Misérables which is due to play the intimate Gielgud Theatre for 16 weeks from early next month. As previously announced by Cameron Mackintosh, Les Misérables – The Staged Concert will feature returning stars including Michael Ball as Javert opposite Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, […]
