There’s nothing to dislike about Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch, I was hooked from the first number. As a company, they have set their sights on performing in the West End and I honestly think they have an excellent chance of fulfilling that dream.
NEWS: Follow the trail of Kemp’s Jig, an Elizabethan tale of bruised egos & sore feet, from Norwich to London
In 1600 English Will Kemp triumphantly arrived in Norwich after Morris dancing the entire 125-mile journey from London. Now audiences can relive his one-man romp through the country lanes of Elizabethan England in Blue Fire Theatre Company’s production of Kemp’s Jig which is heading to those very locations: the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich on 28 September 2022 and Hampton Hill Theatre in Richmond on 1 October.
‘Simply beautiful’: THE COLOR PURPLE – Touring ★★★★
From great American novel to star-casted film to Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical, Alison Walker’s The Color Purple has seen many formats over the years. A hard-hitting musical at the best of times, and a musical that needs passion, love and a cast to carry the story above and beyond. Like many in the audience, my only experience of this gut-wrenching story has either been with the book taught and analysed in schools or the 2015 new Broadway cast recording starring Cynthia Erivo and Jenifer Hudson – this new staging of the infamous musical is just as breathtaking as every adaptation I have come into contact with.
NEWS: The unglamorous side of showbusiness is revealed in Marie Lloyd Stole My Life – now on a regional tour
In the centenary year of Marie Lloyd’s death, J.J. Leppink’s Marie Lloyd Stole My Life, beginning a regional tour on 18 September at Colchester’s Headgate Theatre, tells the story of how the ‘Queen of the Music Hall’ came to fame at another’s expense.
’An excellent adaptation’: DEMON DENTIST – Touring ★★★★★
This is the premiere of David Walliams’ Demon Dentist, presented by Birmingham Stage Company, one of the leading producers of quality theatre for children and families.
‘A treat to see such strong performances’: THE CHER SHOW – Touring ★★★
Turning back time from her Las Vegas residencies, The Cher Show begins in the 1950s with a young Cherilyn Sarkisian who’s longing to be a star, and progresses through her various ventures, successes and failures up to the modern day. Taking on the role of the musical icon, are three superstars who share (cher) the role and show her at various stages of her life. Debbie Kurup plays the Star, Danielle Steers is Lady and Millie O’Connell is the youngest, Baby.
‘This is a show that brings pure post-pandemic joy’: Arlene Phillips explains why The Cher Show is ‘unmissable & fabulous’
Both have successful decade-spanning careers. Both are driven and fiercely independent. And then there’s the mutual love of sequins. Arlene Phillips talks to Vicky Edwards about Girl Power, refusing to act her age and why The Cher Show is an unmissable and fabulously feel-good extravaganza.
‘Something for everyone’: BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL – Touring ★★★★★
Beautiful charts the early years of Carole King from a 16 year old girl writing her first hit single, to her first solo concert in front of an audience at Carnegie Hall in June 1971. King would go on to become the most successful female American songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century, writing or co-writing 118 hit songs, 61 of which charted in the UK.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Come From Away in Melbourne
The unique energy and passion of Come From Away are destined to be remembered for years; at this point it feels hard to believe that another show will usurp its special place any time soon. Lovers of musical theatre who are yet to experience Come From Away are strongly encouraged to take this final chance to see the show, and those who have already been will need little encouragement to return.
‘Beautiful & insightful’: HAPPY MEAL – Touring ★★★★★
Happy Meal is a show about friendship, identity and is ultimately a heart-warming love story, a lot to pack into a show that is about an hour long. This delightful two-hander is labelled as a joyful trans rom-com for the MySpace generation, and the roles played by two trans actors. As someone who isn’t a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I found it a really beautiful and insightful transgender narrative.
‘A fine evening’s entertainment’: THE OSMONDS – Touring
In a world heavily populated with jukebox shows The Osmonds is more Jersey Boys or Sunny Afternoon than Tina or The Cher Show. A fine evening’s entertainment.
‘It would be hard to find a better healing for difficult times’: GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY – Touring ★★★★
This humbly immense, uniquely created show threw me for a loop five summers ago. Girl From the North Country is back on tour, via Oliviers and Broadway awards, with its miraculous marriage of poetic sensibility and hardscrabble humanity. It would be hard to find a better healing for difficult times.
‘This show has a strong message for today’: Sera Maehara returns to the role of Liat in South Pacific in London & on tour
Love London Love Culture’s Emma Clarendon chatted to Sera Maehara about reprising her role as Liat in Daniel Evans’ production of South Pacific. We chatted to Sera Maehara about reprising her role as Liat in Daniel Evans’ production of South Pacific. How does it feel to be part of this production once again?I
feel very grateful to be back in this show. The process is very exciting, it’s not just coming back to what we found last year, but also discovering new approaches and adjusting to what feels right for us this year.
‘Out of the ordinary’: ODDS ON – Touring (Online Show)
So, it was with a sense of keen anticipation that I approached Dante Or Die’s latest piece entitled Odds On which is currently on a “digital tour”. It’s a piece about the world of online gambling and its effects on an individual who gets sucked into a vortex and only narrowly avoids disaster. Having revelled in their earlier piece, and noting that Tim Crouch was on board as the project’s dramaturgist, I expected it to be out of the ordinary – and it was.
‘You’d have to be a scrooge not to enjoy it’: Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Touring ★★★★★
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a staple and rite of passage for many musical theatre fans so when a production is mounted there’s always a ready and willing audience to view it. Thankfully for current audiences, the Palladium production which is currently touring the country is absolutely top notch and a dream night out.
‘The show is a triumph for the creative & design team’: TOM, DICK & HARRY – Alexandra Palace Theatre
A real life adventure told with wit, flair and some stunning movement sequences
‘It’s a good-hearted, family-friendly show’: IDENTICAL – Nottingham ★★★★
It is the original postwar Germany and Austria into which Stuart Paterson’s book for new musical Identical takes us in a fresh, bouncy Stiles and Drewe musical. Auditions of hundred pairs of identical twins found three: on press night Eden and Emme Patrick proved faultless in a complicated, sometimes emotionally intense performance, first disliking one another on sight and then rapturously realising their sisterhood; they are playfully natural and assured, rarely offstage for long
‘The comic timing from the cast is certainly on point’: SISTER ACT – Eventim Apollo
Based on the hit 1992 comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg, this is the latest touring incarnation of the highly entertaining musical Sister Act. Originally set to star Goldberg in a reprise of the role, the cast instead has the more than able replacement of Beverley Knight. Joined by Jennifer Saunders, Lesley Joseph and Clive Rowe, this revival certainly isn’t lacking firepower in the casting department.
‘Has never seemed more relevant than now’: JULIUS CAESAR – Touring ★★★★
The Globe Theatre’s production of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar begins with the news that Julius Caesar has defeated Pompey. Right from the start, the audience is required to be part of the action as we are the commoners who are celebrating his triumphant return.
Taking the family to the Edinburgh Fringe? The Family Stage is here to help
We are wading through the ‘What’s On’ directory on the Edinburgh Fringe website to help you get to grips with it all. In the first of our Edinburgh Fringe previews, we’re focusing on the shows we’ve seen before. Whether you’re taking a toddler or teenager, you will find a show with the Family Stage seal of approval in our tried and tested list below.