My first visit to this flashy jukebox musical inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was in December 2019, so it was great fun to revisit recently.
‘Every artist gave a powerhouse performance’: MONDAY NIGHT AT THE APOLLO – Apollo Theatre ★★★★
Created by Wild Mountain Productions and presented by Greg Barnett, a spectacular line-up was brought to the stage of the Apollo to take us through a night of vocal gymnastics, diversity, humour and just a bunch of fun in the first instalment of Monday Night at the Apollo.
NEWS: Stars of TV & film line up to join the returning West End production of The Mousetrap
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap – the longest-running show in the world, which has been suspended since the pandemic resulted in the closure of UK theatres in March 2020 – is to reopen in the West End on 17 May 2021.
NEWS: & Juliet producers plan a West End return in May 2021
It’s been announced that the West End production of the award-winning musical & Juliet at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre will return on 28 May 2021 (subject to social distancing restrictions being relaxed) and that bookings for the show have been extended into 2022.
‘We need the escapism of entertainment more & more’: All I Want for Christmas Is Theatre / Hopeful Holidays (Online review)
A double whammy of festive musical frolics for the festive season reached us with the launch of Thespie’s All I Want For Christmas Is Theatre and The Theatre Channel’s fourth episode Hopeful Holidays.
‘Delivers both smiles & retrospection’: WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS (Online review)
Directed by Michael Strassen and produced by Ginger Quiff Media and Guy Chapman, We Need a Little Christmas from St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden is a hearty bowl of punch you will not want to miss.
‘The perfect accompaniment’: OOPS! I STREAMED IT AGAIN (Online review)
Thespie has “done it again” with Oops! I Streamed It Again, a lively concert featuring some of the stars of West End musical on hiatus, & Juliet.
In a pause where the singe…
‘I was happy to give it a whirl’: The Theatre Channel – Episode Three (Online review)
Exploring the world of rock musicals, Episode 3 of The Theatre Channel features Alex Gaumond, Shan Ako, John Owen-Jones, Francesca Jackson, Aisha Jawando and Rob Houchen.
Love London Love Culture reflects on the Olivier Awards 2020
While it has taken a while for the winners of this years Olivier Awards to be announced, there was plenty to be celebrated – as well as a strong reminder of the power of theatre.
NEWS: Three prizes each for & Juliet, Dear Evan Hansen & Emilia as Olivier Awards 2020 winners are announced
The winners of the Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard were announced in a special ITV programme filmed at The London Palladium, and on Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel.
’An absolute ray of sunshine’: Hello, Harry! A Celebration of 40 Years at Stage Door (Online review)
Hello Harry!, an online concert celebrating the incredible 40-year career of Harry Gabriel, the Shaftesbury Theatre’s Stage Door Keeper, was an absolute ray of sunshine.
‘Joyful to watch from start to finish’: & JULIET – West End
Lively and empowering new musical & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre is entertaining from start to finish.
‘Going to be a winner’: & JULIET – West End
Late 90s pop is always my jam so a musical that features it is always going to be a winner. The brilliant & Juliet is so much more besides as well though.
‘Sums up perfectly the age in which we are currently living’: MAN OF LA MANCHA – West End ★★★
Man of La Mancha is a curious beast. Often dubbed as one of the classic “lost” musicals, it was last seen in the West End in the 1960s but is currently being revived at the London Coliseum.
‘The Frasier/Only Fools & Horses mash-up you didn’t know you wanted’: MAN OF LA MANCHA – West End
The novelty of the casting and brightness of the music in Man of La Mancha make a big impression, though be warned that the show is not without its darker elements, some intended and others not.
‘It’s rather a case of a good cast in search of a better show’: MAN OF LA MANCHA – West End ★★★
Despite the best efforts of Kelsey Grammer in the lead role, this leaden and often down right confusing revival of Man of La Mancha at the London Coliseum is unlikely to give the show new impetus on this side of the pond.
‘The desire to mount this epic production is misguided’: MAN OF LA MANCHA – West End
One wonders which came first for the Grade/Linnit company – the misguided desire to mount an epic scale production of Man of La Mancha, a musical which hasn’t been.produced in London since 1968 for very good reasons, or the need to find a project for Kelsey Grammer?
NEWS: Peter Polycarpou will play Sancho Panza opposite Kelsey Grammer’s Don Quixote in ENO’s Man of La Mancha
Renowned stage, film and TV performer Peter Polycarpou will play Don Quixote’s squire, Sancho Panza in Man of the Mancha at the London Coliseum; the first West End production of this multi-Tony Award-winning Broadway musical for 50 years.
NEWS: Oliver Tompsett & Cassidy Janson are among the new cast members for West End musical & Juliet
The new cast announced for new West End musical & Juliet features Cassidy Janson; Oliver Tompsett; Arun Blair-Mangat; Melanie La Barrie; Jordan Luke Gage and Tim Mahendran.
The Show People Podcast: Chromatics, awards & masterclasses…
The Show People Podcast is back! This special ‘Show Peep’ tells you what Andrew Keates has been up to in Ireland, how we’ve become an award-winning podcast and details of Arion’s next masterclasses with Danielle Tarento and Cassidy Janson.