Crazy For You at the Chichester Festival Theatre, roaring into life under Susan Stroman’s choreographic wit, is the ultimate song-n-dance show. And, in this year of theatrical resurrection, the timeliest of celebrations of showbiz itself.
‘A whirlwind of dance & vocals’: CRAZY FOR YOU – Chichester Festival Theatre ★★★★
It’s that glorious Gershwin music that carries Crazy For You at Chichester Festival Theatre. Sure, there are some funny lines, and the plot has the classic boy-meets-girl-but-doesn’t-realise-the-moment-is-special trope, but ultimately, it’s the songs and the opportunities for dance that the music provides that lifts this from being a Gershwin greatest hits show to a truly great piece of theatre.
‘A wonderful & practically perfect in every way musical’: MARY POPPINS – West End ★★★★
Filled with dazzling choreography, plenty of magic and charm – this is fun for the entire family.
‘A show that examines class quite candidly’: KIPPS – The New Half a Sixpence Musical (Online review)
Kipps – The New Half A Sixpence Musical is “new” in the sense that it’s an updated version of a musical first performed in the early 1960s to showcase the singing, dancing and banjo playing talents of Tommy Steele.
Mark Shenton looks to the future with his pick of the next generation of rising stars
In four previous episodes of my weekly #ShenTens podcast, and their accompanying columns here, I’ve chosen my top ten favourite leading ladies and leading men respectively in both Broadway and West End musicals. Now I turn to rising stars — the next generation of performers who are already making their mark in London. (I’ll get to Broadway when it returns to business itself).
‘We’ll keep the blue gags flying here!’: PANTOLAND – London Palladium
Not for the very youngest probably, but for the rest of us over-7s and our inner child Pantoland at the London Palladium is a proper, silly, defiant showbiz shot in the arm.
Love London Love Culture’s Theatre Picks for December
Love London Love Culture offers a guide to some of the shows set to open in London next month.
CD REVIEW: Mary Poppins: The Definitive Supercalifragilistic 2020 Cast Recording ★★★★
This new cast recording of the Disney production of Mary Poppins is lively and charming from start to finish.
NEWS: Elaine Paige joins the cast of Pantoland at The Palladium
Elaine Paige will join the cast of Pantoland at The Palladium for the three-week festive run from 12 December 2020 to 3 January 2021, which sees pantomime return to the the London Palladium for a fifth consecutive year.
NEWS: Julian Clary leads all-star cast in Pantoland at the London Palladium
This Christmas Julian Clary will lead a star-studded cast in Pantoland at The Palladium, a treasure-trove of the London Palladium panto past devised by Michael Harrison and playing from 12 December 2020 to 3 January 2021.
‘A feast for the eyes & ears’: MARY POPPINS – West End ★★★
There’s something universally adored about the feel-good story of the Banks family in Mary Poppins, so it’s no surprise that the musical is once again gracing the West End.
‘A riot of good cheer & some quite breathtaking stagecraft’: MARY POPPINS – West End ★★★★★
Mary Poppins is as supercalifragilisticexpialidocious as one can hope, a riot of good cheer, fun, excellent signing and some quite breathtaking stagecraft.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre
Richard Eyre’s production of the musical Mary Poppins has flown back into the West End – but what do the critics think of it?
‘There’s a rollicking good time to be had here’: MARY POPPINS – West End
Really, in the end, Mary Poppins is the kind of production full of uncomplicated fun that can’t help but
uplift the soul in the most delightful way.
NEWS: Casting update for the West End production of Mary Poppins
Final adult casting has been announced for the new production of Mary Poppins which begins rehearsals in September 2019 and returns to its original West End home at the Prince Edward Theatre from 23 October.
NEWS: Petula Clark & Joseph Millson join the cast of West End’s Mary Poppins
Petula Clark and Joseph Millson play the Bird Woman and George Banks in the new production of Mary Poppins which returns to its original West End home at the Prince Edward Theatre from 23 October 2019 to 29 March 2020.
NEWS: Mary Poppins’ return to the West End is confirmed for October 2019
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Mary Poppins, the musical based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the original film, returns to its original West End home at the Prince Edward Theatre after 15 years, beginning previews on 23 October 2019 with opening night on 13 November.
NEWS: Charlie Stemp & Danielle Hope join cast of the London Palladium panto Snow White
Charlie Stemp will return to the London Palladium to play The Prince in this year’s pantomime, Snow White at the London Palladium along with Danielle Hope who will play the title role of Snow
NEWS: Mary Poppins returns to the West End in autumn 2019 starring Zizi Strallen & Charlie Stemp
The internationally award-winning production of Mary Poppins will return to its original West End home at the Prince Edward Theatre where, after three hit years in London, Disney’s Aladdin will end its run late August 2019.
ON BROADWAY: ‘A heart-warming tale of simple humanity’ in HELLO, DOLLY! ★★★★★
The story of Hello, Dolly! may be froth and frolics, but underneath the razzle-dazzle of Jerry Herman’s songs and Michael Stewart’s book, there beats a heart-warming tale of simple humanity, which Bernadette Peters portrays exquisitely.