Casting has been announced for the return of The Phantom of The Opera to its West End home, Her Majesty’s Theatre, on 27 July 2021. Lucy St Louis will play Christine Daaé and Rhys Whitfield will play Raoul. They join the previously announced double Olivier Award nominee Killian Donnelly as The Phantom.
‘Suitably impressive in terms of its ambition & style’: NOW OR NEVER – Barn Theatre (Online review) ★★★★
Song cycle Now or Never brims with positivity and hope even when it seems disaster is imminent.
NEWS: Motown the Musical extends West End booking until January 2019
Motown the Musical has just released 500,000 new tickets for sale, taking bookings for the hit West End production into 2019 when the show will celebrate its third year in London and Motown will celebrate sixty years since the record company was founded. Tickets are available to purchase for the production which is now running at the Shaftesbury Theatre until …
NEWS: Motown marks first West End birthday with extension to 2018
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL releases over 200,000 new tickets for sale with the show now booking at the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre to 24 February 2018 as the production celebrates its first birthday in London.
Festive news #3 – West End Sings for Childline
And because things come in threes, here’s the news about West End Sings’ Christmas single ‘If We Only Have Love’ by Jacques Brel. Released to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Childline and all proceeds will go to the charity. The track was officially released on Friday 9th December.
NEWS: Motown extends until Oct 2017, New Smokey Robinson joins cast
The West End production of Motown the Musical today (20 May 2016) releases over 350,000 tickets for sale with the show now booking at the Shaftesbury Theatre to 28 October 2017. With music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and book by Motown founder Berry Gordy, Motown the Musical also announces that Obioma Ugoala will join the cast in the role of Smokey Robinson from 4 July 2016.
Press Pass: All the Motown reviews plus starry livestream, news and interviews
You will know, of course, that this is the (company?) bio-musical telling the story of the legendary American record label of the same name, and more particularly, of the songwriter turned semi-reluctant mogul Berry Gordy who founded said record label on an $800 loan and abundant reserves of determination. But do you know what the critics, and other press, said?
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL – West End
I expected a big splashy jukebox musical, a-glitter with tearful Broadway sentiment and popster pizzazz. And indeed the tale of Berry Gordy’s legendary Motown record label is told through fantastic tribute renderings of its back-catalogue, the soundtrack of dates and disasters from 1959 onwards.
NEWS: Full ensemble cast announced for Motown, rehearsals begin
As rehearsals begin for the West End production of Motown the Musical, full casting is announced led by Cedric Neal as Berry Gordy, Lucy St. Louis as Diana Ross, Charl Brown as Smokey Robinson and Sifiso Mazibuko as Marvin Gaye.
NEWS: Broadway’s Charl Brown reprises Motown role in West End, Further cast
Charl Brown (Smokey Robinson) and Sifiso Mazibuko (Marvin Gaye) join the previously announced Cedric Neal (Berry Gordy) and Lucy St. Louis (Diana Ross) in the West End production of Motown the Musical. With music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and book by Motown founder Berry Gordy, Motown the Musical is directed by Charles Randolph-Wright. London previews will begin on 11 February 2016, with press night on 8 March 2016, with the show booking to 22 October 2016. Earlier this week it was announced that Motown the Musical will return to Broadway for an 18 week run in July next year.
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL – West End
This review wasn’t going to be written. Why? Well as this was a revisit to a show which I’d previously seen earlier in its run, I thought I’d just sit back and enjoy. However it soon struck me that I was witnessing some really career defining performances. Having been extremely successful on Broadway, Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom. From being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Along the way, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL – West End
This review wasn’t going to be written. Why? Well as this was a revisit to a show which I’d previously seen earlier in its run, I thought I’d just sit back and enjoy. However it soon struck me that I was witnessing some really career defining performances. Having been extremely successful on Broadway, Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom. From being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Along the way, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.