Author: FairyPoweredProductions

Hall for Cornwall, Truro – until 14 June 2025

Reviewed by Kerry Gilbert

5*****

Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as this show takes Shakespeare’s play and gives it a complete makeover by asking: What if Juliet lived? Juliet ditches her famous ending for a new beginning and a second chance at life and love – her way. The show was created by the Emmy-award winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek”. This show is pure escapism and will most definitely leave you in a good mood. While light and fun, the show also offers a resonant message about finding one’s own path and embracing individuality and empowering themes.

Featuring around thirty hits from pop supremo Max Martin, the show is visually stunning from start to finish, bright and colourful costumes, sets and lighting, creating a visually engaging experience. It has all the hallmarks of a pop concert: confetti cannons, cast members flying above the stage, tightly choreographed dance routines and strong performances. The lyrics take on new meaning, sometimes shifting your entire perspective on a song you thought you knew. It’s a testament to the clever plot writing and most definitely enhance and drive the story.

It’s Shakespeare’s wife Anne, who asks the questions and demands autonomy for Juliet; in doing so, she also flips the script on the Bard himself, probing into their own troubled relationship and his tortured genius act.

The entire cast is phenomenal but at the heart of & Juliet is a powerful trio of Juliet (Gerardine Sacdalan), Angelique (Sandra Marvin) and Anne Hathaway (Lara Denning). They infuse their characters with humanity, exquisite comic timing and vocals which will blow you away. Denning’s solo “That’s The Way It Is” is an undeniable stand out moment, her vocals were incredible, and roars of applause followed. Shakespeare (Jay McGuiness) shares brilliant chemistry with Anne, their scenes bursting with Shakespeare‘s wit and charm and the duet “I Want It That Way” was excellently delivered. Romeo (Benjamin Jackson Walker) was excellent at playing the lovestruck, naïve teenager and has lovely voice. Lance (Lee Latchford-Evans) delivers a comical performance – with a good accent and when he shares the stage with Marvin, it’s an absolute joy to watch.

The show is lauded for its themes of female empowerment and inclusive attitudes towards gender and sexuality, with the character May being cited as a key example. May (Jordan Broatch), is non-binary, tenderly exploring these feelings through Britney Spears’ I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman.

The humour, high-octane production and the songs make it irresistible. It ticks every box for me, and a great night out! It is 100% worth watching and It’s not to be missed!

Actor Cillian Lenaghan sat down with fairypowered to answer 20 questions. Cillian is currently playing Laurie on tour in Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women.  Due to appear at Leeds Grand Theatre from 10 June, tickets available here

Let’s start with a few favourites

Favourite show (whether you have been in it or not)?

Cyprus Avenue by David Ireland

Favourite book?

The Men who Stare at Goats – Jon Ronson

Favourite theatre?

Grand Opera House Belfast- first place I performed.

Favourite song?

Christy Moore- Back Home in Derry

Favourite music?

Rock and Irish trad

Favourite food?

Dried mango

Favourite drink?

Dark chocolate chai from Dishoom

What is your favourite role?

Richard the Third. I think he is misunderstood.

What was your first role?

School production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

And what role would you really like to play?

I would like to have a go at playing Macbeth or Banquo

If you weren’t a performer what would you be?

A train driver in London at the turn of the 20th century

What made you decide to be a performer?

I did a production of Les Misérables with MT4Youth in Belfast in the Mac theatre, we had a weekend to create the show out of chairs and newspaper rolls. It was incredible but intense. We pulled it off in just three days.

Do you enjoy touring?

I enjoy visiting all the different cities and seeing what they have to offer, as well as all the beautiful venues we get to play.

What advice would you give 16 year old you?

Stop caring about what other people think of you. Do it for yourself.

Do you fancy branching out in Producing or Directing?

I’d like to have a go at directing if anyone was mad enough to trust me.

What was the last stage show you saw and really enjoyed?

Inside No.9 Stage/Fright at the Wyndham’s theatre.

Favourite line from any show?

They may take our lives but they’ll never take our freedom.

If you could be anyone else for the day, who would it be?

George Orwell

What are the nicest/weirdest things you have ever received from fans?

I once received a lemon with my headshot attached to it. I thought that was quite bitter of them.

Can you tell us what you will be up to next?

I’m doing a play directed by Academy Award winner Terry Geroge. It’s called The Tunnel and it’s about a prison escape in Belfast in 1976.Little Women is on tour around the UK.  Tickets can be found here

LORNE MICHAELS, CROSSROADS LIVE

AND SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS

PRESENT

THE 2026/2027 UK AND IRELAND TOUR

OF THE AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL

MEAN GIRLS

OPENING AT

MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE

ON 23 FEBRUARY 2026

Lorne Michaels, Crossroads Live and Sonia Friedman Productions are delighted to announce further details of the 2026/2027 UK and Ireland tour of the award-winning MEAN GIRLS THE MUSICAL. The tour will open at Manchester Opera House on 23 February 2026 before touring to venues across the UK and Ireland until the end of January 2027. Tour listings below with further venues and casting to be announced. www.meangirlsmusical.com/tour

Meet The Plastics – Regina, Gretchen and Karen. They rule North Shore High and will burn anyone who gets in their way. Home-schooled Cady Heron may think she knows a thing or two about survival of the fittest thanks to her zoologist parents, but high school is a whole new level of savage. When Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung. Expect iconic characters, razor-sharp wit, and killer songs.

MEAN GIRLS, the smash-hit musical comedy based on the iconic Paramount Pictures film of the same name, had its first West End performance at the Savoy Theatre on 5 June 2024, where it was seen by over 330,000 people and played until 8 June 2025. MEAN GIRLS recently took home the coveted ‘Best New Musical’ award at the 2025 WhatsOnStage Awards.

MEAN GIRLS had its world premiere in 2017 at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C and opened on Broadway in April 2018 at the August Wilson Theatre to ecstatic responses, where it played to packed houses. The show then went on a hugely successful US tour in 2019 and recently completed a second US tour. In addition, in 2024, Paramount Pictures released a new twist on the fan-favourite film from the comedic mind of Tina Fey with a fresh and fun re-telling of the story featuring sensational musical performances.

The musical MEAN GIRLS has a book by Tina Fey, music and vocal arrangements by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw, scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Brian Ronan, hair design by Josh Marquette, musical supervision/vocal, dance, incidental and additional music arrangements by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, orchestrations by John Clancy and dance and incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly.

MEAN GIRLS UK TOUR – 2026/2027 TOUR LISTINGS

www.meangirlsmusical.com/tour

MONDAY 23 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 7 MARCH 2026  

MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 10 – SATURDAY 14 MARCH 2026  

CARDIFF WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE

https://www.wmc.org.uk/en

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 6 – SATURDAY 11 APRIL 2026  

SUNDERLAND EMPIRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 14 – SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2026

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 19 – SATURDAY 23 MAY 2026

EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM

https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 25 – SATURDAY 30 MAY 2026  

HULL NEW THEATRE

https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 1 – SATURDAY 6 JUNE 2026

BOURNEMOUTH PAVILLION

https://www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 9 JUNE – SATURDAY 20 JUNE 2026

GRAND OPERA HOUSE, BELFAST

https://www.goh.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 23 – SATURDAY 27 JUNE 2026

GRAND THEATRE, WOLVERHAMPTON

https://www.grandtheatre.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 29 JUNE – SATURDAY 11 JULY 2026 

THE KING’S THEATRE, GLASGOW

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre-glasgow

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 20 – SATURDAY 25 JULY 2026  

VENUE CYMRU, LLANDUDNO

https://www.venuecymru.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 28 JULY – SATURDAY 1 AUGUST 2026

CLIFF’S PAVILLION, SOUTHEND

https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 18 – SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2026

BLACKPOOL WINTER GARDENS

Winter Gardens Home

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 25 AUGUST – SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2026

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN

https://www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 8 – SATURDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2026

BRISTOL HIPPODROME

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 28 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2026

THE HAWTH CRAWLEY

https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/the-hawth

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 5 – SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2026

ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD

https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 19 – SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER 2026

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 17 – SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2026

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse

ON SALE SOON

MONDAY 18 – SATURDAY 30 JANUARY 2027

NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

THE TOUR WILL ALSO BE VISITING STOKE ON TRENT, EASTBOURNE, WOKING, ABERDEEN, CANTERBURY, NOTTINGHAM, SHEFFIELD, WIMBLEDON, BIRMINGHAM, OXFORD AND SOUTHAMPTON WITH DATES AND VENUES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

Sheffield Lyceum – until Saturday 14th June 2025

Reviewed by Adam Craddock

5*****

The time is 12:15am and I just blew in from the Steely City of Sheffield having watched the 2025 UK and Ireland tour of “Calamity Jane”, starring West End Superstar Carrie Hope Fletcher, and I have to say my 4 hour round trip was 100% worth it!

“Calamity Jane” follows the eponymous woman of the Wild West as she brings the naive Katie Brown to the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, following which chaos ensues with the locals, in particular Wild Bill Hickok and Danny Gilmartin.

Vinny Coyle was fantastic as Wild Bill Hickok. The machismo oozing from him and the delicious baritone vocal were to die for, with some movement skills that actually surprised me. This felt to me like one of those roles made for a certain actor and I was very pleased to have witnessed it. Luke Wilson was good as Danny Gilmartin. He had a fabulous voice but possibly flew a bit under the radar compared to some of the larger performances in the show. Seren Sandham-Davies was great as Katie Brown. Her slightly chaotic bubbly portrayal was spot on and really lent into the surreal nature of the show. Samuel Holmes was brilliant as Francis Fryer, with a brilliant comedic presence, I particularly enjoyed his semi drag number! Peter Peverley and Hollie Cassar were both fair as Henry Miller and Susan. Peverley was brilliantly erratic but somewhat one dimensional due to how the character is written. Cassar was very funny as Susan but did get somewhat lost in the shuffle of the bigger personalities in the show. Molly-Grace Cutler was good as Adelaid Adams in the limited role, with a strong performance of the vaudeville number and an interesting contrast in character when offstage.

My two absolute highlights in the production however were Richard Lock as Rattlesnake and, of course, Carrie Hope Fletcher as Calamity Jane. Lock was absolutely hilarious as the hillbilly Rattlesnake, with a physical comedic presence to match any and a mighty impressive bass vocal which came out of nowhere! Fletcher’s outstanding performance felt role defining as a modern Calamity Jane, with her trademark twangy vocal on full display and a clear passion for the character shining through. The wider ensemble were absolutely fantastic, with a mighty talented cast of actor-muso’s on display to full effect. I do love an actor-muso show when done correctly and this leant itself perfectly to this production, really leaning into the feeling of a misfit community all working together. Bravo to all!

The set for the show was absolutely perfect, really feeling like an old west style theatre crossed with a saloon bar giving it a real rustic charm. The colour palette leant a sepia tone to the show which made it feel like you were watching an old movie. The costumes were perfection and the whole production values were superb, bar a couple of crackly mics at the beginning which did make the sound seem slightly amateur initially.

All in all I had an absolutely fantastic night and would highly recommend anyone see this production while it is on tour before it goes whip crack away from Sheffield.

Aylesbury Waterside Wednesday – until 14th June 2025

Reviewed by Rachel Clark

5*****

A powerful musical that received a total standing ovation

Dear Evan Hansen is a musical Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (the book by Steven Levenson) and has won many awards and I am not surprised.

The story follows Evan Hansen a 17-year-old schoolboy with anxiety and depression. Evan is played by Ryan Kopel who has a great voice and does a stunning performance he draws you into the story. Evan breaks his arms and goes to a therapist who encourages him to write letters on how he is feeling, he leaves a copy of his latest letter Dear Evan Hansen on the printer in the computer room were Connor finds it he storms off with the letter. Connor is also depressed and a drug user and has a sister Zoe whom Hansen is attracted to; she was mentioned in the letter which didn’t impress Connor.

Later Connor commits suicide and the letter Hansen wrote is found in his pocket and all believe it was Connor’s letter, from reading the letter they believed Connor and Hansen were close friends and is invited to tea with the family. The family of Connor welcome in Evan and want to know more about their friendship and Evan forges emails and tells them of their time in an old Orchard. Later Evan and Alana a school friend and Jared a family friend who befriends Evan (so his parents will pay his car insurance!) set up a foundation in memory of Connor to raise the money to buy and bring the Orchard back to life. But does Evan get found out?

All the cast were amazing Heidi Hansen played by Alice Fearn – Evans mother, and Jared Kleiman is funny played by Tom Dickerson, Lauren Conroy was Zoe and Killain Thomas Lefevre played Connor, Concor’s parents were played by Richard Hurst and Helen Anker topped by a live band.

A must go and see!

A COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION LICENCED BY THE BBC

CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

WRITTEN BY TIM STIMPSON
DIRECTED BY JOSEPH O’MALLEY

1 SEPTEMBER – 11 OCTOBER

TICKETS ON SALE HERE 

A NEW PLAY COMMISSIONED BY THE BARN & LICENSED BY THE BBC

“A new comedy to celebrate 75 Years of The Archers”

CEO and Artistic Director Iwan Lewis, Executive Director Liam McMullan, and the whole team of the Barn Theatre in Cirencester, are delighted to announce the creative team for the world premiere of Tim Stimpson’s play Haywire – A Not-So-Everyday Story Of How The Archers Was Born (Monday 1 September – Saturday 11 October, with a national press night on Thursday 4 September).

Joiningwriter Tim Stimpson and director Joseph O’Malley will be set and costume designer Alfie Heywood, with lighting design provided by Adam Foley, composer and sound designer will be Amanda Priestley and casting direction will come from Emily Jones and Anthony Houghton.

Casting will be announced in the next few weeks.

This new play, licensed by the BBC, to be performed in the 75th anniversary year of The Archers ahead of the 75th anniversary of The Archers on 1st January  2026, uses the magic of radio drama to whisk the audience back to the halcyon days when public gathered around their wirelesses to listen and lose themselves in the live, trials and tribulations of a fictional farming family.

In a cold British December in 1950, producer Godfrey Baseley assembled a group of actors in a studio above a used car showroom in Birmingham, to record the first ever episode of The Archers. Now, 75 years later, the ‘everyday story of country folk’ remains a proud staple of British pop culture and a fixture at the top of the BBC’s download charts.

Haywire is a fond and funny celebration of one of British media’s most enduring creations, paired with a deep affection for the craft of radio.

It is a love letter to The Archers and the minds that created it – an exclusive invitation to experience the tears and laughter, the triumphs and calamities, that can happen both in front of and behind the mic.

The Archers writer Tim Stimpson said, “It’s been a long-standing ambition of mine to tell the extraordinary story of how a small team of writers, actors and producers recording above a used car showroom in the centre of post-war Birmingham created what is now the world’s longest running soap – sorry, ‘continuing drama’. the Barn is certainly more salubrious than the BBC studios were back then, but I feel the spirit of creativity and ambition is very much the same. I couldn’t be more delighted to be working with them. Plus, how could a play about The Archers be performed anywhere other than a theatre called the Barn?!”

The Archers Editor Jeremy Howe said, “Last Christmas The Archers writer Tim Stimpson and I went tentatively to the Barn Theatre to pitch Haywire, a comedy that is a love song to the early years of Britain’s best loved drama on Radio 4, The Archers, a show which will be seventy-five years young in January 2026. They bit off our hands to commission it. I am delighted for The Archers to be working in partnership with the Barn Theatre, one of the most dynamic and welcoming theatres in the land, and I cannot wait to be sitting in the front row on the opening night of Tim Stimpson’s Haywire.”

Barn Theatre’s CEO and Artistic Director Iwan Lewis and Executive Director and Producer Liam McMullan said, “I’m incredibly excited for the Barn to premiere Haywire as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of The Archers. As a lifelong listener, it’s thrilling to finally see with our eyes what we’ve listened to for decades. We’re hugely grateful to the BBC for trusting us with one of their most prized assets, and to Tim Stimpson and Jeremy Howe for their belief in the Barn. We’re also thrilled to be back in the rehearsal room with long-time Barn Director Joseph O’Malley, who brings humour and heart and to everything he does.”

The Barn Theatre is an award-winning producing-house in the heart of the Cotswolds, on a mission to inspire communities and champion the power of storytelling.

West End LIVE 2025:  

Additional performances and 20^th anniversary plans announced 

Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 June 2025 

www.westendlive.co.uk  

·         Hailed as ‘Glastonbury for theatre lovers’, Europe’s largest free musical theatre festival returns on Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 June 

·         New performances announced to join the line-up of over 50 top London shows include Jamie Lloyd’s Evita, with Rachel Zegler set to perform 

·         The Sunday afternoon will also see an array of theatre stars perform as part of a concert to celebrate 20 years of West End LIVE, including Madalena Alberto, Aimie Atkinson, Cassidy Janson, Jenna Lee-James, Kayleigh McKnight, Lee Mead, Johndeep More, Natalie Paris, Tobias Turley and Marisha Wallace 

·         Presenting this year’s event are Divina De Campo and Hannah Lowther on Saturday, and Zoe Birkett and Oliver Tompsett on Sunday 
 

Celebrating its 20th year, West End LIVE returns on Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 June, with a packed line-up of top London shows. Hailed as ‘Glastonbury for theatre lovers’, West End LIVE is Europe’s largest free musical theatre festival and showcases outstanding performances from top West End musicals, live and free in Trafalgar Square. 

Tens of thousands of theatre fans are expected to flock to the capital for this unique event, presented by Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre with support from the Mayor of London, partners and sponsors. West End LIVE attracts people of all ages into central London to experience the best of the West End – from the city’s unparalleled theatre and culture scene to food, drink, fashion, nightlife, retail and more, providing a major boost to Westminster’s local economy and supporting the creative industries. 

An impressive line-up of over 50 top West End shows are set to perform at the event, as previously announced on social media, including Back To The Future, Cabaret, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Disney’s Hercules, Disney’s The Lion King, Fiddler On The Roof, Hamilton, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Matilda The Musical and Wicked. 

Today, new shows have been revealed to join the line-up, including Jamie Lloyd’s upcoming production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, with Hollywood star Rachel Zegler set to perform at West End LIVE for the first time. Other new additions include 101 Dalmatians, Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret, National Youth Music Theatre and This Is My Family. 

Additionally, a special concert will take place at the event on Sunday afternoon to celebrate West End LIVE’s 20th anniversary, featuring a host of theatre stars curated by Westway Music, including Madalena Alberto, Aimie Atkinson, Cassidy Janson, Jenna Lee-James, Kayleigh McKnight, Lee Mead, Johndeep More, Natalie Paris, Tobias Turley and Marisha Wallace. The concert will take a look back at shows that have featured across West End LIVE’s 20-year history, including Beautiful, Carousel, Dreamgirls, Frozen, Heathers, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, & Juliet, Once, Rent and We Will Rock You. 
 

West End LIVE would not be possible without the ongoing commitment shown by Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre, with the support of the Mayor of London, London Heritage Quarter, New West End Company, Nimbus, Art of London, The Crown Estate, Edwardian Hotels, FM Conway, Heart of London Business Alliance, Regent St & St James’s, Shaftesbury Capital, Veolia, The Portman Estate and Thames Technology. Theatre owners and groups continue their support this year including Disney On Stage, ATG Entertainment, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, LW Theatres, Nimax Theatres, Nederlander Theatres, Shaftesbury Theatre, Theatre Royal Haymarket, Criterion Theatres, Trafalgar Entertainment, Concord Theatricals and Theatrical Rights Worldwide. 

Cllr Ryan Jude, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture, said: 
 
“West End LIVE made its debut in Leicester Square two decades ago and has since grown into Europe’s largest free celebration of open-air theatre. Through our partnership with the Society of London Theatre, the impact of West End LIVE reaches far beyond a single weekend.  

“Working together, we’re proud to be increasing access to cultural opportunities for residents and young people in Westminster. We want to ensure everyone has the chance to experience the amazing cultural opportunities we have on offer in our city and we are looking forward to seeing people celebrating an incredible 20 years of West End LIVE this summer.” 

West End LIVE is free to attend. Throughout the weekend, performances and exclusive backstage content are streamed on Official London Theatre’s YouTube and social media channels. 

List of announced performances at West End LIVE 2025 

101 Dalmatians 

The Addams Family 

Back To The Future The Musical 

Bat Out Of Hell 

The Book Of Mormon 

Brigadoon 

Burlesque The Musical 

Cabaret 

Calamity Jane 

The Choir Of Man 

Clueless The Musical 

Coven 

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button 

The Devil Wears Prada 

The Diana Mixtape 

Disney’s Hercules 

Disney’s The Lion King 

Evita 

Fiddler On The Roof 

The Frogs 

G4 

The Great Gatsby 

Hadestown 

Hamilton 

Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret 

Just For One Day 

Lovestuck 

Magic Mike Live 

Mamma Mia! 

Westway Presents: Marisha Wallace 

Matilda The Musical 

Les Misérables 

MJ The Musical 

Moulin Rouge! The Musical 

My Neighbour Totoro 

National Youth Music Theatre 

Oliver! 

Operation Mincemeat 

Oscar At The Crown 

Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby 

The Phantom Of The Opera 

Pop Off, Michaelangelo! 

The Producers 

Ride The Cyclone 

Roles We’ll Never Play 

Sabrage 

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical 

Sing Street 

Six 

Starlight Express 

This Is My Family 

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical 

Titanique 

Westway Presents: West End LIVE 20th Anniversary Concert 

Wicked 

WestEndLive.co.uk | X | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube 

Mayflower Theatre  – until 14 June 2025

Reviewed by Jo Gordon

5*****

Pride and Prejudice (*sort of), written by Isobel MacArthur, is a bold, brilliant, and blisteringly funny adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic that smashes every expectation and rebuilds them with glitter, karaoke, and buckets of charm. This is Austen as you’ve never seen her before—irreverent, loud, fiercely feminist, and gloriously entertaining from start to finish.

Set against the backdrop of Regency England the play is told from the perspective of the servants—the women who usually remain invisible in period dramas. Here, they step into the spotlight, becoming Lizzy, Darcy, and the rest of the iconic cast. The result is a wickedly sharp retelling that doesn’t just poke fun at the stiff conventions of its source material—it gleefully blows them to pieces.

The ensemble cast is nothing short of phenomenal. Each actor takes on multiple roles with effortless skill, creating a dazzling array of characters with just a quick change of costume, accent, or posture. The comic timing is impeccable, the transitions are seamless, and the energy never flags. Every single performer deserves praise for their wit, warmth, and extraordinary talent.

The script is razor-sharp, mixing Austen’s prose with modern slang, fourth-wall breaking, and moments of hilariously unexpected karaoke and it works brilliantly. Songs like “Young Hearts Run Free” and “You’re So Vain” become emotional and comedic high points that add an extra layer of meaning while keeping the audience in fits of laughter.

What makes this adaptation truly special is how it balances parody with genuine heart. Beneath the clever jokes and smart commentary lies a deep respect for Austen’s themes: love, class and societal pressure. This is storytelling with a point, delivered with style and soul.

Directed with flair and choreographed for maximum chaos and charm, Pride and Prejudice (*sort of) feels like a riotous night out with your sharpest, most rebellious friends. It’s theatre that feels inclusive, joyous, and thrillingly alive.

Whether you’re a die-hard Austen fan or someone who’s never made it past the dust cover, this play is an absolute must-see. clever, chaotic, cathartic—and completely unforgettable. An unmissable triumph, one I’m sure Miss Austen herself would chortle profusely at! 

FINAL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

THE WEST END PRODUCTION OF

T I N A – T H E   T I N A   T U R N E R   M U S I C A L

RUNNING UNTIL 13 SEPTEMBER 2025

The producers of the hit West End production TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL,which is based on the life of legendary artist Tina Turner and was produced in association with Tina Turner herself, are delighted to announce that joining the previously announced Karis Anderson,who enters her fourth year in the musical, and recording artist and TV and radio presenter Fleur East, who makes her West End debut in the musical, will be Rolan Bell who continues in the role of Ike Turner for a second year. Karis and Fleur will share the role of Tina.

The musical, which has been running in the West End for over 7 years, making it the longest running show ever to play at the Aldwych Theatre, will close on Saturday 13 September 2025.

From Tuesday 24 June 2025, Natasha J Barnes joins as the manager of Ike and Tina, Rhonda Graam, Chrissie Bhima joins to playTina’s sister Alline Bullock, James Chisholm joins as Tina’s father Richard Bullock, Matt Dempsey will play record producer Phil Spector and lyricist Terry Britten, Irene Myrtle Forrester continues as Tina’s grandmother, GG, Christian James joins as Tina’s manager Roger Davies,current company member Dan O’Brien will take over the role of record company marketing manager Erwin Bach, Samuel Sarpong-Broni joins the castas Tina’s first love Raymond Hill, Charlotte St. Croix will continue as Standby Tina Turner and Carole Stennett continues as Tina’s mother Zelma.

Ensemble members are Craig Armstrong as Carpenter, Sarah Freer as Lorraine, Angelis Hunt as Tina’s son Ronnie, Keanu Adolphus Johnson as Tina’s son Craig and Ria Turner as Toni. The Ikettes are played by Vanessa Dumatey, Marion Fagbemi and Equiana Givans and swingsare Tré Copeland-Williams, Raiaz Fisher, Peter Houston, Joey James, Tamsin January, Jordan Louis-Fernand, Marisha Morgan, Annell Odartey, Clio Tamai and Samuel J Weir.

Children’s casting includes new cast members Rhianne King, Keilah Kofi and current cast member Lola McCourtie as Young Anna Mae Bullock and new cast members Diuneusa Miguel, Brielle Owusu Ansah and Ariella Warburton as Young Alline Bullock and Young Craig.

Developed by Stage Entertainment in London together with Tina Turner, the critically acclaimed production received its world premiere in the West End in April 2018 and has subsequently broken all Box Office records at the Aldwych Theatre. Since its opening, 10 first-class productions have opened worldwide on Broadway, across North America, in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Australia. The first UK and Ireland Tour opened in March 2025, the Brazilian production is opening in February 2026, and further European and world-wide productions are forthcoming.

From her humble beginnings in Nutbush Tennessee to becoming the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tina Turner’s journey is nothing short of legendary. TINA – The Tina Turner Musical brings her inspiring story to life through electrifying, world-class performances set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her iconic hits. Featuring unforgettable anthems such as River Deep, Mountain High, We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome), Proud Mary, The Best, What’s Love Got To Do With It and the timeless Proud Mary,

this show is an exhilarating celebration of the artist we all know and love.

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL opened at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End in 2018 before a global roll-out that brought the show to sold-out audiences across the world. The musical has been seen by over 8 million people worldwide.

In North America, the Broadway production opened in November 2019 and was nominated for 12 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The North American tour continues to run in its third year and can currently be seen across North American cities. TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL recently finished touring across Australia, where it broke historic box office records at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and enjoyed sell out seasons at Theatre Royal, Sydney; Astor Theatre, Perth; and Lyric Theatre, Brisbane. In Europe, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL has had productions at Stage Operettenhaus in Hamburg, Germany; the Apollo Theater in Stuttgart, Germany; the Beatrix Theater in Utrecht, Netherlands, and at the Teatro Coliseum in Madrid, Spain. In February 2026, the musical will open in Sao Paulo in Brazil marking its 11^th worldwide first-class production.

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is choreographed by Anthony van Laast, with set and costume designs by Mark Thompson, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, lighting by Bruno Poet,sound by Nevin Steinberg, projection design by Jeff Sugg, orchestrations by Ethan Popp, wigs, hair and make up design by Campbell Young Associates, casting by Richard Johnston for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting and fight direction by Kate Waters.

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment, Joop van den Ende and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner.

Produced by Stage Entertainment and Ghostlight Records and featuring the original London cast, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL: Original Cast Recording is available worldwide on CD, both online and in stores. The CD features a 20-page booklet, which includes liner notes, synopsis, and production and studio photography. The album was recorded in February 2019 at Angel Studios and RAK Studios, produced by the show’s Music Supervisor Nicholas Skilbeck and Kurt Deutsch, and co-produced by Tom Kelly. To download or stream the album, or order the CD please visit www.ghostlightrecords.lnk.to/riverdeep-tinaturnermusical

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is dedicated to the memory of Tina Turner, who sadly passed away in May 2023.

Curve Theatre Leicester – until 14th June 2025

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

2**

Bat Out of Hell is not a good show. The book is nonsensical, the narrative is completely non-existent and at no point did I have any idea what was happening. I was deeply disappointed to discover that Jim Steinman had written the book. His songs deserve a much better vehicle than this badly written and produced production to showcase his immense musical talent.

The vague story is as follows: In some futuristic dystopia, a dictator called Falco (Joshua Dever) lives in a high-rise tower with his wife, Sloane (Sharon Sexton) and their teenage daughter, Raven (Sophie-Rose Emery.) He drugs his daughter to stop her from dreaming, for some unknown reason, and Slone has some alcohol issues due to being deeply unhappy about her life. Meanwhile, deep in the sewers, Strat (Glenn Adamson) is the leader of ‘The Lost’, a gang very much like Peter Pan’s lost boys, who will forever be 18. Tink (Carla Bertran) appears slightly younger than the others and has a crush on Strat. However, Strat is in love with Raven, a girl he has never met but whom he has a poster of, despite her leading a very sheltered life due to her strict parenting. How she appears on posters is never explained. Raven is also in love with Strat. Strat breaks into Raven’s bedroom, with the help of her maid, Zahara (Georgia Bradshaw) who is also one of the Lost. Raven runs away with Strat, then goes back home again, then runs away again, a plot echoed by her mum, who leaves her dad, then goes back, then leaves again, but we are unsure why, except that it fits in with the songs. Major plot points such as injuries are never explained or properly acknowledged, as at one point Strat is mortally wounded but in the next song he proceeds to prance around without a care about his wound. Tink betrays ‘The Lost’, almost getting throttled to death by Falco. Character arcs and development are missing entirely as Falco spends the entire show fighting violently against ‘The Lost’, but once he decides to dress the same as ‘The Lost’ at the end, all is forgiven. The songs are shoehorned into this mess, which further detracts from any structure or sense. We lose all emotional connection to the characters because we are unable to follow their journey so we don’t care what happens to them.

Using handheld microphones is an odd choice. It would make sense for them to be used during the songs but having them for the spoken parts adds to the fakeness of the show, along with the camera projections. The beauty of theatre is watching live performances, but the relentless use of screens strips a production of its authentic action.

Bat out of Hell does have some positives. The cast are sensational performers with outstanding vocals. I was blown away by Ryan Carter and Georgia Bradshaw’s rendition of ‘Dead Ringer for Love’. Glenn Adamson is a wired and energetic Strat, his unique voice makes each song his own. Closing Act 1, his version of the titular ‘Bat Out of Hell’ absolutely smashes it. The tightness of the ensemble means that the execution of choreography is flawless and really enhances the talent and professionalism of the cast. Unfortunately, the phenomenal cast are the only positives for the show, but they can’t save it from the low star rating. Bat out of Hell is a non-show. I wish it were a reimagining of the songs from Meatloaf and Jim Steinman and did away with any trace of the deplorable excuse of a plot.