ACCLAIMED NEW MUSICAL

RELEASES CAST ALBUM

Production has recently extended booking

to 12 February 2023

Hit songs include Stand By Me, Saturday Night at the Movies,

Under The Boardwalk, Save The Last Dance For Me

and Kissin in the Back Row of the Movies

At Garrick Theatre, Londonwww.thedriftersgirl.com

Following Olivier Award nominations for Best New Musical and Best Actress in a Musical, Michael Harrison and David Ian are thrilled to announce The Drifters Girl World Premiere Cast album, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and due for release on Friday 6 May 2022, by Tag8 Music, with BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited, Treadwell Entertainment Group and Showtime Productions Ltd. 

The album features the original cast of the acclaimed new musical: Queen of British Soul, Beverley Knight, with the sensational Adam J Bernard (Dreamgirls), Tarinn Callender (Hamilton), Matt Henry (Kinky Boots) and Tosh Wanogho-Maud (Showboat), who capture the essence of notable members of The Drifters – Clyde Mcphatter, Ben E. King, Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore, and Beverley Knight reimagines classic Drifters tracks with her striking voice, capturing Faye Treadwell’s story.

The album was produced by the shows arranger and orchestrator, Chris Egan, who along with the creative team, including co-producers Trystan Francis and Will Stuart, took over the iconic Abbey Road Studio 2, with the full show band plus some additional musicans to create an enhanced version of the songs from the show.

The album includes the incredible songs from the show from Stand By Me, Under the Boardwalk, Saturday Night at the Movies to the emotional Harlem Child. 

Pre-Order link  https://TheDriftersGirl.lnk.to/DriftersGirlPR

Tracklisting: 

 1.   Opening Medley (Hello Happiness, Kissin’ In The Back Row Of The Movies, There Goes My First Love)

2. Money Honey

3. Follow Me

4. Whatcha Gonna Do

5. Fools Fall In Love

6. Nobody But Me

7. Save The Last Dance For Me

8. This Magic Moment

9. Stand By Me

10. Sweets For My Sweet

11.I Don’t Wanna Go On Without You / Stand By Me

12.Saturday Night At The Movies

13.There Goes My Baby

14.When My Little Girl Is Smiling

15.Under The Boardwalk

16.In The Land Of Make Believe

17.Harlem Child

18.Kissin’ In The Back Row Of The Movies

19.There Goes My First Love

20.Come On Over To My Place

21.There Goes My Baby – Reprise

22.You’re More Than A Number In My Little Red Book

The Drifters Girl has been thrilling audiences since beginning in Newcastle in October 2021. The show transferred to London in November 2021, and has continued to play to packed houses and nightly standing ovations. It has recently extended its run at Garrick Theatre in London to Sunday 12 February 2023

The musical tells the story of Faye Treadwell, the legendary manager of The Drifters who, alongside her husband, George Treadwell, ground breaking manager and co-founder of The Drifters, fought for three decades to turn Atlantic Records’ hottest vocal group into a global phenomenon.

From the highs of hit records and sell out tours to the lows of legal battles and personal tragedy, The Drifters Girl charts the trailblazing efforts of the world’s first African American, female music manager and how she refused to ever give up on the group she loved. Thirty years, and hundreds of hit songs later, there is no doubt that Faye Treadwell was and always will be, The Drifters Girl.

The UK’s Queen of Soul Beverley Knight plays Faye Treadwell, with Adam J Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry and Tosh Wanogho-Maud as the iconic group. Beverley continues in the role through to Saturday 2 July, with casting from that date to be announced.

The cast is completed by Marcus Ayton, Ashford Campbell, Ethan Davis, Vanessa Ela Young, Michael James Stewart, Alanna Leslie, Curtis Scott, and the young actors are Aurora Baptiste, Amari Brown, Savanna Musoni, Savannah Skinner-Henry and Shanyia Tsoto (who play the role of George and Faye’s daughter Tina Treadwell).

The Drifters Girl boasts an incredible soundtrack of some of the most famous songs in history, including Save The Last Dance For Me, Under The Boardwalk, Kissin In The Back Row Of The Movies, Stand By Me, Come On Over To My Place, Saturday Night At The Movies and many more.

The Drifters Girl, with abook by Ed Curtis, based on an idea by Tina Treadwell, and which is co-created by Beverley Knight, Adam J Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry and Tosh Wanogho-Maud is directed by Jonathan Church, with set design by Anthony Ward, choreography by Karen Bruce, costume design by Fay Fullerton, orchestrations and musical supervision by Chris Egan lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall and video design by Andrzej Goulding. Associate Director is Tyrone Huntley and Associate Choreographer is Myles Brown with casting by Stuart Burt and children’s casting by Jo Hawes.

The Drifters Girl is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian.

James L. Nederlander, Jamie Wilson, Hunter Arnold, Crossroads Live, Playful Productions and The English National Opera
present
the Lincoln Center Theater production of

LERNER & LOEWE’S
MY FAIR LADY
Book and Lyrics by ALAN JAY LERNER
Music by FREDERICK LOEWE
Directed by BARTLETT SHER

www.myfairladymusical.co.uk
@MyFairLadyUK

• FULL CASTING LINE UP FOR MY FAIR LADY IS ANNOUNCED AS THE SHOW BEGINS REHEARSALS
  
   
• STEPHEN K AMOS WILL PLAY ALFRED P. DOOLITTLE AND MALCOLM SINCLAIR WILL PLAY COLONEL PICKERING
  
   
• THEY JOIN THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED AMARA OKEREKE AS ELIZA DOOLITTLE, HARRY HADDEN-PATON AS HENRY HIGGINS, VANESSA REDGRAVE AS MRS HIGGINS, MAUREEN BEATTIE AS MRS PEARCE AND SHARIF AFIFI AS FREDDY EYNSFORD-HILL
  
   
• THE FULL COMPANY IS COMPLETED WITH DAMMI AREGBESHOLA, BERNADETTE BANGURA, JOSEPH CLAUS, JORDAN CROUCH, JAMIE CRUTTENDEN, FRANCESSCA DANIELLA-BAKER, BARRY DRUMMOND, BETHANY HUCKLE, HEATHER JACKSON, EMMA JOHNSON, CHARLOTTE KENNEDY, SINEAD KENNY, JENNY LEGG, TOM LIGGINS, REBEKAH LOWINGS, CARL PATRICK, TOM PING, DOMINIQUE PLANTER, JOSEPH POULTON, JOHN STACEY, JOSHUA STEEL, OLIVER TESTER, ADAM VAUGHAN, ANNIE WENSAK AND PAUL WESTWOOD
  
   
• DIRECTED BY BARTLETT SHER, THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AND MULTI AWARD WINNING PRODUCTION FEATURES 36 MUSICIANS FROM THE ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA’S AWARD-WINNING ORCHESTRA PLAYING FREDERICK LOEWE’S RAVISHING SCORE
  
   
• FULL COMPANY REHEARSALS BEGIN ON 4 APRIL AHEAD OF THE FIRST PREVIEW ON 7 MAY AND OFFICIAL OPENING ON 18 MAY
  
   
• TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR THE STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON AT THE LONDON COLISEUM UNTIL 27 AUGUST FROM WWW.MYFAIRLADYMUSICAL.CO.UK

Producers are delighted to announce the full cast line up for Bartlett Sher’s glorious and lavish production of My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum.

Stephen K Amos will play the role of Alfred P. Doolittle. Stephen is a BAFTA award-winning comedian whose stage work includes My Night With Reg and One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Malcolm Sinclairwill play the role of Colonel Pickering. Malcolm has performed in more than 50 theatrical productions and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2019 Olivier Awards for his performance in Pressure at The Ambassador’s Theatre. 

They join the previously announced Amara Okereke who will star as Eliza Doolittle, Harry Hadden-Paton who reprises his performance as Henry Higgins, Dame Vanessa Redgrave who will play Mrs Higgins, Maureen Beattie who will play Mrs Pearce and Sharif Afifi who will play Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

The full company is completed with Dammi Aregbeshola, Bernadette Bangura, Joseph Claus, Jordan Crouch, Jamie Cruttenden, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Barry Drummond,  Bethany Huckle, Heather Jackson, Emma Johnson, Charlotte Kennedy, Sinead Kenny, Jenny Legg, Tom Liggins, Rebekah Lowings, Carl Patrick, Tom Ping, Dominique Planter, Joseph Poulton, John Stacey, Joshua Steel, Oliver Tester, Adam Vaughan, Annie Wensak and Paul Westwood. 

New York’s Lincoln Center Theater’s critically acclaimedand multi award-winning production of Lerner & Loewe’s much loved My Fair Lady will transfer to the London Coliseum for a limited summer engagement in what will be the first major West End revival of the show for 21 years. The season comes as part of the ongoing celebrated tradition of summer musicals at the London Coliseum. The perfect way to celebrate London’s theatre scene as it blossoms once more after the pandemic. Performances begin on 7 May 2022 with an opening night on 18 May 2022.

Tickets are on sale now from www.myfairladymusical.co.uk 

Directed by Bartlett Sher, this sublime production, which premiered in the spring of 2018 at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, was the winner of the Tony Award for Best Costume Design,  5 Outer Critics’ Circle Awards including Best Musical Revival, the Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Revival, and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical Revival and Costume Design. The London production will feature 36 musicians from the English National Opera’s award-winning Orchestra playing Frederick Loewe’s ravishing score making it the largest orchestra in the West End.

My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady”. But who is really being transformed?

With a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, MY FAIR LADYboasts a score including the classic songs “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Get Me to the Church on Time,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “On the Street Where You Live,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.” 

“Thrilling! Glorious and better than it ever was! A marvellous and transformative revival.”
New York Times

Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion, Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY premiered on Broadway in March 1956, winning 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history at the time. Following this success, the production transferred to London in 1958, where it played in the West End for five and a half years. 

MY FAIR LADY has seen many notable revivals and adaptations, including the acclaimed 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison, which won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Most recently on the London stage, Cameron Mackintosh’s 2001 revival at Theatre Royal Drury Lane won three Olivier Awards, and later toured across the UK and Ireland in 2005.

James L. Nederlander, Jamie Wilson, Hunter Arnold, Crossroads Live, Playful Productions and the English National Opera present the Lincoln Center Theater production ofLerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY. Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Donald Holder, sound by Marc Salzberg, hair & wigs by Tom Watson, musical direction by Gareth Valentine, musical supervision by Ted Sperling, choreography by Christopher Gattelli, directed by Bartlett Sher.

THE ONLY WAY IS…

GEMMA COLLINS

TO STAR AS ‘MAMA MORTON’

IN THE UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF

THE INTERNATIONAL SMASH HIT MUSICAL

ALONGSIDE FAYE BROOKES AS ‘ROXIE HART’

AND

DJALENGA SCOTT AS ‘VELMA KELLY’

AT THE SUNDERLAND EMPIRE

FROM TUESDAY 31 MAY 2022

David Ian in association with Barry and Fran Weissler are delighted to announce TV personality Gemma ‘The GC’ Collins will star as ‘Mama Morton’ in the acclaimed UK and Ireland tour of the international smash hit musical CHICAGO. Gemma will join the tour at the Sunderland Empire from Tuesday 31 May 2022, ahead of playing Cardiff New Theatre, Blackpool Winter Gardens, Sheffield Lyceum, Norwich Theatre Royal and New Theatre, Oxford.

David Ian said today, “We were completely stunned by Gemma’s audition for the role. She’s an undeniable force both on and off stage, and we can’t wait to see her portrayal of ‘Mama Morton’ on tour. Audiences across the country are in for a treat.”

Gemma Collins is best known as a media personality and businesswoman, having first featured in the reality series The Only Way Is Essex. She was awarded the 2021 winner of the Best Female Personality at the National Reality Television Awards. Since ‘Essex’ Gemma has appeared in numerous television shows including, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity Big Brother, Dancing on Ice and All Together Now in which she was a finalist. Most recently Gemma was seen on screens with her intimate Channel 4 documentary, Gemma Collins: Self-Harm & Me. Before finding fame on The Only Way Is Essex, Gemma was a keen performer having studied dance and winning a place at the renowned Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Gemma joins Faye Brookes as ‘Roxie Hart’, Djalenga Scott as ‘Velma Kelly’, Jamie Baughan as ‘Amos Hart’ and B.E. Wong as ‘Mary Sunshine’. The role of ‘Billy Flynn’ will be announced soon. Full tour schedule below. www.chicagothemusical.com

The cast is completed by Ishmail Aaron, Michelle Andrews, Gabby Antrobus, Delycia Belgrave, Joel Benjamin, Tanisha-Mae Brown, Daniel Clift, Callum Fitzgerald, Emily Goodenough, Billie Hardy, Aaron Jenkins, Liam Marcellino, Theo Reece, Hollie Jane Stephens and Harrison Wilde. 

Faye Brookes (Roxie Hart) reached the final of last year’s series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice. She is best known for her role as Kate Connor in ITV’s Coronation Street, for which she won a National Television Award. Her theatre credits include Princess Fiona in Shrek and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, both on national tour, Ann/Edna in That Day We Sang directed by Victoria Wood at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, Liesl in The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Frenchy in Grease at the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre. Faye’s other TV credits include Agnes Franklin in Our Girl and Helena in Atlantis, both for the BBC.

Djalenga Scott’s (Velma Kelly) West End credits include Lily St Regis in Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the New London and Chicago at the Adelphi, Cambridge and Garrick Theatres. Her other credits include Anita in the national tour of West Side Story, Rizzo in Grease at Curve Leicester, Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show and Carmen in Fame, both on European tours, the US tour of Batman Live and Bombalurina in Cats at Kilworth House. Djalenga’s screen credits include Scarlett/Esme in Trapped for the BBC and Alexandra in the film I Give It A Year.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes the show-stopping songs “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango”, and “All That Jazz”.  Winner of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, CHICAGO is the longest running American musical in Broadway and West End history.

Since it opened in New York in 1996, CHICAGO has played in 36 countries worldwide and has been performed in English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Danish, Japanese and Korean.  Worldwide it has been seen by an estimated 33 million people, grossed over $1.7 billion and played over 32,500 performances.

CHICAGO, which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.  The 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO was choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.

Runaway Entertainment presents

2:22 – A GHOST STORY

The hit play by Danny Robins

Directed by Matthew Dunster

@222AGhostStory #222AGhostStory 

• 2.22 – A GHOST STORY ANNOUNCES CASTING FOR THE TRANSFER TO THE CRITERION THEATRE FOR THE SHOW’S THIRD CONSECUTIVE WEST END SEASON

• TOM FELTON WILL PLAY SAM, MANDIP GILL WILL PLAY JENNY, BEATRIZ ROMILLY WILL PLAY LAUREN AND SAM SWAINSBURY WILL PLAY BEN

• THE PRODUCTION IS DIRECTED BY MATTHEW DUNSTER AND WRITTEN BY AWARD-WINNING WRITER DANNY ROBINS
  
   
• THE SHOW WAS RECENTLY NOMINATED FOR 3 OLIVIER AWARDS INCLUDING BEST NEW PLAY AND WON THE WHATSONSTAGE AWARD FOR BEST NEW PLAY

• THE PRODUCTION WILL RUN AT THE CRITERION THEATRE UNTIL 4 SEPTEMBER 2022

• TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FROM WWW.222AGHOSTSTORY.COM

Producer Runaway Entertainment is delighted to announce casting news for the transfer of Danny Robins’ edge-of-your-seat, supernatural thriller 2:22 – A Ghost Story for a third season to the Criterion Theatre. The run at the Criterion follows two record breaking runs at the Noel Coward and Gielgud Theatres and three Olivier Nominations including Best New Play as well as winning the Best New Play category in the Whatsonstage awards.

Tom Felton will play the role of Sam. Having made his breakthrough as ‘Draco Malfoy’ in the Harry Potter series of films, Tom has gone on to star in award winning films The Rise of the Planet of the Apes, A United Kingdom, and Belle, television series The Flash, Netflix filmThe Forgotten Battle and was most recently seen on screen in SKY’s Save the Cinema. Coming up, he will star in Independent Film Burial.

Tom Felton said: “I’m incredibly excited about getting to play in 2:22. I first started acting age 6 in a local theatre group and I haven’t trodden the boards since. I love the play, I’ve taken all my family to see it & everyone leaves with a smile. I’m thrilled to be part of this summers cast and will have a lot of fun with it.”

Mandip Gill will play Jenny. Mandip played companion Yasmin Khan in series 11, 12 and 13 of Doctor Who opposite Jodie Whittaker. She also played Phoebe McQueen in Hollyoaks and has appeared in Cuckoo, Doctors, The Good Karma Hospital and Casualty.

Mandip Gill said: “I am thrilled to be making my West End debut as part of the new cast of an already successful show. I am equally scared of ghosts so this should be fun” 

Beatriz Romilly will play the role of Lauren. Beatriz was born in Spain. She is best known for her work in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers and War of the Worlds. She has also appeared on stage at Chichester Festival Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe and The Bush Theatre.

Beatriz Romilly said: “I’m delighted to be returning to London and joining the new 2:22 company. I feel very lucky to be working with Matthew Dunster again, and getting a chance to dive into Danny Robins nail biting script with such a wonderful creative team and cast.”

Sam Swainsbury will play Ben. Sam is known best for his roles as Jason in the BBC sitcom Mum and Rowan in the 2019 film Fisherman’s Friends. In 2015, Swainsbury featured in the film Thor: The Dark World, In 2017, Swainsbury appeared on Fearless, In 2019, he appeared in Victoria as Dr John Snow.

Sam Swainsbury said: “It’s such a privilege to be joining the 2:22 company! I was really drawn to the script. It’s engaging, funny, exciting and poignant, but… there was something else. Something I can’t put my finger on. Drawing me to it. Almost like… like a voice. From another place. That’s normal, right?!”

Matthew Dunster said: “Planning our 3rd iteration of 2:22 has been just as exciting as the first two; working with Danny and my Co-Director, Isabel Mar, and our brilliant casting directors to re-imagine the characters once more. It’s such a privilege to do that and to know audiences are excited about ‘who’s next?’  We have a wonderful cast that once again is loaded with surprise, excitement and West End Debuts. People love watching this show and we love making it.”

After breaking all box office records for a new play at the Noel Coward Theatre; described as the theatre event of the year and the hottest ticket in the West End; and after weeks of sell-out performances, the show transferred for another record breaking run at the Gielgud Theatre. The run there ended in February and a third season, this time to the Criterion Theatre, was immediately announced. 

2.22 – A Ghost Story is written by award-winning writer Danny Robins, creator of the hit BBC podcast The Battersea Poltergeist and it is directed by Matthew Dunster. Intriguing, funny and scary, it takes audiences into one adrenaline fueled night where secrets will emerge and ghosts may appear….What do you believe? And do you dare to discover the truth?

“There’s something in our house. I hear it every night, at the same time.”

Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they are going to stay up… until 2.22am… and then they will know.

Danny Robins said “I’m overjoyed to have a cast of this outrageously exciting calibre for our new season. Tom and Mandip are stellar talents who I have admired for years, Sam is awesome and will be known and loved by comedy fans and Beatriz is someone I know is bursting with ability and on the cusp of stardom. Each new cast unlocks new surprises and thrills for me as a writer, each actor bringing their own distinctive take to the play. If you haven’t seen 2:22 before, there’s never been a better reason to come, if you have seen it, come back and see it again with this exciting line-up!” 

2:22 – A Ghost Story features set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound, co-direction by Isabel Marr, casting by Jessica Ronane CDG and illusions by Chris Fisher.

2:22 – A Ghost Story is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Kater Gordon. 

Theatre Royal Brighton – until 2nd April 2022

Reviewed by Sue Bradley

4****

In our world of modern music, we are usually blissfully unaware of the writers – we know (or, at least, know of) the artist, but who creates the songs for them to sing?

Carole King may not be a household name, particularly this side of the Atlantic, but she was a genuine pioneer, and her solo album Tapestry, released in 1971, helped to introduce the concept of the intelligent and articulate singer/songwriter to a much wider audience. I would be willing to bet that a high proportion of the older members of the audience at the Theatre Royal Brighton have had, and probably still have, a copy of Tapestry in their record collection. And King’s achievements are all the more remarkable for her being a woman in the largely male-dominated world of songwriting, especially at that time.

But King’s story started a decade earlier when she, at the age of 17, together with lyricist and future husband Gerry Goffin, wrote Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, made famous by the Shirelles. King and Goffins’ troubled relationship, and also their friendly rivalry with another songwriting team (Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil) provides the backdrop against which the musical Beautiful delivers a host of familiar songs. Rather than trying to weave a story around the songs, this show lets the songs do a lot of the work.  There are so many that are familiar  – you will be astonished by how many of them were written or co-written by King.

The show eases us in without a grand opening – the house lights are up and the cast drift on, until eventually Carole (played by Molly-Grace Cutler) sits at the grand piano. As soon as she starts to sing we know how good this show is going to be.  We soon come to realise that all the music we hear will be performed by the actors. Playing and singing everything, including an impressive array of brass instruments, they do this with evident enjoyment – many of them swapping instruments with apparent ease.

Of course, since there are groups like the Shirelles and the Drifters represented, there is some fine dancing too  – and, if the dance moves don’t quite have the effortless “cool” of the originals, they are still believable and help to transport us back to earlier times. 

The set is a stylised recording studio and this provides a neat solution to the perennial problem of how to have live drums on stage without them drowning everything else out. In this case the answer is simple – put them in the dedicated drum-booth found in most studios! The sound design for this show, by Tom Marshall, and directed onstage by Dan De Cruz, was excellent and made it a pleasure to listen to the music.

Carole’s journey from talented “Plain Jane” to Carnegie Hall star is affecting and unaffected. Molly-Grace Cutler sings the songs with real heart and holds the centre effortlessly. Particular mention, too, to Jos Slovick as Barry Mann who provides many comic moments with his insecurities and hypochondria and then reveals one of the best voices of the cast.

Closing the show with a rousing version of Beautiful from Tapestry, the cast and this production completely deserved the standing ovation we were more than happy to give. This was an excellent evening and I can only hope that future audiences enjoy the show as much as we did.

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh – until Saturday 2nd April 2022

Reviewed by Ellen Searle

5*****

It takes a lot to get an Edinburgh audience onto its feet, but this multiple award winning musical, with outstanding performances of the entire company, fully deserved the long and heartfelt standing ovation it inspired at the Festival Theatre.

The show, from an original idea by Jonathan Butterell, with songs by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae, is based on the true story of aspiring drag queen Jamie Campbell, who wants to go to his high school prom in drag. Jamie (Layton Williams) faces barriers all the way, prejudice, fear and outrage, not least of all from his own father. But Jamie has what we all need when times are tough ~ people who know right from wrong and who are on our side.

Most important of these is his mum Margaret (Amy Ellen Richardson). There is much poignancy in the the show, and particularly in the beautifully portrayed relationship between Jamie and his mother. Margaret is devoted to her son in the way only a mother can be, and the pitch perfect expression of parental pride, pain and joy as she and Jamie both grow through their intertwined experiences is a triumph of writing, directing and performance.  

The other three key allies of Jamie provide lightness and humor to offset this intensity, but they are also realistic and indeed inspiring characters. There is Margaret’s best friend, the indomitable Ray (Sasha Latoya), who supports and rallies, turning up at the right time, saying the right thing and bringing the right chocolate. There’s the steadfast best friend Pritti Pasha (Sharan Phull) standing up to bully Dean Paxton (George Sampson).  And there’s the fabulous Loco Chanelle, the alter ego of Hugo, owner of the drag paraphernalia shop that Jamie nervously enters to buy his first dress (Rhys Taylor replacing Shane Ritchie who was unable to perform on opening night due to illness).  All of these characters ‘get’ Jamie, but they are willing to challenge him, and are true to themselves. We can see ourselves in these characters as well as Jamie and Margaret, who we have been perhaps, and who we would like to be.

The acting and singing is pitch perfect,  delivered with real nuance and depth. There is plenty variety in tone as each scene flows naturally and easy into the next, with the action reflected perfectly in the singing and dancing, from the rousing, bouncy ‘Everyone’s Talking About Jamie’ ensemble number,  to Margaret’s soulful, heartfelt ‘If I Met Myself Again’, mirrored beautifully by a contemporary dance duet. 

I have only one very minor gripe, and that is that we are deprived the joy of seeing Jamie in full drag, which I expected to see in the otherwise fantastic finale.

All in all, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a delightful experience, and it is art.  It stimulates our minds, opens our hearts, and inspires us. And, it may just provide one of the best evenings of entertainment this year!

Birmingham Hippodrome – until Saturday 2 April 2022

Reviewed by Louise Ford

4****

Being brave in a confusing world…

The Curious Incident is based on the best selling novel by Mark Haddon, which was first published in 2003. This current production is adapted by Simon Stephens and directed by Marianne Elliot. The  original National Theatre production was back in 2012 and has won a whole host of awards over the years. The adaptation stays very true and close to the original novel.

The production opens with the eponymous dog centre stage and a distraught Christopher Boone (David Bremen’s) being confronted by his angry neighbour who calls the police. The story is narrated by Siobhan (Rebecca Root), Christopher’s teacher and champion. She is there throughout the whole story guiding, prompting and steering Christopher through the difficult journey to investigate the incident. 

The set (designed by Bunny Christie) which at first glance is very minimal, just  a few cubes, is cleverly lit and manipulated with light, (Paule Constable) sound ( Ian Dickinson) and video (Finn Ross) to convey a wide range of scenes. From suburban Swindon to the crowded underground. The shock of the sounds combined with flashing lights make for a total sensory overload at times. This cleverly conveys the confusion and distress that surrounds Christopher.

At the heart of the story is a young adolescent who is struggling with the breakdown of his family. He has some “behavioural difficulties “ that his parents  try to understand and deal with. This coupled with his inability to interpret emotions, feelings and situations makes for a complicated and difficult life for both Christopher and his parents. Christopher’s observational and mathematical abilities help him to believe that he “can do anything in the world”. The first step is taking his A level mathematics at only 15. He is of course determined to get an A*.

Whilst the cast consists of just four major characters as well as Christopher and his teacher, there is  Ed, Christopher’s father (Tom Peters ) and Judy, Christopher’s mum (Kate Kordel) the rest of the parts are played by just six actors. And not forgetting the two rodents who play Toby on alternate nights!

The production feels fresh and exciting although the first half feels more energetic than the second. It was great to see an audience really get behind the story and be so enthusiastic. As the book is now a set text for GCSE English  the audience was made up of a large percentage of school pupils who really enjoyed the play, which also gave the performance an additional youthful vibe.

Manchester Opera House – until 2 April 2022

5*****

Joseph is my go to musical.  The first musical I ever saw, just under 40 years ago.  The first musical I ever saw in the West End around 30 years ago and a perennial favourite ever since.

This re-imagined version by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice was first performed at the London Palladium in 2019 and is now on its first tour around the UK.  Produced by Michael Harrison, this version is gloriously colourful and full of fun.  For me, it was reminiscent of a school assembly, but in a good way and the use of the children with the adults worked really well.

Alexandra Burke led the cast in her role of Narrator.  Beautifully pregnant, I’m amazed how she managed to carry a whole musical in her advanced condition – although I think the sparkly trainers may have been a concession to her gravidity.  Rarely off the stage, Burke played multiple roles including Joseph’s dad, Potiphar’s wife and various others with very impressive singing and dancing.  I was incredibly impressed, but I hope she gets to rest between performances though.

Jac Yarrow had his first professional role playing Joseph at the Palladium, nominating and winning multiple awards for his performance.  And it’s easy to see why, lyrically versatile and immensely likeable. His vocals were outstanding for Close Every Door, showing a huge range of emotions and he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself in the role.  We also get a performance by Joseph alumni, Jason Donovan as the Elvis inspired Pharaoh and his breakout number where he explains his troubling dreams to Joseph was an audience favourite.

But this is an ensemble piece and all the performers are excellent the brothers – Shane Antony-Whitely, Tyler Ephraim, Zac Frieze, MattGibson, Will Hawkesworth and Sam Stones perform a variety of musical styles from calypso, to a tango, a hoe-down and in the case of Those Canaan Days a song that wouldn’t sound out of place being sung in a French wine bar by the Little Sparrow herself.  All aided by Erica-Jayne Alden, Natalie Benyworth, Gemma Buckingham, Meg Darcy, Abbie Platts, Rochelle Sherona and Holly Willock and a group of 8 children interacting and harmonising beautifully.

John Rigby clearly enjoyed himself leading the orchestra and Joann M. Hunter’s choreography, Morgan Large’s design and Laurence Connors expert direction all combine to give us an outstanding production.

In Manchester until April 2nd and on tour around the UK, with a standing ovation and an encore that goes on forever, expressive singing of well written songs, comic interaction and spellbinding performances make this a show not to be missed. 

Rehearsal images are released today for BONNIE AND CLYDE.

Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage will star as the titular Bonnie and Clyde in the West End premiere of the cult-sensation BONNIE AND CLYDE THE MUSICAL, opening at the Arts Theatre from Saturday 9 April 2022. www.bonnieandclydemusical.com

They join the previously announced Natalie McQueen as ‘Blanche Barrow’ and George Maguire as ‘Buck Barrow’. The full company includes Cleve September as ‘Ted’ and Ako Mitchell as ‘Preacher’, Pippa Winslow as ‘Cumie Barrow/Governor Miriam Ferguson/Eleanore’, Gracie Lai as ‘Emma Parker/Stella’, Alistair So as ‘Sheriff Schmid’, Alexander Evans as ‘Henry Barrow/Deputy Johnson’, Ross Dawes as ‘Captain Frank Hamer’, Barney Wilkinson as ‘Bud/Archie’ and swings Charlie McCullagh and Annie Guy. Casting for the roles of ‘Trish’ and Young ‘Bonnie’ and ‘Clyde’ to be announced.

Bread & Roses Theatre – until 2 April 2022

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Hugh Dichmont’s entertaining exploration of the search for happiness shows exciting potential but needs sharper focus.

The audience sit around the stage area, strewn with sequins, confetti, and balloons, with the cast sitting at opposite ends as if we are joining their party a little late. Some clowning from Valeria Rodríguez and Tosin Olomowewe sets up the seemingly random nature of the performance, and then things get a little darker.

The plots follow a rape survivor who attends acting school to learn to laugh again, a tech entrepreneur trialling a watch that injects endorphins to the wearer for a brief feeling of happiness, a Colombian house cleaner who uses her sexuality to hide her pain and a couple celebrating Christmas every day. Directed by Tom Ward, the tone swerves violently between absurdity and emotional honesty, with lots of dark humour that occasionally misses the mark as the scene ends and another begins. With various storylines unfolding episodically, the order in which the sections of the play are performed varies at each performance, with the clowns encouraging audience members spinning a wheel of fortune to determine the running order. With the titles of each section written faintly on small pieces of paper above the stage, this may aid the cast, but has no impact on the audience, making it easy to forget this conceit as the play progresses. Other shows following this model have spun the wheel between scenes, which slows the pace but could continue the silliness of the clowning opening; also giving the audience a chance to process what they have just seen and not be confused as to whether they are watching part of the same story. The plotlines are all really interesting and important, and the reasons behind the actions of some of the characters are revealed in different episodes, but none of them feel quite complete and the weak transitions mean that each section ends with a whimper rather than a bang.

The tough topics are approached sensitively, and although some dialogue is clunky, the impressive cast keep the audience engaged. Kate Sketchley’s rape survivor is a standout both in her comedic scenes learning to laugh with the ridiculous child diva Hugo (Evan L. Barker) and more serious moments facing the same actor as a more sinister character. Mohana Rajagopal is heart-breaking as the wife of John (James Heatlie), who is suffering from dementia and has sacrificed everything to ensure he is safe and happy. Tosin Olomowewe’s tech entrepreneur Daniel’s drive to provide fake and transient happiness for the masses and himself while he ignores the misery of his own family results in a particularly disturbing scene where his young son (James Heatlie) uses the technology himself.

With more development, Who You Are And What You Do has the makings of a remarkable play. As it is, the production is an entertaining but confusing night out that will spark lots of discussion on the journey home.