Oliver! Is one of those classic musicals that everyone has heard of, regardless of whether you’re a musical theatre fan or not. Based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, the tale of the orphan boy and his life on the streets of London was the first successful stage adaption of a Dickens work. Lionel Bart’s original production by opened at the New Theatre (now the Noel Coward Theatre) in 1960 and transferred to Broadway three years later. It also spawned the popular 1968 film … [Read more...]
Matilda previews and Ramin Karimloo heads to Les Miserables
After what seems like an eternity of waiting, the much anticipated Matilda the Musical is in its new West End home at the Cambridge Theatre and last night, invited its first audiences over for its opening preview. Written by Dennis Kelly and with music/lyrics by Tim Minchin, Matilda was a mammoth success for the RSC in Stratford earlier this year, where it originally played before its West End transfer. Based on the popular children’s book by Roald Dahl, which has already spawned a film … [Read more...]
Why we should encourage children to go the theatre
In one of my blogs a few weeks back, I mentioned an incident that occurred during a trip to see Love Never Dies, in which a fellow theatre-goer criticized the fact that my young daughter was in attendance by remarking that ‘children shouldn’t be allowed at the theatre’. This man is hardly alone in his thinking; I have heard stories of other such incidents in other theatres. I find such small-mindedness truly unbelievable – where do these people think the next generation of theatre-goers are … [Read more...]
Stunt Casting in the West End: Good or Bad for Business?
The tweets were flying yesterday morning as the new December cast for Wicked were announced. Taking over from Louise Dearman as Glinda is Gina Beck, currently in The Belle’s Stratagem at the Southwark Playhouse; the talented soprano has previously been in Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. Joining her in Wicked will be Lillie Flynn as Nessarose, Christopher Howell as Doctor Dillamond and Adam Pettigrew as Boq, with Desmond Barrit returning to the role of the Wizard. Last night, it also … [Read more...]
Who Is Theatre For?
I work the occasional shift in my local pub and from behind the bar, you hear all kinds of things. In conversation with a customer last night, I mentioned that I write for theatre, to which he replied, “Are you a posh girl then?” That theatre is just for the ‘upper-class’ of society, as it were, is clearly one misconception that is still being touted around; the image of well-to-do people dressed in all their finery whilst sitting in the theatre – perhaps with a stuffy critic or two – for … [Read more...]