Blog / West End Calling
Check here for the latest musical news with links to all your #StageFaves performers, shows and theatres. Also look out for our regular #GetSocial features and contributions from our syndicate media partners including MyTheatreMates.com and the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society.
2020
So who were the musical theatre winners at one of the best loved events in the theatre awards calendar, the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards? Step forward the much loved West End production of Come From Away, Most Promising Newcomer Sam Tutty for his Dear Evan Hansen debut and Best Director Jamie Lloyd who was recognised for three of his shows, including Evita at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.
The latest in Faves founder Terri Paddock's series of musical theatre post-show talks takes place on the official opening night of THE JURY, a brand-new original British musical making its London premiere at Highgate's Upstairs at the Gatehouse. Join us on Thursday 6 February!
2020
Tense new courtroom musical drama THE JURY gets its London premiere next month in a limited season at Highgate's Upstairs at the Gatehouse. It runs from 4 to 16 February 2020, with a press night, including post-show Q&A chaired by Faves founder Terri Paddock, on Thursday 6 February. Time to get booking!
It began on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 & now Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ ‘her-story’ has just opened in Sydney, has its Broadway debut in February, is currently touring the UK, and as celebrations begin for its first birthday at London’s Arts Theatre, the West End run has just been extended until 31 January 2021. It’s a musical theatre fairy tale like no other.
After acclaim last year at Manchester's mighty Hope Mill Theatre, RAGS The Musical has transferred to the Park Theatre. It's a Broadway musical with a long, chequered history and is premiering here in a newly reworked version with a lot of input from Broadway legend Stephen Schwartz. Watch the full post-show discussion with cast and Aria Entertainment producer Katy Lipson.
2020
Louise Redknapp and Brian Conley are West End bound as they return to play Violet Newstead and Franklin Hart Jnr respectively in Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5 The Musical at London’s Savoy Theatre. Louise is back from 10 February 2020 and Brian makes his entrance on 2 March.
Did you hear that Gander is going to be welcoming (via London’s Phoenix Theatre) a bunch of new members of the Come From Away community from 10 February 2020 as the award-winning musical begins its second year in the West End? Surely a return visit is in order.
2020
Acclaimed for his performance in Fiddler on the Roof, Andy Nyman is the latest member of the West End Hello, Dolly cast to be announced. He will star alongside Imelda Staunton in the title role and Jenna Russell as Irene Molloy in the show at the Adelphi Theatre, opening on 11 August 2020.
The West End welcomes Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical adaptation of Cinderella in late summer 2020
There were rumours that the new musical version of the classic fairy tale Cinderella with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by David Zippel, based on an original idea by Emerald Fennell, would open on Broadway but instead it will be London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre which will host the show when it opens in September 2020. Are you going to buy tickets for the ball?
2020
It’s not been smooth running when it comes to the role of Thénardier in the new production of Les Misérables at London’s Sondheim Theatre. After doctors telling actor Gerard Carey he must rest his voice until the end of February, Matt Lucas saved the day by reprising the part but has now suffered a back injury. Cue the arrival of Ian Hughes who recently played Thénardier to great acclaim in the current sell-out UK and international tour. Phew!
Talk about a date to mark in your new year diary! KINKY BOOTS is strutting back into our hearts in just over a month, with its original West End stars, Olivier Awards winner Matt Henry and Olivier Awards nominee Killian Donnelly, reprising their roles on the big screen as More2Screen broadcasts the multi-award-winning musical to 650+ cinemas on 4 and 9 February 2020.
2019
Our #FirstNightTakeover series continues with Perry O’Bree attending the opening of Curtains at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre. Perry is wowed by the incredible dance numbers, fabulous vocals & on the edge of his seat as he tries to solve such an entertaining musical whodunnit. Plus he gets to chat post-show to the stars including Jason Manford, Carley Stenson, Rebecca Lock, Samuel Holmes and lan Burkitt. It’s certainly a musical to lift your spirits.
What a trouper Matt Lucas is. Having heard that Gerard Carey, originally playing Thénardier in Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, had been taken ill, he rescheduled his Christmas plans and stepped into the breach. Lucas will be Master of the House for six weeks from 23 December 2019 with Carey expected to return on 3 February 2020.
Curtains, the murder mystery musical comedy by Chicago and Cabaret creators Kander & Ebb, had its Broadway premiere in 2007 in a production starring Frasier's David Hyde Pierce. Why has it taken so long for it to at last receive its West End premiere? And why is it so very perfect for the West End?
There will be a new Queen in town when Sophie Isaacs is crowned the next Katherine Howard in the West End production of Six The Musical at the Arts Theatre from 21 January 2020.
We want the fairy tale when Pretty Woman: The Musical opens for a 46-week season on 13 February 2020 and we now know that it will be Aimie Atkinson as Vivian and Danny Mac as Edward who will be bringing it to London’s Piccadilly Theatre.
2019
Our #FirstNightTakeover series continues with Perry O’Bree attending the opening of White Christmas at London’s Dominion Theatre. Check out who Perry chatted to on the Red Carpet (including several of TV’s Loose Women) and watch his post-shows interviews with all the stars of the fabulously festive show including Danny Mac, Dan Burton, Danielle Hope, Brenda Edwards and Michael Brandon. Not feeling in a Christmassy mood? This show could do the trick.
2019
Our #FirstNightTakeover series continues with Perry O’Bree attending the opening of & Juliet at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre, the Shakespeare-style tale with a twist featuring oodles of iconic Max Martin tunes. Read on to see who Perry caught up with on the Red Carpet and watch his awesome post-shows interviews with Max Martin, Jessie J and all the cast, including Juliet herself, Miriam-Teak Lee.
So nice to see Imelda Staunton back where she belongs, on the London stage, and this time she’s playing one of the most iconic musical theatre roles ever written, Dolly Levi, in a new West End production of Hello, Dolly! opening at the Adelphi Theatre in August 2020. The staging, also starring Jenna Russell as Irene Molloy, will see Imelda reunited with Dominic Cooke who directed the recent critically-acclaimed revival of Follies at the National Theatre.
How many pies can you fit in before next summer? Following a final extension, WAITRESS has posted closing notices at the West End's Adelphi Theatre for 4 July 2020. Sweeter news? An extensive tour and London return is planned.