Blog / Features
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
Did you know that a fairytale kingdom has popped up in Highgate? Classic Broadway musical Once Upon a Mattress has just opened at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, and critics have fallen in love with Beth Burrows' Princess Winnifred, not your typical fairytale princess. We've rounded up some of our fave reviews.
2020
Our #FirstNightTakeover series continues with Perry O’Bree attending the opening of Pretty Woman The Musical at London’s Piccadilly Theatre. Perry lives the dream, enjoying every minute of this new addition to the West End, and chats to lead players Aimie Atkinson, Danny Mac, Rachael Wooding and Bob Harms. Oh, and did we mention, he was sitting next to Six The Musical’s Natalie May Paris?
2020
Our #FirstNightTakeover series continues with Perry O’Bree attending the opening of The Prince Of Egypt at London’s Dominion Theatre. In the same week that the run of this epic production was extended by seven weeks, until 21 October 2020, Perry was busy catching up with the stars on the Red Carpet (Kerry Ellis, Jay McGuiness, Elaine Paige) as well as the creative team, including legendary composer Stephen Schwartz and his son Scott, the show’s director.
In the final instalment of our "Once is not enough" video series, we have to take another look at the official show trailer. ONCE is like the best pub lock-in ever - and this captures the mood perfectly. (Last chance to enter our competition by Friday 6 March!)
We continue our "Once is not enough" video series with this sampling of ONCE's 16-strong actor-musician cast in glorious all-playing, all-singing action onstage at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. (You can still win tickets to see them all live in our competition by 6 March.)
We continue our "Once is not enough" video series with this recently released version of Dan Healy's Irish street busker Guy from ONCE imploring listeners "Say It to Me Now". There's much we want to say to him, starting with 'wow!'. (Don't forget to enter our competition by 6 March!)
We continue our "Once is not enough" video series with this recently released version of the haunting "If You Want Me" from ONCE, sung by acclaimed Guy and Girl, Daniel Healy and Emma Lucia. (Psst. Have you entered our competition yet?)
2020
Our #FirstNightTakeover series continues with Perry O’Bree attending the opening of Be More Chill at London’s The Other Palace. After the UK premiere production received a well-deserved standing ovation, Perry got the chance to catch up with the show’s producers, composer and lyricist Joe Iconis, director Stephen Brackett and cast members Scott Folan, Blake Patrick Anderson, Stewart Clarke, Miracle Chance, Renee Lamb, Millie O’Connell and Eloise Davies. Here’s the chance to hang out with all of them.
To coincide with ONCE's first UK tour - and our competition to win tickets - we're embracing one critic's sentiment that "Once is not enough" to celebrate this musical, with our new series of videos about the show. First up, watch, listen and swoon to two versions of the Oscar-winning song "Falling Slowly".
2020
It's won Tony, Olivier and scores of other awards around the globe. Has it also been winning the hearts of critics on its first-ever major UK tour? Short answer: yes! We've rounded up the review highlights and there are a whole bunch of ★★★★★!
In the upcoming revival of classic Broadway fairytale Once Upon a Mattress, Beth Burrows stars as Princess Winnifred. It's a role that's famously been played by American comedy legend Carol Burnett, Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker and Hollywood's Zooey Deschanel. Watch them in action!
I first fell in love with Once after seeing the original 2007 independent Irish film. Then again when I the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation had its West End premiere in 2013. And now again on the musical’s first major UK tour. As a pull quote on the show poster proclaims, when it comes to Once, “seeing it once is not enough”.
You only have three more chances to see new British musical drama THE JURY in its London premiere run at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, where it must finish this Sunday 16 February 2020. Have you watched Faves founder Terri Paddock's opening night post-show Q&A with the creators and cast yet? Our verdict: this is top-notch new writing.
As we count down to KINKY BOOTS sashaying into 650+ cinema screens via More2Screen in February, have a look at the official cinema trailer - and eight other unmissable videos that trace the journey for this Northampton-set screen-to-stage-to-screen Broadway and West End hit.
2020
Two weeks from today (21 January 2020), KINKY BOOTS sashays back into cinema as Kinky Boots The Musical gets its cinematic release. Faves founder Terri Paddock got a sneak-peek at an advance private screening along with leading lady-man Matt Henry and other members of the cast, reuniting a year after the musical hung up its heels in the West End...
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.
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.
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?
Here’s a must-see for musical theatre fans: the London premiere of a new version of Stephen Schwartz’s RAGS The Musical, originally premiered on Broadway in 1986, with an all-star cast led by Dave Willetts, Sam Attwater and Carolyn Maitland. Join Faves founder Terri Paddock on Thursday 16 January 2020 to talk to the company.
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.