Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Ramin Karimloo. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Ramin Karimloo. Sort by date Show all posts

Saturday 5 November 2022

Full Cast Announced for Doctor Zhivago In Concert


Full casting is announced for Doctor Zhivago- In Concert playing at the London Palladium for one-night-only on Sunday 7 May 2023. 

Ramin Karimloo and Celinde Schoenmaker will reprise their 2019 roles as ‘Yurii Zhivago’ and ‘Lara Guishar’ and are joined by returning cast members Kelly Mathieson (‘The Phantom of the Opera, Into The Woods’) playing ‘Tonia Gromeko’ and Charlie McCullagh (’42 Balloons’ and ‘Bonnie & Clyde’) playing ‘Pasha Antipov (Strelnikov)’. Nadim Naaman (‘Broken Wings’, ‘Rumi: The Musical’, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’) will feature as ‘Viktor Komarovksy’.

The cast is completed by Maisey Bawden as ‘Olya’, Cavin Cornwall as ‘Alexander Gromeko’ and Emma Norman as ‘Anna Gromeko’ with Tilly-Raye Bayer as ‘Young Tonia’, Olivia Clark as ‘Young Lara’ and Samuel Newby as ‘Young Yurii’.

Doctor Zhivago- In Concert at The London Palladium is dedicated to the show’s composer Lucy Simon.  Producers Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson said, “We were so saddened to learn of the passing of the brilliant Lucy Simon. She was a talent beyond words and we are honoured to dedicate this concert production of one of her favourite works to her”.

Based on the Nobel Prize-winning novel by Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago tells the story of Yurii Zhivago (Ramin Karimloo), a political idealist, physician, and poet whose life is tossed by the tides of history as he is torn between a life with his close childhood friend and wife, and the passionate and mysterious Lara Guishar (Celinde Schoenmaker).

With a book by Oscar nominee Michael Weller and lyrics by Tony nominee Michael Korie and Emmy nominee Amy Powers, Doctor Zhivago features a sweeping score by two-time Grammy winner and Tony nominee Lucy Simon.

Doctor Zhivago- In Concert is directed by Jordan Murphy (Sunset Boulevard, Matilda, Mary Poppins) with musical direction by Adam Hoskins (The Secret Garden, Dr Zhivago, Camelot).

Olivier and Tony Award nominee Ramin Karimloo made his name in some of the West End's most enduring productions, most notably The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. He originated the role of the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera sequel Love Never Dies in 2010 before making his Broadway debut in the 2014 revival of Les Misérables.
Karimloo has also performed show tunes on a series of solo recordings, including his second album, 2019's From Now On, which landed on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. He is currently starring as Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl on Broadway.

Celinde Schoenmaker is a Dutch actress and singer, known for appearing as Fantine in the West End production of the musical Les Misérables and as Christine Daae in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera.  Other London theatre credits include Jenny Lind in Barnum at the Menier Chocolate Factory.  She also played Renate Blauel in the Elton John biopic Rocketman.

Doctor Zhivago- In Concert is produced by Lambert Jackson and Positive Sum Productions.

Founded by Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson in 2018, Lambert Jackson were recently nominated for an Olivier for Best Play for their production of Cruise at the Duchess Theatre with a successful return run at the Apollo Theatre this August/September. They are arguably one of the most exciting theatrical production companies in the UK at the present time. Having been put on the map by their production of the UK Premiere of Doctor Zhivago the musical, they entered the global pandemic with vigour and determination, creating one of the largest online concert series the UK has ever seen, Leave a Light On and leading the way with streamed productions such as The Last Five Years, BKLYN, title of show, Songs for a New World - the latter opening the West End at a sell-out concert at the London Palladium.

Founded in 2022, Positive Sum Productions was created to cultivate original theatre, and celebrate existing shows already loved by many.

TICKETS CAN BE FOUND AT www.lwtheatres.co.uk
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Thursday 6 October 2016

Murder Ballad, Arts Theatre | Review


Murder Ballad
The Arts Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 5th October 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★

Press nights are always exciting but the atmosphere on this particular one was more electric than normal. If you're at all in the loop with the theatre community you must have heard about Murder Ballad! It seems to have been everywhere and since little snippets were released and previews began I'd only heard good things so I was super excited to finally see the show myself. 

I'm one to encourage going into shows blind and this definitely one production to go into without looking up a synopsis. It's absolutely a show that you'll benefit from seeing with no preconceptions of the plot. All you need to know is that it follows three characters in a love triangle and a narrator who all merge into each others lives. Oh, and someone ends up dead! Intriguing right?!

The story is accompanied by a rock score which works well to give the story a sort of grounded realism. It really helps in the moments of anger and tension to build and crash and bring out every emotion on stage. This is a raw and gripping 90 minute fully-sung-through rock musical with love, darkness and death.

The cast of Murder Ballad are stellar and all give the outstanding performances you'd expect from these veterans of the stage. Kerry Ellis is a regular star of the West End and her portrayal of Sara really shows why. Her voice effortlessly glides into all the notes of this rock score. Her unique growl and rasp add a depth to the character and help to emphasise the emotions Sara feels, especially in the opening argument scene. The audience see the development of Sara's personality throughout and Kerry manages to capture all the little changes perfectly with an ease and innovativeness only seen in true stars. Her chemistry with Ramin Karimloo fills the whole room and they create a dark and believable pairing.

photo by Mark Brenner

I have been a huge fan of Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for a long while now so was super excited to see her take on the deep, dark role of the narrator. Victoria's voice is on another level in this production; her sultry, beautiful tone completely fit the mysterious narrator. Not only is Victoria's voice insane but her facial expressions told a whole story of their own. No spoken or sung words were needed for Victoria to convey exactly what she was feeling, her little knowing glances into the audience conveyed 1000 words; its truly a joy to see how this lady owns the stage at all times!

Now onto the men... Ramin Karimloo is a favourite of the West End and Broadway alike with a number of huge roles under his belt. Most of his famous roles such as the Phantom and Valjean are more operatic, typical musical theatre roles so it was refreshing to see him showcase the rocky, raspy side of his voice as the dark and handsome Tom. As with Sara, we get to see a lot of character development with Tom, he goes from a young-lovesick boy to a possessive man in a short space of time and Ramin carries this transformation out with dexterity and all the nuances of the in-depth character are very clear.

Norman Bowman for me has one of the most underrated voices on the West End. He's starred in a number of shows but I personally don't hear enough about him. His voice blew me away whilst he played the role of the agreeable Michael and left me with chills at points. His character is less in depth that Ellis' and Karimloo's but he still achieves a well performed character arc.

Richard Kent's set design is innovative and adds a dimension to the show, making it exciting to watch and making you feel somewhat part of the action. The revolve cleverly highlights key moments and adds a nice flow to the show. The lighting is also very clever; from the single lightbulb on stage to the green and orange tinted lights later on; David Plater's design backs up the transitions of all the characters and heightens the tensions at the crucial points.

photo by Mark Brenner

Sam Yates' direction has created a truly wonderful piece of contemporary theatre. Although I found the show to drag a little at the beginning, it soon picked up pace and I could physically feel my heart beating at points. The fantastic cast give faultless, lifelike performances which are so refreshing to see in these days of more fantastical productions. I truly enjoyed this show and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Its a unique, lively and deadly production which ticks all the boxes for an enjoyable night out! The realistic storyline and killer soundtrack are a deadly combination, leaving you on the edge of your seat, anticipating whats to come until the very last moment in this arresting production. 

Check out Rewrite This Story's interviews with Kerry Ellis here and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt here

Murder Ballad is running at the Arts Theatre until December 3rd
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Monday 23 May 2016

Hamilton Dream Cast


My Hamilton obsession has been out in full force recently and the prospect of it coming to the West End in 2017 has got me ridiculously excited and kind of nervous. I'm praying that I'll get tickets and that I won't have to sell a body part to pay for them! 

 So with all the Hamilton fever going around, I wanted to do my own dream cast for the show (I was inspired by this post.) Before I start I want to say that I basically want the whole of the In The Heights cast to become the Hamilton cast so there's going to be a lot of them in this....! 
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Saturday 17 February 2024

The Addams Family Concert at the London Palladium REVIEW | A Kooky Show with a Killer Cast


The Addams Family in Concert
London Palladium 

Since premiering in the UK in 2017, The Addams Family has been somewhat of a regular feature on our theatre scene with a number of tours that garnered great reviews and a fanbase who couldn't help but be charmed by the kooky family. This week, the London Palladium housed the latest iteration with three concert versions of the show that told the wacky, romantic tale so many have grown to adore.

Witnessing their daughter Wednesday fall in love with a "normal" boy, the Addams family finds themselves grappling with the challenge of acceptance. In an effort to bridge the gap, Wednesday takes it upon herself to arrange a dinner party, inviting both families to come together. What unfolds is a delightful blend of hidden secrets, eccentricity, and a whirlwind of kooky chaos, showcasing the unique charm and humour of the Addams family universe.

As is the case with many "concert" versions, this was really an almost fully staged production, complete with costumes, sets,  choreography and more. These sort of shows are always a real testament to the hard work of the entire team both onstage and backstage, to put together such sleek, well-rounded performances, with extremely limited rehearsal time.

This was a wonderfully sleek production, framed by Ben Cracknell's fantastically striking lighting and Diego Pitarch's suitably outlandish set and colour matched costumes. Taking most of the elements from the touring production, the whole concert embodied the vibes of the unconventional Addams family, highlighting the important parts of the storyline and making the whole thing feel much more elevated than a traditional concert. Having not had a permanent home, the show has had to create a design that fits within the confines of moving around the country every week so I do think if it were to find a permanent home in the West End, it could really lean into the lavish grandeur of the Addams Family, and perhaps bring Central Park to life a bit more, to really step things up and give it the wow factor.

In terms of casting this was a star studded affair. Ramin Karimloo took on the role of Gomez Addams, the suave protective father who just wants to do right by his family; giving a performance that was nothing short of wonderful. With hilarious line delivery and of course those smooth, powerful vocals we all know and love, Ramin showcased a hilarious side that I'd love to see more of. We must also mention the collective audience gasp when he took his blazer off, if you know, you know! As his partner in crime, Michelle Visage made Morticia Addams her own. Whilst her performance wasn't always the most exciting, with the dialogue being a little one note (even for Morticia), her look and the way she carried herself was perfect for the role. Just Around the Corner was a really brilliant theatrical moment and I think given time, Michelle could really develop and refine her Morticia. 

As the love struck teens, Wednesday and Lucas, Chumisa Dornford-May and Ryan Kopel were wonderfully paired. Having only recently graduated Chumisa already has an impressive resume and it's certainly set to expand, given her absolutely out of this world vocals. She not only hit every note perfectly but her tone and diction were noticeably brilliant and everything sounded so healthy, I can't wait to see her succeed and shine! The role of Lucas isn't particularly developed but Ryan did a wonderful job of bringing him to life and created some lovely moments. Another stand out was Kara Lane who astounded as mother Alice Beineke, giving vocals that pretty much blew the roof off of the London Palladium. Sam Buttery was charming as Uncle Fester, Nicholas McLean a great addition as Pugsley and Dickon Gough a wonderful dose of comedy. The rest of the ensemble brought the other characters and ancestors to life really well and helped form the world of Addams.

Book wise I do think this is a show with flaws and the pacing isn't always perfect but it has heart, charm and a number of earworms that make it a really easy watch that you go back to again and again. 

It's not the most sophisticated piece of theatre but, The Addams Family in Concert was a ghoulishly delightful experience. With outstanding performances, this concert truly captured the essence of the Addams Family legacy. Whether you were a die-hard fan or new to the Addams universe, this concert provided a spooky, kooky night of fun and paved the way for the show to continue enrapturing audiences.

★★★★
Reviewed on Tuesday 13th February by Olivia
Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
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