Showing posts sorted by relevance for query West Side Story. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query West Side Story. Sort by date Show all posts
Monday 4 May 2020
Theatre You Can Stream For FREE
With no end in sight to this lockdown, the boredom may be setting in for a lot of people so I thought I'd make a little round up of some FREE theatre you can watch from your home. Now some of these do rely on you having a Netflix, Disney+ and/or Amazon Prime account but I assume most people do! There are also some no subscription shows at the end. If you have a show you'd like to be included in this list, feel free to email rewritethisstory@outlook.com
Netflix has a whole host of binge-worthy films and series, with a great selection of musicals including:
The Wizard of Oz: A young farm girl Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are whisked away from their Kansas home in a tornado to the magical land of Oz. A complete classic, with whimsy to take you away and a load of tunes to sing along to.
Burlesque: Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a singer who moves to LA in hopes of achieving her dreams. After getting a job at a burlesque lounge, Ali performs there nightly and helps the lounge's owner (Cher) restore the club to its original glory. It's a film of absolute boppage with two musical queens.
La La Land: While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an actress (Emma Stone) fall in love. As they start to experience professional success, they struggle in their relationship and have to decide between love and doing what they love.
Opening Night: A failed Broadway singer who now works as a production manager must save opening night on his new production by wrangling his eccentric cast and crew. Starring Lesli Margherita and Taye Diggs.
The Wizard of Oz: A young farm girl Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are whisked away from their Kansas home in a tornado to the magical land of Oz. A complete classic, with whimsy to take you away and a load of tunes to sing along to.
Burlesque: Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a singer who moves to LA in hopes of achieving her dreams. After getting a job at a burlesque lounge, Ali performs there nightly and helps the lounge's owner (Cher) restore the club to its original glory. It's a film of absolute boppage with two musical queens.
La La Land: While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an actress (Emma Stone) fall in love. As they start to experience professional success, they struggle in their relationship and have to decide between love and doing what they love.
Opening Night: A failed Broadway singer who now works as a production manager must save opening night on his new production by wrangling his eccentric cast and crew. Starring Lesli Margherita and Taye Diggs.
West Side Story: Romeo and Juliet told through the street gangs of New York City — The Sharks and The Jets. When Tony (Richard Beymer), a Jet, falls in love with Maria (Natalie Wood), a Shark, drama ensues as the gangs fight one another and Tony and Maria fight for their love.
Crazy Ex Girlfriend: Rebecca Bunch, a New York City real-estate lawyer abandons her job and her life in an attempt to find happiness in the unlikely locale of West Covina, California. It's hilarious and heart-warming and the music (by Rachel Bloom) is completely genius.
Disney+ there are of course all the live action movies on here as well as the classic Disney films such as Annie, The Sound of Music, Frozen etc... but here are a few other things you may have missed/not gotten round to yet:
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: If you haven't watched this, you'll probably think it's rubbish but it's actually really entertaining and has some great songs. The main plot point is that the school where the HSM movie was filmed are putting on their own production of the musical, but amongst that there's teen romance, rivalries and over the top musical numbers.
Newsies: Based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, this musical tells the story of Jack Kelly (Jeremy Jordan), a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys' expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. The dancing, the choreo, the cast- it's all exceptional and worth a watch purely just for Jezza singing Santa Fe!
Encore!: Hosted by Kristen Bell, this series takes adults back to high school to revive the musicals they were a part of in their youth. There's a great selection of musicals included from Godspell to The Sound of Music and it's lovely to see theatre kids who have all taken different directions in life reunite through a shared love.
Amazon Prime has a few more rogue theatrical selections as well as some great documentaries; some of my favourites are:
Once: The story of Girl meeting Guy. He, is a Dublin busker on the brink of walking away from music after having his heart broken and feeling unheard in a bustling world; whilst, she is a force for change who exudes positivity from the moment their worlds collide. In the space of a few days, their lives become beautifully connected and changed forever.
The Last Five Years: This show chronicles the lives of a struggling actress (Anna Kendrick) and a successful writer (Jeremy Jordan) as they journey through their ultimately doomed relationship. Told from two perspectives, this is just a beautiful piece of theatre.
Wild Rose: Fresh out of prison, a Scottish woman (Jessie Buckley) juggles her job and two children while pursuing her dream of becoming a country music star. She soon gets her chance when she travels to Nashville, on a life-changing journey to discover her true voice. Featuring both original music and covers, this is a lovely, lovely film.
Jesus Christ Superstar: Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice's musical, JCS recounts the last days of Jesus Christ (Ted Neeley) from the perspective of Judas Iscariot (Carl Anderson), his betrayer.
Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway: If you're a Hamilton fan this is a must watch. It looks at how the hit musical came to be and features snippets of the show as well as interviews and archive footage.
Aside from what's available on these regular streaming platforms, the brilliant creatives from the world of theatre have put together some amazing online resources:
National Theatre at Home: Each week the National Theatre are streaming plays from their archives on YouTube. Each show stays up for 7 days and there's a whole variety of genres. This week's stream is Frankenstein with Anthony and Cleopatra going live on Thursday and more to be announced. Check out the channel here
Ghost Quartet: If you missed the recent revival of Dave Malloy's show at the Boulevard Theatre, you can now watch the original production here
Signal: A series that presents new artist driven musical theatre has released a complete playlist of songs presented over the past two years. Available here
The Show Must Go Online: Each Friday Andrew Lloyd Webber is sharing one of his musicals, available here
21 Chump Street: Lin Manuel Miranda's lovely 15 minute musical is available to stream now. Telling the true story of an agent who went undercover in a school to reveal students who were dealing drugs. For a short musical, this fits so much in and the performances from Anthony Ramos and Lindsay Mendez are outstanding.
Jesus Christ Superstar: Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice's musical, JCS recounts the last days of Jesus Christ (Ted Neeley) from the perspective of Judas Iscariot (Carl Anderson), his betrayer.
Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway: If you're a Hamilton fan this is a must watch. It looks at how the hit musical came to be and features snippets of the show as well as interviews and archive footage.
Aside from what's available on these regular streaming platforms, the brilliant creatives from the world of theatre have put together some amazing online resources:
National Theatre at Home: Each week the National Theatre are streaming plays from their archives on YouTube. Each show stays up for 7 days and there's a whole variety of genres. This week's stream is Frankenstein with Anthony and Cleopatra going live on Thursday and more to be announced. Check out the channel here
Ghost Quartet: If you missed the recent revival of Dave Malloy's show at the Boulevard Theatre, you can now watch the original production here
Signal: A series that presents new artist driven musical theatre has released a complete playlist of songs presented over the past two years. Available here
The Show Must Go Online: Each Friday Andrew Lloyd Webber is sharing one of his musicals, available here
21 Chump Street: Lin Manuel Miranda's lovely 15 minute musical is available to stream now. Telling the true story of an agent who went undercover in a school to reveal students who were dealing drugs. For a short musical, this fits so much in and the performances from Anthony Ramos and Lindsay Mendez are outstanding.
Southwark Playhouse have introduced the Southwark Stayhouse with three of their previous productions, including the tale of the Bronte sisters, Wasted. Find them all here
The Royal Opera House #FromOurHouseToYourHouse: The Royal Opera House are releasing lots of their archive shows, including La Traviata. Find them all here
The Shows Must Go On!: Weekly readings of Shakespeare's plays, performed by stellar actors take place on YouTube
Only The Brave: Telling the story of a group of soldiers in the run up to the D-Day landings, the hit musical starring Caroline Sheen and David Thaxton is available to view here
Myth: The Rise and Fall of Orpheus: Filmed live at The Other Palace in March 2018, this belt-fest of a musical is available to watch here
Eugenius! Towards the start of lockdown, team Eugenius! released their show which was filmed during its run at The Other Palace and the show is still available to stream now.
Eugenius! Towards the start of lockdown, team Eugenius! released their show which was filmed during its run at The Other Palace and the show is still available to stream now.
Wednesday 26 October 2022
Jeremy Jordan's Band Age of Madness Announce The Lonesome Frets and Sammie Jay To Perform Alongside Them
Jeremy Jordan and his band AGE OF MADNESS are delighted to announce that George Maguire and Rachael Wooding with their band, THE LONESOME FRETS and singer-songwriter SAMMIE JAY will be joining them at their debut UK shows at HERE at Outernet on Sunday 13 November 2022 at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale now from www.fw-live.com/aom
Jeremy Jordan said:
AGE OF MADNESS is the passion project of Broadway, television and film actor Jeremy Jordan in collaboration with long-time friend and guitarist Mikael. Combining elements of modern alt rock with nostalgic throw backs to the 90s/2000s and a touch of the classical, AGE OF MADNESS are storytellers in epic rock form, their songs a testimony to where we came from and where we stand in today’s world.
THE LONESOME FRETS are George Maguire and Rachael Wooding. They met as performers on the London stage and began writing and gigging together in 2016. They have created a unique sound which focuses on well-crafted and catchy lyric driven songs. Their dynamic live shows are completed by a four-piece band and together the six deliver a tight and exciting show. The pair are no stranger to rock n roll royalty with George having worked on projects with both Ray and Dave Davies and Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry and Rachael with Brian May.
SAMMIE JAY is a singer-songwriter whose powerful voice encompasses several genres of music. Her professional career started playing Little Cosette in Les Misérables in the West End, followed by appearing on television in Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush. Staging her own band in Nashville with a solo performance on the prestigious Grand Old Oprey, Sammy Jay has duetted with Paul Rodgers of Bad Company and Free and performed concerts at University Studios Hollywood, Monte Carlo and supported Shalamar at The London Palladium.
JEREMY JORDAN is a Broadway performer who is best known for Newsies (Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk nominations), Bonnie and Clyde (Theatre World Award), American Son, Little Shop of Horrors, West Side Story, Waitress and Rock of Ages. On television he has appeared as a series regular on Supergirl, Smash, and Disney's Tangled. His film credits include The Last 5 Years, Joyful Noise, American Son, Newsies. He will soon star as the tenacious record industry giant, Neil Bogart, in the upcoming feature film, Spinning Gold. Jeremy is also a singer-songwriter whose concerts and cabaret shows have won awards and acclaim worldwide.
Fourth Wall Live (FWL) is a live entertainment company that produces events, concerts and on-stage shows. This January FWL presented Bonnie & Clyde the musical in concert for two nights to a sold-out audience at Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Broadway favourite Jeremy Jordan. This concert broke Drury Lane box office records selling out a 2-night run in less than 6 minutes.
FWL regularly brings Broadway artists to the UK, previous concerts include Broadway and TV regulars Chita Rivera, Keala Settle, Laura Benanti, Sierra Boggess, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Michelle Kelly, Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Jeremy Jordan, Matthew Morrison, Erich Bergen, Eden Espinosa, Julia Murney and Cynthia Erivo. Other concerts include West End and UK Stars solo concerts including Michael Ball, Matt Cardle, Kerry Ellis, Oliver Tompsett, Hannah Waddingham, Sharon D Clarke, Bonnie Langford and Jenna Russell.
Tori Amos’s musical The Light Princess was presented to critical acclaim, as a special one-off concert in the summer of 2018. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Zorro The Musical were presented with musical-all-star-casts in 2019 and 2020 respectively to sold out audiences.
Fourth Wall Live also regularly partners with the Hippodrome Casino, in November-December 2020 they produced 25 nights of socially distanced entertainment, proudly being the first live concert event post lockdown in the UK. Season two at the Hippodrome concerts ran from September 2021 to December 2021 and featured 20 nights of musical entertainment from the world of musical theatre and pop cross over.
Jeremy Jordan said:
“I am beyond excited to bring my band to London and we’re thrilled to be adding George and Rachael’s band, The Lonesome Frets and Sammi Jay to the line-up for this great night. George and I shared the stage for Bonnie and Clyde in Concert at the start of this year, so it’s fantastic to be reunited through our mutual passion for our bands and music, he and Rachael will blow you away!”
AGE OF MADNESS is the passion project of Broadway, television and film actor Jeremy Jordan in collaboration with long-time friend and guitarist Mikael. Combining elements of modern alt rock with nostalgic throw backs to the 90s/2000s and a touch of the classical, AGE OF MADNESS are storytellers in epic rock form, their songs a testimony to where we came from and where we stand in today’s world.
THE LONESOME FRETS are George Maguire and Rachael Wooding. They met as performers on the London stage and began writing and gigging together in 2016. They have created a unique sound which focuses on well-crafted and catchy lyric driven songs. Their dynamic live shows are completed by a four-piece band and together the six deliver a tight and exciting show. The pair are no stranger to rock n roll royalty with George having worked on projects with both Ray and Dave Davies and Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry and Rachael with Brian May.
SAMMIE JAY is a singer-songwriter whose powerful voice encompasses several genres of music. Her professional career started playing Little Cosette in Les Misérables in the West End, followed by appearing on television in Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush. Staging her own band in Nashville with a solo performance on the prestigious Grand Old Oprey, Sammy Jay has duetted with Paul Rodgers of Bad Company and Free and performed concerts at University Studios Hollywood, Monte Carlo and supported Shalamar at The London Palladium.
JEREMY JORDAN is a Broadway performer who is best known for Newsies (Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk nominations), Bonnie and Clyde (Theatre World Award), American Son, Little Shop of Horrors, West Side Story, Waitress and Rock of Ages. On television he has appeared as a series regular on Supergirl, Smash, and Disney's Tangled. His film credits include The Last 5 Years, Joyful Noise, American Son, Newsies. He will soon star as the tenacious record industry giant, Neil Bogart, in the upcoming feature film, Spinning Gold. Jeremy is also a singer-songwriter whose concerts and cabaret shows have won awards and acclaim worldwide.
Fourth Wall Live (FWL) is a live entertainment company that produces events, concerts and on-stage shows. This January FWL presented Bonnie & Clyde the musical in concert for two nights to a sold-out audience at Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Broadway favourite Jeremy Jordan. This concert broke Drury Lane box office records selling out a 2-night run in less than 6 minutes.
FWL regularly brings Broadway artists to the UK, previous concerts include Broadway and TV regulars Chita Rivera, Keala Settle, Laura Benanti, Sierra Boggess, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Michelle Kelly, Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Jeremy Jordan, Matthew Morrison, Erich Bergen, Eden Espinosa, Julia Murney and Cynthia Erivo. Other concerts include West End and UK Stars solo concerts including Michael Ball, Matt Cardle, Kerry Ellis, Oliver Tompsett, Hannah Waddingham, Sharon D Clarke, Bonnie Langford and Jenna Russell.
Tori Amos’s musical The Light Princess was presented to critical acclaim, as a special one-off concert in the summer of 2018. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Zorro The Musical were presented with musical-all-star-casts in 2019 and 2020 respectively to sold out audiences.
Fourth Wall Live also regularly partners with the Hippodrome Casino, in November-December 2020 they produced 25 nights of socially distanced entertainment, proudly being the first live concert event post lockdown in the UK. Season two at the Hippodrome concerts ran from September 2021 to December 2021 and featured 20 nights of musical entertainment from the world of musical theatre and pop cross over.
Wednesday 23 May 2018
Summer Holiday: The Musical (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review
Summer Holiday: The Musical (UK Tour)
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 22nd May 2018 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Based on the 1963 Cliff Richard hit, Summer Holiday: The Musical, taps into nostalgia and humour as a group of youngsters hop on a bus to live their dreams and go on a whirlwind adventure of self-discovery and love. The story follows four mechanics who, on a quest for the perfect summer holiday, travel around Europe on a double-decker bus as they plan a travel business. Along the way they meet a three person girl group and a runaway singer. Romance, laughter and catchy songs ensue.
Having not seen the film (it came out 33 years before I was born) I was not sure what to expect but this production delivered on so many levels and pleasantly surprised me. The humour is predictable and the plot isn't anything special but this is a high-energy, feel good show that's perfect for warm summer nights of escapism.
The set is basic but the big red bus certainly provides the wow factor. Steve Howell's design is simplistic without being basic and really helps highlight Racky Plews' fantastic choreography which is certainly one of the finest aspects of the production. The mixture of dance styles are extremely impressive. There are some West Side Story vibes as well as fabulous rock and roll moments. I didn't expect this show to be so choreography heavy but was very dazzled. The sleek movements are pulled off by the entire cast to great affect. There were a few errors such as dropped props but the professional cast did a wonderful job of covering up and making mistakes a part of the show.
Summer Holiday's cast give high-energy performances matched with strong vocals. Ray Quinn as Don gives an especially strong performance although his different accent whilst singing vs speaking did throw me a bit. However, he is a very strong singer, dancer and actor and is perfect for the role- suitably cheesy but well-rounded. As runaway singer, Sophie Matthew gives a lovely performance, with her bright eyes gleaming from the stage and her vocals shining during act two especially.
Each cast member does a great job of looking as though they're having fun on stage. This show is a real team piece with everyone working together well; particular stand out's are Billy Roberts as Steve and Alice Baker as Alma.
Summer Holiday: The Musical is lighthearted fun, perfect for those who want to reminisce on the 60s as well as those experiencing the story with fresh eyes. Take a break from the weight of the world and board the red bus for a few hours of carefree, musical fun.
Summer Holiday: The Musical runs at the New Victoria Theatre until May 26th before continuing it's UK tour.
Sunday 3 May 2020
The Return of the Movie Musical
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, movie musicals were abundant and arguably the most popular genre. However, with the move towards pop culture in the 1960s, their popularity dwindled and gave way to a more rebellious style and tone, which meant the all-singing, all-dancing, wholesome stories fell to the side.
Since then, aside from animated films, there have been a handful of live action musicals, with a few big hits such as Hairspray, Chicago and Mamma Mia!, but these have been largely hard to come by and a rare feature at the cinema. However, it seems that things are changing and we are in the midst of musicals coming back into the mainstream!
In some ways, the huge success of La La Land in 2016, a film which combined Old Hollywood with contemporary vibes, marked the return of movie musicals, with A Star is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman following in its footsteps and taking the box offices by storm. Disney's live action adaptations have also proved massive hits with Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King making huge profits. Of course there's also been the occasional flop... Cats.... (which I actually enjoyed) but on the whole, each release has highlighted the demand and appreciation for musical theatre.
It seems that Hollywood are finally taking note of the power of theatre people and are giving us the sweet, sweet, high quality films we deserve. There are a whole host of movie musicals in the works which are hugely exciting. Some that I'm most looking forward to are:
In The Heights: This is my all time favourite musical and I just can't wait for the summer vibes, incredible music and general wonder of Heights to be played out on the big screen. The film was originally set for release next month but thanks to Miss Rona it's been pushed back to June 2021.
Everybody's Talking About Jamie: This brilliantly British musical is set for release in October and is sure to thrill as it tells the real-life story of Jamie New, the 17 year old drag queen who wants to go against the norm and be true to himself. We'll also get the chance to see wonderful Max Harwood take on the lead role which will be a real treat.
West Side Story: In what's sure to be another 'Star is Born' performance, Rachel Zegler will be starring as Maria in this Stephen Spielberg adaptation. The production photos that have been released so far look amazing and I cannot wait to see this sumptuous film.
The Prom: I saw this show on Broadway so it'll be wonderful and interesting to see a film version. I think this will transfer brilliantly; plus, Meryl Streep is set to star in it so it's already a win in my eyes.
Matilda: The original Matilda film is a complete classic that will always be a heartwarming treat and the musical evokes the same magical and wondrous vibes. Tim Minchin's music is so clever and will no doubt get us all tapping our feet in the cinema!
Merrily We Roll Along: Ben Platt. Beanie Feldstein. Filmed over 20 years. Okay so this isn't going to be out in the near future but I just can't wait to eventually see this movie. The whole concept sounds so exciting and the cast are absolutely stellar.
As well as these there are more live action adaptations in the works as well as a number of current Broadway musicals being transferred from stage to screen. These include Dear Evan Hansen, Tick, Tick... Boom! and Come From Away. All in all, it seems that we can expect a whole lot more musicals in the mainstream and I cannot wait! What upcoming movie musical are you excited to see?
Post by Olivia Mitchell
Post by Olivia Mitchell
Wednesday 16 May 2018
The Book of Mormon, Sydney's Lyric Theatre | Review
The Book of Mormon
Lyric Theatre, Sydney
Reviewed on Tuesday 10th March 2018 by Amy Mitchell
★★★★
The Book of Mormon opened on Broadway in 2011 and since then has been showered with Tony Awards, international re-runs and widespread critical acclaim. Now, I’m a self-confessed sucker for show tunes, but to my own surprise I had little to no idea what this mammoth in musical theatre was all about before I took my seat (3 rows from the front- smug!) in Sydney’s Lyric Theatre last week…
Writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of South Park) and songwriter Robert Lopez (Disney’s Frozen ring any bells?) joined forces to concoct a joyous melange of politically incorrect subject matter, riotous stereotyping and unapologetically crass humour all tied up in an oddly charming, toe tappingly melodic bow.
Book of Mormon follows the journey of two young Mormons and their quest to spread the word of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Elder Price is a cookie cutter Mormon poster boy while Elder Cunningham is a hyperactive, loveable dork with a penchant for lying and Sci-fi movies. This unlikely duo is sent to a remote Ugandan village on a quest to convert its inhabitants to the Latter Day Saints. Their visions of an Africa a la Lion King are abruptly shattered as they encounter AIDS, female genital mutilation and a tyrannical warlord with an unprintable moniker.
As Elder Cunningham, Broadway’s own A.J. Holmes dominated the stage with his enormous presence and side splitting physical comedy. It was one of those performances where it’s nigh on impossible to imagine there being an actor behind the character.
Elder Price was played by understudy Steve Danielsen. Danielsen was superb, his all Australian good looks and strong vocal performances managed to make the audience warm to an obnoxious and potentially unlikeable character.
In fact, the entire cast was stellar. It’s impossible to decipher who stole the show. Aside from our two main Missionaries, the best performance title could equally have gone to PJ Adzima who played Mission Leader Elder McKinley. His energy could genuinely take your breath away. Also a close contender was Aussie local, Zahra Newman who played Nabulungi, daughter of the village chief. Her vocals in Sal Tlay Ka Siti (Salt Lake City) were nothing short of heavenly.
The Book of Mormon score/lyrics are brilliant and will have you cringing in half delight at the controversial lyrics peppered with comedic hooks. Spooky Mormon Hell had the audience erupting in laughter and Joseph Smith American Moses is equally hysterical.
Each song draws inspiration from well-known musicals, e.g. Hasa Diga Eebowai is reminiscent of the Lion King’s Hakuna Matata. Challenge – try and guess the parody. Hint – think West Side Story, Avenue Q, Fiddler on the Roof, Wicked and Hairspray.
There’s been a certain amount of hullabaloo surrounding the religious and racial overtones of the show. I’m actually surprised Book of Mormon got the go ahead (and unsure if it would if it was pitched in 2018!) but I’m not surprised it went onto become a smash hit. To me, it delivers on so many levels and the delightfully distasteful satire (in true Trey Parker and Matt Stone style) has a palpable social conscience.
Wickedly witty, The Book of Mormon pokes fun at the seemingly un-pokeable and ultimately manages to leave the audience with the cheerfully uncomfortable warm fuzzies. It’s also fantastic to see homegrown Australian talent holding their own (and killing it) alongside the Broadway greats.
The Book of Mormon runs at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney until 2nd September
photo credit: Jeff Busby
Thursday 12 May 2022
Jeremy Jordan to Perform Live in London
Fourth Wall Live is thrilled to announce that Broadway star Jeremy Jordan will be performing a solo show live in London at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Monday 29 August 2022. Pre-sale sign up is open now. www.fw-live.com/jeremy
This marks Jeremy’s fourth solo engagement in London after three previous sold-out runs as well as the sold-out Bonnie and Clyde in Concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in January of this year. The show is an opportunity for Jeremy to celebrate the some of music he is most loved for performing as well as personal favourites both old and new.
Jeremy Jordan is a Broadway performer who is best known for Newsies (Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk nominations), Bonnie and Clyde (Theatre World Award), American Son, Little Shop of Horrors, West Side Story, Waitress and Rock of Ages. On television he has appeared as a series regular on Supergirl, Smash, and Disney's Tangled. His film credits include The Last 5 Years, Joyful Noise, American Son, Newsies. He will soon star as the tenacious record industry giant, Neil Bogart, in the upcoming feature film, Spinning Gold. Jeremy is also a singer-songwriter whose concerts and cabaret shows have won awards and acclaim worldwide.
Benjamin Rauhala is one of the Broadway community's most trusted music directors and collaborators. He is the Music Supervisor and co-creator of Disney Princess - The Concert, touring over 90 cities in North America throughout 2022. He was named Best Musical Director at the 2020 Broadway World Cabaret Awards. He has toured the world as the music director for Jeremy Jordan, the Tony-nominated star of Broadway's Newsies and The CW's Supergirl. He is also the music director for Academy Award Winner Ariana DeBose, Halston star Krysta Rodriguez, Tony nominees Derek Klena, Jennifer Damiano, Kathryn Gallagher, Nashville star Kyle Dean Massey, and Frozen stars Caroline Bowman and Austin Colby. He was the Associate Music Director for the world premiere of The Secret Life of Bees at the Atlantic Theater, directed by Sam Gold, with music by Duncan Sheik. He worked on the music team for both Bartlett Sher's Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof and the Broadway production of Duncan Sheik's American Psycho simultaneously during the 2016 season. His Off-Broadway credits include David Byrne’s Joan of Arc: Into The Fire at The Public Theater and The Marvelous Wonderettes at Theater Row. He previously served as music director for Hit List, the meta-musical from the NBC television show SMASH and is an Original Programming Producer at Feinstein's/54 Below, where he has created dozens of sold-out concerts, including the Broadway Loves Series, that has famously honoured Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Celine Dion and many more beloved pop icons.
Fourth Wall Live (FWL) is a live entertainment company that produces events, concerts and on-stage shows. This January FWL presented Bonnie & Clyde the musical in concert for two nights to a sold-out audience at Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Broadway favourite Jeremy Jordan. This concert broke Drury Lane box office records selling out a 2-night run in less than 6 minutes.
FWL regularly brings Broadway artists to the UK, previous concerts include Broadway and TV regulars Chita Rivera, Keala Settle, Laura Benanti, Sierra Boggess, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Michelle Kelly, Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Jeremy Jordan, Matthew Morrison, Erich Bergen, Eden Espinosa, Julia Murney and Cynthia Erivo. Other concerts include West End and UK Stars solo concerts including Michael Ball, Matt Cardle, Kerry Ellis, Oliver Tompsett, Hannah Waddingham, Sharon D Clarke, Bonnie Langford and Jenna Russell.
Tori Amos’s musical The Light Princess was presented to critical acclaim, as a special one-off concert in the summer of 2018. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Zorro The Musical were presented with musical-all-star-casts in 2019 and 2020 respectively to sold out audiences.
Fourth Wall Live also regularly partners with the Hippodrome Casino, in November-December 2020 they produced 25 nights of socially distanced entertainment, proudly being the first live concert event post lockdown in the UK. Season two at the Hippodrome concerts ran from September 2021 to December 2021 and featured 20 nights of musical entertainment from the world of musical theatre and pop cross over.
Wednesday 18 January 2023
Moulin Rouge! the Musical, Piccadilly Theatre | Review
Moulin Rouge the Musical
The Piccadilly Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 17th January 2023
★★★★
A tale of two halves, Moulin Rouge the Musical is both a spectacular spectacular and a chaotic conundrum. Based on the 2001 film of the same name, it tells the story of fated lovers Christian and Satine, who despite the hardships which surround them, just want to be free to love one another. This musical adaptation takes elements from the film but also puts an extreme jukebox spin on the whole thing.
The real issue with Moulin Rouge is the clunky, all over the place book, which, especially in act one, feels basic. Random lines of dialogue are interspersed with pop songs that come out of nowhere and elicit awkward laughter from the audience; and the show feels confused, as if it can’t decide whether to lean into the comedy or try to be a serious show. There are also a number of side character arcs woven in to further the plot, each of which feel too random and under-developed to really elevate the show in any way. The heart of the story is Christian and Satine love and it would be more effective if we only followed their story.
However, on the other side of the coin, the musical is a visual masterpiece which completely astounds. It's the epitome of razzle dazzle, and the set certainly the most spectacular in the West End right now. Derek McLane has created a sumptuous backdrop which has details hidden in every corner of the auditorium, from the elephant who towers over, to the mini Moulin Rouges embossed in the golden decadence of the facade. Paired with Catherine Zuber's divine costumes, you really couldn't ask for more in terms of aesthetics.
Also, after a pantomime-esque Act One, the musical really steps up a gear. In Act Two the stakes get higher, the performances get more intense and it really becomes the show you'd expect. As leading man Christian, Jamie Muscato is absolutely glorious, serving divine vocals throughout and also bringing a charming, comedic side to the role. Crazy Rolling is a superb stand out moment, as is El Tango de Roxanne, which includes both breathtakingly good vocals, and fantastic dancing by Amy Thornton and Elia Lo Tauro.
Both Ben Richards and Matt Rixon as the Duke and Harold Zidler respectively, are good as the 'baddies' but do lack a darker level of menacing that would really add to their performances. As Satine, Melissa James has some great moments, especially her duet of Come What May, a moment where I felt things levelled up and I became much more invested in the story.
Perhaps the most effective part of the musical are the group numbers where the ensemble come together with upmost energy to perform Sonya Tayeh's abundant choreography. The opening Lady Marmalade number is particularly impressive and there's no denying how talented this cast are.
Overall, a three star act one, a five star set, and a four star act two make this a distinctly middle of the ground show and there's definitely elements of style over substance, but when it's good, it's really good and worth seeing for the Act Two opening number alone.
{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
Thursday 6 October 2016
Murder Ballad, Arts Theatre | Review
Murder Ballad
The Arts Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 5th October 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
Murder Ballad is running at the Arts Theatre until December 3rd
Saturday 29 October 2016
Side Show, Southwark Playhouse | Review
Side Show
Southwark Playhouse
Reviewed on Thursday 27th October 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★Reviewed on Thursday 27th October 2016 by Olivia Mitchell
Side Show is an original musical which is unique in more than one way. Firstly because it tells the story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and secondly because it flopped not once but twice on Broadway. The original 1997 production ran for a mere 91 performances with the more recent 2014 revival running for only 56, perhaps it was not a Broadway audiences cup of tea or perhaps it did not have the finesse and omph which this current production does.
Sunday 23 December 2018
Come From Away, Abbey Theatre, Dublin | Review
Come From Away (European Premiere)
Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Reviewed on Wed 19 December 2018 by Damien Murray
★★★★
As a former refuelling stop for trans-Atlantic flights, the remote town of Gander in Newfoundland was once well used to having many visitors on board passing planes.
In 2001, due to its position and facilities, it unexpectedly found itself playing host to 38 international flights filled with 7,000 passengers of many nationalities during the horrific attacks of 9/11 on the North-Eastern region of the United States.
This is not a show about those atrocities, but rather a true story of generosity, gratitude and ultimate hope performed as a theatrical documentation of the unfolding events at Gander as a result of the attacks and the efforts of a small island population to help their fellow man in exceptional and demanding circumstances.
Ahead of its transfer to London at the end of January, it is, perhaps, appropriate that the European premiere of Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s relatively new, but highly-acclaimed, award-winning musical, is being staged in Dublin as Newfoundland owes much of its music, language and culture to Ireland.
This fact is reflected in the show’s accents, humour and music, with a distinctly ‘celtic’ approach to the score, instrumentation and underscoring in this Abbey Theatre co-production with Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals.
Playing a multitude of roles with a quick-fire change of accent, hat, shirt or jacket to convey each character, the hard-working and 12-strong cast - Jenna Boyd, Nathanael Campbell, Clive Carter, Mary Doherty, Robert Hands, Helen Hobson, Jonathan Andrew Hume, Harry Morrison, Emma Salvo, David Shannon, Cat Simmons and, returning to the city where she made her professional debut, Ireland’s own West End and Broadway star, Rachel Tucker - prove the perfect team for this exceptional ensemble piece.
Indeed, the captivating cast takes ensemble performance to a whole new and higher level in this factual, intense and heart-warming drama.
Performances here are of such a uniformly impressive standard, it is almost impossible to single anyone out for special praise, but it must be said that, with her commanding stage presence, quality vocals and passionate performance, it is no accident that one of Rachel Tucker’s main characters is, appropriately, that of the Captain.
By necessity, the casting is diverse to reflect the wide cross section of some of those who were caught up in the Gander situation with people of various shapes, colours and creeds being represented; each with their own story and circumstances and each dealing with the situation in their own way.
With Beowulf Boritt’s simple, sparse and static (apart from a stage revolve, which, thankfully, is not overused) set representing the remoteness of the forested island being cleverly lit by Howell Binkley’s mood-inspiring lighting, this production is greatly helped by Christopher Ashley’s no thrills direction and Tara Overfield-Wilkinson’s relentless choreography and movement to advance the evolving story in its 100-minute performance time, without ever losing the attention of its audience.
Because of the nature of its unfolding story, this unconventional musical benefits greatly by the absence on an interval to ensure no loss of momentum or continuity.
The show is also unusual in terms of the musical score, which mixes Celtic with folk and rock with the addition of a few ballads and, with tongue firmly in cheek, gives a musical nod to Titanic to add humour to the piece.
Apart from when they take centre stage for a bit of an international hoe-down during Screech In (highlighting the importance of music as an international language), the eight accomplished musicians, under Alan Berry’s musical direction, are discretely positioned at the side of the stage.
Musical highlights are dominated by the ensemble’s excellent choral work throughout, particularly in songs like Darkness And Trees, while the beautiful rendition of Prayer reinforces the commonality of music in religion.
Other highlights include Rachel Tucker’s moving showcase song, Me And The Sky, and the tender love song, Stop The World.
In the midst of mixed emotions, fear, confusion, panic, terror and tragedy, we find that camaraderie, friendship, tolerance, respect and humour are universal and all shine through in this story of interaction between strangers when they are thrown together in the most unusual of circumstances and when relationships survive and grow with random acts of kindness.
Human resourcefulness becomes second nature as all rally round to provide such practical essentials as food, clothing, accommodation, language interpreters, counselling, medical and spiritual care, money and special care needed for babies and animals that were on any of the grounded flights.
In addition to the positive feelings when they are all pulling together as one, a painful feeling of loneliness and emptiness descends on everyone immediately after they eventually leave to go home similar to that experienced at the end of an Irish wake.
This story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in a time of need is truly inspirational and this intense, gripping, emotional and heart-warming production perfectly captures the generosity of the human spirit and the hope that has been born out of tragedy to create an oasis of harmony in a world of confusion.
Come From Away runs at the Abbey Theatre until Sat 19th January 2019
Photo credit: Matthew Murphy
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