West End

INTERVIEW: JAMAAL FIELDS-GREEN (MJ the Musical)

Interview

New York’s Jamaal Fields-Green took over the role of Michael Jackson in the smash hit London production of MJ the Musical 14 January, 2025.

— You’ve played Michael Jackson in MJ the Musical on Broadway, on the US national tour, and now on the West End. Does it feel different performing in London? Or is it really just the same as performing the show anywhere?

I’d say it’s a bit of both. There are actually slight differences in blocking across the companies. Thankfully, audiences all over the world have the same reaction to the show — the love and enjoyment is always there. But where London differs is the reservation the audience has during the show: it’s different from what I’m used to, but I like it. It allows us in the company to further engulf ourselves into the world we’re creating.

— What drew you to this particular role?

It’s Michael Jackson! Honestly, this role allows me to really exercise the ability to be a triple threat. I have to sing, act, and dance at a high level. Getting the chance to do that, while also leading a show, was an opportunity I couldn’t miss out on.

— What are the challenges of performing this show in London, versus performing in New York, or the rest of America? What do you miss?

Really, I would say just the location and the culture… being in a new country. It didn’t take me long to get used to the reserved audiences. Getting to stay in one spot is nice. I hadn’t had that in a while. Other than that, everything else is about the same.

— What’s next for Jamaal Fields-Green?

The world! I have a lot of plans and goals set for myself while I’m here in London. I want to do a play while I’m here, after my time with MJ is over. Between acting, singing and dancing, acting has always been the one I’ve felt most at home with. I have a lot of music on the way — I release music under the name “J. Hasan“. I recently started working on my newest short film, and we’re aiming to shoot it this summer. TV and film is another big thing I’ve been chasing for a while. Overall, I’m looking to grow was an artist, and further cement myself as a force in the industry.

MJ the Musical is playing at the Prince Edward Theatre 6 March 2024 – 13 September 2025.

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INTERVIEW: TOBIAS TURLEY (MAMMA MIA!) | London, Novello Theatre

Interview

Tobias Turley is the winner of ITV’s MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream, a British television talent competition documenting the search for two new, unknown musical theatre performers for Mamma Mia! in the West End.

— Congratulations on winning ITV’s MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream, with a prize that money can’t buy: joining the West End cast as Sky. How are you feeling?

I’m feeling great, thank you, I’m having such a blast in this show. It’s such an incredible feeling seeing so many months of hard work pay off and come to fruition. We started filming the TV show over a year ago now, so it’s very odd to see myself in the position I am currently in, but I am loving every second.

— Since opening in 1999, Mamma Mia! has gone on to be one of the most successful musicals in the whole world.  For you, what makes it so popular and so enduring?

This show is built on a foundation of incredible music. ABBA is timeless and beloved all over the world, so that’s a great start. But also it has a great script, incredible production design and amazing choreography. It’s a good mixture all round.

— Tell us about your character, Sky.

Sky is a charming, bubbly island boy. Who is head over heels for Sophie, but not completely sold on the idea of marriage just yet. He loves adventuring on the island, diving, surfing, very typical island behaviour. He’s very level headed, calm and collected but also incredibly light hearted. He’s a good egg.

— Anything else exciting in the pipeline?

The future is looking very exciting and I’m taking everything as it comes.  Being part of the show’s 25th anniversary celebration, with Björn Ulvaeus joining us on stage, was so special; the same anniversary of ABBA winning Eurovision with “Waterloo”, 50 years ago. I feel so incredibly lucky to be in the position I am in.

Tobias Turley is now performing in the West End production of Mamma Mia!, playing eight shows a week.

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MAMMA MIA! 25th anniversary | London, Novello Theatre

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On Saturday 6 April 2024, the original production of MAMMA MIA! celebrated its 25th anniversary, making it only the third musical in the history of the West End, to reach its Silver Jubilee.

Since premiering in London’s West End in 1999, the exhilarating smash-hit has become a global phenomenon, with a staggering 70 million people having seen it worldwide.

There was quite a celebration on Saturday night. On stage at the Novello Theatre, the cast were joined by Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA, Judy Craymer (creator and producer), Catherine Johnson (book writer), Anthony van Laast (choreographer), as well as original cast members Siobhan McCarthy (original Donna) and Lisa Stokke (original Sophie).

The party continued afterwards at the Palm Court in the Waldorf Hilton.

Playing at the Novello Theatre in London, 8 shows a week.

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HADESTOWN | London, Lyric Theatre

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The multi award-winning musical Hadestown will open at the Lyric Theatre, London, with performances from Saturday 10 February 2024. Following its sold-out run at the National Theatre in 2018, Hadestown won 8 Tony® Awards on Broadway in 2019, including ‘Best Musical’.  Blending modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz, the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hadestown won the 2020 Grammy Award® for ‘Best Musical Theatre Album’.

Hadestown takes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back, intertwining two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone. Hadestown features music, lyrics, and book by acclaimed Grammy®-winning singer-songwriter and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winner Anaïs Mitchell, who originated Hadestown as an indie theatre project and acclaimed album. Mitchell then transformed the show into a genre-defying new musical alongside artistic collaborator and Tony® Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin.

The West End cast will include Dónal Finn (Orpheus), Grace Hodgett Young (Eurydice), Grammy® Award-winner Zachary James (Hades), Melanie La Barrie (Hermes), and Gloria Onitiri (Persephone). Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne, and Allie Daniel will play the Fates.  Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Beth Hinton-Lever, Waylon Jacobs, and Christopher Short will play the Workers.  Lucinda Buckley, Ryesha Higgs, Miriam Nyarko, and Simon Oskarsson are Swings. Casting for the London production is by Jacob Sparrow.

The Hadestown creative team features Obie Award® winner and Chita Rivera Award® winner David Neumann (choreography), Tony Award® winner Rachel Hauck (scenic design), four-time Tony® Award nominee Michael Krass (costume design), two-time Tony Award® winner Bradley King (lighting design), Tony® Award winners Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz (sound design), Liam Robinson (music supervision and vocal arrangements), Tony® Award winners Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose (arrangements and orchestrations), and Ken Cerniglia (dramaturgy).

Playing at the Lyric Theatre 10 February – 4 August 2024.

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I’M EVERY WOMAN: THE CHAKA KHAN MUSICAL | London, West End

Recommended

Finally, London is getting a Chaka Khan jukebox musical, chronicling the singer’s extraordinary life. So-called “jukebox” musicals can get a bad name, but there’s no denying that recent UK-born jukebox musicals about Tina Turner, Cher, and The Kinks are big business. This new Chaka Khan musical is set open somewhere on the West End in the autumn of 2024: beyond that, everything else is secret. Until now!

The Prickle had the great privilege of being invited to an industry-only staged reading of the work-in-progress in London, in the presence of Ms Khan herself. Obviously, between now and the real thing, any number of things could change, but let it be said that the work-in-progress is already looking killer. Choreography by Del Mak (a newcomer to musical theatre) is at its most explosive in “I Feel for You”, in an overwhelming sequence that features cameos from Stevie Wonder (Ashley Samuels) and Prince (Hassan Sharif).

But it’s not just the dance and direction (Racky Plews) that astounds. Musical supervisor Ian Oakley also deploys Chaka Khan’s extraordinary back catalogue in the most surprising ways, including a devastating performance of “Pack’d My Bags” by deserting husband Hassan Khan (Duane-Lamonte O’Garro), and an extremely creepy performance of “Like Sugar” by the spiritual embodiment of cocaine (Luke Friend): trust me, it works.

Less persuasive is the slightly reductive “meta” framing device of the whole musical itself being about the development of the Chaka Khan musical, and how difficult it is to find someone to play Chaka Khan. However, there’s definitely something exciting about the tried-and-tested trope of three different actresses portraying different stages of the iconic singer’s life, all to reunite at the end for a massive ensemble sing-along of the title track, “I’m Every Woman”.

It’s unclear how much is going to stay the same and how much is going to change over the next year, but audiences can be sure of a dynamite show: keep an eye out for when tickets go on sale and book early.

Sign up to the mailing list on the official website.

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INTERVIEW: DANIEL RAGGETT | London, Accidental Death of an Anarchist

Interview

Daniel Raggett explains his process for directing this new adaptation of Dario Fo’s comedy, Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970), and how a 200-seat studio theatre production came to find a new audience on the West End.

– Congratulations on the West End transfer for Accidental Death of an Anarchist. How does it feel to have a show on the West End at this stage in your career?

This is a show that started off in a 200-seat studio theatre in Sheffield, and originally there were no plans beyond that. The most important thing about the West End run is that the show can be seen by more people. It is a piece of work I’m very proud of because it feels unique – a comedy that carries an important message at its heart – and clearly the fact it has returned for a third time means that people are responding to it.

– Accidental Death of an Anarchist is an Italian play from 1970, based on the true story of how a suspect in the 1969 Milan Piazza Fontana bombing fell to his death from a fourth-floor window of a police station during an interrogation. How can such a play make sense to an English-speaking, London audience, over fifty years later?

Crucially, there is a real case at the heart of the play: Dario Fo used the actual transcripts from the real event. But he was adamant that when productions were remounted, details should be adapted to reflect similar contemporary abuses – so that it speaks to the society outside the walls of the theatre, and the world in which the audience are watching the play. Dario Fo gave his personal blessing to Tom Basden’s adaptation before he died, because it does exactly this. Now, with the evidence of the Casey report, the relevance has only increased.

– Can you describe your directing style in a few sentences?

I don’t believe in a hierarchy. I think actors are a director’s greatest tool, and you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and that includes lighting, sound, and set. I’d also say my style is quite eclectic. I try to find the best process for that particular production, rather than having one process that fits everything.

– Some people say politics shouldn’t be theatrical, and theatre shouldn’t be political. What do you say?

From my point of view, politics is inherently theatrical – you just have to look at the Prime Minister’s Questions to see how much grandstanding and audience participation there is. More importantly, I’d argue that everything is political, including theatre. With this particular show, it isn’t our intention to lecture an audience but rather to convey a message. You may not even notice because you’re laughing so much – but, if we’ve done it right, it’ll stay with you.

Playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket 12 June – 9 September 2023.

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INTERVIEW: KYLE RAMAR FREEMAN (A Strange Loop)

Interview

Broadway’s Kyle Ramar Freeman stars in the London production of Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop, playing at the Barbican 17 June – 9 September, 2023.

– Congratulations on landing the lead role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, A Strange Loop. How does it feel?

It feels amazing, and full circle that I get to be in this moment with this show. I am forever grateful for the experience, and the opportunity to tell a story that is so authentically itself; that millions of people will be impacted by for the years to come.

– So, do you prefer performing on Broadway or the West End? Be honest.

I would only say I prefer Broadway because my family and friends have access to see me perform more there than they would in London.

– A Strange Loop is very critical of conservative American Christianity, particularly in regards to homophobia. But also, the musical touches on that feeling of being abandoned by God. As a Christian yourself, has it felt difficult to be part of this production?

No, it has not been difficult to be a part of this production in that regard. But I have felt that way in my own life. And coming from a community within church that feels like home to you – but also is a place that does not really love your true self – is a tricky thing to navigate. However, it’s important for the show to speak on an experience that does not often get to be put in the spotlight. Especially for a fat black gay person to tell it, in its raw form, as we get to do in A Strange Loop.

– What’s next for Kyle Ramar Freeman?

The revival of The Wiz on Broadway is what is next for me! I will be the Lion, and I am so thrilled to be a part of the history of that magnificent show. I could not be more thrilled to start that journey.

See Kyle Ramar Freeman live at the Barbican Theatre 17 June – 9 September 2023.

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PRIVATE LIVES | London, Ambassadors Theatre

Recommended

Noël Coward’s scintillating comic masterpiece Private Lives (1930) starring Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge heads to the West End this Autumn, for a strictly limited 12-week run. The acclaimed Theatre Royal Bath production by award-winning director Christopher Luscombe premiered in 2021, prior to a UK tour in 2022.

Private Lives will be the first production to be staged in the now fully refurbished Ambassadors Theatre, following ATG’s multi-million-pound investment to improve facilities, customer experience, and access. The access improvement works carried out provide an access lift for the first time, the potential for 6 wheelchair spaces, accessible toilet facilities, and improved audio access to support the hearing impaired.

One of the UK’s most popular actors, Nigel Havers has been a favourite with audiences for nearly four decades. His roles on screen have encompassed Downton Abbey and Coronation Street, Chariots of Fire and The Charmer. Stage roles range from Art to Rebecca, to The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre and becoming a mainstay of the annual pantomime at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

One of our best-loved actresses, Olivier Award-winning Patricia Hodge OBE has starred in Travels With My Aunt, Relative Values, Calendar Girls, His Dark Materials, Noises Off and A Little Night Music. Her recent television credits include A Very English Scandal, Downton Abbey and Miranda.

Playing at the Ambassadors Theatre 31 August – 25 November 2023.

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS | Newbury, Watermill Theatre

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Newbury’s The Watermill Theatre is thrilled to announce the full cast of their upcoming musical; a brand-new production of The Lord of the Rings, a musical tale based on the classic trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams; Slumdog Millionaire), Värttinä, and Tony Award-winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).

This is the first production of the musical in the UK since the original 2007 West End show, which ran for just over a year, earning five Olivier nominations. It was one of the most expensive West End musicals ever produced, with a cast of fifty, in the enormous 2,200-seater Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Here, at the 200-seater Watermill Theatre, the cast has been reduced to twenty. With the production set across both the Watermill auditorium and gardens, audiences will be immersed in the magical landscape of Middle-earth, joining an ensemble cast and large-scale puppets on an epic journey celebrating the power of friendship and common goodness to conquer unimaginable evil.

The Lord of the Rings will be directed by Paul Hart with design by Simon Kenny, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations by Mark Aspinall, Choreography by Anjali Mehra, Lighting Design by Rory Beaton, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Projection Design by George Reeve, Associate Directed by Sibylla Archdale Kalid, Puppet Design by Charlie Tymms, and Puppetry Direction by Ashleigh Cheadle. The stage management team are Cat Pewsey (CSM), Katie Newton (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with Leila Stephenson (ASM Placement).

Playing at the Watermill Theatre 25 July – 15 October 2023.

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INTERVIEW: SHAUN ESCOFFERY & GEORGE ASPREY (THE LION KING) | London, Lyceum Theatre

Interview

Shaun Escoffery (Mufasa) and George Asprey (Scar) are celebrating fifteen years in Disney’s The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre in London this April. They are now the longest serving actors for these roles in any production of The Lion King ever.

– It’s an incredible achievement to be the longest serving actors in the roles of Mufasa and Scar in any production of The Lion King. How does that accolade feel?

George Asprey: Slightly surreal. It’s more like an accumulation because you’re only ever as good as your last show. It’s taking it one show at a time.

Shaun Escoffery: I feel extremely lucky to be able to do something we love.

– How do you keep things interesting and varied?

Escoffery: This might be our five thousandth time, but it is the audience’s first time, and we always keep that at the forefront of our minds.

Asprey: Also, having the freedom of knowing the character so well, it’s easy to change little things and nuances. Occasionally, you’ll come up with something, after fifteen years, and ask yourself why it’s taken all this time to explore that.

– What are the advantages of having worked together for fifteen years? Imagine if you hated each other.

Asprey: I always tell people that I have four sisters, and I always wanted a brother. I never realised that it would turn out to be this six foot brute from East London.

Escoffery: He’s my best friend.

Asprey: Because we know the roles and each other so well, if something does go wrong, nothing phases us.

– What are some of your fondest memories from the past fifteen years?

Asprey: Seeing Shaun again after COVID. That was a hug! That first show back was extraordinary. The bond created between those on stage and those in the auditorium was just immense. And it was a physical manifestation of reality coming back to normal.

– What’s your favourite song from The Lion King?

Escoffery: “Circle of Life”, every time.

Asprey: “They Live in You”, which Shaun sings: it’s extraordinary. And, I have to say, “Be Prepared”.

Shaun Escoffery and George Asprey are roaring in The Lion King in London’s West End.

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