The post Nominations announced for UK Theatre Awards 2023 appeared first on StageZine.

Courtesy of Broadway Records.

Nicholas Hytner’s critically acclaimed immersive production of Guys & Dolls – a musical fable of Broadway, based on the story and characters of Damon Runyon is one of the greatest musicals of all time, with more hit songs, more laughs and more romance than any show ever written. Guys & Dolls has music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. The celebrated production features choreography by Arlene Phillips with James Cousins, musical supervision and arrangements by Tom Brady, set by Bunny Christie, costumes by Bunny Christie and Deborah Andrews, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Arditti, orchestrations by Charlie Rosen, associate direction by James Cousins, and casting by Charlotte Sutton.

The 2023 London cast recording stars Daniel Mays (Nathan Detroit), Cedric Neal (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), Andrew Richardson (Sky Masterson), Celinde Schoenmaker (Sarah Brown) and Marisha Wallace (Miss Adelaide). Also appearing are Jordan Castle (Harry the Horse), Cornelius Clarke (Lieutenant Brannigan), Cameron Johnson (Big Jule), Anthony O’Donnell (Arvide Abernathy), Mark Oxtoby (Benny Southstreet), Ryan Pidgen (Rusty Charlie) and Katy Secombe (General Cartwright). Completing the cast are Iroy Abesamis, Simon Anthony, Lydia Bannister, Kathryn Barnes, Callum Bell, Cindy Belliot, Petrelle Dias, Ike Fallon, Leslie Garcia Bowman, George Ioannides, Robbie McMillan, Perry O’Dea, James Revell, Charlotte Scott, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, Isabel Snaas, Sasha Wareham and Dale White in the ensemble.

The 2023 London cast recording is produced by Michael J. Moritz Jr., Charlie Rosen and Tom Brady, and co-produced by Van Dean and Emily Loesser. The album is executive produced by Accidental Jacket, Matt Britten and Andrew Paradis.

The album features a bonus track of a new version of “Luck Be a Lady” sung by Marisha Wallace. The digital album also features several bonus tracks.

About Broadway Records

Broadway Records is the leading, Grammy® winning record label dedicated to releasing the most popular and current Broadway cast recordings, as well as preserving legacy musical theatre and theatre vocalists’ repertoire. Under the leadership of Broadway Records’ president and founder Van Dean, recent releases include the 2023 Broadway Revival of Camelot, New Off-Broadway Cast Recording of Assassins, the Grammy-nominated New Broadway Cast Recording of Caroline, Or Change,  If The Fates Allow: The Hadestown Holiday Album,  Grammy-nominated Burt Bacharach & Stephen Sater’s Some Lovers,  Grammy-nominated Stephen Schwartz’s Snapshots, The Lehman Trilogy, Grammy-nominated Randy Rainbow’s A Little Brains, A Little Talent, Legacy: Two Song Cycles by Ahrens and Flaherty, the Grammy and Tony Award-winning revival of The Color Purple, the Tony Award-winning and Grammy-nominated revival of Once On This Island, the Grammy-nominated Matilda The Musical, Fiddler on the Roof (2015 revival) and My Fair Lady (2018 revival), Anastasia, Bandstand, Groundhog Day, The Lightning Thief and NBC’s television events, “The Wiz Live!” and “Peter Pan Live!” as well as solo albums from Patti LuPone, Lea Salonga, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessica Vosk, Kyle Taylor Parker, and many more. The label’s critically-acclaimed “Live at Feinstein’s/54 Below” series features top Broadway stars including Aaron Tveit, Annaleigh Ashford, Norbert Leo Butz, Sierra Boggess, Laura Benanti, Robbie Rozelle, Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp, Micky Dolenz, and many others. Broadway Records philanthropic endeavors also include the “Broadway For Orlando: What The World Needs Now is Love”, “We Are The World” by Broadway United and “Broadway Kids Against Bullying: I Have a Voice” music videos and From Broadway With Love benefit concerts for Sandy Hook, Orlando (Emmy Award for Sound) and Parkland. http://www.broadwayrecords.com  Follow on X/Twitter @bwayrecords

The post London ‘Guys & Dolls’ soundtrack available digitally 9-29-23 appeared first on StageZine.

Winners announced for Olivier Awards 2023 with Mastercard 

• RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro triumphs with six awards including the Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director 
• Best Actress was awarded to Jodie Comer and Paul Mescal took home the Best Actor award 
• Standing At The Sky’s Edge won Mastercard Best New Musical 
• Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Won Magic Radio Best Musical Revival 
• Other acting wins included Katie Brayben, Beverley Knight, Arthur Darvill, Will Keen, Zubin Varla and Anjana Vasan 

LONDON—The winners have been unveiled for this year’s Olivier Awards with Mastercard, British theatre’s biggest night, which took place this evening (Sunday, April 2, 2023) at the Royal Albert Hall in London, hosted by Hannah Waddingham.

The biggest winner of the night was the RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro, the theatre adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s 1989 coming-of-age anime film. The show won six of the nine categories it was nominated in, including the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director, awarded to Phelim McDermott, and the Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play. The productions other wins included Tony Gayle for d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design, Jessica Hun Hang Yun for the White Light Award for Best Lighting Design, Kimie Nakano for Best Costume Design and Tom Pye for the Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design.

Three productions from The Almeida Theatre triumphed on the night. Will Keen won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Patriots, and Tammy Faye garnered two acting awards – Katie Brayben for Best Actress in a Musical and Zubin Varla for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

The final multi-winning show at the Almeida Theatre was Rebecca Frecknall’s revival of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. Paul Mescal won Best Actor for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski and Best Actress in a Supporting Role was awarded to Anjana Vasan for playing Stella. The play also won the esteemed Cunard Best Revival award.

Jodie Comer accepting her Best Actress Olivier Award for ‘Prima Facie’ at the 2023 Olivier Awards in London. ‘Prima Facie’ opens on Broadway April 23, 2023. Photo: Christie Goodwin

Best Actress went to Jodie Comer, for her performance in solo drama Prima Facie, which won the coveted Delta Air Lines Best New Play award. The filmed production was seen by hundreds of thousands of people, making it the highest-grossing Event Cinema ever released in the UK and Ireland.

This Olivier Awards was a year of firsts. The recipients of both the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, Paul and Jodie, were nominated for their West End debuts, and 16 of the 18 named winners were receiving their first ever Olivier Award.

Mastercard Best New Musical was awarded to Standing At The Sky’s Edge. Set in a council estate in Sheffield, where it debuted in 2019, the musical transferred to the National Theatre this year. Richard Hawley & Tom Deering also took home the award for Best Original Score or New Orchestrations for this production.

As well as performing twice in the ceremony, Beverley Knight picked up the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her performance as Emmeline Pankhurst in the musical retelling of her daughter Sylvia’s lesser-known story.

Elsewhere, Dickson Mbi won Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his choreography of Enowate, and Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock won Best New Dance Production. In the opera categories, Will Kentridge won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, for his conception and direction of Sibyl and the TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production went to Alcina. Both productions were staged at the Royal Opera House.

For the second year in a row, the Bush Theatre was home to the winner of Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre (representing smaller London venues). The winning show was The P Word, the tale of two very different gay Pakistani men navigating modern Britain.

Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show, which sees beloved animated character Duggee brought to life, won Best Family Show.

The ceremony celebrated Sir Derek Jacobi, who was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to theatre throughout his career.

The star-studded Olivier Awards ceremony featured performances from all the Mastercard Best New Musical nominees – The Band’s Visit, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, Sylvia and Tammy Faye. There were also performances from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and Sister Act, both nominated for Magic Radio Best Musical Revival.

Disney’s Newsies, whose choreographer Matt Cole won the Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer, and multi-Olivier winner The Book Of Mormon (celebrating 10 years in the West End) also performed.

The show culminated in a tribute to Special Award recipient Dame Arlene Phillips, with a performance from Grease The Musical – a production she famously choreographed.

The Olivier Awards continues its partnership with ITV, which broadcasts the ceremony tonight in the UK at 10:15pm on ITV1 and ITVX. The full ceremony was also broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall on Magic Radio. Outside the UK, the Olivier Awards was live on YouTube.

Paul Mescal at the 2023 Olivier Awards in London, accepting his Best Actor Olivier Award for playing Stanley Kowalski in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’ Photo: Christie Goodwin.

OlivierAwards.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

#OlivierAwards

Full list of winners for the Olivier Awards 2023 with Mastercard:

Cunard Best Revival

A Streetcar Named Desire

Almeida Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Will Keen

Patriots

Almeida Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Anjana Vasan

A Streetcar Named Desire

Almeida Theatre

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

Tom Pye

RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro

Barbican Theatre

Best Costume Design

Kimie Nakano

RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro

Barbican Theatre

Best Actress

Jodie Comer

Prima Facie

Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Actor

Paul Mescal

A Streetcar Named Desire

Almeida Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

William Kentridge

for his conception and direction of Sibyl

Barbican Theatre

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production

Alcina

by The Royal Opera

Royal Opera House

Delta Air Lines Best New Play

Prima Facie

Harold Pinter Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Phelim McDermott

RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro

Barbican Theatre

Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre

The P Word

Bush Theatre

Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play 

RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro

Barbican Theatre

Best Family Show

Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show

Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

Dickson Mbi

for his choreography of Enowate

Sadler’s Wells

Best New Dance Production

Traplord

by Ivan Michael Blackstock

180 Studios

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Young Vic

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

Richard Hawley & Tom Deering

Music & Lyrics by Richard Hawley and Orchestrations by Tom Deering

Standing At The Sky’s Edge

National Theatre – Olivier

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Matt Cole

Disney’s Newsies

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Jessica Hung Han Yun

RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro

Barbican Theatre

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design

Tony Gayle

RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro

Barbican Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Beverley Knight

Sylvia

The Old Vic

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Zubin Varla

Tammy Faye

Almeida Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical

Arthur Darvill

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Young Vic

Best Actress in a Musical

Katie Brayben

Tammy Faye

Almeida Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical

Standing At The Sky’s Edge

National Theatre – Olivier

The Olivier Awards & Society of London Theatre (SOLT)

Established in 1976 and run by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the Olivier Awards celebrate the world-class status of London theatre, and are regarded as Britain’s most prestigious stage honours.

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is a not-for-profit organization which represents approximately 230 London-based producers, theatre owners and managers, including all the major subsidized theatrical organizations in London. SOLT runs the Olivier Awards, West End LIVE, TKTS, Theatre Tokens, Kids Week, the New Year Sale and Official London Theatre.

Looking beyond the announcement to the wider work of London’s theatre sector, the nominations could not have come at a more crucial time. Ahead of the Spring Budget in Westminster, the Society of London Theatre are leading the call for the government to maintain the higher rate of theatre tax relief, which has galvanized the world-beating productions and performances nominated today by providing the financial environment for increased investment in a challenging climate.

 Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. Follow us on Twitter: @MastercardUK

The post Winners announced for 2023 Olivier Awards in London appeared first on StageZine.

‘2023 OLIVIER AWARDS’: Olivier Award Industry Recognition recipients. Photo: Jemima Marriott.

 

Olivier Awards 2023 with Mastercard announces broadcast details and show line up.

–       Evening will include performances from all Mastercard Best New Musical nominees including The Band’s Visit, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, Sylvia and Tammy Faye

–       The cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and Sister Act (Magic Radio Best Musical Revival nominees) as well as Disney’s Newsies (Best Theatre Choreography nominee) will also perform 

–       There will be a special performance from multi–Olivier Award winner The Book Of Mormon as the production celebrates 10 years in the West End 

–       Special Award winner Arlene Philips will be honoured with a tribute from the cast of Grease The Musical

–       The Olivier Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 2nd April and will be broadcast on ITV at 10.15pm with full live coverage on Magic Radio from 6pm

LONDON—The Olivier Awards 2023 with Mastercard have officially announced the shows performing in this year’s ceremony. The Awards will take place on Sunday, April 2, 2023  at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Hannah Waddingham.

There will be performances from all of the Mastercard Best New Musical nominees – The Band’s Visit, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, Sylvia and Tammy Faye. There will also be performances from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and Sister Act, both nominated for Magic Radio Best Musical Revival.

Additionally, there will be performances from Disney’s Newsies, whose choreographer Matt Cole is nominated for the Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer, multi-Olivier winner The Book Of Mormon will be celebrating with a performance marking 10 years in the West End. Special Award winner, Dame Arlene Phillips, will be honoured on the night with a special performance from Grease the Musical.

The Olivier Awards continues its partnership with ITV, which will broadcast a highlights programme the same evening at 10:15pm on ITV1 and ITVX. The full ceremony will be broadcast live from the Royal Albert Hall on Magic Radio, the Official Radio Partner, hosted by Ruthie Henshall and Alice Arnold from 6pm. Viewers from outside the UK can tune in on Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel.

TikTok will also be hosting a live stream on the Green Carpet, with theatre performer and content creator Hannah Lowther (Heathers, Snow White: Pantomime, SpongeBob: The Musical) as their host.

officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards

Sunday, April 2, 2023

 

2023 Olivier Award Nominees

Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play 

Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) at Garrick Theatre and Ambassadors Theatre

One Woman Show at Ambassadors Theatre

 

Best Family Show

Blippi The Musical at Apollo Theatre

Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre

Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe

The Smartest Giant In Town at St Martin’s Theatre

 

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Matt Cole for Newsies at Wembley Park Theatre

Lynne Page for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Kate Prince for Sylvia at The Old Vic

Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

 

Best Costume Design

Frankie Bradshaw for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Hugh Durrant for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

Jean Paul Gaultier for Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show at Roundhouse

Kimie Nakano for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

 

Cunard Best Revival

The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier

Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre

A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

 

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

My Fair Lady at London Coliseum

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Sister Act at Eventim Apollo

South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells

 

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design

Bobby Aitken for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Tony Gayle for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Drew Levy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic

Ben & Max Ringham for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

 

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

David Yazbek for Music and Lyrics, Jamshied Sharifi for Orchestrations & Andrea Grody for Additional Arrangements for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Joe Hisaishi for Music and Will Stuart for Orchestrations and Arrangements for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Daniel Kluger for Orchestrations and Arrangements and Nathan Koci for Additional Vocal Arrangements for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Richard Hawley for Music and Lyrics and Tom Deering for Orchestrations for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh & Kaine Lawrence for For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre

Will Keen for Patriots at Almeida Theatre

Elliot Levey for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

David Moorst for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Sule Rimi for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Rose Ayling-Ellis for As You Like It at @sohoplace

Pamela Nomvete for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Caroline Quentin for Jack Absolute Flies Again at National Theatre – Olivier

Sharon Small for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

Anjana Vasan for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

 

Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

Miriam Buether for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Tom Pye for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Ben Stones for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Mark Walters for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

 

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Natasha Chivers for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Lee Curran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Jessica Hung Han Yun for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Tim Lutkin for The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier

 

Best Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical

Beverley Knight for Sylvia at The Old Vic

Maimuna Memon for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Liza Sadovy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Marisha Wallace for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

 

Best Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical

Sharif Afifi for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Peter Polycarpou for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Clive Rowe for Sister Act at Eventim Apollo

Zubin Varla for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

 

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production

Alcina by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Least Like The Other by Irish National Opera and Royal Opera at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Peter Grimes by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Sibyl at Barbican Theatre

 

Outstanding Achievement In Opera

Sinéad Campbell-Wallace for her performance in Tosca by English National Opera at London Coliseum

William Kentridge for his conception and direction of Sibyl at Barbican Theatre

Antony McDonald for his design of Alcina at Royal Opera House

 

Best Actor In A Musical

Alon Moni Aboutboul for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Arthur Darvill for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Julian Ovenden for South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells

Andrew Rannells for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

 

Best Actress In A Musical

Katie Brayben for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Anoushka Lucas for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At Young Vic

Miri Mesika for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Faith Omole for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

 

Best New Dance Production

Light Of Passage by Crystal Pite  at Royal Opera House

Pasionaria  by La Veronal  at Sadler’s Wells

Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock at 180 Studios (The Strand)

Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room, And The Hidden Floor) by Peeping Tom at Barbican Theatre

 

Outstanding Achievement In Dance

Manuel Liñán for his choreography of ¡VIVA! at Sadler’s Wells

Dickson Mbi for his choreography of Enowate at Sadler’s Wells

Raquel Meseger Zafe for her dramaturgy of Ruination by Lost Dog at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Catrina Nisbett for her performance in Family Honour by Spoken Movement at Sadler’s Wells

 

Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre

Age Is A Feeling at Soho Theatre

Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs

The P Word at Bush Theatre

Paradise Now! at Bush Theatre

Two Palestinians Go Dogging at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at Royal Court Theatre

 

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Rebecca Frecknall for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Robert Hastie for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Justin Martin for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Phelim McDermott for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Bartlett Sher for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

 

Best Actress   

Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Patsy Ferran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Mei Mac for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Janet McTeer for Phaedra at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Nicola Walker for The Corn Is Green at National Theatre – Lyttelton

 

Best Actor

Tom Hollander for Patriots at Almeida Theatre

Paul Mescal for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Rafe for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

David Tennant for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre

Giles Terera for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

 

Delta Air Lines Best New Play

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Patriots at Almeida Theatre

Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

 

Mastercard Best New Musical

The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse

Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Sylvia at The Old Vic

Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Established in 1976 and run by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the Olivier Awards celebrate the world-class status of London theatre, and are regarded as Britain’s most prestigious stage honours.

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is a not-for-profit organisation which represents approximately 230 London-based producers, theatre owners and managers, including all the major subsidised theatrical organisations in London. SOLT runs the Olivier Awards, West End LIVE, TKTS, Theatre Tokens, Kids Week, the New Year Sale and Official London Theatre.

Looking beyond the announcement to the wider work of London’s theatre sector, the nominations could not have come at a more crucial time. Ahead of the Spring Budget in Westminster, the Society of London Theatre are leading the call for the government to maintain the higher rate of theatre tax relief, which has galvanised the world-beating productions and performances nominated today by providing the financial environment for increased investment in a challenging climate.

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. Follow us on Twitter: @MastercardUK

TIKTOK

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Their mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

MAGIC RADIO

Magic Radio entertains listeners across the UK on Digital Radio, with the perfect mix of music and entertainment to lift your day. Home to Magic Breakfast with Ronan Keating and Harriet Scott, the station is also host to sell-out events including Magic at the Musicals and the Magic of Christmas.

You can listen to Magic Radio in London on 105.4FM and nationally via the Magic App, at magic.co.uk, on Sky Channel 0180, Freeview Channel 715, Virgin Media 928 and as a music TV channel on The Box Plus Network.  

The Magic Radio Network includes digital stations, Mellow Magic playing timeless relaxing classics, and Magic Chilled creating a contemporary music escape featuring fresh laid-back hits. A host of presenters including West End favourites, Ruthie Henshall and Lucie Jones can be found playing the best from stage and screen on Magic at the Musicals, while Magic Soul plays the best of Soul and Motown, with singer Lemar on Weekend Breakfast. All these services are available on DAB Digital Radio, online and via mobile apps.

The post 2023 Olivier Awards announce nominees & show line up appeared first on StageZine.

• Emmy winner and multi-Olivier nominee Hannah Waddingham to host for the first time
• Tickets available exclusively for Mastercard cardholders from today (Tuesday 17 January) via priceless.com & officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards

LONDON—Public tickets for the Olivier Awards 2023 with Mastercard, which will take place on Sunday 2 April, go on sale exclusively to Mastercard cardholders today (Tuesday 17 January) via priceless.com.

The biggest night in theatre, the Olivier Awards celebrates the brightest and best of London’s world-leading theatre industry with a starry ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall.

Globally renowned stage and screen actor Hannah Waddingham, a three-time Olivier Award nominee herself and Primetime Emmy winner for her role in hit television series Ted Lasso, will host the ceremony, which will be broadcast on ITV and Magic Radio. 

As Jason Manford hands over the hosting baton to his good friend Hannah Waddingham, the Society of London Theatre would like to thank him for doing such a brilliant job over the last five years. We look forward to working with Jason again in the future.

Mastercard continues its partnership for the 13th year and will once again sponsor the Mastercard Best New Musical Award.

Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, co-CEOs of the Society of London Theatre, said:

‘The Olivier Awards are the highlight of the theatrical calendar – a time for the industry to come together with fans to celebrate the extraordinary talent both on our stages and behind the curtain. Already, in our first few months of this job, it is clear that we have joined a uniquely innovative, diverse and resilient sector. To be able to recognize these qualities on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall will be a real thrill. We are also hugely thankful for Mastercard’s continued support.’

OlivierAwards.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

#OlivierAwards

The post 2023 Olivier Awards announces new host as tickets go onsale appeared first on StageZine.

FOUR FACES OF HM, QUEEN ELIZABETH II: (left to right, top) HRH Princess Elizabeth, young Queen Elizabeth II & (bottom, left to right) Queen Elizabeth II in middle age & as an older woman. Collage: Photos from public domain archives.

By Scott Harrah

NEW YORK—Pro-Black, pro-LGBTQ+ and a feminist at heart—holding her own as the most powerful woman in modern times in a world dominated by male leaders—the late HM, Queen Elizabeth II, who died September 8, 2022  at age 96, was not the “symbol of colonialism and oppression” some have claimed she was. She was a strong woman and an unlikely feminist first and foremost who reigned for 70 years, starting out in 1952, back in the days when it was a so-called “man’s world.” Although she was Defender of the Faith of the Anglican Church of England and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland and Wales, she understood that she was head of state in many Commonwealth nations populated with people of color of different faiths. She respected Muslims and Hindus, particularly Pakistanis and Indians who left the Indian Subcontinent when colonial British India gained its independence in 1947 and many relocated to the British Isles. She formally acknowledged Muslim holidays like Ramadan and such Hindu celebrations as Diwali in the UK. She and other British Royals often wore green each year on St. Patrick’s Day in honor of the many Irish immigrants living in the UK. In 2011, Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland in more than 100 years. Many Irish citizens were in tears seeing her visit the Emerald Isle because The Queen’s very presence was an olive branch to the Irish after centuries of hostilities and exploitation by the British.

During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II helped fight against racism and bigotry not only in the United Kingdom but also in the British Commonwealth. When the rest of the world placed sanctions on the racist white minority apartheid rulers in South Africa, The Queen stood her ground against then PM Margaret Thatcher and the Tories when Mrs. Thatcher refused to place sanctions on South Africa’s racist government and its apartheid policies. The Queen formed a lasting friendship with Black activist Nelson Mandela long before he became the leader of South Africa.

South African President Nelson Mandela in a formal state meeting with Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2000. Nelson Mandela & the Queen became friends long before he was elected South Africa’s first Black president. Photo: Screenshot courtesy of the Associated Press.

“The Queen has been described in recent press reports as worried that Mrs. Thatcher’s firm opposition to sanctions threatened to break up the 49-nation Commonwealth. The Queen reportedly also believes that Mrs. Thatcher’s Conservative Party Government lacks compassion and should be more caring toward less privileged members of society, “ The Sunday Times said at the time.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II with South African President Nelson Mandela in Cape Town in 1995. Photo: Courtesy of The Royal Family Archives.

The Queen also was pro-LGBTQ+ and an unlikely feminist. She opened British Parliament in 2017 with a statement regarding LGBTQ+ & women’s rights. “My government will make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people on the basis of their race, faith, gender, disability, or sexual orientation,” she said, according to Town & Country magazine.

The British LGBTQ+ media site Pink News reported this was the first time LGBTQ+ rights were mentioned by Her Majesty since 2003. Nineteen years ago, she vowed to “increase equality and social justice by bringing forward legislation on the registration of civil partnerships between same-sex couples.”

It took many years during her 70-year reign for LGBTQ+ rights to be established in the UK. “Private homosexual acts between men over the age of 21 were not decriminalized in England and Wales until 1967, 15 years after Elizabeth ascended to the throne. The same law was not changed in Scotland until 1980, and in Northern Ireland until 1982,” Town & Country said in a June 22, 2017 article.

(Right to left): The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh & Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II with a young actor & the horse backstage at the West End drama ‘War Horse’ in London circa 2009. Photo: Ellie Kurtz.

May Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Rest In Peace. Hers is a royal reign to remember. She was a true icon and pioneer and there will never be another British monarch like her. StageZine pays tribute to the late Queen because she inspired many Broadway shows, from The Audience with Helen Mirren to King Charles III and many more, as well as Hollywood films like The Queen (about her initially cold, stoic reaction to Princess Diana’s death and how the monarchy almost collapsed as a result of a vociferous public outcry and bad press until she listened to PM Tony Blair and made a public speech on TV honoring Diana, followed by a lavish state funeral the next day). More than anything, however, she was a global phenomenon and will be missed by many.

HM, QUEEN ELIZABETH II: The monarch’s many looks throughout her 70-year reign. Photos: Public domain photos of The Queen from various sources.

Photo collages courtesy of various online sources. Screenshot of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II with Nelson Mandela in Cape Town in 1995 courtesy of The Royal Family Archives. Screenshot of South African President Nelson Mandela meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2000 courtesy of AP.

Reviews of Broadway shows inspired by the Queen & the British Royal Family

The Audience, starring Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren Reigns as Queen in ‘The Audience’

King Charles III, starring the late Tim Pigott-Smith

‘King Charles III’: Battle Royale

Diana, The Musical, starring Jeanna de Waal

‘Diana, The Musical’: Not a total Di-saster

#QueenElizabethII #ripqueenelizabeth #RoyalFamily

The post HM, Queen Elizabeth II: A Royal Reign to Remember appeared first on StageZine.

LONDON—Due to the scheduling of the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and out of respect for all who are mourning, most shows in central London have now announced that they will be closing on 19 September, 2022.

Ticketholders will receive an email from their point of purchase with details regarding exchanges and refunds. Throughout the period of national mourning, performances will go ahead as planned but we would advise audiences coming into central London to allow more time for their journeys to and from the theatre from Wednesday when the Queen will be lying in State.

In regards to the national one-minute silence at 8pm on Sunday 18 September, shows that are playing on that evening will mark this prior to curtain up.

For further information please see Official London Theatre

Information for theatregoers throughout the period of national mourning

Last Updated 14 September 2022

Below is some useful information on theatre in London during the period of national mourning and in the run up to the funeral of Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II.

Information about theatre this week

Throughout the period of national mourning, performances will go ahead as planned but we would advise audiences coming into central London to allow more time for their journeys to and from the theatre.

From 5pm Wednesday 14 September the public will be able to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen lying-in-state in Westminster Hall. The Hall will be open to the public 24 hours a day until the early morning of Monday 19 September.

At 2.22pm on Wednesday 14 September, there will be a procession of the Her Majesty The Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall along The Mall and House Guards Parade. This area will be extremely busy from mid-morning, with public viewing area opening from 11am. Several central roads will be closed to cars, so Transport for London have advised that walking, tube and train will be the best modes of transport.

Around Westminster and Southbank will be incredibly busy this week, and we expect the West End will also be much busier than usual.

The government and TfL have advised that the following stations will be very busy: Charing Cross, Embankment, Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly Circus, St James’s Park, Temple, Victoria, Waterloo & Westminster. They are asking that Green Park station only be used to provide a step-free route to those with accessibility needs, so customers visiting the West End should avoid this station. Due to road closures, some buses will also stop short of their destination or will be on diversion.

We recommend that you leave plenty of time to get to your performances and check transport advice – including the TfL website and the government website on the event – on the day.

Information about theatre on Monday 19 September

Due to the scheduling of the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and out of respect for all who are mourning, most theatres in central London have now announced that they will be closing on 19 September. If you’re unsure whether a show you have tickets for is going ahead, check directly with the theatre’s website.

Ticketholders will receive an email from their point of purchase with details regarding exchanges and refunds.

Regarding the national one-minute silence at 8pm on Sunday 18 September, shows that are playing on that evening will mark this prior to curtain up.

The below shows have confirmed that performances scheduled on Monday 19 September will no longer be going ahead. We will add to this list as they are announced.

& Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre)

Antigone (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre)

The Apology (Arcola Theatre)

Back To The Future: The Musical (Adelphi Theatre)

The Book Of Mormon (Prince Of Wales Theatre)

Cabaret (The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre)

Come From Away (Phoenix Theatre)

The Crucible (National Theatre)

Dear Evan Hansen (Noël Coward Theatre)

The Doctors’ Orchestra (Cadogan Hall)

Eureka Day (The Old Vic)

Don Giovanni (The Royal Opera House)

Grease The Musical (Dominion Theatre)

Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre)

Handbagged (Kiln Theatre)

Jersey Boys (Trafalgar Theatre)

Life Of Pi (Wyndham’s Theatre)

Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre)

Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre)

Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Piccadilly Theatre)

The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre)

Only Fools And Horses The Musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket)

The Phantom Of The Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre)

To Kill A Mockingbird (Gielgud Theatre)

Shakespeare’s Globe will suspend all tours, events, activities and performances

The first preview of Blues For An Alabama Sky at the National Theatre on Tuesday 20 September has also been cancelled.

Her Majesty’s Theatre in London (above). Photo: Courtesy of Official London Theatre.

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‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’: Lizzie Annis & Victor Alli. Photo: Johan Persson.

THE GLASS MENAGERIE
Written By Tennessee Williams
Directed by Jeremy Herrin
Through August 27, 2022
The Duke of York’s Theatre
St. Martin’s Lane

London, United Kingdom
(0333 009 6690), www.theglassmenageriewestend.com

By David NouNou

Set in St. Louis, Missouri, The Glass Menagerie is Tennessee Williams’ classic memory play and was one of the original “dysfunctional family dramas” before there was such a thing. Seeing the latest revival in London with Amy Adams is truly an event. The play focuses on Amanda (Ms. Adams), the delusional mother who clings to the memories of her youth and the beauty she once was. She keeps reminding her daughter, Laura (Lizzie Annis)— who had pleurisy when she was younger and is now left with a club foot—that, on a particular Sunday, 17 gentlemen callers came to call on her in one afternoon on her father’s plantation in Blue Mountain, Mississippi. Her constant haranguing of Laura is not meant out of spite but as an incentive that Laura’s complexes can be overcome by grace, and she should always be ready for her own gentlemen callers.  Amanda’s delusions of her past and the disappointments of the present are ways of coping and surviving with the cards life dealt her.

Amanda’s problems with her son, Tom (Tom Glynn-Carney), are of a different nature. Her husband (the handsome and reckless one of the 17 gentlemen callers) abandoned her and the family 15 years earlier one night while going to get a pack of cigarettes. As a result, she is very clingy and demanding of Tom. She’s at the point of suffocating him, wanting to know his every move; where he’s going and what’s he doing. She is in mortal fear he might abandon her and Laura just like his father did.

Those familiar with The Glass Menagerie know that there are only four characters in the play: Amanda, Tom, Laura and Jim O’Connor “the gentleman caller” as well as the ever-looming picture of the patriarch of the family who abandoned them 15 years earlier. British/European directors love to tinker with American classics. Tom is both narrator and a character in the play. Tom the Narrator (Paul Hilton) is the poet of the piece. He is Mr. Williams’ voice. For some unfathomable reason, director Jeremy Herrin has decided to split the part of Tom in two: the narrator being much older, recalling the goings on in a haze of smoke and liquor, and the younger Tom, who is in the action of the play.

The third and most poignant act of the play is “The Gentleman Caller.” Amanda has implored Tom to bring a friend from work to get to meet Laura. She has fussed and spent all their money to make a special evening out of this meeting. Tom brings fellow worker from the shoe factory Jim O’Connor (Victor Alli). Jim is easygoing and affable but Laura is terrified to come out and meet him because Jim is the guy she had a crush on in high school. A power outage occurs after dinner and Jim and Laura are left to talk and reminisce about high school. Jim tries to help Laura overcome her complexes and tries teaching her to dance. In the process, he steps on a glass unicorn, Laura’s favorite animal from her menagerie. Jim soon leaves awkwardly, saying he won’t be coming back because he is engaged to be married. As both Laura and Amanda are devastated, watch Amy Adams explode and unleash on Tom.

With the exception of the horrific 2017 Broadway version—with Sally Field and Joe Mantello, abominably directed by Sam Gold—The Glass Menagerie is always a treat to watch because of its impeccable writing. However, directors do find a way to foul things up due to their artistic vision,  and Jeremy Herrin is no exception. Theatre turns illusions into reality. When the curtain rises, that’s when the magic begins. In this case there is no curtain and there is no magic. As you walk into the theatre and take your seat, for some reason you see all five actors milling around the stage whispering to each other, getting themselves ready, walking across the stage, looking out beyond the audience, etc.

The set by Vicki Mortimer is a mystery. It is not of an apartment that has seen better days, but an apartment that should be condemned. The Wingfields are poor, but not destitute and on bread lines. However, smack dab in the middle of the set is this enormous lit glass showcase that has what seems to be Lalique crystal animals on it. First question that arises is if the Wingfields are that destitute, how can Laura afford this?  As written, Laura has a few small pieces of glass animals in a little showcase by her side that she likes to look at to cheer herself up; not a showcase at the Louvre.

Another inexplicable directorial choice is the dividing of Tom. Since this is a lyrical memory play, in every version Tom is first seen recalling the events that led him to leave his family, like his father did, and the difficulty of leaving his sister Laura to join the merchant marines. Now the play starts with Tom as a total bum, hustling men for cigarettes and liquor and just meandering around St. Louis in various stages of stupor, never seeing his family again.

The redemption to this piece is the glorious Amy Adams: a movie star of the first magnitude with six Oscar nominations, she is a beauty, and one of the best actresses of the 21^st Century. We first see her coming onstage with her flowing mane of hair and regular street clothes, transforming herself into the part of Amanda Wingfield. You know she can transform herself as matronly as evidenced by the 2020 movie Hillbilly Elegy. You might ask yourself isn’t she a bit young and too beautiful to play the part of Amanda? Yes, but she is also a daring actress, and likes to push the envelope and test her capabilities.

It is truly delightful watching Amy Adams do the scene of renewing magazine subscriptions to her customers to make some extra money. She pleads, teases, cajoles, and calls them “Christian martyrs,” anything to renew their subscriptions. There is also the scene where she comes out in this ridiculous frilly dress from 30 years ago to impress the gentleman caller, and then tries to stuff Laura’s flat chest with “gay deceivers”. Finally, she pulls all the stops out in her final scene when she discovers Jim is to be engaged, and she spent all their money on this useless evening; the venom, anger and disappointment she unleashes on Tom is phenomenal.

Despite misguided choices made by the creative team, The Glass Menagerie remains a riveting poignant lyrical drama, the likes of which you don’t see much anymore. It is still a must-see for anyone visiting London— just to see Amy Adams on stage.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 14, 2022
Reviewed in London on June 15, 2022.

‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’: Now playing at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London. Photo: StageZine.

‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’: Lizzie Annis & Tom Glynn-Carnie. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’: Amy Adams. Photo: Johan Persson.

The post Amy Adams in London’s ‘The Glass Menagerie’ appeared first on StageZine.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) & Hiran Abeysekera Photo: Johan Persson.

LIFE OF PI
Based on the novel by Yann Martel
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Max Webster
Wyndham’s Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London, United Kingdom
(0844 482 5138), www.lifeofpionstage.com

By David NouNou

Life of Pi is an enigma. Like War Horse, it is epic in every sense of the word. Whereas War Horse was always engrossing in a straightforward narrative, the narrative in Life of Pi is continually shifting between past and present. This type of storytelling can be riveting in movies as demonstrated in the 2012 Ang Lee film of the same name. In movies, the director and editor can develop a seamless scenario. In the theatre, those same scenes don’t come off as effectively because the narrative is constantly being interrupted by past/present scene changes and that can sometimes break the flow of the storyline.

Starting with Pi (Nuwan Hugh Perera) under his bed in an antiseptic hospital room in Mexico, he’s being questioned by Lulu Chen (Kirsten Foster), a Canadian government figure and Mr. Okamoto (David K.S. Tse), a Japanese insurance man. They want to know how this 17-year-old boy survived for 227 days and was washed up on the Mexican shore after being shipwrecked from a Japanese freighter bound for Canada. Pi has struggled with grief, loss, loneliness, physical pain and still survived.

He is reticent to talk to them at first and finally does open up to explain his childhood in India, his parents, sister, his relatives, and the zoo that his father owned. The zoo was a magical place for Pi; it housed a gorilla, a giraffe, a zebra, among other animals and Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger supreme.

Pi’s father (Nicholas Khan) and mother, also overseer and protector during his ordeal (Mina Anwar) and family are forced to leave India due to the increasingly repressive government.

As the journey begins, so does the magic created by set and costume designer Tim Hatley. Turning the hospital room and bed into an ocean and a boat is nothing short of extraordinary and a visual extravaganza. As Pi jumps ship after being sunk in a storm, his companions consist of a giraffe, zebra, and gorilla and Richard Parker. I don’t have to go into detail about the giraffe, zebra and gorilla. Suffice it to say the battle is between Pi and Richard Parker and their mutual understanding of each other. What I do have to mention is the remarkable work done by puppet designers Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell as well as the puppet movement by director Finn Caldwell. They make you forget that Richard Parker is a puppet and not a real tiger.

Unlike the movie, which relied mostly on special effects to engage the mass audiences, here religion and metaphysics play a big part in Pi’s survival and it is manifested in the scenes between the hospital and the ocean. At our performance, the part of Pi was played by the understudy, Nuwan Hugh Perera. He marvelously captures Pi’s innocence in the beginning as well as his struggles and ordeals with life, religion, and survival.

Mina Anwar gives a very touching performance as Pi’s mother and overseer. Special kudos have to go to the handlers of Richard Parker: his head, his hind, and his heart, and his masterful voice, (Habib Nasib Nader).

Despite all the shifting and interruptions of scenes, the West End stage adaptation of Life of Pi is still a journey of mystical belief and an unforgettable visual treat and experience—one you will remember long after leaving the theatre.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 13, 2022
Reviewed in London on June 13, 2022.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Marquee at Wyndham’s Theatre in London. Photo: StageZine.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera, Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) & Nicholas Khan. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera & cast. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Hiran Abeysekera & cast. Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: Romina Hytten (Goat) & Tom Larkin (Tiger Head) Photo: Johan Persson.

‘LIFE OF PI’: The cast. Photo: Johan Persson.

The post ‘Life of Pi’: Spectacular UK stage adaptation appeared first on StageZine.

‘THE DRIFTERS GIRL’: Adam J. Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry & Tosh Wanogho-Maud. Photo: Johan Persson.

THE DRIFTERS GIRL
Book by Ed Curtis
Based on an idea by Tina Treadwell
Co-created by Adam J. Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry, Beverley Knight & Tosh Wanogho-Maud
Directed by Jonathan Church
Garrick Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London, United Kingdom
(0330 333 4811), www.thedriftersgirl.com

By David NouNou

LONDON—There are two parallel stories taking place here, woven together to form a cohesive musical. This is more than just another jukebox musical. In this case, the main attractions here are The Drifters’ songbook; and the real story is a tribute by Tina Treadwell to her mother, Faye Treadwell.

Nowadays there is little known about Faye Treadwell (Beverley Knight). She was a pioneer in the American music industry. She was a black woman in the 1950s and being a secretary was not a profession she chose to be in. There was a lot of discrimination in the music business, but being a woman in a man’s arena was unheard of.

In her 30s, she met George Treadwell (Adam J. Bernard) who was in artist management. He took her in not as a secretary but as an associate. She was smart, had a business sense, taste in music, and recognized talent. When he died suddenly, she took control of the company and became a tough deal maker and an incredible businesswoman. This is the business track of the story.

The other track is The Drifters themselves. Over the years there have been over 60 members in the group known as The Drifters. Among them were Clyde McPhatter, Lover Patterson and others (Matt Henry), Ben E. King, Rudy Lewis and others (Tosh Wanogho-Maud). At our performance, it was Ashford Campbell substituting for Mr. Wanogho-Maud. Johnny Moore, Gerhart Thrasher and others (Tarinn Callender). Over the years the members of the group had changed, but their sound was indelible, and the songs immortal: “Under the Boardwalk”, “Stand by Me,” “Save The Last Dance for Me,” “This Magic Moment,” “Unforgettable,” “Sweets for My Sweet,” and many more.

The intersection of the narrative is in the fact that members of the group were either inducted for military service, left on their own will to go solo, or were dropped due to their addictions. Faye Treadwell comes in to form the group as a brand rather than being dependent on any individual performer. She coined the philosophy “Everyone supports the Yankees but the players change all the time, so why couldn’t this principle be applied to a band?” and she succeeded by this motto.

Here is the interesting concept for this musical; it was created and is acted by the five principals of the show. There is a sixth character, and that is Faye’s daughter known as Girl (Shanyia Tsoto) who is sensitive and touching. Other than Beverley Knight portraying Faye, all four male characters play multiple roles and at times you really believe there are about 20 characters in this musical. Mr. Bernard, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Callender, and Mr. Henry are sheer perfection. Their vocalizing is superb, and it feels like you are at a Drifters concert.

Beverley Knight is considered the Queen of British Soul but is unknown to American audiences. She has a voice of a nightingale and holds the audience in the palm of her hand. The one misgiving in Ms. Knight’s performance is her mega-sized Southern accent; to an American ear it sounds forced. I’m sure it’s perfectly acceptable to the English audience.

Director Jonathan Church keeps the proceedings on the move, thanks in large part to Anthony Ward’s uncluttered sets which are constantly moving to represent different locations. For Drifters fans and audiences who are not familiar with the “golden oldies,” this is a joyous evening of harmonizing and a beautiful songbook of immortal songs.

Editor’s note: Felicia Boswell recently replaced Beverley Knight in the lead role of Faye Treadwell.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 8, 2022
Reviewed in London on June 15, 2022.

‘THE DRIFTERS GIRL’: Marquee & entrance to the Garrick Theatre in London. Photo: StageZine.

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