Richard Brooker has been involved in theatre for his entire life. From working on the New London Theatre production of Cats, he worked his way up to Sound No. 1 and mixed shows for a dozen years before he started designing. He’s now one of the country’s top sound designers working on shows such as Dreamgirls, The Bodyguard, Funny Girl, Bend it like Beckham, Annie, West Side Story, Sister Act and many, many, many more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Oct 29, 2019•38 min•Ep. 139
Michael Longhurst’s production is a hard-hitting brutal play about teen depression, broken relationships, new relationships and stressed loyalties. But there is so, so much more in this play to discover. We had the opportunity to sit down with the principals in the cast just before warm up - Amaka Okafor, John Light, Laurie Kynaston and Amanda Abbington - to discuss the plays themes, the rehearsal process and the audience reactions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Oct 22, 2019•32 min•Ep. 138
Sophie Cohen, founder of House of Kittens, an erotic immersive theatre company sat down to chat with me about her new show Amatory Asylum. The audience will find themselves transported into a world of sensual theatre to experience a unique, immersive journey embracing the surreal, the dramatic and the erotic. We chat about House of Kittens, shows they create and how immersive theatre is a perfect fit for their shows. Don’t worry, you won’t get dragged on stage to take part in a spanking… Learn m...
Oct 15, 2019•25 min•Ep. 137
We’re going off-piste this week. This week, we’re going to give you a three of the bard’s finest works as you have never heard them before. A colleague of mine many years ago in the Reduced Shakespeare Company - Mikey O’Connor - well, we started a little project taking classic literature and turning it into palatable short versions that you would hear around a campfire, including folk songs. You get Romeo & Juliet as a country ditty, Henry V as a campfire tale and a Bob Dylan Hamlet. Learn m...
Oct 11, 2019•13 min•Ep. 136
Ken Davenport is a multiple-Tony Award-winning Broadway producer whose work spans around the globe. Ken is also busy giving back as much as he can to the theatre community at large. In that vein, he puts on a conference - The Producer’s Perspective Super Conference - every year where the world’s top theatrical talent gather for a weekend of education, inspiration and connection. We talk to Ken about The Super Conference and how he ended up as one of Broadway's hottest producers. Learn more about...
Oct 01, 2019•25 min•Ep. 135
There’s a new theatre in London. And there’s a London debut to mark its opening. The Boulevard Theatre, right-smack-bang-in-the-middle of Soho, is London’s most technologically advanced theatre with a capacity of up to 165, and featuring a full revolving balcony and auditorium! David Malloy chats all things Ghost Quartet, its London premiere and working with the creative team that drove the success of the pie shop Sweeney Todd, which ran for ages in Tooting, the West End and in New York. Learn m...
Sep 24, 2019•20 min•Ep. 134
Earlier in the week, we brought you Samantha Pauly, Trent Saunders and Ektor Rivera as they got ready to go on stage. But I thought that just wasn’t going to be enough to really show you backstage before a show. Hopefully you’ll get a feel of what it’s like to be part of a company as I go from room to room and chat with some of the fantastic theatre professionals working on Jamie Lloyd’s production of “Evita” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...
Sep 20, 2019•21 min•Ep. 133
We were back at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this week - one of our favourite places to do our Curtain Call visits. It was a welcome return for us to see not only a Jamie Lloyd production, but following the sell-out success of Jesus Christ Superstar two years ago, another Andrew Lloyd Webber hit show. Samantha Pauley as Evita Peron, Trent Saunders as Che and Ektor Rivera as Juan Peron discuss their journey from across the Atlantic to Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Learn more about your ad ...
Sep 17, 2019•28 min•Ep. 132
This week, we talk to The Inbetweeners Joe Thomas, Olivier Award nominees Summer Strallen and Alex Gaumond, as well as Bo Poraj and Laura Patch about their new dark comedy "What's in a Name?", in which a dinner party gets wildly out of hand when a father-to-be suggests his son just might given the name of one of history's most vile human beings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 10, 2019•20 min•Ep. 131
Shure have come up with a microphone that is hitting the theatre world by storm. Smaller, lighter, better response and performance along with a body back that is far less conspicuous than those they have released before. I had the pleasure of talking to the Senior Product Manager, Microphones at Shure about the years of development and incredible invention and iteration that has seen their new Axient digital wireless system and the Twinplex system used on shows both sides of The Pond. Learn more...
Sep 03, 2019•29 min•Ep. 130
As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank, Dominic Dromgoole oversaw 10 successive and extremely successful seasons at the Bard’s theatre. And now, Dominic Dromgoole is turning his hand to film directing, with his feature film debut “Making Noise Quietly” - screenplay by Robert Holman. I sat down to talk to Dominic about the transition from theatre to film, working with some of his favourite actors and what he sees himself doing next. Learn more about your ad cho...
Jul 23, 2019•22 min•Ep. 129
The Actor's Nightmare, a collection of Christopher Durang's short plays, is having it's World Premiere this week at the Park Theatre here in London. I sat down in their rehearsal room with director Lydia Parker, and pretty much all of the company to talk about getting their heads around playing many characters in numerous plays in the same production, the language of Durang, working in the round and their own actors nightmares. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jul 16, 2019•29 min•Ep. 128
When we were covering People, Places & Things in New York for Curtain Call, and Matt was busy taking some beautiful photographs, I was backstage chatting to the company. That is where I met Himesh Patel. Now, you may not have heard of his name yet, but you most certainly will have seen him on your screens recently. He’s the star of the film “Yesterday”, written by Richard Curtis and directed by Danny Boyle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jun 25, 2019•10 min•Ep. 127
In 2008, actor Darren Raymond became Artistic Director of Intermission Youth Theatre. It couldn’t have come at a better time for Darren who had recently finished a run of Othello. He took charge with just four young people in that first season. Since that day, more than 100 16-25 year olds have past through St Savior’s and been introduced to the genius of Shakespeare, discovering that he is just as accessible today as he was 400 years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Jun 11, 2019•21 min•Ep. 126
Screenwriter and Playwright Janet Jones has had an astonishing career. She’s worked for just about every studio out there and not just as a writer, but that’s just the beginning. She’s written lyrics, poetry, worked as a tour guide for a major Hollywood Studio, writer’s assistant, script editor, and she’s even making her own podcast. She always has a ton of projects on the go. So sit back and listen to an extraordinary story of how somebody goes from Motown to the Tower of London in one li Learn...
Jun 04, 2019•38 min•Ep. 125
BalletBoyz are now in their 19th year and have gone from those two original dancers to nearly a dozen, and they have moved into a fantastic home in Kingston on the outskirts of London. In June, they are bringing their latest show "Them/Us" to the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End, which will be the BalleyBoyz’s first foray into the heart of Theatreland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 29, 2019•26 min•Ep. 124
Today, we come from a south London rehearsal room where we are talking to two members of the new company of Witness for the Prosecution who are about to join the cast of the site-specific production of the Agatha Christie classic which opened on October 6 2017 at County Hall on London’s South Bank. Lewis Cope and Carolin Stoltz play the lovers at the centre of this thriller and are extremely excited to be joining such a revered production in such an iconic location. Learn more about your ad choi...
May 22, 2019•23 min•Ep. 123
This week, I catch up with another friend i haven’t seen for quite some time. Along with his writing partner Timothy Knapman, Laurence Mark Wythe takes the story of The Big Bad Wolf and turn it on its head for the National Youth Musical Theatre. Laurence is an extremely busy man, so I really appreciated him sitting down with me, talking about his early career, how and why he got into the composer game and just what it’s like writing and recording music in a new digital age. Learn more about your...
Apr 30, 2019•39 min•Ep. 122
On this episode, we bring you Siubhan Harrison. Siubhan is the real deal. And she’s showing off her comedy chops as well as her dramatic acting prowess in the winner of Best New Comedy at this year’s Olivier Awards, Home, I’m Darling. We sat down in Siubhan’s dressing room for a quick pre-show chat to discuss how theatre is changing for parents, what we love about theatre and the proper pronunciation of Theatre Clwyd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 16, 2019•18 min•Ep. 121
Ben Hewis is the guy that goes behind the scenes to bring you behind the scenes of some of the biggest shows hitting london. Recently. Ben has been up to something good. After seeing a production of Emilia (currently running at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End) he’s been using the Twittersphere to raise awareness about the production and to encourage and take as many disadvantaged young women to see the show as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Apr 10, 2019•19 min•Ep. 120
We recently got to sit down with the company of "All About Eve", currently playing at the Noël Coward Theatre in London’s West End to talk about bringing this classic Hollywood film to the London Stage, and then back to the screen on an NT Live broadcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 05, 2019•14 min•Ep. 119
Scarlett, Zizi, Saskia and this week’s guest, the wonderful Summer Strallen have all graced stages across London, the UK and indeed the globe - all the while picking up nominations and awards all over the place. And I had the absolute pleasure to meet, sit down and have a good old chin wag with Summer last week to chat about all kinds of things, because, let’s face it, she’s got a CV that most actors would die for, working for some of the greatest directors of our time. Learn more about your ad ...
Apr 03, 2019•21 min•Ep. 118
This week, it’s a little mini podcast. One that shows just how manic it can be backstage before a show during one of our visits and one that you can listen to in between stations on the London Underground. Just about as long as an Oscar® speech. So why not let us celebrate the genius that is Olivia Colman. Not only is she a delight to watch on stage and screen. But as we found out this award season, she’s exceptionally good at an acceptance speech. Raspberries and all. Learn more about your ad c...
Feb 26, 2019•8 min•Ep. 117
We got the opportunity to talk to Rachel Tucker about her role as “Beverley / Annette and others” in the magnificent "Come From Away". It’s a marvellous track, and we sat down to talk about just what it meant to be part of this amazing story that is SO much more than a 9/11 musical. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 18, 2019•16 min•Ep. 116
Earlier this week we brought you the first part of our “Get the Most Out of Your Next Job” panel at Surviving Actors London 2019. I was joined by director Bruce Guthrie, casting director Sarah Jane Price, producer Kimberly Thomas-Currie, movement director Amaia Mugica and lovely actor Sam Marks making there at Surviving Actors London 2019. Have a listen as we open up the panel to the actors in the audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 15, 2019•31 min•Ep. 115
Curtain Call had the opportunity to host a panel at Surviving Actors London 2019. If you don’t know about it, Surviving Actors was set up by actors for actors. We thought it would be good to have a panel that discussed how to get the most out of the opportunity you’ve been given. I was joined by director Bruce Guthrie, casting director Sarah Jane Price, producer Kimberly Thomas-Currie, movement director Amaia Mugica and lovely actor Sam Marks making there at Surviving Actors London 2019. Learn m...
Feb 12, 2019•24 min•Ep. 114
Curtain Call’s Theo Bosanquet takes the reins this week when he sat down with the Horrible Histories team to talk about their Coventry - City of Culture 2021 project with Director Adam Jenkins, followed by writer Greg Jenna. You’ll then hear from actors Jessica Ransom, Tom Stourton and Javone Prince before Mark Burnham, Costume designer, brings it home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 05, 2019•15 min•Ep. 113
Curtain Call has recently published a couple of pieces about the top Broadway Musical transfers and the top musical revivals for 2019. We thought we would talk to someone who KNOWS about musicals...to go straight to the source…the amazing Jenna Russell. Urinetown, Merrily We Roll Along, Doctor Faustus, Grey Gardens, Di and Viv and Rose, Fun Home… These are just some of the more recent shows. The gal never stops… That's right... We're talking to Jenna Russell this week. Learn more about your ad c...
Jan 29, 2019•28 min•Ep. 112
If you who didn’t get to see Follies at the National in 2017/18, you’re in luck, because Tracie Bennett is reprising her role of Carlotta Campion this Spring We had the chance to speak to Tracie during the last run about what it means to sing Sondheim’s classic tune "I'm Still Here, holding the stage at the Olivier and what it means to return to The National to perform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 22, 2019•15 min•Ep. 111
The full episode of 108. which was just the intro when published This is going to be a two-parter, with part two coming out this Friday, so listen out for that...but to start it all off, Kinky Boots' Simon Anthony-Rhoden and Oliver Tomsett sat down with me just before Christmas to talk about all things Kinky from their first experience of Kinky Boots, to stepping into the big boots of those who went before them to just what it means to be playing in such a loved (and socially important) show. Le...
Jan 05, 2019•25 min•Ep. 108
