It was recently announced that the new Broadway production of OTHELLO set a Broadway box office record, with a weekly gross of $2,818,297.With some ticket prices for the play, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, rising to $921, we have to ask this question, is this a remarkable achievement, or an indictment of an industry heading towards an inaccessibly expensive future?Inspired by this, Mickey-Jo is igniting a difficult conversation about ticket prices, when premium packages can be ...
Mar 17, 2025•34 min
It has been announced that Rachel Zegler will star as Eva Peron in the upcoming West End revival of EVITA, to be directed by Jamie Lloyd at the London Palladium.With stars including Lady Gaga, Ariana Debose and Nicole Scherzinger previously rumoured for this production, the news of its official casting has been eagerly anticipated.Check out today's theatre news recap for insights into how we got here, as well as Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the casting and the other rumoured names he'd heard...•00:00...
Mar 14, 2025•25 min
The nominations were recently announced for the 2025 Laurence Olivier Awards, celebrating the best of the last year of West End and London Theatre.This year saw nominations for musicals including FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, OLIVER!, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON and NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 as well as plays such as KYOTO, THE YEARS, GIANT, OEDIPUS and THE FEAR OF 13.In this new video Mickey-Jo is talking through this year's snubs: the performers, creatives ...
Mar 14, 2025•31 min
During Mickey-Jo's most recent trip to New York, he saw a handful of Broadway shows including two of the best plays he'd seen in a while.The first was EUREKA DAY, by Jonathan Spector, at the Friedman Theatre, and the second was ENGLISH, by Sanaz Toossi, at the Todd Haimes Theatre.Check out what he thought of each of these brilliant, contemporary plays, and what they had in common with each other...•00:00 | introduction02:00 | Eureka Day16:04 | English• get in person / live stream tickets to see ...
Mar 12, 2025•32 min
Mickey-Jo was recently invited to see the UK premiere of the new musical WHITE ROSE, which documents an important historical chapter about resistance during the second World War.The show, which was previously seen Off-Broadway stars Collette Guitart (& Juliet, Why Am I So Single?) and Tobias Turley (Heathers, Mamma Mia!) as Sophie and Hans Scholl, two young German students who stood bravely against fascism.Check out Mickey-Jo's full review to find out why this musical falls short of its pote...
Mar 11, 2025•21 min
One of this week's biggest London Theatre openings was a new adaptation of Anton Chekhov's THE SEAGULL at the Barbican Centre, directed snd co-written by Thomas Ostermeier alongside Duncan Macmillan.The production's starry ensemble cast includes Cate Blanchett, Tom Burke, Jason Watkins, Emma Corrin, Priyanga Burford, Zachary Hart, Paul Higgins, Tanya Reynolds, Paul Bazely, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.Check out this full review to find out how Mickey-Jo responded to this challenging, and provocative con...
Mar 08, 2025•29 min
While Mickey-Jo was in Bochum, Germany to watch the iconic, long-running production of STARLIGHT EXPRESS, he had the chance to meet one of its stars. Sophie-Rose Middleton is a British actress who currently stars in the German language production as Pearl, and has previously been seen in the international tour of CATS as well as SIX: THE MUSICAL and KIN.Check out what she had to say about rising to the challenge of doing a show on wheels in another language, as well as some revelations about how...
Mar 08, 2025•23 min
On Mickey-Jo's two recent visits to New York, he saw the new Broadway musical comedy DEATH BECOMES HER twice, and he's finally ready to tell you why.The show, based on the 1992 cult classic film, stars Megan Hilty, Jennifer Simard, Christopher Sieber, and Michelle Williams in the roles played on screen by Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, and Isabella Rossellini.Check out this full review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the show, how it gives back to the queer community, and which creative el...
Mar 07, 2025•27 min
On Wednesday 5 March, it was reported by Baz Bamigboye for Deadline that the long anticipated stage musical adaptation of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN would finally receive its world premiere production in 2026.The show, produced by Disney Theatrical, will first be seen at Bristol Hippodrome, after an extensive London workshop last year and ahead of a presumably bright future in the West End and on Broadway, though plans for this are currently unconfirmed.In today's theatre news recap we're talking thro...
Mar 06, 2025•26 min
On Tuesday 4th March at 12pm, the nominations for the 2025 Olivier Awards were announced, celebrating the best of the last year of London Theatre.The announcements were filled with plenty of surprises, from unexpected frontrunners to shocking omissions, and a few more reasons Mickey-Jo was taken aback.Check out this recap of the biggest surprises from the newly announced nominations and share your thoughts about them in the comments!•00:00 | introduction03:34 | Jamie Muscato - leading?!06:38 | 1...
Mar 05, 2025•27 min
Mickey-Jo recently headed to the National Theatre in London to see their latest production, a new staging of Michael Abbensetts' ALTERATIONS.The play stars Arinzé Kene and is directed by Lynette Linton in its largest ever staging, with additional material contributed by Trish Cooke.Check out this new review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this production, its performances, and what it has to say about immigration, identity, and the black experience in 1970s Britain.•00:00 | introduction02:19 | synop...
Mar 04, 2025•20 min
After three years of manifesting this interview, Mickey-Jo finally had the chance to sit down with Carrie Hope Fletcher.Currently starring in the UK and Ireland Tour of CALAMITY JANE, Carrie Hope Fletcher is known to many for her hugely popular YouTube channel as well as her stage performances as Éponine and Fantine in LES MISÉRABLES, Veronica in HEATHERS, and as the original star of Andrew Lloyd Webber's CINDERELLA.Check out this full interview to find out what they talked about moments after m...
Mar 01, 2025•27 min
On Tuesday 4th March at 12pm, the nominations for the 2025 Olivier Awards will be announced, celebrating the best of the last year of London Theatre.In today's episode, Mickey-Jo and his stagey fiancé Aeron James are predicting which shows, performers and creatives might be nominated amidst a hugely busy year that included the likes of OLIVER!, HELLO DOLLY!, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, KYOTO, THE YEARS, GIANT, STARLIGHT EXPRESS, MEAN GIRLS, and more.Check out today's new episode for the...
Feb 28, 2025•45 min
After initially being announced for a 2024 premiere, it has finally been revealed that the stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins' THE HUNGER GAMES will arrive at a London Theatre in 2024.The exciting new production, written by Connor McPherson and directed by Matthew Dunster, will receive its world premiere at the purpose built Troubadour Theatre Canary Wharf in October.Check out today's theatre news recap for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this exciting news and his reaction to a first glimpse from the ...
Feb 27, 2025•21 min
Several years after first seeing this production, Mickey-Jo returned to watch the new UK and Ireland tour of CALAMITY JANE, based on the film of the same name.The new tour stars Carrie Hope Fletcher (Cinderella, Heathers, Les Misérables) as Calamity Jane alongside former co-star Vinny Coyle (Cinderella, Aspects of Love) as Wild Bill Hicock, and a company of actor-musician performers.Check out this full review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this production, the show's adapted material, and these lea...
Feb 26, 2025•21 min
The Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine musical INTO THE WOODS, last seen on a London stage in 2016, will receive a major production at the Bridge Theatre from December 2025, it has been announced.Following a return engagement of the venue's acclaimed production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, the musical will be directed by Jordan Fein (Fiddler on the Roof), with design from Tony Award winner Tom Scutt (Cabaret).Check out today's theatre news recap to find out what Mickey-Jo thinks about the return...
Feb 26, 2025•20 min
Alongside the long awaited film adaptation of WICKED, another movie musical has made headlines among this year's releases - the critically acclaimed and controversial Emilia Pérez.With many award nominations, including several at the imminent Academy Awards, this Spanish-language French film starring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez has been well received by the industry but has come under fire for a handful of reasons.In today's review, Mickey-Jo is sharing his thoughts on the ...
Feb 24, 2025•26 min
It was recently announced that Tony Award winner and Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, The Color Purple) would star as Jesus in an upcoming concert staging of the rock opera JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, this summer at the Hollywood Bowl. The news that Erivo will appear in the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice written show, has been met with some overblown backlash, and accusations of blasphemy and disrespect. In today's stagey news recap, we're talking through why this isn't the case, by ex...
Feb 23, 2025•23 min
In the second of this week's Shakespearean openings, Mickey-Jo headed to Theatre Royal Drury Lane to see MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.This new production, directed by Jamie Lloyd (Sunset Boulevard, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet), stars Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell as the feuding Benedick and Beatrice.Check out this full review to find out what this production was like, how it compares to a couple of recent high-profile misfires, and what Mickey-Jo thought of it...•00:00 | introduction / overview04...
Feb 20, 2025•34 min
In a new week of London Theatre openings, Jonathan Bailey is starring in a new production of William Shakespeare’s RICHARD II at the Bridge Theatre.Check out this review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought of this production, Bailey's leading performance and the supporting cast.Don't forget to comment below with your thoughts on the play, and make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss upcoming reviews including more Shakespeare!•00:00 | introduction02:49 | overview / synopsis07:31 | Jonathan B...
Feb 20, 2025•21 min
Mickey-Jo was recently invited to attend another gala night at the West End production of CABARET, currently running at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre in London.The production, directed by Rebecca Frecknall and originally starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley has recently welcomed new stars in Billy Porter (Pose, Kinky Boots) and Marisha Wallace (Guys and Dolls, Waitress) as The Emcee and Sally Bowles.Check out today's episode for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on what the production is li...
Feb 16, 2025•28 min
It has been announced today that the stage adaptation of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame will finally receive its professional UK Premiere, with two concert performances on Sunday 17th August at the Prince Edward Theatre.In today's stagey news recap Mickey-Jo is talking through all of the details we know so far as well as some casting he'd love to manifest for the upcoming concert.Don't forget to comment below with your thoughts about this exciting news!•The Hunchback of Notre Dame has musi...
Feb 14, 2025•13 min
The Tony Award winning musical SHUCKED is finally coming to the UK, set to open at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in May 2025 after initially being stated to be heading to a West End venue last year.The cast will include Steven Webb (The Book of Mormon), Ben Joyce (Back to the Future the Musical), Sophie McShera (Downton Abbey) Georgina Onuorah (Hamilton), Monique Ashe-Palmer (Six), and more.Check out this stagey news recap for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the latest announcements, some insights as t...
Feb 12, 2025•19 min
In a busy week for play openings in London, THE YEARS arrived at the Harold Pinter Theatre for its West End transfer, having originally played at the Almeida.The play, adapted by Eline Arbo, based on Les Années by Annie Ernaux, follows the story of a woman living in France between the 1960s and 2000s and depicts the evolution in society from her perspective.Check out this full review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this staggering, and occasionally challenging piece of theatre.•00:00 | introduction0...
Feb 10, 2025•22 min
Earlier this week, a new production of OEDIPUS opened at the Old Vic Theatre in London, notably the second iteration of the Sophocles play in the last few months.The Greek tragedy stars Rami Malek and Indira Varma and incorporates much contemporary dance in place of a traditional Greek Chorus.Check out this brand new review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought about this much talked about new production...•00:00 | introduction02:11 | synopsis / overview05:14 | material11:01 | creative choices14:53...
Feb 10, 2025•19 min
With A Wonderful World's recent announcement of early Broadway closure and Hell's Kitchen's Best Musical Theatre Album Grammy win, questions have been raised about what it takes for a jukebox musical to be successful in the current landscape.In the wake of the global success of shows like Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia!, Mickey-Jo is looking back over the most recent jukebox shows on either side of the Atlantic to discern whether or not we are experiencing a shift in audience appetites.Check out Mick...
Feb 06, 2025•27 min
One of a handful of new productions of plays opening this week in London is ELEKTRA, the Sophoclean tragedy as translated by Anne Carson in a bold new staging from director Daniel Fish.Brie Larson (Room, Lessons in Chemistry, Captain Marvel), is making her West End debut. The cast also includes internationally renowned Stockard Channing (The West Wing, The Good Wife), Marième Diouf (Romeo and Juliet, The Globe), Greg Hicks (Grapes of Wrath, The National Theatre, Coriolanus, The Old Vic) and Patr...
Feb 05, 2025•25 min
Screen star Asa Butterfield makes his stage debut in SECOND BEST, a new play which opened this week at the Riverside Studios in London.The play follows the fictional Martin Hill, who narrowly missed out on the chance to play Harry Potter on screen and must reckon with the consequences of this disappointment years later as he prepares to become a father.Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of yesterday's opening night performance and share your own thoughts about the play in the comments section belo...
Feb 04, 2025•19 min
With today's casting news, the West End production of HADESTOWN at the Lyric Theatre in London will see three different sets of performers performing in the show over the next five weeks.The current cast, led by Dylan Wood and Madeline Charlemagne, and featuring Rachel Tucker, Melanie La Barrie, and Trevor Dion Nicholas will play their final performance on Sunday, 9th February.Between 11th February and 9th March, the show will be led by its original Broadway stars Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, Am...
Feb 03, 2025•23 min
Mickey-Jo recently travelled to New York to see the new Broadway revival of GYPSY, written by Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne, and Stephen Sondheim.Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald stars as Rose, and is joined by Danny Burstein (Fiddler on the Roof, Moulin Rouge, Follies, Cabaret) as Herbie, Joy Woods (The Notebook, Six, Little Shop of Horrors) as Louise, and Jordan Tyson (The Notebook) as June.Further casting includes Lesli Margherita (Matilda, Dames at Sea, Zorro) as Tessie Tura, Lili Tho...
Jan 31, 2025•38 min
