This week saw the opening of HADESTOWN at the Lyric Theatre in West End, direct from Tony Award winning Broadway success and five years after it was last seen by London audiences, at the National Theatre.But the show's critical reception left fans on both sides of the Atlantic frustrated, with many taking to social media to speak out against some of the negative commentary.Did the British press really dislike this fan favourite show? Mickey-Jo takes a look at a selection of reviews from some of ...
Feb 23, 2024•33 min
Back in January Mickey-Jo flew to New York to see a bunch of shows, including the Encores presentation of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS at New York City Center.The show, which originally starred Carol Burnett in the 1960s, featured Sutton Foster, Michael Urie, J Harrison Ghee, Harriet Harris, and more!Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the show, its star casting, and whether a Broadway transfer beckons... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platf...
Feb 21, 2024•22 min
Last week Mickey-Jo saw THE ADDAMS FAMILY in concert at the London Palladium.The musical, which had yet to be produced in the West End despite two UK Tours, starred Ramin Karimloo as Gomez and Michelle Visage as Morticia.Check out the new review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this starry casting, the show itself, and whether it worked as a semi-staged concert... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwin...
Feb 19, 2024•23 min
Last night, Mickey-Jo was lucky enough to be invited to review a hugely anticipated new play - The Hills of California.The play, written by Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem, The Ferryman) and directed by Sam Mendes, has just opened at the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End.Check out the new review for my many thoughts on this show, its revelations, and its powerful performances. • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new ...
Feb 09, 2024•31 min
While Mickey-Jo was in New York, he was lucky enough to catch a performance of HARMONY, the musical by Bruce Sussman and Barry Manilow which sadly closed last weekend at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway.The show, which followed the historic career of 1920s vocal group The Comedian Harmonists, was first seen by audiences in the late 1990s but has taken more than two decades to make it to Broadway.Check out the new review for Mickey-Jo's brief thoughts on why the show was ultimately short-l...
Feb 07, 2024•27 min
This week has seen plenty of exciting theatre news about casting in the West End.Today it was announced that Director Jamie Lloyd's latest project would be a major revival of the popular Shakespeare tragedy Romeo & Juliet starring Hollywood actor Tom Holland.But we also recently learned that the latest actress to play the iconic Sally Bowles in Rebecca Frecknall's award-winning revival of Cabaret would be Cara Delevingne, in her stage debut.Check out today's new news recap video to find out ...
Feb 06, 2024•26 min
When Shakespeare's Globe announced that Michelle Terry would play Richard III in an upcoming production of the play of the same name, backlash ensued.Terry, who is the venue's Artistic Director, is an able bodied actress, despite the character being disabled.In this episode Mickey-Jo explains what has happened, talking through statements and open letters and sharing his thoughts on this casting controversy... open letter from Disabled Artists Alliance:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kHbz1gow...
Feb 03, 2024•42 min
Mickey-Jo recently got back from a week in New York seeing as many Broadway shows as he could, and one of his most hotly anticipated was the new musical HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, currently running at the Belasco Theatre.The show, which is based on the 2015 documentary of the same name, depicts seven young adults with autism in a counselling group who are preparing for a spring formal dance amidst romantic, personal and professional challenges.Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's full thoughts on thi...
Feb 01, 2024•33 min
After sharing his recommendations for UK theatre in 2024, Mickey-Jo is sharing his thoughts on some of the most exciting announced, planned and rumoured shows for this year in the US.With new musicals, plus, revivals and regional productions there are plenty of intriguing and brilliant shows to consider including The Notebook, Cabaret, Sunset Boulevard, Uncle Vanya, and more!Check out the new episode for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this year's possible highlights • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the lea...
Jan 26, 2024•47 min
Mickey-Jo was recently invited to The Other Palace Theatre in London to see Cruel Intentions: the 90s musical.Check out his new review for his thoughts on this show... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: MickeyJoTheatre is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lif...
Jan 24, 2024•25 min
Right now, it feels as though more shows than ever are announcing early closure on Broadway and in the West End.With last season's Shucked, Some Like it Hot and Kimberly Akimbo all set to close before the 2024 Tony Awards, and The Time Traveller's Wife announcing an early West End departure, what are the reasons for these shows struggling to succeed?In fact, even as Mickey-Jo put this episode together, more closures were announced including Harmony, How to Dance in Ohio, and the London productio...
Jan 22, 2024•40 min
Mickey-Jo finally got the chance to go see the new Mean Girls movie, a screen adaptation of the musical version of the original 2004 film.The new film stars Reneé Rapp, Angourie Rice, Auliʻi Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika, Bebe Wood, and Christopher Briney as the iconic characters.Based on the popular Broadway musical, the film features the songs 'Revenge Party', 'Someone Gets Hurt', 'World Burn', 'I'd Rather Be Me', 'Apex Predator' and more.Check out the new essay to find out what Mickey-Jo ...
Jan 20, 2024•34 min
Last week saw the delayed opening of THE ENFIELD HAUNTING, a brand new play based on the real-life 1970s poltergeist frenzy. The play stars Catherine Tate and David Threlfall at the Ambassador's Theatre in the West End.This opening was unfortunately notable for many of the wrong reasons as most of the reviews were very negative - consequentially Mickey-Jo booked a ticket straight away and headed to the following day's matinee performance motivated almost exclusively by morbid curiosity.In this r...
Jan 18, 2024•32 min
A musical adaptation of The Great Gatsby is heading to Broadway in 2024!The show, which premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in 2023, will star Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde) and Eva Noblezada (Hadestown, Miss Saigon).Check out today's news recap to find out what Mickey-Jo learned about this show when he attended it's first preview last year...•00:00 | introduction01:44 | what is The Great Gatsby?03:32 | what is this musical like?09:55 | what details do we know?• About Mick...
Jan 16, 2024•17 min
One of the National Theatre's most successful shows last year was the brand new play, The Motive and the Cue.Written by Jack Thorne, the play has since transferred to the Noel Coward Theatre where it stars Mark Gatiss as Sir John Gielgud and Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton in a dramatisation of their fraught 1960s rehearsal process.Check out the new review to find out why Mickey-Jo enjoyed this play so much and who its unexpected brightest star was... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voic...
Jan 15, 2024•18 min
After Mickey-Jo let you know his favourite and least favourite shows from last year, he's now ready to bring you his UK and London Theatre recommendations for 2024.From Broadway transfers such as Hadestown, Mean Girls and MJ to new plays like Red Pitch and The Motive and the Cue, this is a varied list of exciting productions!Check out the new episode to find out about the plays and musicals he is most looking forward to this year... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre crit...
Jan 12, 2024•35 min
Mickey-Jo recently headed to the Curve Theatre in Leicester to see their latest production: a bold revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Evita.The show, which has previously starred Elaine Paige, Patti LuPone, and Madonna as Argentinian former first lady Eva Peron, features such songs as 'Oh What a Circus', 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina' and 'You Must Love Me'.Check out the new review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this production and what about it invited comparison to Jamie Lloyd's recent ...
Jan 09, 2024•26 min
It has just been confirmed that the brand new revival of SUNSET BOULEVARD, led by Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, will transfer to New York with a Broadway run in 2024.West End cast members Tom Francis, Grace Hodgett-Young and David Thaxton will join Scherzinger on Broadway in a theatre that has not yet been disclosed.Check out today's brand new theatre news recap to find out which details we already know about the transfer as well as what we can predict...•00:00 | introduction02:30 | what ...
Jan 04, 2024•25 min
In 2023 Mickey-Jo saw nearly 250 plays and musicals, mostly in the UK and the US and recently shared some of his favourites.However, for every show he loves there will always be shows that leave him a little more disappointed.Check out the new episode to find out which shows were his least favourites of 2023. • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: MickeyJoTh...
Jan 02, 2024•41 min
This year Mickey-Jo saw nearly 250 plays and musicals, mostly in the UK and the US.Check out the new episode to find out which shows made his top 25, and stay tuned until the end to see which show was his favourite of a very busy year of theatregoing... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: MickeyJoTheatre is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicat...
Dec 31, 2023•47 min
This year Mickey-Jo headed to New York City for the very first time for two trips to Broadway!During his visits he saw 22 Broadway shows (as well as a handful of concerts, off-broadway shows and regional productions) and in this episode, he's ranking them!From Merrily we Roll Along and Hadestown to Bad Cinderella and Funny Girl, he saw plenty of plays and musicals featuring stars like Lea Michele, Ben Platt and Daniel Radcliffe.Stay tuned to find out his favourite and most disappointing Broadway...
Dec 24, 2023•48 min
Mickey-Jo recently took a trip to Paris, France to see a rarely produced musical: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.The show, which is currently being revived at the Lido 2 Paris, began its life as a Tony Award winning Broadway musical with a score by a young Stephen Sondheim.Check out the new review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this zany show, whether it holds up to modern sensibilities and how it played to a largely Parisian audience... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voic...
Dec 22, 2023•32 min
Earlier this month Mickey-Jo was invited to Southwark Playhouse Elephant, one of London’s leading off West End venues, to see UNFORTUNATE: The untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch.This is a musical parody of Disney's The Little Mermaid which he first saw in 2018 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this show and who he thinks might be its ideal audience... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Micke...
Dec 20, 2023•31 min
Yesterday Mickey-Jo finally headed to the Savoy Theatre in the West End in London to see the hotly anticipated new revival of SUNSET BOULEVARD.The musical, which features a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics and a book from Don Black and Christopher Hampton, has been revived by Jamie Lloyd with Nicole Scherzinger starring as Norma Desmond.On Monday night performances however, the role of Norma Desmond is played by another star: West End leading lady Rachel Tucker (Wicked, Come From Away).Ch...
Dec 18, 2023•26 min
Based on the global hit Netflix series created by the Duffer Brothers, a prequel play set within the universe of STRANGER THINGS has just opened at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End, London.The play, which is called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, features the Creel family and young versions of popular characters Joyce, Hopper, Bob, and Dr Brenner. Get your tickets to STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW in the West End ⬇️ https://prf.hn/click/camref:XXXXXX/destination:https://www.atgtickets.c...
Dec 15, 2023•41 min
This week it was announced that Heartstopper star JOE LOCKE and Vanderpump Rules star ARIANA MADIX would both make their Broadway debuts in January 2024.Joe will play Tobias in the revival of Sweeney Todd currently playing at the Lunt Fontane Theatre, with Sutton Foster and Aaron Tveit soon to join him in the show's leading roles.Ariana, meanwhile, will star as Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre, one of Broadway's longest running musicals.• About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voi...
Dec 07, 2023•15 min
Last night in London, DIANA the musical was finally seen by a UK audience as it was produced for a one night only concert at the Hammersmith Apollo.The concert starred Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Denise Welch (Loose Women), Maiya Quansah-Breed (Six), Andy Coxon (Les Misérables), Alice Fearn (Come From Away), and Jay Perry (Hamilton).Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this concert, which was met with something of an unexpected audience response... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading ...
Dec 06, 2023•37 min
Mickey-Jo was recently invited to the West End screening of Disney's latest animated film: Wish, which is part of the Disney 100 celebrations.The film features the voice talents of Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as Magnifico.Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the story, the score and some of the negative feedback seen online... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field....
Dec 03, 2023•25 min
In a strange turn of events, December will see the arrival of two different shows based on Gwyneth Paltrow's well documented skiing accident trial to London stages.After one of the shows, 'Gwyneth Goes Skiing' garnered unexpected international news coverage and the second, 'I Wish You Well' was quickly announced, theatregoers were left puzzled...Check out today's theatre news episode for an explanation as to which show is the *real* Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial musical and why they're both collidin...
Nov 30, 2023•19 min
Earlier this week Mickey-Jo was invited to the New Victoria Theatre in Woking to see the brand new UK Tour of PRETTY WOMAN the musical.The show, which is based on the beloved 1990 film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, currently stars Amber Davies (9 to 5, Back to the Future), Oliver Savile (Wicked), Ore Oduba (The Rocky Horror Show), and Natalie Paris (Six).Check our the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on not only the new tour and its cast but also the show and its material... • About Mi...
Nov 29, 2023•27 min
