It was announced yesterday that the West End production of MJ the musical, which follows a pivotal moment in the life and career of Michael Jackson will close in early 2026. The show will, by the end of its run, have played just under 2 years at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, while the musical continues to run at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway. In this theatre news recap, Mickey-Jo is sharing some insights into why MJ is closing (in contrast to its ongoing Broadway success) as well as ...
Jul 27, 2025•24 min
Mickey-Jo recently sat down to chat with Jamie Muscato, the West End leading man currently starring as Jay Gatsby in THE GREAT GATSBY at the London Coliseum. The actor has previously wowed audiences in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award), Moulin Rouge, and the original West End cast of Heathers. They talked about wearing three piece suits in a heatwave, the roles he'd love to revisit as well as the one he isn't ready to play yet... Abou...
Jul 25, 2025•25 min
Earlier today it was announced that stage and screen star Andrew Barth Feldman would join the cast of the Broadway musical MAYBE HAPPY ENDING, replacing Tony Award winner Darren Criss. Andrew will co-star with his real life partner Helen J Shen who plays Claire, taking on the role of the helperbot Oliver. Amidst some backlash as fans anticipated an Asian actor being cast in this role, Mickey-Jo is talking through the many facets of this nuanced conversation about casting and representation on Br...
Jul 24, 2025•23 min
Last night, Mickey-Jo was invited to attend the gala opening night performance of BURLESQUE at the Savoy Theatre in London. The new musical, which premiered in Manchester last year, is based on the film of the same name starring Christina Aguilera and Cher. Amidst some alleged backstage controversy, here are Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the actual show onstage, and whether or not it is good enough for West End audiences this summer... • 00:00 | introduction 02:20 | synopsis / overview 10:52 | adaptat...
Jul 23, 2025•45 min
Last night, the stage musical adaptation of BURLESQUE, which premiered regionally in the UK last year, officially opened at the Savoy Theatre in London. Since before the London transfer began rehearsals, however, it has been surrounded by rumours of behind the scenes drama, with a change in creative team, a delayed first preview performance and, now an equity investigation. • 00:00 | introduction 03:30 | what we knew 09:50 | first preview drama 16:20 | equity involvement About Mickey-Jo: As one ...
Jul 23, 2025•23 min
Last week, Mickey-Jo was invited to the opening night performance of one of his most anticipated shows of this year, Sing Street. The musical, which is based on the 2016 film of the same name, was set to open on Broadway in 2020 but was ultimately cancelled. Now that the show is making its London premiere, with a limited run at the Lyric Hammersmith, Mickey-Jo is letting you know just what it's like on stage and whether it might make it back to Broadway... • 00:00 | introduction 02:04 | synopsis...
Jul 22, 2025•30 min
Earlier this week, Mickey-Jo spent two evenings at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon, seeing two entirely different pieces of theatre. First he saw Laura Wade's new adaptation of The Constant Wife starring Rose Leslie, and the next evening was the press night performance of 4.48 Psychosis, a hugely impactful play by Sarah Kane recounted with the play's original cast. Check out this double bill review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought of these two pieces of theatre... • 00:00 ...
Jul 20, 2025•31 min
On June 22nd Mickey-Jo produced and hosted another evening of his regular Cabaret chat show, MickeyJoTheatre: LIVE! at the Phoenix Arts Club. One of his guests for the evening was the award winning rising star Jeevan Braich, who was cast as Rusty, starring in the West End return of STARLIGHT EXPRESS last year, and has recently returned to the role. When they sat down together, they talked through the mechanics of singing on wheels, what it was like performing at the Olivier Awards, and his relat...
Jul 18, 2025•31 min
Yesterday it was announced that the current Broadway revival of Gypsy, starring Audra McDonald, would close earlier than planned on August 17th. This will make the show the latest in a string of musicals to abruptly cease performances after dwindling box office returns and awards disappointment. Over the last few months Boop, Dead Outlaw, Smash, Redwood, and Real Women Have Curves have also ended their Broadway runs prematurely with each show facing challenges for their own unique reasons. Today...
Jul 17, 2025•30 min
One topic that always sparks debate online amongst the theatre community is the creation and sharing of bootlegs (also called slime tutorials). Last week, the newly opened Off-Broadway production of HEATHERS came under fire from some fans by requesting that they not film the performance, and the debate about the ethical, financial and historical impact of bootlegs was instantly reignited. So, Mickey-Jo is covering the complex topic with as much nuance as it deserves, acknowledging both the benef...
Jul 16, 2025•31 min
Last month, Mickey-Jo was invited to attend the gala opening performance of HADESTOWN's Dutch premiere in Amsterdam. The award winning musical is playing for a limited run this summer at Theatre Carré in the Netherlands, with a majority Dutch cast performing the original production of the show in English. Check out this full review to find out Mickey-Jo's thoughts about the show, and how it feels in the custody of this particular cast... • 00:00 | introduction 03:09 | the material 12:28 | this p...
Jul 15, 2025•30 min
Last week, Mickey-Jo had the joy of attending the opening night performance of TILL THE STARS COME DOWN at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London. The new play from Beth Steel, which was first produced at the National Theatre, has transferred into the West End amidst considerable acclaimed and takes place over the day of an increasingly frantic wedding. Check out Mickey-Jo's full review to find out what he thought of the show, its cultural accessibility, and the onstage seating! • 00:00 | introd...
Jul 15, 2025•30 min
It has been reported that the musical adaptation of CLUELESS, which opened in the West End earlier this year, will close on 23rd August 2025. The production, which began performances in February of this year, will end its run earlier than originally planned, just a few months after MEAN GIRLS closed at the nearby Savoy Theatre. With news of a tour and rumours about the next shows at the Trafalgar Theatre, check out this theatre news recap for everything we know, and can infer, about the early cl...
Jul 15, 2025•20 min
Mickey-Jo recently returned to the West End production of CABARET at the Kit Kat Club for a gala performance welcoming their new stars, Rob Madge and Hannah Dodd. The revival, which has been directed by Rebecca Frecknall, reconceived the Playhouse Theatre in London as the Kit Kat Club when it first opened in 2021 and has since starred many brilliant performers in these iconic roles, recently celebrating 1500 performances in London. Check out Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the show's remarkable achievem...
Jul 15, 2025•20 min
Having, in the last few weeks, seen revivals of Sunset Boulevard, Cats and Evita, Mickey-Jo was very intrigued to check out the Watermill Theatre's new production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. This revival, which sees a smaller company of actor-musicians take on the iconic rock opera, stages part of the show outdoors, with the audience travelling between two spaces. Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of the production, especially in the wake of last week's opening night for EVITA... • 00:00 | introdu...
Jul 11, 2025•27 min
Discomfort bubbles quietly among the New York Theatre community as producer Scott Rudin's controversial, and forewarned, Broadway return is announced. The industry giant, ousted from the community and the industry after allegations of abusive, violent behaviour emerged in 2021, has announced plans for his comeback, with a new play starring Laurie Metcalf set to open later this year at the Booth Theatre. In today's theatre news recap, Mickey-Jo is talking through the history of Rudin's cancellati...
Jul 11, 2025•39 min
Last month Mickey-Jo had made plans to visit Chicago, Illinois for the first time when he discovered a production of CATS in the nearby town of Aurora. This revival, produced by the local Paramount Theatre, combines the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with a creative circus theme, staging and aesthetic, earning it the nickname 'Circus Cats'. Check out Mickey-Jo's full review to find out what this childhood Cats fan thought of this production, and the slew of recent high concept revivals... • 00:00 |...
Jul 04, 2025•32 min
The summer is here which means so is the Edinburgh Fringe and ahead of Mickey-Jo's visit next month to see as many shows as possible, he is sharing his recommendations! This year, Mickey-Jo is talking through the theatre and musicals sections of the show brochure, letting you know which intrigued him, which he's eagerly anticipating, and which he has enjoyed previously and can vouch for. Check out Mickey-Jo's picks for this year's Fringe and share your own in the comments! About Mickey-Jo: As on...
Jul 03, 2025•45 min
One of the most anticipated shows of the year has finally opened in the West End. Jamie Lloyd's bold, reimagined production of EVITA opened last night at the London Palladium, with Rachel Zegler starring as Eva Peron. Check out Mickey-Jo's (1 hour long!) full review of the revival to find out what blew him away about the show, and what left him a little cold... • 00:00 | introduction 03:28 | material / synopsis 09:07 | this revival 21:18 | creative choices 31:43 | songs / highlights 40:31 | the ...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 1 min
During Mickey-Jo's most recent trip to New York, he checked out some of this Broadway season's last new openings including the new musical JUST IN TIME. Documenting the life of Bobby Darin, the show stars Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff alongside Gracie Lawrence, Erika Henningsen, and more. Check out Mickey-Jo's full review of the show, which is currently playing at the Circle in the Square theatre in New York... • 00:00 | introduction 05:22 | synopsis / material 15:09 | creative choices 22:05 ...
Jul 01, 2025•32 min
Towards the end of Mickey-Jo's most recent visit to New York City, he sat down with the award winning visionary and queer icon John Cameron Mitchell to discuss his upcoming West End debut. The writer and original star of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Off and on Broadway, as well as on screen) is performing on Tuesday 8th July at the Adelphi Theatre in London, with a sensational lineup of guest performers. Check out the discussion they shared about the upcoming show, the enduring power of Hedwig, an...
Jun 30, 2025•23 min
Over the past several months, it has been rumoured, suggested, and openly stated, that a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is heading to New York. This won't be a return of the beloved mega-musical, which ran for decades at Broadway's Majestic theatre, however, as the upcoming show is instead an immersive off-Broadway staging. In today's theatre news recap Mickey-Jo is sharing everything we've learned so far about the upcoming show, including its whereabouts, age p...
Jun 30, 2025•29 min
The Broadway musical REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES began performances earlier this year at the James Earl Jones as one of the last openings of the 2024-2025 season and has sadly since announced it will play its final performance on June 29th. The musical, based on both the play and its film adaptation of the same name, tells the timely story of an immigrant family's garment business and the community formed among the women who work there amidst ICE raids, parental disapproval, and an extreme amount of ...
Jun 26, 2025•32 min
After prior productions in New York, New Jersey, and Hamburg, Germany, Disney's HERCULES has finally arrived in London's West End, opening last night at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The stage musical, based on the 1997 animated film, brings the heroic story to life with Luke Brady starring in the title role in a production that makes some changes to beloved characters in order to tell the story. In lieue of Mickey-Jo's own visit to the show, he has rounded up a selection of reviews from the opening...
Jun 26, 2025•50 min
STEREOPHONIC has recently opened in the West End, and Mickey-Jo has already seen it twice! The play, written by David Adjmi and directed by Daniel Aukin, had an acclaimed off-Broadway run and transferred to the Golden Theatre, where it was nominated for a record number of Tony Awards, winning multiple including the 2024 Tony Award for Best New Play. Now playing at the Duke of York's Theatre with some new cast joining returning company members, here's Mickey-Jo's full review of the West End produ...
Jun 24, 2025•33 min
Mickey-Jo recently had the chance to sit down with the brilliant Broadway leading man Jordan Fisher. Currently starring as Christian in Moulin Rouge, Mickey-Jo visited his dressing room at the Al Hirshfeld Theatre ahead of a Friday night show to ask about his Broadway career so far, what made him fall in love with theatre and THAT Hadestown vocal choice. Check it out, and don't forget to catch him in Moulin Rouge on Broadway before July 20th! About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in thea...
Jun 23, 2025•22 min
The Broadway revival of CABARET has recently announced it will conclude its run later this year at the August Wilson Theatre. The production, which was first staged in London, began with Eddie Redmayne in the role of the Emcee and has since welcomed stars including Adam Lambert and Orville Peck, with Marisha Wallace and Billy Porter set to join the show this summer as its concluding stars. In this essay, Mickey-Jo is sharing some answers as to why the show is closing by glancing back at its West...
Jun 23, 2025•37 min
The long awaited Broadway premiere of the musical FLOYD COLLINS arrived at Lincoln Center this year as a Tony Award nominated revival.The musical, based on true events, features a book and score by Tina Landau and Adam Guettel, with Jeremy Jordan starring in this production as Floyd Collins.Check out this full review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the material, this production, and its performances...•00:00 | introduction02:14 | overview / material14:19 | this revival 22:49 | performances• get tick...
Jun 19, 2025•31 min
A new revival of EVITA opens next week at the London Palladium in the West End, starring Rachel Zegler (West Side Story, Romeo + Juliet) and directed by Jamie Lloyd (Sunset Blvd, Much Ado about Nothing).The musical, written by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Tim Rice, follows the life and career of former Argentinian first lady Eva Peron and is anticipated as one of this summer's biggest West End hits.Before the production's first performance, however, it was already gaining attention both as a ...
Jun 17, 2025•30 min
The stage musical adaptation of BURLESQUE, which premiered recently in the UK, is getting ready to head to the West End, opening this summer at the Savoy Theatre in London.After the premiere production it was announced that original director Nick Winston, along with much of the creative team, were departing the production with cast member and co-composer Todrick Hall becoming the show's new director and Choreographer.In this new episode Mickey-Jo is sharing some potential insights into the reaso...
Jun 12, 2025•20 min
