It's the final episode of the year! Join theatre and lifestyle blogger Rachel Agyekum and West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, as they round up their top shows of 2025. Thank you for sharing your top shows of the year – we included as many of your contributions as possible in this episode. Rachel founded Rachel Reviewed in 2022 and writes reviews for her website alongside creating reel reviews and other theatre-related content for Instagram and TikTok. She is also a reviewer for WhatsOnStage. ...
Dec 28, 2025•52 min
Olivier nominee Emmanuel Akwafo ( A Midsummer Night's Dream / For Black Boys ) joins West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, for our first special end-of-year round-up episode! In this episode Andrew reveals his top five stage performances of 2025. Emmanuel shares his top shows and performance of the year, and they share submissions from West End Frame listeners too. Emmanuel is a producer, writer, director, award-winning actor and presenter. He originated the role of Pitch in For Black Boys Who ...
Dec 26, 2025•54 min
Toyan Thomas-Browne (Top Hat / Shucked) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Toyan discuss "Oh, Mary!" (Trafalgar Theatre), Top Hat (Southbank Centre) and SVN Live (Arts Theatre) as well as the latest news about Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey's rumoured production of Sunday in the Park with George , Titanique and Beaches' Broadway transfers, One Day casting and more. Toyan is currently part of the ensemble in Kathleen Marshall’s revival of Top Hat. Following a successful run...
Dec 23, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 13Ep. 14
Shaun Kitchener (writer of Here And Now ) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Shaun discuss Daniel's Husband (Marylebone Theatre), Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre), Singin' in the Rain (Royal Exchange Manchester) and Freaky Friday The Musical (Home Manchester) as well as the latest news about the WhatsOnStage Awards nominations, Once on this Island, plus Mean Girls and Cabaret casting and lots more. Shaun is a playwright, screenwriter, journalist and DJ. His plays have included...
Dec 16, 2025•52 min•Season 13Ep. 13
Matt Mills (Joseph Jackson / Rob in MJ ) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Matt discuss the cinema release of Merrily We Roll Along and Malinda Parris' final performance in Hercules as well as the latest news about High Society , one of the cut scenes in Wicked: For Good, Billy Elliot, Big Night of Musicals and more. Matt was in the original West End cast of MJ The Musical (Prince Edward Theatre) as Berry Gordy and Nick and has since taken over the leading role of Joseph Jackson and R...
Dec 09, 2025•50 min•Season 13Ep. 12
Nikita Johal ( Now That’s What I Call A Musical / The Taming of the Shrew ) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Nikita discuss Paddington (Savoy Theatre), The Line Of Beauty (Almedia Theatre) and The Mousetrap 's 73rd Birthday Performance (St Martins Theatre) as well as the latest news about Wicked spin-offs, Kimberly Akimbo 's UK premiere, The Stage magazine, casting for American Psycho and lots more. Nikita is starring as Wendy in Peter Pan: A New Pantomime Adventure at the Greenwich ...
Dec 02, 2025•50 min•Season 13Ep. 11
In this special solo edition of The West End Frame Show, Editor Andrew Tomlins sits down moments after opening night of Paddington The Musical to share his review. Despite going in completely blind, Andrew quickly finds himself swept up in the show’s heart, theatricality and pure stage magic. He touches on the ingenious way Paddington is brought to life onstage, the fusion of inventive design with old-school stagecraft, and the musical’s timely message of acceptance. Andrew also discusses stando...
Dec 01, 2025•18 min
West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, hosts a solo episode of The West End Frame Show! Andrew discusses Ride The Cyclone (Southwark Playhouse), Freaky Friday (Rehearsal Event) and Roam In Concert (Shaftesbury Theatre) as well as the latest news about Wicked For Good 's box office records, Back To The Future, the Heathers tour, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Watermill and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind . This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: andr...
Nov 26, 2025•17 min•Season 13Ep. 10
It’s time for the third and final instalment of our Wicked: For Good takeover of The West End Frame Show! In this episode, Andrew Tomlins and Lisa Martland rave about Cynthia Erivo’s sensational performance of “No Good Deed.” They also talk about the ‘fight’ scene, the reveal of the mysterious figure on the horse and the added context surrounding Elphaba’s relationship with Chistery and the flying monkeys. The conversation continues as Andrew and Lisa unpack the film’s final section, including C...
Nov 25, 2025•38 min
We’re back with the second instalment of our three-part Wicked: For Good takeover of The West End Frame Show ! Spoiler alert: In this episode, Andrew Tomlins and Lisa Martland dive even deeper into their thoughts on the new Wicked movie. They unpack the brand-new songs “There’s No Place Like Home” and “Girl In The Bubble,” and share their reactions to the film’s opening sequence. Andrew and Lisa also discuss Ariana Grande’s performance of “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier,” the reworked ve...
Nov 24, 2025•36 min
In our first of three special Wicked: For Good episodes, Andrew Tomlins and Lisa Martland sit down to share their first reaction to the new Wicked movie. This episode is (as much as possible!) spoiler-free . Andrew and Lisa talk about how they felt watching the film, how the stage story translates to the screen and the themes and messages that resonated with them. Having spent many years at The Stage – including five years as Deputy Editor – Lisa Martland is a theatre journalist who has worked f...
Nov 23, 2025•28 min
Simon Bailey ( Come Alive / Moulin Rouge ) co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Simon discuss Coven (Kiln Theatre), Midnight by Todrick Hall (Sadler's Wells East) and Limp Wrist & The Iron Fist (Brixton House) as well as the latest news about Wicked 's new middle eastern tour, Gravity 's tour with Kerry Ellis, Louise Dearman and Rachel Tucker, StarKid , Hercules and more. Simon is currently in his second year as The Showman in Come Alive: The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular at the...
Nov 18, 2025•46 min•Season 13Ep. 9
Akeem Ellis-Hyman ( The Devil Wears Prada / Hairspray ) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Akeem discuss Here And Now: The Steps Musical (UK Tour, New Wimbledon Theatre), Six Japan (Vaudeville Theatre) and Elf The Musical (Aldwych Theatre) as well as the latest news about Jesus Christ Superstar starring Sam Ryder, Pride The Musical, Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt in The Last Five Years and lots more. Akeem starred as Seaweed in the UK tour of Hairspray with his other credits including Lol...
Nov 11, 2025•48 min•Season 13Ep. 8
Ksenya Gray co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Ksenya discuss Entertaining Mr Sloane (Young Vic) starring Jordan Stephens and Tamzin Outhwaite as well as the latest news about Paddington, the Black British Theatre Awards, Mischief's first musical, the Wicked movie special, I'm Every Woman starring Alexandra Burke and lots more. Ksenya is a social media manager and runs the social media company Storytellers. Her 2025 projects have included Saving Mozart, Falling In Love With Mr Dellamo...
Nov 04, 2025•39 min•Season 13Ep. 7
Gregory George (Host of Stage or Screen) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Gregory discuss Young Frankenstein as well as the latest news about Freaky Friday, Sylvia, Jodie Steele, Death Becomes Her and more. Plus, we have a special preview of a track from Matthew Harvey's musical Unbound which releases a live cast album on 31st October. Gregory toured the UK as Bob Gaudio in The Jerseys and appeared in Jerry Springer The Opera at the Hope Mill Theatre. Alongside pantos, concerts and w...
Oct 28, 2025•50 min•Season 13Ep. 6
West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, hosts a solo episode of The West End Frame Show! Fresh from this year's MusicalCon, Andrew gives a debrief of the panels he hosted at the convention at ExCel London. Andrew also discusses MJ (Prince Edward Theatre) as well as the latest news about Redcliffe by Jordan Luke Gage, The Greatest Showman musical, Cats at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and more. This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendf...
Oct 20, 2025•29 min•Season 13Ep. 5
Producer Jack Maple ( Ride The Cyclone / The Hunchback Of Notre Dame ) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Jack discuss the Les Misérables 40th Anniversary (Sondheim Theatre), Shoshana Bean In Concert (St Martin's Theatre) and Mary Page Marlowe (The Old Vic) as well as the latest news about Cynthia Erivo's new musical movie, Todrick's musical Midnight , Aqua, Pippin and more. Jack is currently producing the first UK tour of The Talented Mr Ripley starring Ed McVey and Maisie Smith as we...
Oct 13, 2025•48 min•Season 13Ep. 4
We’re kicking off the week with a special bonus episode, Aneesah Khadijah joins theatre critic and West End Frame Editor Andrew Tomlins for an in-depth artistic conversation and critical reflection on her creative work behind the scenes. After studying Law at the University of Manchester, Aneesah found her true passion in the arts, developing a distinctive practice that blends precision, empathy, and storytelling across stage management, creative production, and artist liaison work. Her theatre ...
Oct 12, 2025•35 min
Harriet Watson ( Six ) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Harriet discuss 13 Going On 30 (Manchester Opera House) and Moulin Rouge (World Tour + West End production) as well as the latest news about Oh Mary!, casting for the Mean Girls tour, Hercules, The Devil Wears Prada and more. They also pay tribute to both Patricia Routledge and Ben Lewis. Harriet is preparing to star in a one-woman show Six Of Spades by Natasha Brotherdale Smith. The production runs at the Etcetera The...
Oct 06, 2025•52 min•Season 13Ep. 3
In this special bonus episode, Stratford East’s new leadership team unveil their inaugural season. West End Frame Editor Andrew Tomlins is joined by Lisa Spirling (Artistic Director & Co-CEO) and Hanna Streeter (Executive Director & Co-CEO) for an exciting first look at their season, which includes the highly anticipated London premiere of Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Nancy Medina. The season also includes the UK premiere of Here There Are Blueberries by Moisés Kaufman...
Oct 01, 2025•30 min
Olivier nominee Carly Mercedes Dyer ( Singin' in the Rain / A Chorus Line ) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Carly discuss The Harder They Come (Stratford East), 50 First Dates (The Other Palace) and Clarkston (Trafalgar Theatre) as well as the latest news about Amber Davies, Bank Of Dave, Beetlejuice, Lucie Jones, Megan Hilty and more. Carly has played roles including Cassie in A Chorus Line, Faye Treadwell in The Drifters Girl, June in Gypsy and Erma in Anything Goes, for which she...
Sep 30, 2025•51 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Join West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins for a bonus show talk episode! In this episode, Andrew discusses Songs For A New World (Eventim Apollo) starring Shoshana Bean, Joy Woods, Tituss Burgess and Jordan Fisher, The Code (Southwark Playhouse Elephant) starring Tracie Bennett and John Partridge as well as Till The Stars Come Down (Theatre Royal Haymarket). This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk Visit westendframe.co.uk...
Sep 23, 2025•27 min
Rory Phelan ( Heathers / Stay Strong) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Rory discuss Hercules (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and The Producers (Garrick Theatre) as well as the latest news about Into The Woods casting, the new Wicked songs, Carrie Hope Fletcher being cast in Elf and Waitress , nominations for the Black British Theatre Awards, Musical Con and more. Rory's theatre credits include: Wag The Musical (Charing Cross Theatre), Grease (UK & International Tour), Club Tropicana (...
Sep 22, 2025•51 min•Season 13Ep. 1
It's the second part of our post-summer catchup episode! Theatre journalist Lisa Martland joins Andrew to discuss Top Hat (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Lightning Thief (Milton Keynes Theatre, UK Tour), Six (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, UK Tour), Sing Street (Lyric Theatre Hammersmith), Saving Mozart (The Other Palace) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bridge Theatre). Andrew and Lisa also talk about their favourite Sondheim shows. Having spent many years at The Stage – including five years as Deputy...
Sep 10, 2025•37 min
We're back! In our first post-summer catchup episode, theatre journalist Lisa Martland joins Andrew to discuss the London revival of Brigadoon . Not seen in London for over 35 years, Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon has been directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in a new adaptation by Rona Munro. Danielle Fiamanya and Georgina Onuorah are job sharing in the role of Fiona MacLaren with Louis Gaunt as Tommy Albright. Andrew and Lisa discuss how Brigadoon resonat...
Sep 08, 2025•32 min
We’re back with a special episode all about Gravity at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane! This one-off concert united Wicked legends Louise Dearman, Kerry Ellis and Rachel Tucker for an unforgettable afternoon of belting and nostalgia. West End Frame Editor Andrew Tomlins is joined by Adam Davenport, Dean of Performers College, who last co-hosted the fourth episode of The West End Frame Show back in 2019. Together, Andrew and Adam relive their standout moments from Gravity , reflect on the extraordin...
Sep 02, 2025•54 min
Join West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, for a round-up of some shows at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The shows discussed are Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares (Underbelly, Bristo Square), Spy Movie: The Play (Pleasance Courtyard), Jackie!!! (Gilded Balloon Patter House), Midnight at the Palace (Gilded Balloon Patter House), Hot Mess (Pleasance Courtyard) and Footballers Wives (Assembly Rooms). This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening to this series! It...
Aug 13, 2025•25 min
It's the last episode of the series! Peter Caulfield ( To Wong Foo / Tammy Faye ) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show. Andrew and Peter discuss 101 Dalmatians starring Sydnie Christmas (Eventim Apollo) as well as the latest news about Songs For A New World, MJ The Musical closing, Kinky Boots, Coven and more. They also talk about the controversy surrounding Andrew Barth Feldman's casting in Maybe Happy Ending and the lack of Asian representation in musical theatre. The episode features a ...
Jul 28, 2025•54 min•Season 12Ep. 26
Welcome to Burlesque! In this special episode, West End Frame Editor Andrew Tomlins shares his review of Burlesque The Musical. Based on the 2010 film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, Burlesque The Musical premiered last year with runs in Manchester and Glasgow. The show has now transferred to the West End starring Orfeh, Jess Folley and Todrick Hall who has also directed and choreographed the production. Burlesque runs at the Savoy Theatre until 6th September 2025. Visit www.burlesqueonsta...
Jul 22, 2025•11 min
Harriet Bunton ( Romeo & Juliet / Close Up: The Twiggy Musical ) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Harriet discuss Four Play (Kings Head Theatre) as well as the latest news about bootlegs, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jon Robyns, Magic At The Musicals, Jack Wolfe, Glorious starring Wendi Peters, Merrily We Roll Along and lots more. Harriet's theatre credits include: ensemble in We Will Rock You (Dominion), Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (European Tour), Lisa in Mamma Mia! (Novello), Ho...
Jul 21, 2025•55 min•Season 12Ep. 25
