All stories by Chris Wiegand on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Plays from RSC, National and Almeida theatres in running for Susan Smith Blackburn prize by Chris Wiegand

Plays join shortlist for prestigious international award honouring scripts by female, transgender and non-binary playwrights Plays submitted by the National Theatre, the Almeida and the Roya…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:48PM
Saturday, February 1, 2025

The best theatre to stream this month: The Hot Wing King, Sister Act and Swan Lake by Chris Wiegand

Katori Hall’s culinary comedy, a heavenly Beverley Knight and English National Ballet at Royal Albert Hall are among this month’s highlights More than 100 performers – including 60 dan…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:24AM
Friday, January 31, 2025

Elizabeth Debicki will return to the stage in London this summer by Chris Wiegand

The Crown actor and Kate Fleetwood will join Ewan McGregor in Lila Raicek’s My Master Builder, inspired by Ibsen Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki, best known for playing Diana, Princess …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:18AM
Thursday, January 30, 2025

Scissorhandz review – musical reanimates Burton classic with cuts from Radiohead and Aerosmith by Chris Wiegand

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London Jordan Kai Burnett impresses in a fun, heartfelt yet tonally uneven show, co-produced by Michelle Visage In Tim Burton’s 1990 fairytale, you hear Edwar…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:06PM

Broadway hit Shucked kicks off Drew McOnie’s debut season at Regent’s Park Open Air theatre by Chris Wiegand

US musical will be followed by Rodgers and Hammerstein dream ballets, Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses and Brigadoon Drew McOnie’s inaugural season as artistic director of Regent…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:18AM
Tuesday, January 28, 2025

My heart will go onstage: Celine Dion and Dolly Parton celebrated in outlandish musicals by Chris Wiegand

The comedies Titanique and Here You Come Again pay homage to two superstars in quirky style. Actors Lauren Drew and Tricia Paoluccio explain what it’s like to portray their idols – and t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:06AM
Thursday, January 23, 2025

Jack Lowden joined by Martin Freeman in alcoholism drama The Fifth Step by Chris Wiegand

Lowden first appeared in David Ireland’s two-hander in Edinburgh last year. For its West End run, he is paired with his ‘hero’ Freeman Slow Horses star Jack Lowden is to reprise his ro…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:32AM
Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Calamity Jane review – mighty pretty music but this western could be wilder by Chris Wiegand

Opera House, ManchesterA meandering musical based on the Doris Day movie delivers the sure-shot showtunes in style with a whipcracking lead in Carrie Hope Fletcher The 1953 film Calamity Jan…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:54PM
Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Beverley Knight to play rock’n’roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Chris Wiegand

The Olivier-winning star ‘excited and honoured’ to take the lead in the UK premiere of Marie and Rosetta, a 1940s-set two-hander from George Brant Beverley Knight is to play Sister Roset…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:18AM
Thursday, January 9, 2025

Imelda Staunton and daughter Bessie Carter to star in West End revival of Mrs Warren’s Profession by Chris Wiegand

The actors will share the stage for the first time in George Bernard’s Shaw’s drama about ‘the role of women in society’ Imelda Staunton and her daughter, Bessie Carter, are to share…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:48AM
Friday, January 3, 2025

The Little Mermaid review – musical fable is a valentine to the oceans by Chris Wiegand

Bristol Old VicIn Sonali Bhattacharyya’s tale, Liana Cottrill’s striking and gracefully realised mermaid is driven to leave her home not for a crush on a prince but in order to save the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42AM
Wednesday, January 1, 2025

The best theatre to stream this month: Mathew Baynton’s Dream, Hadestown and more by Chris Wiegand

Anaïs Mitchell’s underworld musical gets a West End spin and the Horrible Histories star’s Bottom are among this month’s highlights He played the Bard on Horrible Histories (“they c…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18AM
Monday, December 16, 2024

Hold on to Your Butts review – Jurassic Park redone with DIY dinos by Chris Wiegand

Arcola theatre, LondonThis recreation of Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic is frenetic fun, with the dinosaurs brought to life using physical comedy – and traffic cones Hold on to your ……

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:02AM

Christmas Comes to Moominvalley review – sleepy trolls get into the festive spirit by Chris Wiegand

Jacksons Lane, London Tove Jansson’s beloved creations have their hibernation interrupted by snowball juggling and jolly ukulele tunes in this sweet adaptation Anyone …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:02AM
Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Well Done, Mummy Penguin review – Antarctic antics warm the heart by Chris Wiegand

Albany, LondonThis is a sprightly adaptation of Chris Haughton’s popular book, adding circus skills, projections and BSL ‘Here we find the penguin,” intones the narrator of a mock natu…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:24AM
Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Ewan McGregor returns to the West End in new play My Master Builder by Chris Wiegand

Lila Raicek’s play, which McGregor describes as ‘a very modern take on today’s sexual politics’, will be the actor’s first London show in 17 years Ewan McGregor will return to the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:12AM
Sunday, December 1, 2024

The best theatre to stream this month: Hot Orange, The Warriors and Macbeth by Chris Wiegand

Come out to play with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis’s star-studded concept album or enjoy an improvised movie from the Goes Wrong team Amal Khalidi and Tatenda Naomi Matsvai’s highly…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:48AM
Tuesday, November 26, 2024

A very British omnishambles: how The Play That Goes Wrong conquered the world by Chris Wiegand

This farce about a gaffe-laden am-dram whodunnit was born above a pub. How did it become one of Britain’s greatest ever exports, the toast of more than 50 countries? Our writer hits the co…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:36PM

Christmas performances shouldn’t be the only theatre at school | Chris Wiegand by Chris Wiegand

You’ll never find an audience or a cast more invested than at a seasonal show, where kids find their feet in front of you. But performing arts provision for the youngest is in peril What�…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:12AM
Friday, November 22, 2024

Dawns y Ceirw review – the dance of the inquisitive reindeer by Chris Wiegand

Dance House, CardiffA lonely deer enters a world of natural wonders in this dance-theatre show for children, with spellbinding songs by Casi Wyn Never mind poor red-nosed Rudolph being calle…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:18PM

King James review – courtside view of friendship and LeBron fandom by Chris Wiegand

Hampstead theatre, LondonLoyalty and legacy, privilege and prejudice come into play as the lives of two friends, joined in their love of the basketball star, diverge Without wanting to state…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:24AM
Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Elton John’s musical Tammy Faye to close on Broadway less than a month after opening by Chris Wiegand

Despite Olivier awards success and a sold out run in the West End, the show received unfavourable reviews from US critics and performed poorly at the box office Tammy Faye, the musical creat…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:32AM
Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Timothy West, star of stage, film and television, dies aged 90 by Chris Wiegand

With a career ranging from Shakespeare to EastEnders and the series Great Canal Journeys, actor was a familiar face from the 1960s onwards Michael Billington: West was a modest maestro who e…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:06AM
Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Pontypool review – scattershot horror with a shock jock but few frights by Chris Wiegand

Wales Millennium Centre, CardiffThe 2008 Canadian film about zombie-like hordes spreading a verbal virus is given a Welsh update, with a radio host refusing to rein in his divisive rhetoric …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:48AM
Thursday, October 31, 2024

The best theatre to stream this month: Starlight Express, Nye, Beat the Devil and more by Chris Wiegand

A cast recording for the souped-up train musical is released, Michael Sheen plays the NHS hero at the National and David Hare delivers his Covid memoir “Tonight is the most important night…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:31PM
Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Barcelona review – Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte share a night of tapas, torment and toe-sucking by Chris Wiegand

Duke of York’s theatre, LondonThe stars of Emily in Paris and Money Heist team up for a curiously flat drama mixing suspense, comedy and politics Emily in Paris star Lily Collins makes her…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:36PM
Monday, October 21, 2024

‘Every fear you’re supposed to have as a New Yorker’: Lin-Manuel Miranda on rebooting cult movie The Warriors by Chris Wiegand

The creator of Hamilton and the writer Eisa Davis explain why they turned the classic film into a Jesus Christ Superstar-style concept album, with the help of hip-hop royalty – from Ghostf…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:31PM
Friday, October 18, 2024

Saint Maud review – desire, despair and ‘godgasms’ as Rose Glass’s shocker comes to life by Chris Wiegand

Live theatre, NewcastleBrogan Gilbert gives an extraordinary performance as the troubled nurse caring for a terminally ill dancer in a compelling adaptation of the 2019 horror film With its …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:48AM
Thursday, October 17, 2024

The Warriors review – Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis come out to play with firecracker musical by Chris Wiegand

(Atlantic)This concept album based on Walter Hill’s 1979 film features megastar rappers, Hamilton alumni and styles from metalcore to salsa – it is pulled off with breathtaking brio The …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:12PM

Come Alive! review – acrobatic spectacle squanders The Greatest Showman’s songs by Chris Wiegand

Empress Museum, LondonWhile there is strength and skill on display, this circus show lacks a knockout performance and the film’s enduring anthems don’t always fit the action A stage adap…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:48AM

Toto Kerblammo! review – Tim Crouch offers up doggy delight and human heartache by Chris Wiegand

Unicorn theatre, LondonA pet marooned with his owner in a ‘place between worlds’ whispers to the audience through headphones in this skilful play for over-nines ‘We’re not in Kansas …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:24AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic
TBA: Ragtime