Theatre Interviews with Top West End Stars

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ cast on bringing the American novel to the British stage

The adult actors who portray the children in the show share what its like to narrate the Aaron Sorkin play, why the themes are still relevant, and what it’s like to return to the stage after lockdown.

Rebecca Trehearn and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt on playing strong-willed women in ‘Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella’

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella is set in Belleville, a quaint French town under matriarchal rule. The Queen governs the ‘"Most Attractive Town" and values looks over personality, while the wicked Stepmother controls Cinderella's life. These determined women stop at nothing to get what they desire, even if it’s at the expense of other people’s fortunes. “I enjoy the fact that the Queen claims her power,” said Trehearn, who plays the Queen in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella. While the monarch...

Back to the Future The Musical writer and producer on bringing the story to the stage

Bob Gale has been dreaming about Back to the Future. The acclaimed screenwriter of the celebrated film franchise penned the book for the new musical adaptation of the classic movie, but when the out-of-town tryout had to close early due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Gale found his subconscious taking him back to Hill Valley."For the first six weeks I was back in the States after we had to close, I was dreaming about this show every single night," he said. "Now that we're revving up, I'm hoping that...

Gloria Onitiri on finding her Fairy Godmother magic in 'Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella'

We all wish we had a Fairy Godmother. This fantastical character changes peoples lives in a few moments — and the famed Fairy Godmother trope is often associated with Cinderella. But in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella, the Godmother doesn't only focus on a person's appearance. She connects with Cinderella and Prince Sebastian on a deeper level, encouraging them to see inside themselves. “The Godmother’s] whole role is she can make you look like what you want to look. The question really falls...

‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ star Olly Dobson is ready to up the ante onstage

Olly Dobson is one of Back to the Future's biggest fans, so it's been a dream come true to step into the shoes (and onto the skateboard) of the time-travelling teenager Marty McFly in the new stage adaptation, which is set to open at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in August.But to make this iconic character really sing, both literally and figuratively, onstage, Dobson has to take things up a notch."The ante has to be up," Dobson says of translating the beloved movie into a musical....

Roger Bart on reimagining Doc Brown in Back to the Future The Musical

Many actors would shudder at the idea of recreating one of the most-beloved film roles of all time onstage. The kind of role that has become so synonymous with the actor who originated it, that it seems impossible to separate the two.Well, the was the challenge Roger Bart faced when he took on the role of Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future The Musical, a character made so memorable by Christopher Lloyd in the film trilogy."How does one fill the shoes of the iconic and amazing Christopher...

Puppetry designers Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell on creating magic in 'Life of Pi'

Are there more puppets than actors on our stages at the moment? Well, perhaps not quite, but this is certainly a golden age of puppetry in British theatre — from Life of Pi, Frozen, The Ocean at the End of the Lane and The Lion King in the West End to Animal Farm on tour, and the upcoming 101 Dalmatians at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Crucially, puppets can make the impossible seem possible. Finn Caldwell, co-puppet designer and puppetry and movement director for Life of Pi, knew the show's...

Liisi LaFontaine on introducing ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ to a new generation and new audiences

Liisi LaFontaine never thought she would do musical theatre professionally. The Los Angeles native grew up in the shadow of Hollywood, where film and television rule, and she always gravitated toward pop and R&B music rather than show tunes. She also never imagined her stage career would take shape in London, but after making her West End debut as Deena in Dreamgirls in 2018, she's back across the pond, this time starring as the sultry nightclub songstress Satine in Moulin Rouge! The...

Ria Jones on ‘Habeas Corpus’s' timeliness and the joy of comedy plays

Watch the news at the moment and it's like seeing a farce unfold. There's exaggerated stories, nobody trusts each other, and everyone shakes their heads in disbelief. But what if crazy turns of events were actually meant to happen? When we spoke with Ria Jones about Habeas Corpus, Alan Bennett's 1970s comedy play being staged at the Menier Chocolate Factory this winter, it's apparent that life is imitating art. "It's quite bizarre how [the dialogue] is so current to a point where the audience...

Simon Lipkin on learning the ‘Brian & Roger’ play in eight days

Typically, performers spend weeks in rehearsals, developing scenes and memorising their lines. But what happens when that time frame is drastically reduced? Simon Lipkin found himself with limited time for preparing for his latest show, called in to play Brian in the world premiere of Brian & Roger - A Highly Offensive Play just eight days before the first preview."I had a friend meet me every night and we would work in the theatre until late," Lipkin told London Theatre. Learning 700 lines...