London Theatre News

Andrew Lloyd Webber: “West End theatre is a global business”

Often seen leading the industry during the Coronavirus pandemic, Andrew Lloyd Webber has spoken about the necessity of London theatres opening soon. In an interview with Bloomberg, Webber had said the UK government needs to open theatres to prevent the entire industry from collapsing.Each month, closed theatres are costing Webber £1 million, with Webber saying: "No business can sustain that sort of level of outgoing... Having been a cheerleader, saying that we must get back, we will get back,...

‘Tap That’ interactive dating show to receive UK premiere

UPDATE: Following the first episode, a mini-series of Tap That will now be available to stream online. Upcoming Tap That shows will take place on 9 April, 23 April and 7 May.fter American editions of virtual dating shows, Tap That will now match up British singletons, as the production makes its European premiere. Created by immersive comedy company Face Off Unlimited, the first UK episode of Tap That will take place on 26 February, hosted by Amy Hart and Paul Taylor-Mills.Aiming to put Cupid's...

Our top Disney Plus Star picks for theatre fans

2020 saw the rise of Disney Plus, a new streaming service dedicated to "The Happiest Place on Earth". Disney Plus is full of Disney musical films, like Aladdin, Frozen, The Lion King and even the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. But, a new channel is coming to UK Disney Plus users, allowing us to watch even more television shows and movies.Called Star, the Disney subsidiary will include hundreds of streaming options suitable for older audiences. Although Star won't be theatre dedicated,...

Full casting announced for musical film ‘In Pieces’

The complete cast for a new film musical In Pieces has been announced. Written by Joey Contreras, In Pieces will be released from 23 April, with proceeds from the film will go to LGBT Foundation.Originally presented at Lincoln Center in New York, In Pieces explores how love is a dynamic process, with people seeking different kinds of relationships. As we make unconscious choices, a single spark can send individuals down certain paths, encouraging audiences to embrace their journeys.The cast...

New ‘Cinderella’ song released ahead of West End world premiere

Ahead of the upcoming world premiere of Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, a new song has been released.Titled "I Know I Have A Heart", the song features Carrie Hope Fletcher, who will play the title princess. As Cinderella is a brand new musical, it's uncertain where "I Know I Have A Heart" will feature in the show, but the song suggests that Cinderella has fallen out of love."I Know I Have A Heart" is the third song to be revealed from Cinderella, following previously released songs "Bad...

Will there be a new ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ West End set?

Ahead of the West End return of The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre is currently undergoing renovation works. In doing so, the set will jut out into the audience, allowing theatregoers to feel closer to the production.Details of the planning application submitted by LW Theatres to Westminster City Council have been released. As reported by The Stage, "the new set design will not be limited to the stage area and will move into the auditorium, covering the proscenium and parts of the...

‘Brother’ folk musical to be livestreamed at Southwark Playhouse

Continuing their dedication to showcasing new British shows, a folk musical has been added to the series of livestreams at Southwark Playhouse. Titled Brother, the musical will focus on the importance of family connections, available to watch from 5 - 6 March.Written by Robin Simões da Silva and Annabel Mutale Reed, Brother follows Reid and Jackson, two siblings who have drifted apart from one another. As their mother Cassie suddenly dies, the two come back together, contemplating the loss of...

New ‘The Wizard of Oz’ film adaptation announced

The 1939 musical film The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland will go down in history as one of the 20th century greats. But, a new film adaptation has been confirmed, with Nicole Kassell set to direct.As reported in Deadline, Kassell will direct the feature film, best known for directing and being an executive producer of the 11-time Emmy Award-winning limited series Watchmen. She's also directed episodes of Suits, Better Call Saul and Westworld, with the upcoming The Wizard of Oz feature film...

‘Emilia’ archive recording to be re-released in March

At the end of 2020, an archive recording of Emilia was made available online. After a successful virtual engagement, Emilia will be re-released from 1 - 31 March.In a tweet from the production, Emilia will go online once more to celebrate International Women's Day. This year, the theme for International Women's Day is Choose to Challenge.Inspired by the life of 17th century poet Emilia Bassano, Emilia dramatises her struggles to be noticed. Even though she was a contemporary of William...

Giles Terera to present new London inspired song cycle

Giles Terera will perform his own song cycle next month as a livestreamed production, it has been announced. Based on his thoughts about London communities coming together, his show Black Matter will premiere on 24 March, and will be available to stream for one week.In press material for the Black Matter song cycle, Terera said: "I live in Soho, London. I was there throughout last summer. I saw Soho shift from deserted tranquillity, where the only sounds were birds and church bells to the noise...