All Episodes
178 - Guys & Dolls Revival at The Bridge...Cast Change Special with Jonathan Andrew Hume
Today, we have both a returning guest and a returning show…although not what you’d expect. Listeners of this podcast will remember Jonathan Andrew Hume from the original London Cast of the Olivier Award winning best musical “Come From Away” as one of the Kevins.
177 - The Wrong Cat Died with Mike Abrams
This is PART ONE of a TWO-PARTER. Listen to The Wrong Cat Died via the links below for the companion episode to this episode. Mike Abrams is the creator and host of the theatre podcast “The Wrong Cat Died’.
176 - Same Day Plays with Markus Flannagan
This is an attempt to answer the age old theatre questions; “Is it possible to remove expectations and worry over results and create theater that is pure execution?
175 - Anoushka Lucas. Star of U.Me: The Complete Musical
This week, i chat to Olivier Award nominee Anoushka Lucas - actree, playwright, singer, songwriter, composer...I mean, she's defining multi-hyphenate. We first had Anoushka on the podcast in 2016 when she starred in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regents Park Open Air Theatre - a critically acclaimed production which I saw twice, as once wasn't enough.
174 - 1979 at the Finborough Theatre
To kick off 2024, and what seems like a year of non-stop elections…USA Presidential elections, General Election here in the UK as well as a Russian Election (if you can actually call it that)...less of that, the better, I watched 1979 at the Finborough Theatre.
Annual Christmas Episode #5
This week, we bring you another dose of cheer in the form of our annual Christmas podcast. In the past, I have asked some of my theatrical friends to read out a classic Christmas story, with past readers such as West End stalwart Siobhan Harrison and The Walking Dead star Eleanor Matsura.
172 - untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play & Lourdes Faberes
This week I’m chatting with a dear friend of mine Lourdes Faberes. You may have seen Lourdes in Sandman or The Power or No Time to Die or Good Omens or…I could go on!!!! She’s an incredible actor. Lourdes is currently appearing in untitled f**k m*ss s**gon play at The Young Vic in London.
171 - A Strange Loop
This week, I sat down with Sharlene Hector, who plays Thought 1. But you may recognize the voice as Sharlene is the lead vocalist for the band Basement Jaxx and appeared in the West End production of Hairspray..
170 - Akta Photography's Charlie Frances
This week I am talking to a photographer who really is changing the game when it comes to headshots and self-tapes. When I came across Charlie Frances and his AKTA photography, that is A-K-T-A and their model of a “pay what you can” for those who see a professional headshot as a barrier to entry, I had to do some research.
169 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A New Musical
There’s a new show in town, but born a few years ago… pretty much like the main character in this astonishing musical. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse: Elephant (not to be confused with the Southwark Playhouse Borough) .
168 - Word Theatre's Founder and Artistic Director, Cedering Fox
Cedering Fox is an internationally accomplished voice over artist. However, her most incredible achievement is Founding Word Theatre way back in 2003. Along with Kirsty Peart here in the UK, Word Theatre and Cedering have been casting top film, TV and theatre actors in readings of works by the world’s finest contemporary authors.
167 - Maybe, Probably - UK Premiere
This week, I’m chatting with cast and some of the creative team behind the world premiere of Eric Henry Sanders’ play Maybe Probably - a play about two couples as they navigate the hilarious waters of preparing to have a baby, or recently having one.
166 - Cottage
Cottage is a gripping comic drama that has so many themes bubbling underneath the facade of two men meeting up in a public toilet. It goes beyond a queer story and commands the audience’s attention and asks questions of the viewer’s thoughts into human relationships and their deeply complicated makeup - no matter what sexual preference one might have.
165 - Beautiful Nothing
Earlier in the year, i was honoured to be asked to judge the 2022 Durham Drama Festival at Durham University in the UK. It was an incredible 3 days of workshops, talks, networking events…but most importantly new theatre written, directed and performed by the incredible talent pool of students at Durham Uni.
164 - Kray Kray! Code of Silence, with actor Ronan Summers and Director Ben Mole
Director Ben Mole has put together an incredible ensemble cast for his latest project, "Code of Silence" - a feature film surrounding the events that led to the arrest and incarceration of the legendary London gangland bosses, the Kray Twins, Imagine my shock at hearing good friend, the American actor Ronan Summers, was the next to follow in some pretty big footsteps in taking on the role of BOTH…yes, BOTH, of the Kray Twins in the film.
Curtain Call Pioneers: Andrew Bishop, BishopSound
in our Pioneer series, we’re going to be highlighting the companies that are getting the live events industries back to business and who’ve been supporting the freelancers and professionals that found themselves unable to make a living in the sector due to the pandemic.
163 - Sunset Boulevard at the Royal Albert Hall / Stephen Sondheim Tribute
Alex Parker is a musical director, composer, conductor...you name it, if it has anything to do with music or musicals, Alex is all over it..and now he has his own orchestra, to boot!
162 - When The Lights Are Bright Again
Andrew Norlen is a New York-based artist and performer, most recently on stage in the national touring company of Broadway’s Kinky Boots.
161 - Screen 9, Pleasance Theatre
In July 2012, a gunman opened fire on a cinema audience that had just sat down to watch a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora Colorado killing 12.
Welcome to the Rock - Anniversary Special
The Come From Away team didn’t want to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the events of September 11th 2001, without sitting down with the current West End company and really drilling down into their personal experiences of that day.
Welcome to the Rock - Ep 2
“Welcome to the Rock!” is a behind the curtain peek of the multi-award winning musical Come From Away - and what it takes to get a show from a seed of an idea all the way to a Broadway hit and beyond.
Welcome to the Rock - Ep 1
“Welcome to the Rock!” is a behind the curtain look at the musical hit Come From Away. Listen to the incredible real-life story of the passengers from all over the world that were grounded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in the wake of the events of 9/11.
160 - Grace Aki, Actress, Comedienne, Podcaster
Listeners to Broadway Radio’s “Today on Broadway” will recognise Grace, as she has recently joined the line up alongside Matt Tamanini and Ashley Stevens. Grace Aki is an actress, stand up comedienne and podcaster in her own right - you can find her podcast “Tell Me on a Sunday” on all good streaming platforms.
159 - The Wardrobe Esnsemble
This week’s guests are Bristol's The Wardrobe Ensemble - a group of young theatre makers who met whilst studying drama. They create new pieces that explore modern themes through intimate storytelling, with the Wardrobe Ensembles’ nine core members garnering praise up and down the country for their innovative productions.
Ghost Shows: Episode 4 - Restoration
2021 had felt like a beacon of hope, and the new year promised the restart we were all waiting for. But as the year ticked over, shows programmed for the new year, for Spring for Summer even well into the future that started to feel uncertain, then impossible, and inevitably, they were cancelled too.
Ghost Shows: Episode 3 - Hope
In the attempt to resurrect live theatre while navigating constantly shifting terrain, how far can hope get you? How do you make theatre when the world keeps changing, when time keeps collapsing, when the earth beneath your feet keeps sinking into bog?
Ghost Shows Call Out
While we wait for Episode 3 to drop (20th April 2021), we'd like to know if you were taking part in a "Ghost Show"
Easter Trailer
Enjoy your Easter Holiday. Stay safe. Be kind. Listen next week for details on how you can get involved in a very special episode of Ghost Shows.
Ghost Shows: Episode 2 - Lockdown
Ghost Shows follows the shows that were conceived, programmed and even rehearsed in 2020 but were closed down before they’d even opened. This is not a historical document - this is an emotional record of the first few months of lockdown. This is our untold story.
Ghost Shows: Episode 1 - 16 March, 2020
A year on from theatres closing their doors, ‘Ghost Shows’ asks what happened to the shows that were created, rehearsed and tech'ed but never lived in front of audiences?
Freelancers Make: A Theatre Podcast Ep 3
Sally Beck Wippman, an American Director, had just moved back to the UK a few months before the pandemic sent the country into lockdown. Far from family, and without an established place in the UK theatre community, she found solace in Freelancers Make Theatre Work - and the Migrants in Theatre movement.
Freelancers Make: A Theatre Podcast Ep 2
In this episode, Lighting Designer Prema Mehta returns to Storyhouse during the pandemic to reflect on previous experiences there, and also to show what a theatre freelancer feels like when they are no longer able to go into work with theatres shut.
Annual Christmas Episode #4
We thought we’d bring you a little bit of cheer in the form of our annual Christmas podcast. This year we turn our ears towards the creator of the world of The Wizard of Oz which, of course, begat the megahit musical “Wicked”.
Freelancers Make: A Theatre Podcast Ep 1
Paule is an Olivier and Tony award-winning freelance lighting designer. She is an associate director of the National Theatre and of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures. She has worked on shows like Ocean at the End of the Lane, Angels in America, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Les Mis, Warhorse and Follies.
Freelancers Make: A Theatre Podcast - Trailer
A little bite-size morsel of what's to come from the Freelancers Make Theatre team. A fantastic insight into the world of theatre in lockdown and it's anticipated return.
No Pressure Podcast - George MacKay
No Pressure is all about artists, freelancers, creatives and creators like George MacKay - the people that make things happen, who are up against it every day, and work tirelessly behind the scenes (and as in George’s case) in front of the camera too.
158 - The Survival Tour Success
We catch up with Proper Production's Mark Ward and Loud Sound's Steven Reynolds as they take us through their journey from Newcastle to London via Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Reading, Oxford, Brighton and more.
157 - David Hunter and "Songs for a New World"
We return to our first ever interviewee. Over five years ago, I sat down with West End actor David Hunter to chat about his career and recorded it, even though we didn’t know at that point we’d even have a podcast. Those were different times, for sure.
156 - Special: Survival Tour, Episode 1
After a successful event lighting the Thames-side venues in London (and beyond) in red on August 11, followed by a global day of action on the 30th of September where over 2,300 venues around the world were lit in red...proving that even when there is no show..there IS a show...
155 - Fizzy Sherbet Podcast
Tamara von Werthern, Lily McLeish and Josephine Starte are the podcast equivalent of the Three Musketeers - bringing justice and equality to the world of online audio theatrical drama.
Special Episode: We Make Events
What started out as a campaign launched by the Professional Lighting and Sound Association to highlight the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the live events industry has grown into a global movement to keep the issues faced by those industries in the spotlight - both at governmental level and across the general public.
154 - Georgia Tapp, American Actress in London!
Georgia Tapp is an inspiration for anyone looking to find their way in the business. She’s done it all because she is a “doer”, and we love “doers” at Curtain Call.
153 - Sounds of Broadway Founder, Stuart Brown
Founded by Stuart Brown in early 2019, Sounds of Broadway has an absolutely full schedule of musicals you love, along with some you may not even have heard about. There’s also weekly quizzes and request shows...not to mention his podcast.
152 - Playwright David Spicer Doing Zoom Plays
A returning guest this week. Playwright David Spicer and host John Schwab have a long history of working together. John directed two of his plays before...Long Live the Made Parade at a regional theatre and “Stop! - The Play” in the West End.
151 - Game of Shows Podcast (The Musicals Quiz)
One of our guests this week has already been on the show. Laurence Mark Wythe appeared way back on episode 122 BC (before Covid) He’s not been sitting idle during lockdown, however. Not only has he continued composing, he’s also started his very own podcast called Game of Shows.
150 - NT Live at Home Amadeus
In this episode, we revisit our previous episode 39 to give you an encore of a Curtain Call show visit. I talk to the company of Amadeus, recently at The National Theatre, about the process of rehearsing with musicians who never had the opportunity of getting out from behind their instruments.
149 - Will Monks, Lighting and Video Designer
When we got a call from The Unicorn Theatre to take part in an R&D week to take it’s hit play “I Cinna (the poet)” and put it online, we jumped at the chance.
148 - The Theatres Trust
So...we’ve passed 100 days in lockdown here in London, and as restrictions ease down around the country for small and non-essential businesses, as of the time of release of this episode, July 1st 2020, there is no specific news for the theatre industry and live entertainment industries as a whole.
No Pressure Podcast - Episode 3
Welcome to No Pressure - a podcast for creatives, theatre makers, artists, and ambitious souls with host, Matt Humphrey, photographer and founder of CurtainCall, In this episode I am so honoured to be talking to producer REBECCA WOOLCOCK - Lead Producer with Hartshorn Hook and Immersive Everywhere.
Take Your Bow, Pear Chiravara
Whilst on lockdown, I have been mentoring five students from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts here in London. The five of them are all getting their MA in Acting and should be doing their showcase performances about now, but I don’t need to tell you if that is happening…I have been talking to all of them this week for the podcast.
Take Your Bow, Nathan Elliot
My penultimate guest student this week is Nathan Elliot. Nathan is another one of Mountview’s students who didn’t have a straightforward route into drama school. But his tenacity and perseverance paid off, and I think stands him in good stead for the challenges he faces in the industry, especially in a Covid-19 world.
Take Your Bow, Karen Ann Wong-Dorall
Whilst on lockdown, I have been mentoring five students from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts here in London. The five of them are all getting their MA in Acting and should be doing their showcase performances about now, but I don’t need to tell you if that is happening… My third guest student this week is Karen Ann Wong-Dorall.
Take Your Bow, Jessica Dawes
Whilst on lockdown, I have been mentoring five students from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts here in London. The five of them are all getting their MA in Acting and should be doing their showcase performances about now, but I don’t need to tell you if that is happening… My second student guest from Mountview is Jessica Dawes.
Take Your Bow, Gianni Selvaggi
Since quarantine and lockdown regulations were put in place in March, theatre students across the UK have been adapting just like every other sector. It’s especially hard in an industry that is based on communication with another human being, either on stage or in an audience.
Take Your Bow, Shane Thom
On today’s episode is stage manager extraordinaire, Shane Thom. Shane has been behind the scenes on many shows in and around the West End for many years, very often seen at The National Theatre in London.
Take Your Bow. Remote Read Producers
This week we are bringing you the creatives behind the Curtain Call virtual play reading series “The Remote Read”. Tonight, May 2nd, we are producing a remote reading of Sir Tom Stoppard’s Play “A Separate Peace” Starring David Morrissey, Jenna Coleman, Denise Gough, Ed Stoppard and Maggie Service directed by award-winning stage and screen director Sam Yates.
Take Your Bow, Sam Yates
This week we are bringing you the creatives behind the Curtain Call virtual play reading series “The Remote Read”. This Saturday, we are producing a remote reading of Sir Tom Stoppard’s Play “A Separate Peace” Starring David Morrissey, Jenna Coleman, Denise Gough, Ed Stoppard and Maggie Service directed by award-winning stage and screen director Sam Yates.
Take Your Bow, Georgia Bird
This week we are going to bring you the creatives behind the Curtain Call virtual play reading series “The Remote Read”. This Saturday, we are producing a remote reading of Sir Tom Stoppard’s Play “A Separate Peace” Starring David Morrissey, Jenna Coleman, Denise Gough, Ed Stoppard and Maggie Service directed by award-winning stager and screen director Sam Yates.
Take Your Bow, Amelia Sierevogel
On today’s episode is Costume Designer Amelia Sierevogel.. This week we are going to bring you the creatives behind the Curtain Call virtual play reading series “The Remote Read”.
Take Your Bow, Adam Rothenberg
On today’s episode is Entertainment Personality Adam Rothenberg. Adam is the creator of the website “Call Me Adam” which has been hosting celebrity interviews for over a decade and In 2018, Adam decided it was time to expand on his interviews and came up with the idea for a show entitled Baring It All with Call Me Adam which started out as a live stage show and has now morphed into a newly launched podcast.
Take Your Bow, Bethany O'Halloran
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow.
147 - Sisters Grimm
In today’s episode, we are talking to a couple of consummate theatre professionals who are defining a new form of theatrical storytelling. I think we will be hearing about Dance Musicals more and more as The Sisters Grimm keep producing groundbreaking shows.
Take Your Bow, Lauren Guest
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow.
Take Your Bow, Steve Beirnaert
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow.
Take Your Bow, Richard Bryant
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow.
Take Your Bow, Danny Nutt
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow.
Take Your Bow, Georgie Luppi
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. From seasoned professionals to drama students; vocal coaches to the life coaches; You’ll find them right here giving insights into what drives them to be in the business and who inspires them.
Take Your Bow, Bailey Harris-Kelly
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. From seasoned professionals to drama students; vocal coaches to the life coaches; You’ll find them right here giving insights into what drives them to be in the business and who inspires them.
Take Your Bow, Ed Stoppard
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow. From seasoned professionals to drama students; vocal coaches to the life coaches; you’ll find them right here.
Take Your Bow, Justin Brett
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. From seasoned professionals to drama students; vocal coaches to the life coaches; You’ll find them right here giving insights into what drives them to be in the business and who inspires them.
Take Your Bow, Dahlia Helsby
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow.
Take Your Bow, Thomas Vilorio
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. Each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow. From seasoned professionals to drama students; vocal coaches to the life coaches.
Take Your Bow, Rebecca Humphries
In today’s climate of increasing isolation, we want to bring you a daily dose of inspiration. In each episode, we’re giving someone in the theatre a chance to take a bow. You’ll find them right here giving insights into what drives them to be in the business and who inspires them.
No Pressure Podcast - Episode 2
In this episode, I am so honoured to be talking to the first producer of a little show called Fleabag (which a few of you may have heard about) - the wonderful, modest and honest Francesca Moody. She’s driven, witty, brilliantly creative, and just a joy to speak with.
146 - Janie Dee and the Climate Change Festival
Theo Bosanquet sits down with the one and only Olivier Award winner Janie Dee to discuss her plans for appearing on a much bigger stage. She is to star in the London transfer of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang.
145 - The Dog Walker
Paul Minx - whose plays include The Long Road South which played at the King’s Head Theatre with Imogen Stubbs and Michael Brandon - has a new play in town.
No Pressure Podcast - Episode 1
Welcome to the first ever episode of the No Pressure Podcast hosted by Curtain Call's Matt Humphrey. Matt is kicking off the series with a duo whose work, ideas and initiative I have much admired since they made a splash on the scene a couple of years ago.
144 - Jimmy Grimes, Puppeteer
How many listeners have seen War Horse? Lion King? Avenue Q? The Grinning Man? Any Aardman project ever? What do they all have in common? Puppetry.
Welcome to the Rock! Episode 8
Welcome to the Rock! takes you behind the scenes of one of the b biggest surprise hit musicals to hit Broadway and the West End. In our final episode of the series, you'll meet the lovebirds Nick (played by Robert Hands and Diane played by Helen Hobson in the West End and Sharon Wheatley who plays her on Broadway.
143 - The Sunset Limited
Cormac McCarthy is receiving his premiere in the UK with The Sunset Limited at the Boulevard Theatre’s dramatic debut with Jasper Britton and Gary Beadle, two phenomenal actors with credit lists as long as your arm, and who’ve appeared on stages up and down the country as well as on our screens, too.
Welcome to the Rock! Episode 7
We are dedicating the final episodes of the series to bring you closer to the real life characters from Come From Away and some of the people that play them on both sides of the Atlantic.
Welcome to the Rock! Episode 6
We are dedicating the final three episodes of the series to bring you closer to the real life characters from Come From Away and some of the people that play them on both sides of the Atlantic.
142 - Rosalind Blessed and the Delights of Dogs
Ros Blessed has been treading the boards around the country, following in her parent’s footsteps. And she has recently stepped into the shoes of the playwright, but has brought along her parents dad, Brian Blessed as executive producer and mom, Hildegard Neil as fellow cast member.
Welcome to the Rock! Episode 5
Before opening at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End, we heard from the company about their pre-West End run in Dublin. And before that, the cast had a launch party at the Canadian Embassy in London’s Trafalgar Square.
141 - A Christmas Dream and How it Came to Be True
We’re taking a little festive break from that series to bring you our traditional Christmas episode where we read you a little story to help ring in the special season of hope, whichever religion (or not) may be. For the past two years, it has been me reading these stories.
Welcome to the Rock! - Episode 4
Welcome to the podcast series, “Welcome to the Rock!” A behind the curtain peek at what it takes to get a show from a seed of an idea all the way to a Broadway hit. In this episode, the creative team and the cast take you through their experience of opening a show in Dublin on their way to The West End.
Welcome to the Rock! Episode 3
Welcome to the podcast series, “Welcome to the Rock!”. A behind the curtain peek of the multi-award winning musical Come From Away - and what it takes to get a show from a seed of an idea all the way to a Broadway hit and beyond.
Welcome to the Rock! - Episode 2
Welcome to the podcast series, “Welcome to the Rock!”. A behind the curtain peek of the multi-award winning musical Come From Away - and what it takes to get a show from a seed of an idea all the way to a Broadway hit and beyond.
Welcome to the Rock! - Episode 1
Welcome to the podcast series, “Welcome to the Rock!” A behind the curtain of the musical hit Come From Away. Listen to the incredible real-life story of the passengers from all over the world that were grounded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in the wake of the events of 9/11.
140 - Grace Blackman, Working Actor
Grace Blackman is a shining example of how you don’t have to go to drama school to make a living as an actor. She a true grafter, in every sense of the word.
139 - Sound Designer, Richard Brooker
Richard Brooker has been involved in theatre for his entire life. From working on the New London Theatre production of Cats, he worked his way up to Sound No. 1 and mixed shows for a dozen years before he started designing.
138 - Florian Zeller's "The Son"
Michael Longhurst’s production is a hard-hitting brutal play about teen depression, broken relationships, new relationships and stressed loyalties. But there is so, so much more in this play to discover.
137 - House of Kittens, Immersive Erotic Theatre
Sophie Cohen, founder of House of Kittens, an erotic immersive theatre company sat down to chat with me about her new show Amatory Asylum. The audience will find themselves transported into a world of sensual theatre to experience a unique, immersive journey embracing the surreal, the dramatic and the erotic.
136 - It's The Bard, Jim...
We’re going off-piste this week. This week, we’re going to give you a three of the bard’s finest works as you have never heard them before.
135 - Ken Davenport, Broadway Producer
Ken Davenport is a multiple-Tony Award-winning Broadway producer whose work spans around the globe. Ken is also busy giving back as much as he can to the theatre community at large.
134 - David Malloy, Ghost Quartet
There’s a new theatre in London. And there’s a London debut to mark its opening. The Boulevard Theatre, right-smack-bang-in-the-middle of Soho, is London’s most technologically advanced theatre with a capacity of up to 165, and featuring a full revolving balcony and auditorium!
133 - More "Evita"
Earlier in the week, we brought you Samantha Pauly, Trent Saunders and Ektor Rivera as they got ready to go on stage. But I thought that just wasn’t going to be enough to really show you backstage before a show.
132 - Open Air Evita
We were back at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this week - one of our favourite places to do our Curtain Call visits. It was a welcome return for us to see not only a Jamie Lloyd production, but following the sell-out success of Jesus Christ Superstar two years ago, another Andrew Lloyd Webber hit show.
131 - What's in a Name?
This week, we talk to The Inbetweeners Joe Thomas, Olivier Award nominees Summer Strallen and Alex Gaumond, as well as Bo Poraj and Laura Patch about their new dark comedy "What's in a Name?", in which a dinner party gets wildly out of hand when a father-to-be suggests his son just might given the name of one of history's most vile human beings.
130 - Shure Microphone's John Born
Shure have come up with a microphone that is hitting the theatre world by storm. Smaller, lighter, better response and performance along with a body back that is far less conspicuous than those they have released before.
129 - Dominic Dromgoole is Making Noise Quietly
As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank, Dominic Dromgoole oversaw 10 successive and extremely successful seasons at the Bard’s theatre. And now, Dominic Dromgoole is turning his hand to film directing, with his feature film debut “Making Noise Quietly” - screenplay by Robert Holman.
128 - The Actor's Nightmare
The Actor's Nightmare, a collection of Christopher Durang's short plays, is having it's World Premiere this week at the Park Theatre here in London.
127 - "Yesterday"'s Himesh Patel
When we were covering People, Places & Things in New York for Curtain Call, and Matt was busy taking some beautiful photographs, I was backstage chatting to the company. That is where I met Himesh Patel.
126 - Darren Raymond and Othello: Remixed
In 2008, actor Darren Raymond became Artistic Director of Intermission Youth Theatre. It couldn’t have come at a better time for Darren who had recently finished a run of Othello. He took charge with just four young people in that first season.
125 - Janet Jones, Writer
Screenwriter and Playwright Janet Jones has had an astonishing career. She’s worked for just about every studio out there and not just as a writer, but that’s just the beginning.
124 - BalleyBoyz
BalletBoyz are now in their 19th year and have gone from those two original dancers to nearly a dozen, and they have moved into a fantastic home in Kingston on the outskirts of London.
123 - Witness for the Prosecution
Today, we come from a south London rehearsal room where we are talking to two members of the new company of Witness for the Prosecution who are about to join the cast of the site-specific production of the Agatha Christie classic which opened on October 6 2017 at County Hall on London’s South Bank.
122 - Laurence Mark Wythe, Composer
This week, I catch up with another friend i haven’t seen for quite some time. Along with his writing partner Timothy Knapman, Laurence Mark Wythe takes the story of The Big Bad Wolf and turn it on its head for the National Youth Musical Theatre.
121 - Siubhan Harrison - Home, I'm Darling
On this episode, we bring you Siubhan Harrison. Siubhan is the real deal. And she’s showing off her comedy chops as well as her dramatic acting prowess in the winner of Best New Comedy at this year’s Olivier Awards, Home, I’m Darling.
120 - Ben Hewis and Emilia
Ben Hewis is the guy that goes behind the scenes to bring you behind the scenes of some of the biggest shows hitting london. Recently. Ben has been up to something good.
119 - All about Eve
We recently got to sit down with the company of "All About Eve", currently playing at the Noël Coward Theatre in London’s West End to talk about bringing this classic Hollywood film to the London Stage, and then back to the screen on an NT Live broadcast.
118 - Summer Strallen, Park Theatre
Scarlett, Zizi, Saskia and this week’s guest, the wonderful Summer Strallen have all graced stages across London, the UK and indeed the globe - all the while picking up nominations and awards all over the place.
117 - Oscar® Winner Olivia Colman
This week, it’s a little mini podcast. One that shows just how manic it can be backstage before a show during one of our visits and one that you can listen to in between stations on the London Underground. Just about as long as an Oscar® speech.
116 - Rachel Tucker Comes From Away
We got the opportunity to talk to Rachel Tucker about her role as “Beverley / Annette and others” in the magnificent "Come From Away". It’s a marvellous track, and we sat down to talk about just what it meant to be part of this amazing story that is SO much more than a 9/11 musical.
115 - Surviving Actors, Part 2
Earlier this week we brought you the first part of our “Get the Most Out of Your Next Job” panel at Surviving Actors London 2019. I was joined by director Bruce Guthrie, casting director Sarah Jane Price, producer Kimberly Thomas-Currie, movement director Amaia Mugica and lovely actor Sam Marks making there at Surviving Actors London 2019.
114 - Surviving Actors 2019 Part 1
Curtain Call had the opportunity to host a panel at Surviving Actors London 2019. If you don’t know about it, Surviving Actors was set up by actors for actors. We thought it would be good to have a panel that discussed how to get the most out of the opportunity you’ve been given.
113 - Horrible Histories
Curtain Call’s Theo Bosanquet takes the reins this week when he sat down with the Horrible Histories team to talk about their Coventry - City of Culture 2021 project with Director Adam Jenkins, followed by writer Greg Jenna.
112 - Jenna Russell and John Schwab Talk Musicals
Curtain Call has recently published a couple of pieces about the top Broadway Musical transfers and the top musical revivals for 2019. We thought we would talk to someone who KNOWS about musicals...to go straight to the source…the amazing Jenna Russell.
111 - Tracie Bennett Returns to Follies and The National Theatre
If you who didn’t get to see Follies at the National in 2017/18, you’re in luck, because Tracie Bennett is reprising her role of Carlotta Campion this Spring We had the chance to speak to Tracie during the last run about what it means to sing Sondheim’s classic tune "I'm Still Here, holding the stage at the Olivier and what it means to return to The National to perform.
108-1 Kinky Boots' Oliver Tompsett and Simon-Anthony Rhoden
The full episode of 108.
109 - Kinky's Final Curtain Call, Simon-Anthony Rhoden & Oliver Tompsett
In part one of this double-header, Simon-Anthony Rhoden and Oliver Tompsett talked about their first experience of Kinky Boots and what it means to be playing in such a loved (and socially important) show.
108 - A Fond Farewell to Kinky Boots , Simon-Anthony Rhoden and Oliver Tompsett
This is going to be a two-parter, with part two coming out this Friday, so listen out for that...but to start it all off, Kinky Boots' Simon Anthony-Rhoden and Oliver Tomsett sat down with me just before Christmas to talk about all things Kinky from their first experience of Kinky Boots, to stepping into the big boots of those who went before them to just what it means to be playing in such a loved (and socially important) show.
107 - The Gift of the Magi
This week, to celebrate the holidays, I thought I would bring you one of my favourite Christmas stories. I have had the pleasure of reading an adaptation this story on BBC radio a few years back and, in my opinion, this sums up everything that we should all be, not only at this time of year but all year round.
105 - Fiddler on the Roof's Andy Nyman (and Paul Bogaev)
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Andy Nyman (Tevye) before a show at London's Menier Chocolate Factory to talk about his journey to Anatevka, the setting of Fiddler on the Roof, the importance of the story (and not just to the Jewish population) and his personal emotional investment into this production.
104 - Showstoppers - The Improvised Musical
This week, we talk to co-founders of Showstoppers Dylan Emery and Adam Meggido, as well as the musical director, Duncan Walsh Atkins...who’s job is to keep up with the lightning fast improv taking place on stage and to somehow come up with any number of musical styles from across the ages at the drop of a hat…
103 - Polly Bennett, Movement Director, Pt 2
Last week we brought you the first part of a two-part episode with Polly Bennett, the movement director behind Rami Malek’s breathtaking transformation into Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury for the hit film Bohemian Rhapsody.
102 - Polly Bennett, Movement Director (Part 1)
In the first part of a two-part discussion, we speak to Polly Bennett - a woman who has taken the idea and profession of Movement Director to new heights.
101 - Lunar Theatre, "Omish"
This week, we sit down with the writer of the world premiere of "Omish" - written by former Curtain Call employee Sophie Soanes and directed by Ewa Dina, as well of two of its cast members Joyce Omotola and Naomi Emanuelle at Above the Arts Club last week.
100 - Lear's Last Week
During the final week of Jonathan Munby's production of King Lear at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End, we talk to King Lear company members Michael Matus, James Corrigan, Richard Clews, Anthony Howell, John Hastings, John Vernon, Scott Sparrow, James Millard, Caleb Roberts, Jake Mann, Johanne Murdock and Jessica Murrain.
099 - CityLit's Carys William & The John Lyons Theatre
The John Lyons Theatre is located in Covent Garden within the CityLit building on Keeley Street between Holborn and Covent Garden tube stations.
098 - Milly Thomas' Dust
Milly Thomas doesn’t pull any punches in either her acting or her writing, and her latest play "Dust" tackles the issue of depression and suicide head on with no apologies.
097 - King Lear's Women - NT Live
Kirsty Bushell, Claire Price and Anita-Joy Uwajeh, who play Lear's daughters had more to offer including a number of cast changes. Nearly half of the company are new to the production which can be tricky.
096 - The Mono Box Speech Surgery
Curated by The Mono Box's Polly Bennett, the panel's discussion were kicked off by two questions about mental health and issues of self-worth. Those two questions took half an hour to address, and I thought I would let you listen to how the conversation unfolded.
095 - Vicki Mortimer, Designer
This week, Matt Humphrey and I sat down to talk with Vicki Mortimer, multi-award-winning designer...and just all round fantastic theatre professional. Vicki’s career is so full and varied, it’s one to be envied for anyone considering a career in theatre design.
094 - NT Live: "Julie"
The company of the National Theatre's production of "Julie" talk about how exciting it is bringing this 19th Century Swedish classic to the 21st Century London and being able to share it beyond the walls of the National Theatre's home on the South Bank to cinemas around the globe in their NT Live broadcast on the 6th of September 2018.
093 - George Richmond Scott
Theo Bosanquet talks to George Richmond Scott about his career as a vocal coach, how that role has helped him develop as a director, his time at the Sheffield Crucible, assisting on “Everybody’s Talking about Jamie”, why he chose “Blood Wedding” as his next project and why he set it in London in this reimagining of the piece.
092 - Bring it On, London!
We chat to London's Bring it On! company members Robin McIntyre (who plays super-earnest Campbell) and Isabella Pappas (who plays super-bitchy Skylar) along with musical director Chris Ma before the show at the Southwark Playhouse.
091 - The Rise and Fall of Little Voice
This week, I talk to the company of the latest revival of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice which begins playing at The Park Theatre later this month, where the director Tom Latter believes that, despite being nearly 30 years old, the play absolutely stands up in today’s fame-crazed social media driven world.
090 - Keeping it Cool with the Americans
Listen to John Goodman, Uzo Aduba and Michael C Hall share their experiences from the London stage.
089 - Rafe Spall
We sat down with Rafe Spall and talked about Ivo van Hove’s Hedda Gabler rehearsal process, the intricacies of trying to look cool at all times on stage, avoiding slip ups on rose petals (you’ll have to listen to see what I mean) and just what it takes to come back to the stage as not only a theatre professional, but a theatre professional with a young family.
088 - Stage Management Awards
For the last 30 years, the Stage Management Association (SMA)has been presenting awards to the Stage Managers - students and professionals alike - with awards that recognise their hard work through hardship, misstep and mishap, hard work that ensured that the shows would go on.
087 - The Stable Musicals
We sat down with one of the founders of The Stable Musicals, Neil Marcus, a theatre producer with a distinguished history of developing new musicals and a massive supporter of emerging British musical theatre talent to discuss the growth of The Stable Musicals, their slate of new musicals and just how far they have come in the last four years.
086 - Alex Hassell and The Factory Theatre Company
The Factory is a theatre company like no other. No sets, no props, no blocking, no set cast, no auditions, open rehearsals...you name the theatrical convention and they are tearing it down.
085 - Building the Wall
I went to go see a show, as they say in the business. And that show was “Building The Wall” at The Park Theatre. Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Robert Schenkkan’s hard-hitting piece.
084 - An American in Paris
Earlier in the year, we had the pleasure to visit the incredible show An American in Paris. I don’t think we have covered a show that was so full of triple threats… and maybe even quadruple threats - singing, acting, dancing, and stage management / technicians.
083 - Save Stage Lighting
Curtain Call co-founder, Matt Humphrey, sat down with multiple award-winning lighting designer Paule Constable to talk about the proposed EU regulations, the huge implications they bring and explain in simple terms what it means for the industry here in the UK and across Europe.
082 - The Grinning Man
We sat down with Sean Kingsley, Sanne Den Besten and Louis Maskell about how hard it is to place and describe The Grinning Man, (the musical transfer from The Bristol Old Vic to Trafalgar Studios), working with puppets and keeping the voice in fine working order in one of toughest sings on stage at the moment.
081 - Long Day's Journey's Journey
In this episode Lesley Manville, Jeremy Irons, Rory Keenan, Matthew Beard and Jessica Regan talk about their experience of bringing the classic Eugene O'Neill play Long Day's Journey Into Night from the Bristol Old Vic to the Wyndham's Theatre in the West End before their trip across the Atlantic to BAM in New York and the Wallis Centre in Los Angeles.
080 - World Theatre Day
Listen to Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams, Matt Cardle, Denise Gough and Lesley Manville talk about their love of theatre.
079 - The Bat Boys
I want to give you guys the experience that we have when we go backstage. And no better an example to be in one of the boys’ dressing rooms of Giovanni Spano, Patrick Sullivan and Dom Hartley-Harris during a quick break while “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” is blaring out of the tannoy.
078 - Phil Ridley's Angry
Tyrone Huntley and Georgie Henley are currently on stage at the Southwark Playhouse in Phil Ridley’s “Angry” – not so much a play as a theatre piece with Huntley and Henley performing what Ridley describes as “vespers” or stand-alone monologues.
077 - The HandleBards
If you haven't heard of The HandleBards yet, you are in for a treat. As they describe on their website, they are "charmingly chaotic bicycle-powered Shakespeare". A roving company of bards who travel the country (and beyond), bringing a particular style of Shakespeare to audiences across the UK and beyond.
076 - Anthony Welsh, The Brothers Size
Jonathan Ajayi, Sope Dirisu and Anthony Welsh make up the brilliant onstage company of The Brothers Size along with Manuel Pinheiro playing live music while the action takes place. This critically lauded play is on at The Young Vic and has been wowing.
075 - There or Here
John Schwab goes backstage to talk to the company of There or Here, Jennifer Maisel's new play, playing at the Park Theatre in London's Finsbury Park.
074 - Alastair Coomer and the CDG
Alastair Coomer and Ginny Schiller, both members of the Casting Directors' Guild in the UK sit down and talk all things casting.
073 - Salieri Returns
It’s not often that shows that have played the National Theatre Olivier stage come back for another bite of the apple. Those occasions are few and far between. But that is exactly what is happening this Thursday, the 11th of January at the NT when Amadeus returns.
072 - Swinging in London
What is it like to be a swing on a hit West End show? Find out in this week's podcast.
071 - Farinelli Hits Broadway
Last year we covered Claire Van Kampen’s Farinelli and the King after it transferred from the Sam Wannamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe to the Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End. This past Sunday, it opened on Broadway.
Bonus Episode - The Super Emma's
Earlier this week, in Episode 70 of the Curtain Call Theatre Podcast, we brought you the company of People, Places & Things...well, not the entire company. There were three local actresses that joined the West End Transfer at the St.
070 - People, Places & Things in New York
Matt Humphrey and I had the opportunity to fly over to New York and catch People, Places & Things at the St Anne’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. With both of us having seen the show a couple times before, we got to watch it again before heading backstage last Friday night.
069 - Evening Standard Theatre Award Nominees (The Ferryman)
The Evening Standard Theatre Awards shortlist was revealed with two cast members from The Ferryman among those nominated. Laura Donnelly has been nominated for Best Actress and Tom Glynn-Carney for the Emerging Talent Award.
068 - Equal Representation for Actresses
We have seen a recent spate of high profile actresses making acceptance speeches at awards nights - highlighting the unequal representation of actresses on stage and screen and the need to redress the balance.
067 - Sharon Sexton in Bat Out of Hell
A few months ago, we went over to the ENO London Coliseum to take in the theatre spectacle that is Bat Out of Hell: The Musical. It started in Manchester before moving down to London, and last weekend the entire London company started their run in Toronto at the Mirvish Theatre.
066 - Paule Constable
We were fortunate enough to find time with multi award-winning lighting designer Paule Constable, an associate of the National Theatre where her many credits include Follies, Angels in America, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and War Horse.
065 - The Mono Box
Curtain Call attended The Mono Box September Speech Surgery and talked to Niall Bishop.
064 - Olivia Williams
I have been waiting to chat to my next guest for ages! I first met Olivia Williams when I was understudying Matthew Fox in Neil Labute’s two-hander “In a Forest Dark and Deep” back in 2011, and have had the privilege to share the stage with her on numerous Word Theatre stages around London.
Bonus Episode - Man to Man
Curtain Call had the privilege of attending a Q&A after a performance of Man to Man at the Wilton's Music Hall this week. A fascinating discussion with Director Bruce Guthrie and Translator Alexandra Wood.
063 - The Stage Debut Awards
This week's podcast was recorded in the press room of The Stage Debut Awards, where winners and guest presenters spoke to Curtain Call's Theo Bosanquet about their own debuts. The answers were touching and surprising in equal measure (suffice it to say, we're keen to see Rufus Norris reprise his performance of a chicken).
062 - The Casting Director's Guild
This week, I thought I would sit down with the Casting Directors Guild and find out just what it means to be a casting director. What it means to have those three little letters (CDG) following your name, and the path one takes to become a casting director in today's industry.
061 - Gender with Brian Logan and Lucy J Skilbeck
This week's podcast is all about gender, a hot topic both in the news headlines and the arts world currently. It features a conversation with Camden People's Theatre (CPT) artistic director Brian Logan and acclaimed writer/director Lucy J Skilbeck.
060 - Reece Shearsmith, the Assistant Hangman
Reece Shearsmith celebrated a birthday this past weekend, and I thought we’d help him celebrate by bringing you a little chat we had with him when he was appearing in Hangmen at The Royal Court.
059 - The Follow Spot
Bat Out of Hell The Musical starts just like it’s title, and doesn’t stop all evening. I have rarely been to a musical that kicks the door down with a wall of sound as big as it does here, and then carries on. Big props to the sound department on the show.
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