Tam Mutu wins Best Performance of a Song Award!

Tam Mutu

Following an exciting seventeen day voting period, we are thrilled to announce that Tam Mutu has won the 2014 West End Frame Award for Best Performance of a Song in a Musical.

The performer picks up the prize for his rendition of 'Stars' in the West End production of Les Miserables.

Speaking to West End Frame, Tam said: "Wow! What a wonderful surprise! Thank you so much to everyone who voted. It is a huge honour to get to sing a song that has been performed by so many great artists over the years. To be given this award is very humbling. I am truly overwhelmed. Thank you!"

Tam, who stars as Javert in the West End's longest running musical, wins with 34% of the final vote. We received over 14,500 votes making Best Performance of a Song 2014 the biggest West End Frame Award to date.

Tam's co-star Carrie Hope Fletcher (‘On My Own’) comes second, marking the first time performers from the same show have dominated the two top spots in a West End Frame Award. This is also the first time Les Mis has won a WEF Award. The Phantom of the Opera's Gerónimo Rauch (‘The Music of the Night’) comes third, Wicked's Savannah Stevenson ('Popular') comes fourth and Once's Arthur Darvill (‘Say It To Me Now’) comes fifth. Click here for the full result.

Review: Arthur Darvill joins Once at the Phoenix Theatre

Once

Phoenix Theatre

Reviewed on Tuesday 1st April 2014

"It's only people up there with guitars and other instruments telling and singing their way through an everyday love story..." Enda Walsh

Once is without a doubt a beautiful film. Its simplicity and naturalness ensure that everyone who watches is moved by its message. Under John Tiffany's direction, the stage production takes the film's rawness and develops it into a story that is even more powerful.

Photo Feature: VIP Guests including Michael Ball, Rod Stewart & John Tiffany attend Once birthday gala starring Arthur Darvill

Last night (17th March) the six-time Olivier award nominated musical Once celebrated its first birthday in the West End, joining forces with the charity Oxfam to raise money for their Mother Appeal. Also celebrating St Patrick’s Day, the production welcomed their new cast led by Arthur Darvill, who joins the London production having played the role on Broadway. Darvill plays opposite the West End Frame Award winning Zrinka Cvitešić as Girl.

VIP guests included: Laura Bailey, Michael Ball, Tim Bevan, Lydia Bright, Barbara Broccoli, Maryam D’Abo, Eliza Doolittle, Eric Fellner, Mark Forster, Amy Gadney, Goldie, Jane Horrocks, Hugh Hudson, Alfie Hudson Taylor, Mark Knopfler, Penny Lancaster, Lucy Mecklenburgh, Dame Jenni Murray, Jennifer Saunders, Rod Stewart and Michael G Wilson.

Once director John Tiffany and designer Bob Crowley were also in attendance. Take a look at photos from the evening below (click on picture to enlarge). 

Doctor Who's Arthur Darvill to join West End production of Once

Arthur Darvill (pictured right) will join the West End production of Once on 17th March 2014. The Doctor Who star previously starred in the Broadway production.

The eight-time Tony award-winning musical last month released over 400,000 new tickets for sale, taking bookings at the Phoenix Theatre to 4th July 2015. Directed by John Tiffany, Once opened at the Phoenix Theatre in April last year.

Actor musician Arthur Darvill has recently completed a run in the Broadway production of Once playing Guy. In London his previous theatre roles include: Our Boys at the Duchess Theatre, Soft Cops for Royal Shakespeare Company, Doctor Faustus at Shakespeare’s Globe, Been So Long for Young Vic and Swimming with Sharks at the Vaudeville Theatre. 

As a television actor, Darvill played the Doctor’s companion Rory in Doctor Who for two years and more recently he played Reverend Paul Coates in ITV’s award-winning Broadchurch and The Duke of Buckingham in The White Queenfor the BBC. As a composer Darvill’s work includes The Bacchae for English Touring Theatre, Been so Long for the Young Vic, The Front Line for the Globe and Artefacts and 50 Ways to Leave your Lover for The Bush Theatre.