PPA to stage Flashdance at the Electric Theatre

Performance Preparation Academy Third Year Musical Theatre Diploma graduates will perform Flashdance at the Electric Theatre in Guildford between 25th and 27th February 2016. 

PPA’s production will be directed by Christopher Howell, with musical direction by Simon Lambert and choreography by Louise Pieri. 

Based on the 1983 Paramount Pictures film Flashdance, the musical is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and revolves around 18-year-old Alex, a welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night and her dreams of attending the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy. 

Review: Love Me Tender (UK Tour) at the Milton Keynes Theatre

Love Me Tender (UK Tour)
Milton Keynes Theatre
Reviewed on Monday 27th July 2015
★★★

A Midsummer Night's Dream meets Elvis Presley. In Love Me Tender it seems an array of characters are in love with everyone apart from the person who loves them... and they can't help but break into Elvis tunes every two minutes. Love Me Tender may be the craziest musical ever, but it is so much fun and is a good crowd pleaser on the touring circuit.

Review: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Stephen Ward at the Aldwych Theatre

Stephen Ward
Aldwych Theatre
Reviewed on Friday 20th December 2013

2013 has seen some incredible, as well as some terrible, productions open in London’s West End and Stephen Ward, Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical about the Profumo scandal, is neither. The production is far from awful, but it doesn't seem to connect with audiences. 

From the moment Lloyd Webber announced that he was working on a show about the Profumo scandal everybody seemed to be asking how such a topic would work as a musical. I was open minded but unfortunately I don't think it quite works. 

The score has some great moments. I grew fond of the instantly catchy 'Human Sacrifice' and enjoyed listening to 'You've Never Had It So Good' (aka the orgy number, which features some revolting staging), and, despite sounding a little dated, '1963'. One issue with the score is that Ward dominates the first few numbers which lose individuality and begin to roll into one tangled song. 

Interview: Christopher Howell, currently directing Chess at the Union Theatre and playing Doctor Dillamond in Wicked

As well as playing Doctor Dillamond in the West End production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Christopher Howell is currently directing a production of Chess which opens on 13th February at the Union Theatre. Christopher's many West End theatre credits include Betty Blue Eyes, The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Celebration, Hairspray, Too Close to the Sun, Anything Goes, My Fair Lady, The Witches of Eastwick and Fame. 

How are rehearsals for Chess going? 

Rehearsals are going really well – we are just about to start on our third week and are aiming to have our first complete run through this Friday. The cast are fantastic – they have incredible memories and have learnt so much already. Chess is 95% sung through and has a very operatic feel to it. Our cast have really embraced this and are singing up a storm. Simon Lambert, our MD, has worked really hard on getting the right vocal quality to each moment. Steven Harris (Co-Director/Choreographer) is treating the piece as a play – before we stage a scene we talk it through in its entirety (when you do a play this is normally the beginning of a rehearsal process) and we discuss it from each of the characters’ points of view. This method seems to be working and I feel that is really benefiting our company. 

What can people expect from the show? 

We are hoping to present a new and very original production. We have really striven to tell the story (which is often described as confusing but I prefer Tim Rice’s answer to this: not confusing but “sophisticated”) as clearly as possible. Very often Chess is presented as a very high tech show with multimedia, light up chequered floor etc, which is a road we could have gone down but rejected. The Union is a studio space and we decided to use this, therefore our set is minimal but functional and focuses the eye to where the story is. We are really focusing on the human element of the show – 5 of the principals go on huge emotional journeys – we hope that these will be more resonant in an intimate venue. We also have new orchestrations and some of the best singing in London – it is all very exciting! 

New Wicked Cast Announced

At long last the new cast of Wicked has been announced! So, without further ado,  from Monday 29 October 2012, Wicked will star: Louise Dearman (Elphaba), Gina Beck (Glinda), Ben Freeman (Fiyero), Louise Plowright (Madame Morrible), Keith Bartlett (The Wizard), Christopher Howell (Doctor Dillamond), Sam Lupton (Boq), Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose), Hayley Gallivan (Standby Elphaba), Lucy van Gasse (Standby Glinda), Florence Andrews, Gemma Atkins, William Bozier, Oliver Brenin, Lauren Brooke, Philip Catchpole, Aisling Duffy, Chlöe Hart, Jacqueline Hughes, Robert Jones, Sophie Linder Lee, Tania Mathurin, Marc McBride, Stacey McGuire, Tom Muggeridge, Sean Parkins, Michelle Pentecost, Stuart Ramsay, Lindsay Taylor, Paulo Teixeira, Justin Thomas, Hannah Toy, Matt Turner, Oliver Watton and Jason Winter. 

Review: Wicked at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre

Wicked

Apollo Victoria Theatre

Performance: Thursday 19th July 2012

Keith Barlett to take over as The Wizard in Wicked

Keith Bartlett is to take over the role of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from Monday 30 July 2012 in the London production of Wicked. He will take over from Desmond Barrit who will play his final performance as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz on Saturday 7 July. 

Christopher Howell who is currently playing Doctor Dillamond in the show while understudying The Wizard will play The Wizard for a 3 week period from Monday 9th July until Saturday 28th July. Christopher will then go back to playing Doctor Dillamond.

Wicked will mark Keith Barlett's musical debut.  He previously starred in Stephen Schwartz's musical Godspell, as John The Baptist, in Basingstoke in 1998. His many celebrated appearances with the RSC include Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3 and Richard III, as part of 'The Histories' season at Stratford-upon-Avon and The Roundhouse, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest and Pericles. His numerous other theatre credits include, for Headlong: Romeo & Juliet; for Shakespeare's Globe: King James Bible recital and A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine; for the Donmar Warehouse: A Lie of the Mind, The Front Page and Glengarry Glen Ross; for the National Theatre: Mary Stuart, The Crucible, Piano andMurmuring Judges, and, for Cheek By Jowl: Macbeth, Philoctetes, Twelfth Night, The Tempest and The Cid. His television and film appearances include: Silent Witness, New Tricks, The Bill and Truly Madly Deeply.

I have seen many different Wizard's in Wicked over the years, to date my favourite one was Clive Carter as he had a strong voice, unlike other Wizard's in the shows history. I wish Keith the very best of luck and I am delighted to now have another excuse to go back and see one of my favourite shows!