Showing posts with label Leanne Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leanne Jones. Show all posts

Wednesday, 19 August 2015

Review: The Three Little Pigs at the Palace Theatre



The Three Little Pigs
Palace Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 13th August 2015
★★★★

George Stiles and Anthony Drewe's musical adaptation of The Three Little Pigs provides bucket loads of fun for all the family. 

It's so nice to see a children's musical with a commendable original score featuring melodies that you will find yourself humming on your way home (days later I'm still singing the Huff and Puff song).

It's also remarkable to see a cast of such high calibre performing the piece. Fresh from reaching the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent, Alison Jiear showcases some powerhouse vocals. Olivier Award-winner Leanne Jones shines throughout whilst West End Frame Award-winner Daniel Buckley is always on point and giving his all. 

Musical theatre performer Taofique Folarin takes to the stage with great charm whilst Blue singer Simon Webbe seems to be having the time of his life as the Big Bad Wolf - the kids certainly loved his mischievously over the top portrayal.

Friday, 22 May 2015

Simon Webbe, Gareth Gates, Leanne Jones & Taofique Folarin star in Stiles and Drewe's The Three Little Pigs

Casting has been announced for George Stiles and Anthony Drewe’s musical adaptation of The Three Little Pigs

The show runs during the day at the Palace Theatre between 5th August and 6th September 2015. The Commitments will continue to run at the Palace Theatre as normal.

The cast includes Simon Webbe (Blue/Sister Act), Gareth Gates (Pop Idol/Legally Blonde), Leanne Jones (Hairspray/Molly Wobbly) and Taofique Folarin (The Lion King/Avenue Q). Stiles (music) and Drewe (book and lyrics) put their own musical twist on the retelling of this classic fairy tale.

Stiles and Drewe met at Exeter University where George was studying music and Anthony Zoology – so it’s little wonder that animals tend to feature in their musicals, which include: Honk!, Betty Blue Eyes, Just So, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and Soho Cinders.

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

Alexia Khadime, Julie Atherton, Keith Jack & more to perform at next month's Giggin4Good; full line-up announced

Alexia Khadime (The Book of Mormon), Julie Atherton (Avenue Q), Keith Jack (Joseph, pictured right), Leanne Jones (Hairspray) and Caroline Keiff (Legally Blonde) will perform at Giggin4Good next month. 

The stars will "take the West End to Disneyland" to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Taking place at the Actors Church in Covent Garden on Sunday 18th May, the concert has been named When You Wish Upon A Star. Performers will take to the stage to perform Disney favourites.

Giggin4Good have raised thousands of pounds via a series of concerts supported by many West End stars for oncology, play therapy, respiratory care, neonatal and palliative care at Great Ormond Street Hospital. When You Wish Upon A Star will raise funds for slow release syringes which are used in palliative care wards to infuse morphine and other essential pain relief drugs.

Thursday, 13 March 2014

Review: Molly Wobbly at the Phoenix Artist Club



Molly Wobbly 
Phoenix Artist Club 
Reviewed on Wednesday 12th March 2014


'The town of Little Happening gets an unexpected make-over when a devious and creepy stranger arrives on Mammary Lane promising personal improvement to three unhappy women.'

Molly Wobbly (formerly known as Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory) was supposed to receive its London premiere at the Hackney Empire last September. However, when a financial backer pulled out moments before the first preview the entire run was cancelled. Fast forward six months and Paul Boyd's musical is back up on its feet, running in the back room at the Phoenix Artist Club (below the Phoenix Theatre, home to the West End production of Once).

Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Big Interview: Leanne Jones

Next month Leanne Jones will reprise her performance in Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory which receives a concert staging at the Phoenix Artist Club between Saturday 8th and Wednesday 19th March 2014.

Leanne previously starred in the world premiere of Paul Boyd's musical at the Lyric Theatre Belfast and subsequent season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2012. It was originally planned for Boyd's musical to receive its London première at the Hackney Empire last September. However, the run was cancelled last minute when an investor pulled out.

Leanne won Best Actress in a Musical at the Olivier Awards in 2008 for her portrayal of Tracy Turnblad in the West End premiere of Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre. 

Her theatre credits also include: Saucy Jack and The Space Vixens (Leicester Square Theatre), The Sunny Side Of The Street (Jermyn Street Theatre), Bedroom Farce (New Wolsey Theatre), You're A Good Man Charlie Brown (Tabard Theatre) and Tick Tick Boom (Union Theatre). She was recently seen auditioning for will.i.am, Kylie Minogue, Sir Tom Jones and Ricky Wilson on BBC1 talent show The Voice.

I recently spoke to Leanne about her return to Molly Wobbly, what people can expect from the show and why she thinks it has the potential to become a cult classic as well as the incredible response she received after performing on The Voice, why auditioning for the talent show was an interesting experience, Hairspray and the highs and lows of her career…

What made you want to return to Molly Wobbly?
Timing, and wanting to support the project massively. I was doing Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens last summer and it was really weird because they were flyering outside our show and then a day or two later it all went tits up – pardon the pun - and I felt really sad for them, especially my friends in the cast and Paul – it was devastating for them. So when I heard it was coming back and they were doing this concert version I was like “if I can make it work I’ll be there”.

Wednesday, 19 February 2014

Full casting announced for Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory

Jordan Lee Davies
Full casting has been announced for Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory which receives its London premiere at the Phoenix Artist Club next month. Paul Boyd's musical runs between Saturday 8th and Wednesday 19th March 2014. 

The full cast includes: Alistair Brookshaw (Malcolm), Christopher Finn (Robbie), Russell Morton (Ithanku), Conleth Kane (Jake), Leanne Jones (Magaret), Kate England (Ruth), Lucy Garrioch (Jemma) and Jordan Lee Davies (Kitten).

Molly Wobbly premiered at the Lyric Theatre Belfast and subsequently ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2012. The score features the numbers ’Presbyterian Minister’s Wife’, 'Mammary Lane' and ‘Off My Chest’