Michelle Visage confirmed for West End Bares

Michelle Visage will perform live at West End Bares this Sunday (25th September) at 7.00pm and 9.30pm.

David Grewcock, Artistic Director of West End Bares, says: “I am beyond thrilled and so excited to welcome Michelle back to West End Bares this year. She is a massive supporter of the community and an absolutely fierce performer - you really don't want to miss it!”

Graham Norton will once again host this year’s West End Bares: Excalibare at the Novello Theatre. He will be joined by West End star co-hosts Ramin Karimloo, Gina Beck and Ben Freeman. 

Theme confirmed for this year's West End Bares

It has been announced that the theme for this year's West End Bares will be 'EXCALIBARE'. Check out promotional images below (click to enlarge).

As previously revealed, this year West End Bares is moving venues and will take place at the Novello Theatre on 25th September 2016. The show will "take its audience on an epic medieval adventure".

West End Bares: EXCALIBARE will feature over 100 of the hottest and most exciting performers from the West End and beyond, coming together to raise money for the Make a Difference Trust. Promising to be a 'Knight' like no other, the cast of EXCALIBARE "will bring the medieval tales to life like you’ve never seen before".

West End Bares moving to Novello Theatre for 2016

West End Bares is moving venues for 2016!

This year the event - which raises money for the Make A Difference Trust - will be held at the West End's Novello Theatre on Sunday 25 September at 7.00pm and 9.30pm. In previous years the event has taken place at Café de Paris. 

Now in its 7th year, West End Bares "combines the naughtiness of burlesque along with the razzle dazzle of the West End". The show will feature over 100 of the hottest male and female dancers from the West End and beyond along with celebrity guests.

PICS: West End Bares takes off in style

On Sunday night (20th September 2015), Graham Norton hosted West End Bares 2015 ‘Take Off’ at Café De Paris. Check out arrival and performance snaps below (click image to enlarge). 

Soul Queen turned West End Diva Beverley Knight stole the show by leading the spectacular finale. There were also special appearances from Ru Paul’s Drag Race stars Bianca Del Rio and Michelle Visage, comedian Joe Lycett, Strictly Come Dancing's Robin Windsor and West End performer Velma Celli. VIP Guests included Gemma Oaten, Jade Thirlwall, Paisley Billings, Verity Rushworth and Marcus Collins.

Line-up confirmed for West End Bares 2015

It has been announced that Graham Norton will host West End Bares 2015 ‘Take Off’ at the Café De Paris on Sunday 20th September 2015 at 9.30pm and Midnight. 

Norton will be joined by Memphis star Beverley Knight, Ru Paul’s Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio, comedian Joe Lycett, Strictly Come Dancing stars Robin Windsor and Lisa Riley, West End performer Velma Celli and The Supreme Fabulettes, with music by composer and lyricist Lance Horne alongside Andrew Hayden Smith, Harriet Thorpe and TOWIE’s Charlie King as well as the casts of many West End shows.

Now in its 6th year, this annual event combines the naughtiness of burlesque along with the razzle dazzle of the West End featuring the hottest performers currently appearing in the West End. The evening is based on the original concept ‘Broadway Bares’ by legendary Broadway and West End director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.

Details announced for West End Bares 2015

Theatre MAD (Make A Difference Trust) have announced details for West End Bares 2015 'Take Off'.

This year's event will take place at Café De Paris on Coventry Street on Sunday 20th September for two performances at 9.30pm and midnight. 

The Make A Difference Trust is a UK based charity with a vision of a world free from HIV and AIDS. Building on the legacy of 25 years of fundraising by the Theatre industry, they continue to make the vision a reality having distributed over £1.6 million in grants to support individuals experiencing hardship across the UK as well as over £1million to support projects with their UK and international partners.

Dr Christian Jessen & Leslie Jordan join West End Bares

It has been announced that Dr Christian Jessen - star of Embarrassing Bodies - will host this year's West End Bares ‘Nudedunnit?!’ at Café de Paris on Sunday 7th September.

Dr Christian said: "As a doctor I am quite used to seeing bodies in various states of undress, but I can honestly say that the West End Bares bodies are, with perhaps one or two exceptions, far, far from embarrassing, as evidenced by their uncanny ability to generate huge amounts of cash for very good causes! 

"It is both a pleasure and a delight to be hosting this year's show. I'm quite sure that despite years of training, I shan't know where to look. If you have never been, then come! We promise you an experience you will never forget."

Interview: Darren Carnall

As well as appearing in the West End production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Darren Carnall is the Artistic Director of West End Bares. West End Bares ‘Nudedunnit?!’ takes place at Café de Paris this Sunday (7th September) for two performances only. 

Now in its fifth year, West End Bares sees performers from across the heart of London’s West End volunteering to put on a show and strip in aid of the Make A Difference Trust (MAD Trust) - the entertainment industry charity dedicated to helping people living with HIV and AIDS in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The all-star line-up of guest presenters for this year’s show includes Jake Canuso, James Dreyfuss, Matt Evers, Jill Halfpenny, Helen Lederer and Harriet Thorpe. West End Bares was the brainchild of Broadway and West End director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell who began the American version over 25 years ago in New York during the middle of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The London edition began five years ago when Darren worked with Jerry on Legally Blonde. West End Bares has raised more than £100,000 for the MAD Trust over the past four years. The event aims to promote safe sex and raise awareness about the HIV and AIDS climate that we now live in.

Darren is currently a swing in Jerry Mitchell’s West End production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre. He is also the production’s associate choreographer. He previously worked as the resident choreographer in Ghost the Musical and as the dance captain in Viva Forever! (both Piccadilly). 

Darren’s theatre credits also include: Legally Blonde (Savoy), La Cage Aux Folles (Playhouse), Candide (ENO), The Lord of the Rings (Drury Lane), Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (National), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Palladium), The Witches of Eastwick (Prince of Wales), Fosse (Prince of Wales), Chicago (Adelphi), Cats (Cyprus), Debbie Does Dallas (Oxford Old Fire Station), Beauty and the Beast (RSC, Stratford-Upon-avon) and Saturday Night Fever (UK Tour). 

I recently spoke to Darren about making West End Bares one of the biggest events in the theatrical calendar, why he loves this year’s ‘Nudedunnit?!’ theme, life in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and why Jerry Mitchell is one of the most inspirational people he has ever met…

West End Bares is back and it’s bigger and better than ever before. What have you got up your sleeve for this year’s show?

We’ve gone bigger with the story this year. We always have our numbers based around a central theme, but because we’re doing the murder mystery theme this year we can incorporate a little bit more story so we’re branching out a bit! There will be all the numbers, all the nakedness and then there will also be a little bit of a story to follow which is great.

West End Bares announces guest presenters

Organisers of West End Bares ‘Nudedunnit?!’ have announced this year's all-star line up of special guest presenters.

Guest presenters include: Jake Canuso (pictured right), James Dreyfuss, Matt Evers, Jill Halfpenny, Helen Lederer and Harriet Thorpe with further names to be announced. 

The show takes place at Café de Paris Sunday 7th September for two performances only.

Now in its fifth year, West End Bares sees performers from across the heart of London’s West End volunteering to put on a show and strip in aid of The Make A Difference Trust (MAD Trust) - the entertainment industry charity dedicated to helping people living with HIV and AIDS in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Jane McDonald, Robin Windsor, Lisa Riley, Anita Dobson and Harriet Thorpe to present West End Bares

It has been announced that Jane McDonald, Robin Windsor, Lisa Riley, Anita Dobson and Harriet Thorpe will present West End Bares 2013 to raise money for The Make A Difference Trust.

Now in its 4th year, West End Bares will once again be staged at London’s Café de Paris on Sunday September 1st with two performances at 21.30 and midnight.

Artistic Director Darren Carnall leads 10 of the UK’s top choreographers to present over 100 West End performers, combining the naughtiness of burlesque with the razzle dazzle of Theatreland. Anderson & Petty have commissioned a new song which will be performed by Francis Ruffelle and Michael Xavier. 

The event will include a catwalk of underwear produced for the charities ‘Pants Project’ that have been spectacularly customised by wardrobe departments from some of the biggest West End shows including Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. These will be accompanied by pants which have been signed and customised by numerous celebrities including Rylan Clark, Joanna Lumley, Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Graham Norton and Alfie Boe (and which will be available on eBay afterwards).