Anthony Van Laast Archives - North West End UK

20Jun

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

Kiss Me, Kate – Barbican

What rhymes with Coriolanus? Kiss Me, Kate is one of Cole Porter’s musical and lyrical triumphs with each melody seeming catchier than the last and every turn of phrase pushing the envelope further. Although its source material, Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew is hardly considered radical, Porter’s daring sense of humour and lecherous joy in lewd lyricism give this show an undeniable boldness. Its characters are imperfect. Not only are their love lives tempestuous, but every aspect of their personal lives is magnificently messy. Director Bartlett Sher in this production attempts some half-hearted tidying of the grand imbroglio that is this play within a musical within a musical but achieves much the same effect as using a dab of Purell to clean up mud-caked hands. Adrian Dunbar is ...

The Tina Turner Musical embarks on first ever UK tour

29Feb

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

The Tina Turner Musical embarks on first ever UK tour

The producers of the hit West End production, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL are delighted to announce the first ever UK and Ireland tour, opening at Curve Leicester from Thursday 6th March 2025. The show then embarks on a full UK tour. www.tinathemusical.com/uktour TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL continues to run in the West End at the Aldwych Theatre, where it has played for over 5 years following its world premiere, receiving critical acclaim, and breaking all Box Office records at the venue. It is currently booking until 31st May 2025, making it the longest running show to ever run at the Aldwych. The production is also a global success, with 8 productions having opened worldwide since 2018, including on Broadway and across North America, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and Australia. Th...

New lead casting announced for MAMMA MIA! in the West End after 8-week TV search

10Dec

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

New lead casting announced for MAMMA MIA! in the West End after 8-week TV search

After eight unmissable weeks of singing, dancing, and acting their way to a place in the final, Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley have tonight been crowned the winners of MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream, securing them a money can’t buy prize – the lead roles of Sophie and Sky in the West End production of MAMMA MIA! Filmed in the idyllic setting of Greece where the MAMMA MIA! story is set, viewers have been treated across the series to incredible performances from the talented cast made up of 14 aspiring musical theatre performers. Each week, the theatre star hopefuls were put through their paces with a series of workshops, where they were mentored by MAMMA MIA!’s choreographer Anthony Van Laast and musical director Martin Lowe before being whittled down to the final four by judges Alan Carr, Jess...

31Mar

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

Mamma Mia! – Liverpool Empire

Everyone is familiar with the ‘Mamma Mia!’ films but not everyone has seen the stage show upon which they’re based; I’m lucky enough to have seen it many times, the first time being the London premier in 1999 when I was blown away by the production, the songs and the energy of the cast. Based around the songs of Swedish pop legends ABBA, ‘Mamma Mia!’ is now a box-office worldwide musical phenomenon. The feel-good musical is presently playing in both the West End and Broadway and has countless touring versions performing world-wide. The show was originally conceived by English producer, Judy Craymer and written by Catherine Johnson, with director Phyllida Lloyd, these being the collaborative creative force behind what was to become an unprecedented commercial success; it premier...

17Aug

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Mamma Mia! – Harewood House

This was my daughter’s fourth time seeing this perennial blockbuster, but it was certainly the most unusual with the audience sitting in a windy field near Leeds. This was the very first time the team behind the Mamma Mia! juggernaut have opted for an open-air production and given how protective they are of the brand they threw everything at it – live band, massive lighting rig, pin sharp sound plus the full set and cast. And to make extra sure it would work for a near capacity crowd, including Olympic champion Jonny Brownlee, they packed the cast with Mamma Mia veterans who were clearly enjoying the challenge of this new format. It would be easy for performers who know this show backwards to coast through it, but they were really trying to project their performances to the people at...

Full Casting Announced for Tina – The Tina Turner Musical

1Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Full Casting Announced for Tina – The Tina Turner Musical

The hit production of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL will re-open at the Aldwych Theatre on 28th July 2021 following over a year of shutdown across the West End. Joining Aisha Jawando and Jammy Kasongo as Tina and Ike are Chanel Haynes who plays the role of Tina at some performances each week, Joe Evans as Record Producer Phil Spector and Lyricist Terry Britten, Irene Myrtle Forrester as Tina’s Grandmother GG, Francesca Jackson and Alice Bailey Johnson as Ike and Tina’s manager Rhonda Graam, Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Tina’s sister Alline Bullock, Matt Mills as Tina’s father Richard Bullock, Posi Morakinyo as Tina’s first love Raymond Hill, Garmon Rhys as Tina’s Manager Roger Davies, Joseph Richardson as record company Marketing Manager Erwin Bach and Madeline Appiah as Tina’s mother Z...

MAMMA MIA! comes to Harewood House this summer

12Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

MAMMA MIA! comes to Harewood House this summer

The sensational feel-good musical MAMMA MIA! will come to Harewood House in the heart of Yorkshire this summer from 13th – 30th August 2021 for audiences to enjoy the original stage show in the open air for the first time. Tickets are on sale to the public from Friday 19th March 2021, 10am. Playing 23 performances only with a strictly limited capacity, this will be part of the MAMMA MIA! UK & International Tour celebrating 22 years since MAMMA MIA! premiered in London in April 1999. Fall in love with the irresistibly funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless songs. Since premiering in London’s West End over 21 years ago the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical has been turn...

West End Unplugged: Vol 2 – The Shows Must Go On

21Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

West End Unplugged: Vol 2 – The Shows Must Go On

This is the second concert like this on the Show Must Go On YouTube channel. It features West End stars singing with a small group of musicians on acoustic instruments. This is mixed with socially distanced sofa chats between West End choreographer Anthony Van Laast, the stars and other theatre workers. There are 2 mini concerts with different acts put together to make a 90-minute session. These shows are billed as the West End’s biggest stars, which could be debated as some of the acts last appeared there at least 7 years ago. The songs are also not ones which would instantly jump to mind as popular favourites. This week’s acts are Hannah Waddingham, David Bedella, Joe Stilgoe, Richard Fleeshman, Celinde Schonemaker, Katie Brayben and Cavin Cornwall. With everything stripped bac...