Gregg Barnes Archives - North West End UK

Gird your loins and dust off your chicest cerulean garb: The Devil Wears Prada has strutted its way onto the West End. The 2006 comedy-drama movie retains a legion of fans nearly twenty years on, with a sequel reportedly on the horizon. This leaves the musical — with a book by Kate Wetherhead, lyrics by Shaina Taub & Mark Sonnenblick, and music by Elton John — with big stilettos to fill. Its first iteration in Chicago back in 2022 received middling reviews, which begs the question: has its London premiere had enough of a glow up to earn a place amongst the theatre A-list? If you’ve seen the movie, I don’t need to summarise the plot — little has changed. If you haven’t seen the movie (in which case, fix that immediately), here’s the gist. In the bustling metropolis of New York we ...

Released at the peak of the Disney renaissance, Aladdin stormed the box office in 1992 and has remained one of the most well-loved animated movies of all time. Its success and enduring appeal is due in no small part to its award-winning music. The late, very great lyricist Howard Ashman was the man behind the original pitch. He worked with composer Alan Menken on the project until Ashman’s untimely death with AIDS. Tim Rice then picked up the lyrical baton and the final soundtrack is a work of genius. Given that, it was perhaps a surprise it took so long for the film to transfer to the stage. The Broadway production has now been running for a decade. This, though, is the first time the show has played in the North West. It is well worth the wait. This is a riot of joyous sound and...

Tag: Gregg Barnes

The Devil Wears Prada – Dominion Theatre

Disney’s Aladdin – Palace Theatre