Michael Harrison Archives - North West End UK

Joseph star Jac Yarrow talks about the enduring power of the biblical epic as the tour comes to Leeds Grand Theatre

4Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Joseph star Jac Yarrow talks about the enduring power of the biblical epic as the tour comes to Leeds Grand Theatre

It’s fifty years since Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice basically invented the rock opera with their biblical epic Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Since then, this enduring family friendly show has been almost constantly on the road entertaining generations of fans who love Joseph’s journey back to his family and redemption. It’s a show full of classic Lloyd Webber/Rice tunes like Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door, and over the years Joseph has been played by Philip Schofield, Donny Osmond, Andy Gibb, Stephen Gately, Darren Day and famously Jason Donovan, who is taking on the role of Pharoah in the latest touring production. The latest UK tour comes straight from the London Palladium where the show was revived and reinvented to critical acclaim. That London ...

Iconic musical Singin’ in the Rain returns to the Alhambra Theatre

21Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Iconic musical Singin’ in the Rain returns to the Alhambra Theatre

A smash hit in Chichester, in the West End and most recently Sadler’s Wells, Michael Harrison and Jonathan Church present Chichester Festival Theatre and Stage Entertainment’s production of Singin’ in the Rain. Leading this glorious production are Sam Lips as Don Lockwood (Broadway and US credits include CATS, Chicago, West, Side Story, On the Town and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. UK credits include Strictly Ballroom); Charlotte Gooch (Strictly Ballroom and Top Hat in the West End, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage, first UK Tour and West End) as aspiring actress Kathy Selden; Ross McLaren (Sleepless, Troubadour Theatre; BIG The Musical and White Christmas at the Dominion Theatre) as Don’s slapstick sidekick Cosmo Brown and Jenny Gayner (The Girls, Chicago and Spamalot in ...

Award winning smash hit musical The Bodyguard to tour in 2023

14Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Award winning smash hit musical The Bodyguard to tour in 2023

Producers, Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that the award-winning international smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD will tour the UK and Ireland opening at Glasgow King’s Theatre on Saturday 28th January 2023. Tour schedule attached with casting to be announced soon. www.thebodyguardmusical.com Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest hit songs of all time – I Will Always ...

Full Cast Announced For UK and Ireland Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

4Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Full Cast Announced For UK and Ireland Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to confirm the full cast for the sensational brand-new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which begins a UK & Ireland Tour at Manchester Opera House on Wednesday 23rd March. Alexandra Burke will play The Narrator at select venues across the tour. Her many West End credits include the lead roles in The Bodyguard, Sister Act, Chess and Chicago, as well as starring as the Narrator in the celebrated production of Joseph at the London Palladium last summer. Alexandra first rose to fame winning The X-Factor in 2008, and has since gone on to sell over 5 million records. Linzi Hateley will also play the role at other venues. Linzi is an Olivier Award nominee and Theatre...

Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium

25Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium

Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes today (25 February 2022) announced the return to the West End of The London Palladium Pantomime for a seventh year, with Dawn French and Julian Clary leading the cast in a brand-new production of Jack and the Beanstalk. For a strictly limited five-week run at The London Palladium, French and Clary will be joined by returning Palladium panto favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot. Dawn French said: “Roll up! Roll up! Much merriment and happiness and downright cheek and cheeks going to be happening onstage at The Palladium this Christmas with a brand spanky new Panto at last! We’ve waited two years to bring you Jack & The Beanstalk and I’m deblimminlighted to be part of it. See you there folks!” Michael Harrison,...

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Birmingham Hippodrome

8Jan

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Birmingham Hippodrome

If you go down in the woods today, you’ll be sure a vibrant explosion of panto frolics and furry fun at the Birmingham Hippodrome where, after a covid-induced hiatus, the annual treat comes crashing back forming the cherry on top of a very rich Christmas cake. The newly formed Crossroads Pantos rose phoenix-like from the remains of previous panto producers Qdos and transformed panto-like into the shiny new makers of our yuletide jollity with just enough traces of their previous incarnation blended with dollops of freshly minted ideas to justify their name change. “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a plot rarely visited in pantodom. It’s scant and thin with only one familiar scene so it’s unsurprising Crossroads have taken to building out the story with some astounding circus artist...

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – The Alexandra, Birmingham

12Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

East Midlands

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – The Alexandra, Birmingham

What a lot of scenery! If you like scenery this is the show for you! Acres it, yards of it flash by one after another - flat trees, flat doors, flat clouds, flat waves all causing this reviewer to wonder how they manage to store it all in the wings rather than consider the show. There really was a lot it… “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” is almost a Disney classic or if you work for Disney it’s a classic. It’s one step below “Mary Poppins” but quite a number of steps above “The Fox and the Hound” adapted from the novels by Mary Norton (who despite having invented the whole thing doesn’t seem warrant a credit in the programme…) and, of course, from the movie with Angela Lansbury. And like all good movies it moves and this stage adaptation from Michael Harrison attempts to move with the same v...

Alexandra Burke joins Jac Yarrow and Jason Donovan for a Technicolor Summer

10Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Alexandra Burke joins Jac Yarrow and Jason Donovan for a Technicolor Summer

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to announce today that Alexandra Burke will return to the West End this summer in the new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s legendary musical gets ready for a strictly limited season at the iconic London Palladium. The production will begin performances on Thursday 1st July (Gala Night: Thursday 15th July) and will be one of the highlights in the return of theatre to the UK cultural landscape. Alexandra Burke will play The Narrator in the celebrated musical. Her many West End credits include the lead roles in The Bodyguard, Sister Act, Chess and Chicago. Alexandra first rose to fame winning Th...

Disney’s Classic Movie to Make World Stage Premiere in The UK

11Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Disney’s Classic Movie to Make World Stage Premiere in The UK

Today Michael Harrison announces that Disney’s Academy Award-winning movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks will make its world premiere as an exciting new stage musical. Performances begin at Newcastle Theatre Royal on Saturday 14th August 2021, before a UK Tour which includes a 5-week Christmas season at Leeds Grand Theatre. Tickets are on General Sale today, Friday 11th December. Please see www.bedknobsonstage.com Enter a world of magic and fantasy with Disney’s classic movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks. With the original songs by the legendary Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), including Portobello Road, The Age Of Not Believing, The Beautiful Briny and new music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and book by Brian Hill, Bedknobs and Broomsticks will be ...

The Drifters Girl – rescheduled dates in 2021

21Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

The Drifters Girl – rescheduled dates in 2021

Michael Harrison and David Ian announce rescheduled dates for The Drifters Girl, a brand new musical starring Beverley Knight, which tells the remarkable story of one of the world’s greatest vocal groups The Drifters and the woman who made them. The Drifters Girl, to be directed by Jonathan Church (Singin’ In The Rain), will now make its World Premiere at Newcastle Theatre Royal next year on Saturday 9th October 2021, before transferring to the Garrick Theatre in London for a strictly limited season of 20 weeks, with performances beginning on Thursday 4th November 2021. Ticket holders do not need to do anything; the point of purchase will be in touch with all existing ticket holders soon. Beverley Knight stars as Faye Treadwell, the legendary manager of The Drifters, who, alongsi...