Millie O’Connell Archives - North West End UK

3Aug

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Cher Show – Birmingham Hippodrome

35 smash hits - one pop goddess screams the strap-line for “The Cher Show” and, I think, they may well be right. Cher is an iconic goddess descending from pop heaven to regenerate herself both artistically and physiologically many times over her astounding life on earth. She may not be able to claim to be an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) but she has accumulated an Emmy, Grammy and Oscar - you can work out the acronym yourself. From stepping into producer Phil Spector’s office in 1962 and saying “Hi” to stepping off the Abbacopter in 2018 and saying, “Mes enfants, je suis arrive!” it has been a rollercoaster career in all manner of media from film to TV to music to stage. A career many may think too implausible to capture in a simple stage musical. Well, they’d be wrong… Not one, n...

19May

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

The Cher Show – Opera House, Manchester

After six decades of a career encompassing pop and film stardom, political activism and television success, it was a no-brainer that the life of Cherilyn Sarkasian, aka Cher, would eventually make the transition to a stage musical. Now, the 2018 Broadway show (with a significant overhaul courtesy of Leicester Curve Theatre) lands at Opera House in Manchester to a rapturous reception on press night. The audience here is knowledgeable and primed (unlike at Sunderland Empire, where people left the theatre when they realised it wasn't Cher performing!) and they were not to be disappointed in the depth of detail with which the show represents her early life. Cher has long been a spokesperson for LGBTQ+ rights and her story of early marginalisation, mistreatment and oppression is a story that...

11May

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Cher Show – Sheffield Lyceum

From Disney princess childhood dreams to fierce warrior princess on stage: that’s the journey of Cher as told in this new musical that originally premiered in 2018 prior to a Broadway run, which won two Tony Awards. Now with an updated book by Rick Elice, the production uses Cher’s extensive catalogue of music to chronicle the highs and lows of the more than sixty years that she has spent as an entertainer. Such is the diverse and prolific nature of Cher’s work, that it takes three women to play her. They are on stage almost constantly, sharing the narration of the story and each enjoying their time in the spotlight. Millie O’Connell as Babe takes the audience through the early years, embodying the nervous and shy younger Cher as she tries to fit in with her peers and find an anchor in ...

4May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Cher Show – Hull New Theatre

People may think the life of a theatre reviewer is one of freebies - free show tickets, free programmes, free interval drinks. But every so often, expenses are incurred and that was my lot after watching The Cher Show at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. The expenses? Well, I enjoyed the spectacular so much, back home I downloaded every Cher hit I could find - and, at 99p a pop, it created a sizeable dent in my pocket money! But I will get such enjoyment listening to Cher’s songs after being reminded of her wonderful career so far, in a glittering show that did more than justice to her musical legacy. Aided and abetted by a very atmospheric stage setting, lighting and live music from a talented group of musicians, plus, costumes to absolutely die for throughout, the stor...

18Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

The Queens are taking you to court

Worldwide hit musical SIX, created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, will play three open-air concert performances at Hampton Court Palace, reuniting the original West End Queens and performing within the iconic main courtyard of their infamous ex-husband’s former residence on Sunday 19th June and two performances on Monday 20th June 2022. This production, staged in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces – the independent charity which cares for Hampton Court Palace - will see the global musical phenomenon staged outdoors for the first time, in front of an audience of over 3,000 at each performance. SIX Live at Hampton Court Palace will reunite the original West End line-up of Olivier Award nominated cast members; Jarnéia Richard-Noel (Catherine of Aragon), Millie O’Connell (Anne Boleyn...

25Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

The Cher Show announces casting

The producers of the brand new production of The Cher Show are delighted to announce that the role of Cher will be played by Debbie Kurup, Danielle Steers and Millie O’Connell. The production features the actresses portraying Cher in three different ways throughout her iconic career, with Debbie as ‘Star’, Danielle as ‘Lady’ and Millie as ‘Babe’. Further casting is to be announced. With book by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher), direction by Arlene Phillips (Saturday Night Fever, Starlight Express, Grease), choreography by Oti Mabuse (two-time Strictly Come Dancing champion) and costume design by Gabriella Slade (Six, In The Heights, Spice World 2019 Tour), the UK & Ireland Tour will open at Leicester’s Curve ...

West End women unite for a digital retelling of hilarious hit musical Disenchanted

31Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

West End women unite for a digital retelling of hilarious hit musical Disenchanted

The hilarious hit musical Disenchanted will get a showstopping West End digital revival, as leading ladies of the stage transform into the princesses we all know and love… but with a twist! Taking on these iconic heroines will be Jodie Steele as Snow White (SIX The Musical; Heathers), Sophie Isaacs as Cinderella (SIX The Musical; Heathers), Grace Mouat as Pocahontas (&Juliet; SIX The Musical), Millie O’Connell as The Little Mermaid (Be More Chill; SIX The Musical), Shanay Holmes as The Princess Who Kissed The Frog (RENT; The Bodyguard) and more. The production will be available to stream for a limited run via Stream.Theatre from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th April. Revamping the tales of ‘happily ever after’ in an empowering all-female musical romp, Disenchanted brings together a band o...

Hair The Musical set to play London and Southampton this Summer

17Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Hair The Musical set to play London and Southampton this Summer

Following a sell-out run as part of The Turbine on the Jetty season, Hair The Musical (In Concert), directed by Arlene Phillips, will now play two performances at the London Palladium on Sunday 13th June, and two performances at Southampton Mayflower Theatre on 27th June 2021. The performances were originally planned for earlier this year, but were delayed due to Covid-19 restrictions. Hair The Musical (In Concert) has book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, music by Galt MacDermot, musical direction by Paul Schofield, design by David Shields, lighting and video design by Andrew Exeter and sound design by Dan Samson. Hair The Musical will once again be directed by Arlene Phillips. The cast are Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Nicole Raquel Dennis (Dear Evan Hanse...

18Jan

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Girl Power – Thespie Online

In this new addition to the streaming website, Thespie, the SEVEN original cast-members of SIX, the West End musical, give some incredible FIVE-star performances. With FOUR glamourous costume changes, the audience is swept through the decades of classic THREE-minute pop songs by female collaborators. Surprisingly, the group has only put on TWO concerts, but it’s clear that this ONE is a hit. Yes, I enjoyed myself creating that countdown introduction. But not as much as I enjoyed watching this show. Starting off with the Andrews Sisters, (a surprising choice) the show pushes on to the likes of TLC and Little Mix. The concert aims to get the audience dancing along in their living rooms to some female anthems. And it succeeded. Their harmonies are ridiculously good. There’s not one song of...