Oliver Mawdsley Archives - North West End UK

Little Shop of Horrors – Octagon Theatre, Bolton

26Apr

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Little Shop of Horrors – Octagon Theatre, Bolton

Composer Alan Menken is best known nowadays as the man who, together with Writer Howard Ashman, revitalised the Walt Disney franchise in the early 1990’s, through their work on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Indeed, such is his creative genius that he is one of only 19 people in all entertainment history to be classified an EGOT, winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony for work spanning five decades. Tonight, we have the opportunity to enjoy one of Menken and Ashman’s earlier creations from 1986, with a cracking revival tour of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ reaching the Octagon Theatre in Bolton. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ has become a staple Amateur and Youth theatre production over the last thirty years, combining a small cast with a relatively simple set it can be st...

Little Shop of Horrors – Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

2Apr

By Karen Morley-ChesworthNo Comments

North West

Little Shop of Horrors – Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

The atmosphere in the main house at Theatre by the Lake is electrifying as Audrey Two takes centre stage for this energetic and magical production of the classic Little Shop of Horrors, writes Karen Morley-Chesworth. The set designers need a shout out for their adaptable New York florist shop on Skid Row. The cast are really versatile and first class – quadruple threats of acting, singing, dancing and musicians. Opening this musical extravaganza is the trio of Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette played by Janna May, Zweyla Mitchell dos Santos, and Chardai Shaw play along with the house band, Migdalia van der Hoven on Drums with Musical Director, Gabrielle Ball. The production hits the ground running, and it doesn’t disappoint. Oliver Mawdsley as the central character, orphan Seymour wh...

10Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Gatsby A Musical – Cadogan Hall

A digital concert revival of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic Jazz Age tale brought to life, Gatsby – A Musical returns due to popular demand. Fitzgerald’s masterpiece is my favourite book, so I was excited to see the story adapted into a staged performance. The production stars an incredible cast of West End performers, including Ross William Wild (Million Dollar Quartet) as the title character Gatsby, Jodie Steele (Six) as Daisy Buchanan, Blake Patrick Anderson (Be More Chill) as Nick Carraway and four-time Olivier nominee Emma Williams (Zorro) as Myrtle Williams. The plot mostly follows Steele as Daisy, seven years after the events of the book, as she revisits her memories with the mystical Gatsby by going to his mansion. The show jumps between different time periods, both in and ou...

West End stars unite for online concert revival of Gatsby A Musical at Cadogan Hall

11Jan

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

West End stars unite for online concert revival of Gatsby A Musical at Cadogan Hall

Former Spandau Ballet frontman, Ross William Wild (Elvis Presley in Million Dollar Quartet) and Olivier nominated actress, Charlotte Wakefield (Spring Awakening; The Sound of Music), will take on the famed roles of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan in a digital concert rendition of Gatsby A Musical, following sell-out live success and an Offie nomination for Best New Musical. This captivating socially-distanced revival will be filmed in the historic Cadogan Hall and made available to stream online from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th February 2021. The new concert production also stars leading West End talent, including four-time Olivier Award nominee Emma Williams (Mrs Henderson Presents; Zorro), and Marc Antolin (Little Shop of Horrors; Flying Lovers of Vitebsk). Further casting includes B...