MusicalTalk - The UK's Independent Musical Theatre Podcast

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Episode 856: Rodgers and Hart's The Boys From Syracuse - Part 2: The Musical Director's Tale Sep 04, 2024

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With Rodgers and Hart's sparkling 1938 Golden Age musical, The Boys From Syracuse, returning to London at the Upstairs at the Gatehouse Theatre in Highgate, Thos sits down for a wonderful conversation with the production's Musical Director and Orchestrator, the very talented Benjamin Levy. Learn why it's important for the MD to "push hope through it" when musically directing a song, and why it's better to reorchestrate rather than reduce existing arrangements. And with in-depth analysis of the score throughout, you won't want to miss this delightful and insightful episode! It's no cold potato!

Episode 855: Rodgers and Hart's The Boys From Syracuse - Part 1: The Director's Tale Aug 27, 2024

Show notes

Hoorah! Harooh! The golden era of musical theatre returns to London with a revival of 1938's Rodgers and Hart's classic musical comedy, The Boys From Syracuse, opening at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, in Highgate in September 2024. In a three part in-depth look at the show and its solid gold score by one of the greatest songwriting teams of the twentieth century, Thos sits down with the director and the musical director to enjoy insights into how to stage a classic musical in the 21st Century, and to talk about the sparkling songs. This week Thos talks to the lovely Mark Giesser, the director of this production, about the attraction and challenges of the piece and why the songs are so perfect. All it takes is a whole lotta Hart!

Episode 854: A Journey Through the National Youth Music Theatre: "Catastrophe Bay" Premiere Aug 19, 2024

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In this special episode of MusicalTalk, host Nick Hutson takes you behind the scenes with the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), a prestigious organisation that has been nurturing the talents of young performers for over four decades. Founded in 1976, the NYMT has a storied history of launching the careers of some of the UK's brightest stars in musical theatre.

Nick sits down with current cast members of the NYMT on the exciting day of their world premiere performance of "Catastrophe Bay" at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant. We dive into the creative process and what it means to be part of such an iconic institution. We also hear from NYMT alumnus Josh Barnett, who reflects on his time with the company and how it shaped his career.

Episode 853: A Fantasmagorical Journey - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Then and Now Aug 13, 2024

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In this delightful episode of MusicalTalk, Hannah takes us on a magical ride through her recent experience of the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in Torquay... but how does it compare to the original production at The London Palladium? Nick, who saw the show in its West End heyday 22 years ago, joins the conversation with his nostalgic reflections. Together, they explore the differences and whether the modern take still has that "Truly Scrumptious" appeal.

Episode 852: Hello Dolly... Why Am I So Single? Aug 06, 2024

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Welcome listeners! It's so nice to hace you back where you belong!

In this episode, Nick and Hannah dive into their first-ever experience of the classic musical, Hello Dolly, sharing their fresh and vibrant takes. But that's not all—Nick had the exclusive opportunity to attend an open rehearsal of the buzzworthy new musical, WHY AM I SO SINGLE?, brought to life by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow, the brilliant minds behind the smash hit, Six.

Get ready for an exciting journey as we bring you insightful interviews with the cast and writers, along with a sneak peek at some of the unforgettable songs from this promising new show.

Episode 851: Take the Starlight Express to The Little Shop of Horrors Jul 30, 2024

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Nick and Hannah dive into the world of musical theatre, each sharing their unique experiences with two iconic shows. Hannah recounts her thrilling first-time experience of seeing the cult classic "Little Shop of Horrors" on stage during its UK tour.

Meanwhile, Nick takes a trip down memory lane as he revisits "Starlight Express" now playing at the Troubadour Theatre, experiencing the roller-skating extravaganza for the first time in over 30 years.

Episode 850: Musical Theatre Melodrama Inverted Jul 23, 2024

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It's the last episode of our three part look at the role of melodrama in musical theatre, and today Josh joins Thos to talk about the show that explicitly takes the tropes and characters of melodrama and turns them topsy-turvy - Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore, and specifically a recent production at London's home of Victorian musicals, Wilton's Music Hall. Your eyes will be fully open...

Episode 849: Musical Theatre Melodrama in Practice Jul 15, 2024

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With the recent acclaimed revival of Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls (subtitled "The Victorian Melodrama") in London's atmospheric Wilton's Music Hall, join Colm and Thos as they continue their exploration of the history of melodrama and how it informs modern musical theatre in a multitude of ways. In this episode they dissect the original Sweeney Todd stage sensation to see how it works and then identify the many musical cannibals who have feasted on its body over the years - from Gilbert and Sullivan to Sondheim. Todd, that's good!

Episode 848: Musical Theatre Melodrama in Theory Jul 08, 2024

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Did melodrama die with Queen Victoria - or has it sneakily survived into 21st century culture? Join Thos and Colm as they look at the unexpectedly wide scope of melodrama in musical theatre both historically and today: concentrating on the recent revival of Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls at the Wiltons Music Hall in London, we take you on a three part journey exploring the he fascinating world of this far-from-dead genre - and tell you the tale of the other 3Bs of music - Balfe, Benedict and Bishop.

🎭Episode 847: Moulin Rouge! The Musical - Hits and Misses 🎭 Jun 25, 2024

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Moulin Rouge! The Musical - Hits and Misses

Join Nick and Hannah as they delve into the vibrant and glittering world of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. In this episode, our hosts discuss the highs and lows of this stage adaptation, starting with its lavish visual elements and captivating tangos that leave audiences spellbound. However, not everything that glitters is gold—Nick and Hannah critique the show's reliance on a plethora of pop songs, many of which feel outdated and detract from the overall experience.

Hannah brings an intriguing comparison to the table, highlighting how the plot of Moulin Rouge!'s first act mirrors that of the film Burlesque, now also making waves on stage. Is this parallel a coincidence or a creative nod? Tune in to hear their thoughts and lively discussion.

#MoulinRougeMusical #MusicalTheatre #Podcast #StageReview #MusicalTalk

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