Tag Archives: musical

Idiots Assemble Spitting Image the Musical says it all!

If you love puppets, comedy, musicals and the theatre then you will love Idiots Assemble Spitting Image the Musical which is showing at Phoenix Theatre for a limited run.

What is Spitting Image though you might be asking. Well Spitting Image is a show which originally aired on British television back in 1984 which is a puppet show. The puppets are caricatures of public figures, celebrities, the government, and the Royal Family. It was created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn.

For over 18 series it was aired on ITV. At its peak, the show was watched by 15 million people. The series was so popular it even had collaborations with musicians. The show also was nominated and won numerous awards, including ten BAFTA Television Awards, and two Emmy Awards back in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category. Sadly though in 1996 it was cancelled as viewing figures started to decline. After many years though with a few bumps along the way Spitting Image returned to our TV screens October 2020 with new puppets and plenty of laughs for a short stint.

Now Spitting Image is back and LIVE at the Phoenix Theatre after having a 5 star sell out run at Birmingham Rep, where you can now go along and actually see this hilarious puppet show musical in real life, which are controlled by professional puppeteers on stage.

I went along to the press night of Idiots Assemble Spitting Image the Musical courtesy of Avalon marketing.

Idiots Assemble Spitting Image the Musical

Spitting Image The Musical is presented by Avalon, and originally produced at Birmingham Rep where it had a hugely successful run.

It is written by a comedy team made up of Al Murray, Matt Forde and double-Olivier award winner Sean Foley, who also directs, alongside a creative team spearheaded by the original Spitting Image co-creator, Roger Law.

The voice overs are pre-recorded by a stellar line-up of artists from Oliver Chris (Green Wing, The IT Crowd, and Prince William in Charles III on Broadway and on film) Kathryn Drysdale (Bridgerton, The Windsors, Christmas on Mistletoe Farm, The Bubble, The Queen and I and Plebs), Jason Forbes (The Tracy Ullman Show, The Mash Report and Horrible Histories: The Movie and Borg Mcenroe), Luke Kempner (Spitting Image, Steph’s Packed Lunch, The Last Leg, Stand-up Sketch Show and The Imitation Game), Lorna Laidlaw (Doctors, Coronation Street, Getting It Straight and A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Jackie Lam (Strangers, All that Remains and Emma) Shri Patel (Rishi Sunak in This England, Emmerdale and Pennyworth), Jess Robinson (Spitting Image, The Last Leg, Stars in Their Ears, and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and Britain’s Got Talent), Debra Stephenson (The Impressions Show, Dead Ringers, Rich Hall’s Election Breakdown, Newzoids, Coronation Street and Bad Girls) and Ronan Summers Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Krays: Code of Silence, Doctor Who and Episodes).

The talented puppeteers who bring the puppets to life are Antony Antunes,  Rianna Ash, Katie Bradley,  Emily Essery, Kaidan Dawkins, Bertie Harris, Pena Iiambo, Jackie Lam, Bright Ong, Will Palmer, Helen Parke, Rayo Patel, Tom Quinn, Richard Vorster and Faye Weerasinghe.

Everyone else that works on Idiots Assemble Spitting Image the Musical are as follows:

Production Designer, Alice Power, Video Designer Nina Dunn for Pixel Lux, Lighting Designer Tim Mitchell, Sound Designer Richard Brooker, Puppet Master Scott Brooker, Costume Designer Lotte Collett, Choreographer Lizzi Gee, Composer and Musical Director Alexander S. Bermange, Music Supervisor Jerome van den Berghe, Creators of Spitting Image Peter Fluck and Roger Law, General Manager Emma Brunjes for ebp, and Producers Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday for Avalon.

It first opened up in Birmingham Rep early in the year and was a 5 star sell out performance. It now has come to London Phoenix Theatre for a limited run (Wednesday 24 May to Saturday 26 August 2023).

This extravaganza musical is simultaneously inspired and appalled by real events with a little make believe moments as it see the Government in particular Boris Johnson trying to steal the crown from King Charles as Boris wants to be King, plus see Tom Cruise as you have never seen him before.

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Cages where emotions are locked

I love theatre but I have never experienced anything like Cages before. Cages is a dark, gothic, heart felt musical which uses cinematic technology along with synchronised acting all which focuses on control by the government, as within Anhedonia emotions and love is forbidden.

Emotions are what makes us though and an important part of our life but within Anhedonia emotions is not allowed in particular love, but Woolf a boy born with a red heart changes all this when he gets the attention of a young female and unlocks her heart but sadly not all ends well for Woolf and his love Madeline.

I was invited along to watch Cages, experience their VIP bar area and also taste their themed Cages menu within the Riverside Studios restaurant.

Cages at Riverside Studio

Created by CJ Baran and Ben Romans, Cages has enjoyed a successful and acclaimed run in Los Angeles since 2019 and now is premiering at UKs Riverside Studio.

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Back to the Future Musical is now open in London’s West End, Great Scott!

Back to the Future Musical after a long anticipated wait has hit London’s West End with tremendous reviews.

What is Back to the Future Musical? Back to the Future is based on the classic 1985 movie which was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. The movie is based on a nutty inventor who builds a time machine using a DeLorean which sends Marty a teenage boy back in time. Marty in the movies is played by Michael J. Fox, and the eccentric inventor by Christopher Lloyd. The movie set in the 80s follows Marty McFly as he is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean automobile built by his friend Doctor Emmett Brown aka Doc. Trapped in the past, Marty accidently disturbs time as his future mother falls in love with him. It is then up to him to fix things and get his future parents’ to meet and fall for each other, otherwise he and his future siblings will never exist.

Here are some interesting facts which you might not know about Back to the Future:

  • Back to the Future script was rejected over 40 times by studios because it was not considered raunchy enough to compete with the successful comedies of that era. It was thanks to Zemeckis who secured a deal which then led to a very successful movie franchise.
  • Also originally Michael J Fox even though was the initial the first choice to portray Marty, at the time he was unavailable; so Eric Stoltz was cast instead. However shortly after principal photography began in November 1984, Zemeckis determined Stoltz was not right for the part and made the concessions necessary to hire Michael J Fox. This included re-filming scenes already shot with Stoltz and adding $4 million to the budget. 
  • Back to the Future has earnt over $381.1 million and has one of the become the highest-grossing film of 1985 worldwide.
  • In the years since its release, Back to the Future has grown in esteem and is now considered to be among the greatest ever made science-fiction films of the 1980s, and one of the greatest films of all time.
  • The film has received multiple award nominations and won an Academy Award, Saturn Awards, and a Hugo Award.

I was kindly invited on a press related basis to watch Back to the Future Musical at Adelphi Theatre for my thoughts.

Back to the Future Musical

Back to the Future Musical takes audiences to Hill Valley! Where you’ll take an electrifying journey back in time from the 80s to the 50s as you follow Martys adventures.

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BIG The Musical – you can’t keep a kid from growing up

BIG The Musical me with Zoltar

Big The Musical is all about how Josh a teenage boy who wants to be big fast with his wish coming true in an unexpected way. I left wishing the opposite in becoming a kid again. I wonder if Zoltar will work for me?

I was invited on a complimentary experience to enjoy the Dominion Theatres latest West End London show BIG and what a joy it is.

Dominion Theatre

Dominion Theatre is situated on Tottenham Court Road in the West End of London and this years is celebrating 9-years. The Dominion Theatre first opened it’s doors in October 1929. Over the decades this beautiful art deco building has been home to film premieres, rock n roll gigs and many musicals.

September 2019 for eight weeks only the Dominion Theatre brings to London yet another fun thrilled musical BIG.

BIG

Michael Rose, Damien Sanders & Paul Gregg from Encore Production Ltd presents A Theatre Royal Plymouth Production based on the motion picture BIG written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg.

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Got to get your sausage when you can – Miss Nightingale 2018

miss nightingale
Matthew Bugg’s wartime musical Miss Nightingale returns to London this year at The Hippodrome Casino which is the UK’s largest and most popular casino and entertainment venue in London which is located in Leicester Square.

The Hippodrome presents Miss Nightingale

The Hippodrome is a lavish popular casino which has three casino floors, a top class steak restaurant, six bars and a 180-seat theatre. It’s the biggest licensed premises in the West End and has presented some of the world’s biggest musical theatre, dance, comedy and rock performers from Julie Andrews to Prince.
Now performing hitting the spotlight the fabulous Miss Nightingale.

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A whirlWIND of a musical – Wind in the Willows

Wind the Willows

This is a brand new British musical adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s beloved novel Wind in the Willows comes to the London Palladium. Writer Julian Fellowes (best-known for creating Downton Abbey). The musical also features music and lyrics by Olivier Award-winning duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Director Rachel Kavanaugh, the production features design by Peter McKintosh, choreography by Aletta Collins, lighting design by Howard Harrison and sound design by Gareth Owen. Continue reading →

Saucy musical fun – Miss Nightingale

Miss Nightingale performance
Matthew Bugg’s wartime musical Miss Nightingale is a musical play that is set in London, 1942.  The whole set which never changes is set up as an underground cabaret club that is up and running during the war-torn city with bombs being dropped in and around London and with many blackouts. Theatre was a very important part of London life during the war as a way to escape.

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Let’s fly into colour on a flying carpet – Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre

Aladdin collage

Aladdin which is played at the Prince Edward Theatre is full of magic, wonder, colour, humour and delight what a magical musical extravaganza this live play production of Disney animated feature turned out to be.

Aladdin

Prince Edward Theatre

Firstly Prince Edward Theatre is in my opinion is one of the most loveliest theatres in London. The seats are bright red, very comfy and quite spacious. The balconies above all elaborate with it’s design. I especially loved the miniature ones that come of from the main grand circle which these ones sit from 2 to 4 people.  Continue reading →

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