These recent times have been some of the hardest challenges we've faced and as a community, it hit us pretty hard. However during these difficult times, here at Pocket Size Theatre, we wanted to spread a little positivity and share some peoples experiences because we are all in this together. Each day we'll be speaking to our friends in the industry to share their experiences with you all so take a read and see how people are getting through these hard times.
Let's stick together, share the love and get through this as a community!
Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton were most recently playing the roles of Sam and Donna in the UK touring production of Mamma Mia. They were also due to reprise their roles of Falco and Sloane in Bat Out Of Hell The Musical in the production new UK tour, they previously originated the roles and played them at The Manchester Opera House, The London Coliseum, The Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto & Dominion Theatre.
Let's stick together, share the love and get through this as a community!
*Some information mentioned in this article may be out of date due to the progress of the current situation. Please keep that in mind when reading*
Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton were most recently playing the roles of Sam and Donna in the UK touring production of Mamma Mia. They were also due to reprise their roles of Falco and Sloane in Bat Out Of Hell The Musical in the production new UK tour, they previously originated the roles and played them at The Manchester Opera House, The London Coliseum, The Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto & Dominion Theatre.
Rob Fowler's other credits include Dan in Next to Normal (Oper Dortmund); Dracyka in Dracula (Frankenfestspiele Röttingen); Alternate Galileo in We Will Rock You (Apollo Theater Stuttgart, Theater des Westens, Berlin), Corny Collins in Hairspray (Musical Dome Köln); Frank'n'Furter in The Rocky Horror Show (Tour); Jamie in The Last Five Years (Kammeroper Wien); Berger in Hair (Musical Sommer Amstetten); Vincent Fontaine/Teen Angel in Grease (Theater St. Gallen); Alternate Tod in Elisabeth (Theater an der Wien); Jesus in the German version of Jesus Christ Superstar (Vereingite Buhnen Bozen); Rum Tum Tugger in Cats (Stuttgart) and Caboose/ Rusty/ Greaseball in Starlight Express (Musical Theater Bochum).
Sharon Sexton's other credits include The Commitments (The Palace Theatre); Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace); Conchita in Copacabana (UK Tour); Nancy in Oliver!, Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde, Lily St Regis in Annie, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (National Concert Hall Dublin); Kate in Girls Night The Musical(National Tour); Fairy Godmother in Cinderella (The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin) and Yellow Girl in Shout The Musical, Calamity Jane in Calamity Jane, and Jane Eyre The Musical in Dublin and Somewhere Under the Rainbow (UK Tour and Edinburgh Fringe Festival).
On Friday 8th May, Sharon and Rob will be doing a live-streamed concert. Click here to buy tickets.
On Friday 8th May, Sharon and Rob will be doing a live-streamed concert. Click here to buy tickets.
On Monday 16th March 2020, The Society of London Theatre announced the closure of all Theatres in London. This followed suit with regional venues. Where were you when you found out and what was your initial reaction?
Sharon: So myself and Rob were in Hull New Theatre with Mamma Mia and it was such a surreal few hours. We all saw that shambolic press conference at 5pm where the public were advised not to go to the theatre, but there was no clear instruction. So like most of the West End, we were all messaging and waiting and watching and wondering what would happen with that evening's show. We went into warm-up as normal and we were informed that the show would be going ahead as normal. The lack of government clarity placed so many producers and venues in such an uncertain position, it was so unfair - no one wanted to be the one to make the call, mainly for insurance reasons - So we were instructed to carry on as normal.
Rob: It was such a strange atmosphere. Many of us felt that it was wrong that we were going ahead, for obvious reasons, our own health and the audiences, but then also no one wanted to be the one to stick their neck out and refuse to do the show! So there was a sense of relief when word trickled in that the unions and theatres and west end venues had banded together and made the call.
Sharon: By that stage our venue was open and our audience was in and we were in the half... so our producers made the call we would go ahead. It was a strange show.
