10 Year Challenge: Some of our Favourite West End Performers!

There's a craze going around at the moment called 'The 10 Year challenge' and as we're welcoming in the new decade, we looked back at some of our favourite performers and did it for them! Check our the list of amazing actors below and the journey they've gone on from 2010 to 2020 and tweet us your favourite 10 year challenge or send us ones we've left off!

Lucie Jones

As Cosette in the London production of Les Miserables and as Jenna in Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre. Other credits include Emily in A Christmas Carol (Lyceum); Lou in Girlfriends (LMTO); Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (UK tour); Maureen Johnson in RENT the Musical (The Other Palace and UK tour); Holly in The Wedding Singer (UK tour); Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Leicester Curve/South Korea – DIMF Best Actress in a Musical Award); Molly Jensen in Ghost: The Musical (Asian tour); Victoria in American Psycho the Musical (Almeida) and Meatloaf in We Will Rock You (world arena tour).

Melanie La Barrie 

As Mrs Phelps in the original cast of Matilda and as the Nurse in the original London cast of & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Other credits include Madame Morrible in Wicked (Apollo Victoria); Mrs Phelps in Matilda (RSC Stratford and Cambridge); The Lorax (Old Vic); Martha Watson in White Christmas (West Yorkshire Playhouse); General Cartwright in Guys & Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre); Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Liverpool Playhouse); Madame Thernardier in Les Miserables (Queens); Pearl in Daddy Cool (Shaftesbury) and Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins (Prince Edward).

REVIEW: Mack and Mabel at the Hackney Empire with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra

After a truly sensational concert production of Candide at London’s Cadogan Hall, I had exceptionally high expectations for LMTO’s version of Mack and Mabel. Starring David Badella, Natasha J Barnes and Tiffany Graves, this production was the most entertaining, witty and emotionally-rousing night at the theatre I’ve had this year. 

LMTO’s founder, Freddie Tapner radiates passion and enthusiasm for his art and it is felt throughout the auditorium. Even whilst conducting his orchestra with his back is turned to the audience, we can still see and feel the love of his music. I have pondered for hours about what makes LMTO so special and I think it must just be that this ship is captained by a modern-day musical genius in Tapner. The spectacle of the LMTO on stage in all their glory is a wonderful thing to see so clearly and I can’t imagine I’ll ever tire of it. 

London Musical Theatre Orchestra's Mack & Mabel to star DAVID BADELLA, NATASHA J BARNES and TIFFANY GRAVES

After a triumphant five-star performance of Bernstein’s Candide In Concert and a sell-out five-star 2016 season, the London Musical Theatre Orchestra makes its East London debut at the Hackney Empire on 23rd September with Jerry Herman’s hit show Mack and Mabel. Tickets are on sale now.

Starring David Bedella (Jerry Springer: The Musical / The Rocky Horror Show / In The Heights) as Mack, Natasha J Barnes (Funny Girl / The Palladium’s All Star Cinderella) as Mabel and Tiffany Graves (Chicago / Sweet Charity / We Will Rock You) as Lottie, Mack and Mabel is based on the real-life story of Mack Sennett, the legendary director of the golden age of the Hollywood silent film and King Of Comedy, who finds himself bankrupt, alone and obsolete. Forced to sell his studio, he reminisces about the glory days, from the chaos of the Keystone Kops and the splendour of Charlie Chaplin, to his turbulent love affair with rising star Mabel Norman. A world where heroes wore capes, girls were tied to the railway tracks and it all ended with a pie in the face.

SWEENEY TODD at the Twickenham Theatre adds 5 extra performances

After universal critical acclaim and selling out every one of its planned 26 performances, David Adkin and Twickenham Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is adding 5 extra performances due to extraordinary and overwhelming public demand. 

The extra shows are: Tuesday 7 October at 7.45pm, Wednesday 8 October at 7.45pm, Thursday 9 October at 7.45pm, Friday 10 October at 7.45 and Sunday 12 October at 3.00pm. 

Tickets will go on sale from 3.00pm today from www.twickenhamtheatre.com

INTERVIEW: David Bedella & Sarah Ingram, soon to be starring in Sweeney Todd at the Twickenham Theatre

David Bedella is a triple award winner, named Best Actor in a Musical at the 2004 Olivier Awards, the Evening Standard Awards, and The Critics Circle Awards, for creating the role of the warm-up man Jonathan Weiruss/Satan in Jerry Springer The Opera. On television David most notably played Dr Carlos Fashola in Holby City. His other West End starring roles include Frank n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. In the past year he played Man 1 in the acclaimed production of Sondheim’s Putting It Together at St.James Theatre and Kevin in Into The Heights at Southwark Playhouse.

Sarah Ingram's extensive credits include Josie in TABOO (Brixton Club House), Miss Hannigan in Annie (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Roadshow (Menier Chocolate Factory), Hannah Owens in Flashdance (Shaftesbury Theatre), Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls (Kilworth Theatre, Leicester), Mrs Blair in Inherit the Wind (Old Vic), Ursula & u/s Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Open Air Theatre), Sarah/Naomi in Imgine This (New London Theatre & Theatre Royal, Plymouth), Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain (Courtyard Theatre), Mrs O’Brien in Showboat  (Royal Albert Hall), Ado Annie in Oklahoma (Royal National Theatre & Lyceum Theatre) & Laurey in Oklahoma (UK Tour).

They will be playing Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd when it starts performances at the Twickenham Theatre

Sweeney Todd at the Twickenham Theatre | First photo released!

Olivier Award winner David Bedella will play razor-wielding madman Sweeney Todd and Sarah Ingram his pie-making partner in crime, Mrs Lovett, in an intimate new production of the Tony Award and Olivier Award-winning musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler, will kick-off the autumn season at Twickenham Theatre in West London. It will start previews on Wednesday 10 September and runs to Saturday 4 October.

David Bedella was a triple award winner, named Best Actor in a Musical at the 2004 Olivier Awards, the Evening Standard Awards, and The Critics Circle Awards, for creating the role of the warm-up man Jonathan Weiruss/Satan in Jerry Springer The Opera. He appeared in the role at the National Theatre, in the West End, the Sydney Opera House and in New York in a concert version at Carnegie Hall. On television David most notably played Dr Carlos Fashola in Holby City and more recently guest starred in By Any Means and Inside No. 9, all for BBC, and his film credits include Alexander and Batman Begins. His other West End starring roles include Frank n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Billy Flynn in Chicago, and Hedwig inHedwig and the Angry Inch. He starred as Arnold in Torch Song Trilogy and Wilson Mizner in Sondheim’s Road Show, both at the Menier Chocolate Factory. In the past year he played Man 1 in the acclaimed production of Sondheim’s Putting It Together at St.James Theatre and Kevin in Into The Heights at Southwark Playhouse.