REVIEW: Frozen at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Frozen became the highest-grossing animated film of all time in 2013 when it was released, it was later over taken by its own sequel and the Lion King remake in 2019. After the huge success of the film almost 10 years ago, it was a natural step for Disney to adapt this story for the stage. 

In what appears to be a come back for Disney theatrical, Frozen joins the list of Disney musicals that are playing here in the UK. Joining the long running Lion King in the West End and on tour, Mary Poppins over at the Prince Edward and Beauty and the Beast and Bedknobs and Broomsticks playing across the country, Frozen plays at the ever iconic Theatre Royal Drury Lane. But does the Musical live up to the success of the film?  

Following from their success with the original animated film, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez write the additional songs for the show. Whilst the classics that we loved from the film like ‘Let it Go’, ‘Do you want to Build a Snowman’ and ‘Love is an open Door’ still remain in the show, the additional material doesn’t match the same level. The new songs aren’t memorable, apart from the new song for Elsa ‘Monster’ which is a great addition, the others just don’t hit the mark and fall flat. 

COMING HOME: Emily-Mae, about to feature in Frozen at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

One of the most anticipated West End shows of the season and one we’ve been waiting for the longest time is Frozen. This hit 2013 film broke so many records in the box office and reached the stage in 2018 on Broadway, now the West End premiere will soon be opening at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 27th August 2021. 

Emily-Mae will be appearing in the production as Bulda and in the ensemble. Before lockdown hit, she was appearing in the West End transfer of City of Angels covering the role of Donna/Ooile and Angel City 4. Her other credits include the title role in Pippi Longstocking at the Royal and Derngate, Paradise in Brooklyn the Musical at the Greenwich Theatre, Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors at the Storyhouse in Chester, Ulla in The Producers at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and she played a Dynamite and covered Motormouth Maybelle in the National tour of Hairspray.  

Broadway stars Laura Osnes & Jeremy Jordan reunite in BONNIE AND CLYDE IN CONCERT at Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Broadway stars Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan reunite for a one-off performance of the cult hit musical BONNIE AND CLYDE IN CONCERT produced by Fourth Wall Live at the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Tuesday 18 January 2022 at 7.30pm. Ticket presale opens on Wednesday 28 July at 10.00am, with general on sale Friday 30 July at 10.00am.

Presale sign up is available NOW www.bonnieandclydeconcert.com

A decade on from their Broadway run as the titular pair, Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan reprise their roles for the first time for a one-off concert performance of BONNIE AND CLYDE in the West End’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This marks the first time Laura and Jeremy have performed together in the capital, and Laura’s London debut.

Tony Award nominated performer, LAURA OSNES was most recently seen on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical “Bandstand” and on television in the Hallmark Channel’s original movie “One Royal Holiday”, following lead appearances in the network’s “A Homecoming for the Holidays” and “In The Key Of Love”. Her other Broadway credits include Cinderella in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”; Bonnie Parker in “Bonnie and Clyde”, Hope Harcourt in the Tony Award winning revival of “Anything Goes”, Nellie Forbush in Lincoln Center Theater’s “South Pacific”; and Sandy in “Grease”.

COMING HOME: Jason Winter, soon to be appearing in Frozen the Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back!

It’s time to “Let It Go”, as the live stage production of the hit movie Frozen finally makes its way over to London, opening at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on the 27th August 2021. After a number of pushbacks we cannot wait for this show to finally make its premiere in the West End. Jason Winter, who is no stranger to the West End stage, will be appearing in the show in the ensemble and as assistant Dance Captain. 

Jason has a CV to die for, with West End credits including Kinky Boots, Matilda, Wicked and Chicago. Other shows include The Rink, Gypsy, West Side Story, Flashdance, The Producers, Cats, Happy Days and Top Hat - this guy is very much one of the performers at the top of his game. Not only has he been featured in some of the most wonderful shows across the industry, he has also experienced the choreographer side too, having been the associate on the UK tour of Bring It On as well as an assistant on the Rink and Our House. 

REVIEW: 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

One of the most beautiful and historical theatres in London’s West End is the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and perfect for the ultimate musical spectacle. Therefore 42nd Street, the 1980 Broadway hit with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble based on the 1933 hit Warner Bros film with music and lyrics by Henry Warren and Al Dubin, should be a perfect fit.

Young Peggy Sawyer is fresh off the bus from small-town America and just another face in the chorus line on Broadway’s newest show ‘Pretty Lady’. But when the leading lady Dorothy Brock gets injured, Peggy might just have the shot at stardom she’s always dreamed of.

Having previously seen it over a year ago and been blown away by the uniformity of the ensemble, I couldn’t wait to see this new cast change. 42nd Street has some consistently good areas: Mark Bramble’s direction and Randy Skinner’s choreography ensure the show looks on point, making the most of the huge Grade 1 listed, 2,196 seat theatre. Peter Mumford’s attention to detail with his lighting design literally shone through, with Douglas W. Schmidt’s set design and Roger Kirk’s costume design perfectly complementing the show. However, there were things that surprised me about the performance I saw. From a tap show that prides itself for its energy and consistency the show I saw came in two halves - act one and act two being completely different shows. 

Wonka's chocolate factory out of biscuit in Waterstones window to celebrate book's 50th anniversary

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the hit West End musical and Biscuiteers, supported by Tate & Lyle, have recreated the chocolate factory in biscuit form in the main window of Waterstones flagship shop in Piccadilly.


The 6m x 1.7m edible chocolate biscuit installation, based on the Olivier-nominated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical stage set, was designed and created by Biscuiteers and unveiled by Willy Wonka and Charlie on 8th April.

The entire chocolate factory has been lovingly recreated so that passers-by can look through this extraordinary 3D structure into each room and see Augustus Gloop being sucked in to the chocolate river in the chocolate room, Violet Beauregarde blowing up into a blueberry in the inventing room, Veruca Salt being thrown down the rubbish chute in the nut room and Mike Teavee being shrunk in the television room.
It took Biscuiteers 300 hours to design, bake, build and decorate this edible Chocolate Factory made using over 100kg of biscuit dough and 200kg Tate & Lyle sugar. The display will remain in the branch for four weeks.

NEW CAST ANNOUNCED FOR CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACOTRY

Barry James, Josefina Gabrielle, Richard Dempsey and Kirsty Malpass will join the previously announced Alex Jennings (Willy Wonka) in the cast of the record-breaking West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

At today’s Olivier Awards nomination announcement, it was revealed that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is nominated for seven awards, in the following categories

• MasterCard Best New Musical
• Best Actor in a Musical (Douglas Hodge)
• Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Nigel Planer)
• Best Theatre Choreographer (Peter Darling)
• XL Video Award for Best Set Design (Mark Thompson)
• Best Costume Design (Mark Thompson)
• White Light Award for Best Lighting Design (Paul Pyant)

Alex Jennings to replace Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka

Alex Jennings will play Willy Wonka in the record-breaking West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the role currently played by Douglas Hodge.

Jennings’s first performance will be on Monday 19 May 2014

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has quickly become one of the West End’s most popular and successful stage musicals. It has broken records at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it has been seen by over half a million people since it opened in June 2013. It is currently taking bookings until 30 May 2015.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical: Theatre Review

Written in 1964, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of Roald Dahl’s most loved books. Also made into two films (one in 1971 and one in 2005) its a franchise that people of all ages have loved and grown up with, and now its a West End Musical! 

The production is very good, its magical with elements that truly are astounding and take you back to your childhood. Quite often I found myself with my jaw almost to the ground at some of the aspects of the show. Sam Mendes’s direction flows so well with huge help from the swift and flawless scene changes. He has brought the sharpness that movies have to the stage, you do not get bored at any point in the show. The pace of it moves quite fast, too fast at some points. You almost feel like some things could have been cut out to enable some of the really good moments to be drawn out a little. The set, by Mark Thompson, was fantastic.