THEN AND NOW: Cabaret the Musical

Cabaret is a musical theatre stable in anyones collection; its an incredible score and amazing story. After the original production its been remounted so many times in many West End and Broadway revivals and has featured many huge stars including Judi Dench, Teri Hatcher, Samantha Barks, Natasha Richardson, Brooke Shilds, Neil Patrick Harris, Adam Pascal, Norbert Lee Butz, Carole Shelley, Kim Medcalf, Wayne Sleep, Harriet Thopre, Emma Stone and Siân Phillips to name a few! We look back at some of the major productions that include the original Broadway production, the 1993 London Donmar Warehouse proaction, the 2006 London revival, 2014 Broadway revival and the most recent UK tour featuring Will Young and Louise Redknapp. Take a look and share your favourite moments of the show with us on Twitter! @PocketSizeBlog #PocketThenNow

The Emcee

Joel Grey (1966), Alan Cumming (1993), James Dreyfus (2006), Alan Cumming (2014) & Will Young (2017)

Sally Bowles

Jill Haworth (1966), Jane Horrocks (1993), Anna Maxwell Martin (2006), Michelle Williams (2014) & Louise Redknapp (2017)

Matt Cardle to join cast of Strictly Ballroom The Musical

Best-selling recording artist, X-Factor winner and West End star Matt Cardle is to join the cast of Strictly Ballroom The Musical. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s acclaimed film and now transformed into a spectacular and joyous West End musical, Matt will play the role of band leader Wally Strand, from Tuesday 31^st July at the Piccadilly Theatre. He takes over the role from Will Young. 

Matt Cardle first came to the public’s attention when he won The X Factor in 2010, the year the TV phenomenon series enjoyed its highest-ever ratings. His debut single When We Collide was Christmas number one in 2010, sold over one million copies and was nominated for a BRIT Award for Best Single. Since then, Matt has now sold over 2 million albums, had 3 Top 10 albums and played 5 sold-out UK tours. Matt’s most recent album ’Time To Be Alive’ was released by Sony earlier this year and features his latest single ‘I’m Not Letting Go Yet’ and the huge club hit ‘Desire’.

In 2015 he triumphed in a whole new arena when he made his West End debut, playing the lead role of Huey Calhoun in Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Starring alongside the legendary Beverley Knight, Matt won the Best West End Debut.

Full casting announced for UK tour of CABARET, starring Will Young and Louise Redknapp

A new UK tour of Cabaret is to star Will Young and Louise Redknapp. 

Young will reprise his Olivier-nominated performance as the Emcee in the piece, while Redknapp will make her stage debut as Sally Bowles. 

The production, which is a revival of Rufus Norris' staging, will open on a tour from 21 September at the New Wimbledon Theatre, before touring to Blackpool (2 to 7 October), Cardiff (17 to 21 October), Leeds (24 to 28 October), Milton Keynes (31 October to 4 November), Salford (7 to 11 November), Edinburgh (14 to 18 November), Bromley (21 to 25 November) and Brighton (5 to 9 November). 

Lets hear it for the Reality Stars!

Within the theatre industry we could all name at least five major shows who have stunt casting in them; wether thats an Ex-Girls aloud member or a TOWIE star trying to make a name for themselves.  Reality TV stars have a bad reputation for coming into musical and 'stealing' other peoples jobs, so we decided to take a look at the reality TV stars who are NAILING it in the world of Theatre.  Take a look and let us know what you think... Tweet us your thoughts! @PocketSizeBlog 

Alexandra Burke 

Alexandra won the 2008 series of The X Factor, she later appeared in the West End and international touring productions of The Bodyguard. She is currently playing Deloris Van Cartier in the UK tour of Sister Act. 

Darius Campbell 

Darius appeared on Pop Idol in 2002, since then he has gone on to appear in many West End musicals including Chicago, Guys and Dolls, From Here to Eternity and most recently Funny Girl alongside Sheridan Smith. 

15 of the most Memorable performances I've ever seen

I was looking through a bunch of my old programmes and it got me thinking about some of the fantastic performances I have seen over my years of going to the theatre. So I've put together a list of some of my most favourite and most memorable performances I've had the pleasure of watching. 

So, in no particular order... 

Oliver Thornton as Adam (Felicia) in Priscilla Queen of the Desert 

Katherine Kingsley as Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain

Cabaret the Musical: Theatre Review

 

The premier production of Cabaret opened on Broadway in 1966 with a US Tour and a West End production opening in 1968. The iconic film starring Liza Minnelli was released in 1972 after the success of the musical. After three West End revivals and two Broadway revivals the show returns to London, playing at the Savoy Theatre after a short UK tour. The musical is based on the play ‘I am a Camera’ which was adapted from the novel ‘Goodbye to Berlin’.
The story focuses on nightlife at the Kit Kat Club in World War II Germany following the relationship between English Cabaret performer Sally Bowles and American writer Cliff Bradshaw. This recent revival reunites the creative team from the 2006 London revival at the Lyric Theatre, however they’ve re-imagined the show and given it a new life but stuck to the original idea that they put together for their last production. Rufus Norris really understand this production and what he wants to give to the audience, he’s presented an intelligent but entertaining piece which presents the story in a way in which the audience are completely engaged and the links he has created between the Kit Kat Club and 1931 Germany is astonishing.