Kat Mokrynski - Page 5

Recently, we had the chance to speak with Oliver Johnstone about playing Marlow in Romans: A Novel. We discussed what his research process is like for getting into character, the importance of discussing the role of masculinity in modern times and even what it’s like to perform in a new work versus a classic piece like a Shakespeare play.

OSCAR at The Crown, a “high-energy, dance party musical” from Mark Mauriello and Andrew Barret Cox, has audiences enter an underground bunker into a dystopian world where people hide in exile because of what makes them different. They worship Julie from The OC and get their names from members of the Real Housewives series, save for Oscar Wilde, who leads the groups of exiles through never-ending song and dance. 

Entering the Royal Albert Hall for St. Vincent’s performance at the BBC Proms feels like any other classical performance. The orchestra is in their usual place, warming up as audience members take their seats. However, this is anything but a normal showing at the Proms - quickly proven by the roar of approval from the crowd as St. Vincent (Annie Clark) takes to the stage with conductor Jules Buckley.

Tony Award winning Laura Benanti, will make her London debut on Tuesday 2 September at Underbelly Boulevard Soho transferring direct from a sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her one-woman comedy show Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares. BroadwayWorld had a quick catch up with Laura ahead of the show.

Recently, we had the chance to chat with Danny Bayne, who is playing Basil Fawlty. We discussed what it was like growing up as a fan of comedies like Fawlty Towers, what he’s looking forward to on tour and why he thinks it’s important that the cast on stage aren’t simply doing impressions of their screen predecessors.

What do you get when you combine a desire to find a way to optimise happiness, an Australian comedian and a healthy dose of graphs? You get Tom Cashman: 2 Truths, 1 Lie & 17 Slight Exaggerations. Fresh from a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Cashman brings his show to London’s Soho Theatre.

What if, instead of being based in a castle in Denmark in the late Middle Ages, Hamlet was set at a backyard barbecue in the United States in modern times? That’s exactly what audiences witness in James Iijames’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham, which follows Juicy (Olisa Odele), a young, queer black man confronted by the ghost of his father, Pap (Sule Rimi), who tells him he must kill his uncle for revenge.

Recently, we had the chance to talk with Tony Hirst, who plays David, the father of James. We discussed what it has been like to take on the role of someone in real life, how it feels for Hirst to be working with one of his favourite playwrights, and even the unexpected audience reactions the play has had over its multiple runs.

Ever since I was first introduced to Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” in a course I took in university on Western Theatrical Dance, I have been in love with the piece. Two years ago, The Rite of Spring was performed at the BBC Proms in Prom 63: The Rite By Heart, which told the story of how Stravinsky created the piece and had the Aurora Orchestra perform it entirely from memory. It makes sense that when the BBC Proms announced Boléro and The Rite of Spring this year that I would be instantly wanting to see it!

Recently, we had the chance to speak with Leonard about taking on the role of Pierre Peters. We discussed how he first got started in the world of theatre, what it’s like to perform in a new piece of theatre versus a revival of a classic work and what he thinks audiences will be talking about on the way home after the show.

Recently, we had the opportunity to talk with Alexander-Taylor about his experience playing Judas. We discussed what it is like to be an actor-muso in this production, how Jesus Christ Superstar remains relevant over fifty years later and even how playing the electric guitar has given him a new perspective on playing Judas!

The East London Shakespeare Festival continues its tradition of “bringing high quality and accessible Shakespeare to East London audiences” with this year’s production of As You Like It, the Shakespeare comedy that follows a group of characters who find themselves in the Forest of Arden after facing the chaos of the court.

When a business venture begins with “a single British pound pushed across the desk” and leads to iconic musicians like Bruce Springsteen performing at the venue, one knows they’re in for a good story. Brixton Calling is a play, written by Alex Urwin and directed by Bronagh Lagan, that tells the story of how Simon Parkes (Max Runham) fell in love with the decrepit Astoria Variety Cinema and made it his goal to transform it into a music venue where everyone could feel free to let loose and be themselves - not a seat in sight.

Poor Clare, written by Chiara Atik and directed by Blanche McIntyre, tells the story of how Clare (Arsema Thomas) is influenced by fellow Assisi resident Francis (Freddy Carter) to abandon her life of riches and become devoted to God, founding the Order of Poor Ladies as a discipline of the soon-to-be Saint Francis. The play opens with Clare getting her hair done in a complicated style by two of her servants, Peppa (Liz Kettle) and Alma (Jacoba Williams), discussing the concept of poverty and what can be done about it. 

After runs in Chicago and on Broadway, Good Night, Oscar arrives at the Barbican Centre in London this month. The show, starring Sean Hayes as the titular character, follows famed character actor and pianist Oscar Levant on an unforgettable night as a guest star on Jack Paar’s late-night television talk show. Recently, we had the chance to speak with Ben Rappaport, who plays the role of Jack Paar in Good Night, Oscar. We discussed what it’s been like to be a part of the show since 2022, how he has worked on the role and how it feels to be bringing the show to the West End.

Recently, we had the chance to talk with Astrid Harris, who is playing the iconic role of Céline Dion in Titanique. We discussed how she went from singing opera as a child to musical theatre, what it was like to perform in Titanique in Paris and what she hopes audiences take away from the show.

Giant Steps is an hour-long improvisational show with a bit of a twist - it’s not just the comedians who are improvising! Along with the four performers, there is also a live jazz band on stage, improvising along with the actors based on suggestions from the audience.