Kat Mokrynski - Page 5

Today, Ben Forster’s album, Musicals Greatest Hits, is released. The album has songs from shows that Forster has starred in, like “Gethsemane” from Jesus Christ Superstar and “Music Of The Night” from The Phantom of the Opera, as well as others like “The Winner Takes It All” from Mamma Mia! and Wicked’s “For Good.”

Even from the title of Bloody Mary and the Nine Day Queen, one can tell whose side writer Gareth Hides is on. The new musical, directed by Adam Stone, tells the story of Mary I of England (Cezarah Bonner) and Lady Jane Grey (Anna Unwin), cousins who were caught up in a battle for the Queendom after the death of Edward VI (played by a literal puppet), the son of Henry VIII. The title of the show comes from the nicknames for the two women, with Mary executing Jane after convicting her of treason for her nine-day reign as Queen of England and Ireland.

“If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” This RuPaul quote may seem like a lofty topic for an hour-long comedy show, but Helen Bauer is ready to tackle it. Even though the audience might only see one person on the stage, Helen Bauer: Bless Her is a two-woman show, as Bauer brings her eight-year-old self into the spotlight at the request of her therapist.

Directed by Jon Brittain, Janine Harouni: This Is What You Waited For has had Harouni travelling around the world, landing in London with her longest stint at Soho Theatre

Recently, we had the chance to speak with David Reed and Humphrey Kerr about Sherlock Holmes & The 12 Days of Christmas. We discussed what inspired them to create the show, taking on the iconic roles of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, and even what it has been like collaborating with Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber!

Recently, we had the chance to speak with Lizzi Gee, who is both the director and choreographer for this production of Ride the Cyclone. We discussed what it has been like taking on both of these creative roles, how it feels to be working on the European premiere of the work and even what she hopes audience members will take away from the show as a whole.

After successful runs in Sheffield and London, Kenrex is arriving at The Other Palace in December. The show, written by Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian with music by John Patrick Elliott, tells the tale of Ken Rex McElroy, a criminal who faced the consequences of his actions at the hands of the townspeople of Skidmore, Missouri in 1981. Holden takes on all of the roles, with Elliott accompanying with live music on stage as well.

To begin with a warning - if you’re not into audience participation, this might not be the show for you. Daisy Doris May: Big Night Out has the comedian bringing several of her iconic characters into the same show, with all of them going to the same club. The audience members are waiting in the queue to get in, interacting with each of May’s characters as they shatter the fourth wall into a million pieces.

Do you remember the book that made you fall in love with reading? Maybe it was a book you read in grade school that has stuck with you for your whole life, or even a book that a friend recommended. For Gay Gulman, that book is The Monster At The End of This Book, in which Grover from Sesame Street begs the reader to stop reading the book, as, one might guess, there is a monster at the end that Grover is afraid of. For Gulman, the opening line Grover has on the copyright page, “This is a very dull page,” rivals that of Dickens with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” and Moby Dick’s “Call me Ishmael.”

Richard Coyle talks returning to Atticus Finch on the UK & Ireland tour of To Kill A Mockingbird and why the story remains so vital today.

Cinephiles, get your popcorn ready - Cabbage the Clown is here to take you on a journey to Cinemadrome (definitely not Cineworld). Cabbage the Clown: Cinemadrome, written and performed by Eliza Nelso, brings audiences into the world of Cabbage, who is working a shift at the Cinemadrome, constantly moving between the checking stand, concessions and checking the bins.

From the start of Elouise Eftos: Australia’s First Attractive Comedian, Eftos makes it clear that this isn’t going to be the classic self-deprecating comedy show, walking on stage to lip-sync to a personalised version of the iconic Basic Instinct scene. From there, audiences are introduced to Eftos with a video about how she went viral in Australia after claiming to be “Australia’s First Attractive Comedian” - roll credits!

The West End’s production of MJ the Musical will be coming to a close in February 2026, after opening in March last year. Recently, we had the chance to speak with Jamaal Fields-Green, who is the only person to have played Michael Jackson on Broadway, on tour across North America and now in the West End! We discussed what the process is like to become the iconic performer, his favourite Michael Jackson songs and some of the differences between the West End and Broadway. 

After previous runs in 2022 and 2023, The Book Thief musical finally arrives in London. The Book Thief: A Concert Production was originally scheduled to be performed for one night only on 19 October, but two more performances have been added on 26 October due to popular demand. Recently, we had the chance to speak with Melanie La Barrie, who is playing the role of Death in this production of The Book Thief. We discussed what made her want to be a part of the show, what it is like to perform in a concert production versus a full staged one and even what is appealing to her about playing characters who take on the role of the narrator!

Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical in Concert, starring Cedric Neal as Lloyd Price, arrives at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on 11 October. We had the chance to chat with Neal about what it is like to be taking on the role of the innovative artist, whose work was recorded by legends like Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Paul McCartney. We discussed how he “stumbled into” musical theatre, how concert productions of shows have evolved and even his personal connections to Lloyd Price and his music.

Ghost Stories, written by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, promises audience members at the Peacock Theatre “moments of extreme shock and tension,” warning potential ticket bookers that the show is “unsuitable for anyone under the age of 15” and recommending that those of a “nervous disposition” should “think very seriously before attending.” It’s quite the list of warnings, making one question exactly what they are going to witness in the play.

Hexmoor Wizarding Prison, created by Sam Shearman and written and directed by Tanner Paul, invites audience members to explore a mysterious wizarding prison under Alcotraz, another alcohol-fueled prison theatre experience from Inventive Productions.

Recently, we had the chance to speak with Max Bennett, who plays the role of Saturninus in Titus Andronicus. We discussed how he first got started in the world of theatre, what it’s like performing at the Hampstead Theatre and even how Shakespeare helped him understand musicals!