MickeyJoTheatre

This week has seen plenty of exciting theatre news about casting in the West End. Today it was announced that Director Jamie Lloyd's latest project would be a major revival of the popular Shakespeare tragedy Romeo & Juliet starring Hollywood actor Tom Holland. But we also recently learned that the latest actress to play the iconic Sally Bowles in Rebecca Frecknall's award-winning reviv...

When Shakespeare's Globe announced that Michelle Terry would play Richard III in an upcoming production of the play of the same name, backlash ensued. Terry, who is the venue's Artistic Director, is an able bodied actress, despite the character being disabled. In this episode Mickey-Jo explains what has happened, talking through statements and open letters and sharing his thoughts on this...

Mickey-Jo recently got back from a week in New York seeing as many Broadway shows as he could, and one of his most hotly anticipated was the new musical HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, currently running at the Belasco Theatre. The show, which is based on the 2015 documentary of the same name, depicts seven young adults with autism in a counselling group who are preparing for a spring formal dance amidst rom...

After sharing his recommendations for UK theatre in 2024, Mickey-Jo is sharing his thoughts on some of the most exciting announced, planned and rumoured shows for this year in the US.With new musicals, plus, revivals and regional productions there are plenty of intriguing and brilliant shows to consider including The Notebook, Cabaret, Sunset Boulevard, Uncle Vanya, and more! Check out the new epi...

Mickey-Jo was recently invited to The Other Palace Theatre in London to see Cruel Intentions: the 90s musical. Check out his new review for his thoughts on this show... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MickeyJoTheatre⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest worldwide in t...

Right now, it feels as though more shows than ever are announcing early closure on Broadway and in the West End. With last season's Shucked, Some Like it Hot and Kimberly Akimbo all set to close before the 2024 Tony Awards, and The Time Traveller's Wife announcing an early West End departure, what are the reasons for these shows struggling to succeed? In fact, even as Mickey-Jo put this ep...

Mickey-Jo finally got the chance to go see the new Mean Girls movie, a screen adaptation of the musical version of the original 2004 film. The new film stars Reneé Rapp, Angourie Rice, Auliʻi Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika, Bebe Wood, and Christopher Briney as the iconic characters. Based on the popular Broadway musical, the film features the songs 'Revenge Party', 'Someone Gets Hur...

Last week saw the delayed opening of THE ENFIELD HAUNTING, a brand new play based on the real-life 1970s poltergeist frenzy. The play stars Catherine Tate and David Threlfall at the Ambassador's Theatre in the West End. This opening was unfortunately notable for many of the wrong reasons as most of the reviews were very negative - consequentially Mickey-Jo booked a ticket straight away and hea...

A musical adaptation of The Great Gatsby is heading to Broadway in 2024!The show, which premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in 2023, will star Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde) and Eva Noblezada (Hadestown, Miss Saigon).Check out today's news recap to find out what Mickey-Jo learned about this show when he attended it's first preview last year...•00:00 | introduction01:...

One of the National Theatre's most successful shows last year was the brand new play, The Motive and the Cue. Written by Jack Thorne, the play has since transferred to the Noel Coward Theatre where it stars Mark Gatiss as Sir John Gielgud and Johnny Flynn as Richard Burton in a dramatisation of their fraught 1960s rehearsal process. Check out the new review to find out why Mickey-Jo enjoyed th...

After Mickey-Jo let you know his favourite and least favourite shows from last year, he's now ready to bring you his UK and London Theatre recommendations for 2024.From Broadway transfers such as Hadestown, Mean Girls and MJ to new plays like Red Pitch and The Motive and the Cue, this is a varied list of exciting productions! Check out the new episode to find out about the plays and musicals h...

Mickey-Jo recently headed to the Curve Theatre in Leicester to see their latest production: a bold revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Evita. The show, which has previously starred Elaine Paige, Patti LuPone, and Madonna as Argentinian former first lady Eva Peron, features such songs as 'Oh What a Circus', 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina' and 'You Must Love Me&#3...

It has just been confirmed that the brand new revival of SUNSET BOULEVARD, led by Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, will transfer to New York with a Broadway run in 2024.West End cast members Tom Francis, Grace Hodgett-Young and David Thaxton will join Scherzinger on Broadway in a theatre that has not yet been disclosed. Check out today's brand new theatre news recap to find out which detai...

In 2023 Mickey-Jo saw nearly 250 plays and musicals, mostly in the UK and the US and recently shared some of his favourites. However, for every show he loves there will always be shows that leave him a little more disappointed. Check out the new episode to find out which shows were his least favourites of 2023. • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platfo...

This year Mickey-Jo saw nearly 250 plays and musicals, mostly in the UK and the US.Check out the new episode to find out which shows made his top 25, and stay tuned until the end to see which show was his favourite of a very busy year of theatregoing... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling fi...

This year Mickey-Jo headed to New York City for the very first time for two trips to Broadway! During his visits he saw 22 Broadway shows (as well as a handful of concerts, off-broadway shows and regional productions) and in this episode, he's ranking them! From Merrily we Roll Along and Hadestown to Bad Cinderella and Funny Girl, he saw plenty of plays and musicals featuring stars like Lea Mi...

Mickey-Jo recently took a trip to Paris, France to see a rarely produced musical: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The show, which is currently being revived at the Lido 2 Paris, began its life as a Tony Award winning Broadway musical with a score by a young Stephen Sondheim. Check out the new review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this zany show, whether it holds up to modern sensi...

Earlier this month Mickey-Jo was invited to Southwark Playhouse Elephant, one of London’s leading off West End venues, to see UNFORTUNATE: The untold story of Ursula the Sea Witch. This is a musical parody of Disney's The Little Mermaid which he first saw in 2018 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this show and who he thinks might be its idea...

Yesterday Mickey-Jo finally headed to the Savoy Theatre in the West End in London to see the hotly anticipated new revival of SUNSET BOULEVARD.The musical, which features a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics and a book from Don Black and Christopher Hampton, has been revived by Jamie Lloyd with Nicole Scherzinger starring as Norma Desmond. On Monday night performances however, the role of Nor...

Based on the global hit Netflix series created by the Duffer Brothers, a prequel play set within the universe of STRANGER THINGS has just opened at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End, London. The play, which is called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, features the Creel family and young versions of popular characters Joyce, Hopper, Bob, and Dr Brenner. Get your tickets to STRANGER THINGS: THE FI...

This week it was announced that Heartstopper star JOE LOCKE and Vanderpump Rules star ARIANA MADIX would both make their Broadway debuts in January 2024.Joe will play Tobias in the revival of Sweeney Todd currently playing at the Lunt Fontane Theatre, with Sutton Foster and Aaron Tveit soon to join him in the show's leading roles. Ariana, meanwhile, will star as Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Am...

Last night in London, DIANA the musical was finally seen by a UK audience as it was produced for a one night only concert at the Hammersmith Apollo. The concert starred Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Denise Welch (Loose Women), Maiya Quansah-Breed (Six), Andy Coxon (Les Misérables), Alice Fearn (Come From Away), and Jay Perry (Hamilton).Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on this concert, whi...

Mickey-Jo was recently invited to the West End screening of Disney's latest animated film: Wish, which is part of the Disney 100 celebrations. The film features the voice talents of Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as Magnifico. Check out the review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the story, the score and some of the negative feedback seen online... • About Mickey-Jo: As one of the leading...

In a strange turn of events, December will see the arrival of two different shows based on Gwyneth Paltrow's well documented skiing accident trial to London stages. After one of the shows, 'Gwyneth Goes Skiing' garnered unexpected international news coverage and the second, 'I Wish You Well' was quickly announced, theatregoers were left puzzled...Check out today's theatre n...

Earlier this week Mickey-Jo was invited to the New Victoria Theatre in Woking to see the brand new UK Tour of PRETTY WOMAN the musical. The show, which is based on the beloved 1990 film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, currently stars Amber Davies (9 to 5, Back to the Future), Oliver Savile (Wicked), Ore Oduba (The Rocky Horror Show), and Natalie Paris (Six).Check our the review for Mickey...