Arts & Toast

What happens when a historic English country house opens its doors to celebrate one of the world's most colourful festivals? In this episode of Arts & Toast , Kirsty Corbett visits the story behind Diwali at Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire , exploring how the National Trust property is bringing South Asian culture, heritage and local communities together through a vibrant celebration of the Festi...

What happens when a musical is made for headphones? In this episode of Arts and Toast , host Kirsty Corbett talks with composer and creator Jeff Flaster about transforming inspiration from an O. Henry story, a Hudson River School painting, and Beethoven into Jimmy Valentine - an audio musical built around the power of sound. Jeff explains how four notes became the foundation for 18 songs, how his...

In an interview with Kirsty Corbett of Arts & Toast, Shalisha James-Davis discusses her role as Portia & Octavius Casar in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s  Julius Caesar , starring alongside RSC Associate Artist Dame Harriet Walter, known for  Law & Order  and  Star Wars , and Jackie Clune, whose credits include  EastEnders  and numerous musical theatre productions. The production is t...

Looking for comedy, theatre and live entertainment in Nottingham and the East Midlands? In this episode of Arts & Toast, Kirsty Corbett sits down with award-winning Scottish comedian Larry Dean to talk stand-up comedy, live performance, touring life, creativity, music and his latest tour, Hellbent . Together, they explore the highs and lows of being a stand-up comedian, the nerves and pressure...

🎸 Get ready to rock with Arts & Toast! This week, Kirsty Corbett goes behind the scenes of We Will Rock You , the iconic Queen musical produced by KTCo Studios , coming to Derby Theatre from 27–31 October . Join us as we chat with Hilary, who plays the fabulous Killer Queen, and Gary, who takes on the role of Buddy. They share their experiences of performing in this high-energy musical, from...

Join Kirsty Corbett & Kerry Ellis for an inspiring conversation with West End star Kerry Ellis as she reflects on her incredible musical theatre career, from her early days as an understudy in My Fair Lady to leading roles in iconic productions including Wicked and We Will Rock You . Ahead of her concert at Repton’s 400 Hall Theatre in Derbyshire, Kerry shares the stories behind her journey, h...

Kirsty Corbett talks to storyteller Debs Newbold about the extraordinary life of Grace O’Malley (Gráinne Mhaol), a 16 th Century Irish clan chief, political rebel and legendary pirate queen. Debs has spent eight years bringing Gráinne’s story to life through performance, and her current tour is already selling out venues across the UK. The pair discuss the woman behind the legend, why her story ha...

In this episode of Arts & Toast, Kirsty Corbett talks to Chris Sims, director of Karuna Productions, about the power of theatre to create empathy, compassion and a deeper understanding of one another alongside his production company's debut show at Nottingham Arts Theatre from 20 - 24 October 2026. Chris discusses Karuna Productions’ Nottingham roots, its commitment to radical empathy, and the...

In this episode of the Arts & Toast podcast, Kirsty Corbett talks to acclaimed British-Jamaican multidisciplinary artist Quilla Constance (QC) about her creative journey, performance art and her most ambitious exhibition to date, Activating Intersections , at New Art Exchange in Nottingham. Opening on 10 October 2026, Activating Intersections brings together monumental oil paintings, costume,...

In this episode of the Arts & Toast Podcast , Kirsty Corbett chats to Northern Ballet soloist Harris Beattie about his journey from Aberdeen and Billy Elliot to becoming one of the company’s leading dancers, and his latest role as Jack in Michael Pink’s Cinderella as they prepare to open their UK premier at Nottingham Theatre Royal on 23 October 2026. Harris talks candidly about his career, tr...

In this episode, we explore the powerful role of music, creativity and the arts in healthcare across the East Midlands with Rosie Rutherford, lead of the music programme at Air Arts. Rosie shares her experiences of bringing live music and creative activity into clinical environments, and explains how the arts can make a meaningful difference to patients, families and healthcare staff. The conversa...

Celebrating Community at Derby Feste Join us in Derby City Centre as we explore the creativity, community and culture of Derby Feste — a vibrant, free festival bringing live performance and entertainment to audiences of all ages. We hear from Cllr Gurkiran Kaur and street artists & performers, including Simple Cypher & Sur Mesure , about the importance of accessible arts, outdoor performan...

Danny Reubens on Dance, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Arts Education & Performing at the Royal Albert Hall In this episode, we’re joined by dancer and performer Danny Reubens for an insightful conversation about dance, performance, storytelling and life as a professional dancer. Danny talks about his career in the performing arts, his work with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures , performing i...

Tell Me Where It Hurts – Live at Nottingham Playhouse Award-winning theatre company Teepee Productions brings Tell Me Where It Hurts to Nottingham Playhouse on 15 October . Written by actor, writer and producer Tayla Kenyon, Kirsty sat down to find out about this powerful comedy-drama which shines a vital spotlight on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) . Balancing humour, heart and hard truths...

In this interview, we explore the delightful chaos of theatre production, where creativity meets absurdity. Three members of the cast, James Keningdale, Katherine Perkins & Tom Mitchell, share their experiences from rehearsals filled with laughter and unexpected moments, all while preparing for their newest show under the direction of Cal McCrystal. This interview is a behind-the-scenes look r...

Join Kirsty as she explores the joy, pranks and spirit of panto season with Buxton Opera House’s panto stars Catherine Pugh & Jamie Davis-Fletcher. The three share their insights on the enchanting world of pantomime, revealing the joy, laughter, and occasional chaos that come with it. The conversation takes a hilarious turn as they share stories of onstage mishaps. From unexpected ad-libs to c...

Kara-Ami McCreanor brings first-hand experience of the ABBA phenomenon to Repton’s 400 Hall Theatre on Sunday 27 September, as part of Mark Robert Petty Presents… The West End Sings… The Music of ABBA. Having joined ABBA Voyage in 2024, Kara-Ami has spent the past two years performing ABBA’s iconic songs to audiences from around the world. She now brings that experience to this special live celebr...

Alex Bourne talks to Kirsty Corbett of Arts & Toast Podcast about his enduring love of musical theatre, his career across major productions including Chicago , We Will Rock You and Mamma Mia , and the joy of performing live eight shows a week. Now appearing in Annie , Alex reflects on the camaraderie of touring, his long-standing friendship and on-stage chemistry with Claire Sweeney, and the f...

Were you at this weekend's Darley Park weekender? Full of Derby based love, iconic artists such as JLS, Katrina from Katrina & The Waves & Billy Ocean joined the people of Derby for a weekend of live music. Kirsty Corbett of Arts & Toast was able to catch up with two Derby based bands who were supporting this weekend's lineup including "Cassette Roulette" & "Public Eye" to find out...

Whilst in the middle of the UK Tour of "The Last Laugh" Simon Cartwright discusses his role as Bob Monkhouse with Arts & Toast's Kirsty Corbett. Simon chats about the profound influence Bob Monkhouse had on his journey into comedy, from first seeing him as a child to meeting him professionally and eventually creating a one-person play celebrating his life and work. The interview explores mento...

Kirsty Corbett from the Arts & Toast podcast joins David Turner from Derby Uncovered to discuss lif  & events at Derby Market Hall, where independent traders are working together to create events, attract visitors and build a stronger market community. They chat about upcoming events, the importance of supporting independent businesses and the challenges created by changes to footfall and...

Kirsty from Arts & Toast chats with Dea Matrona , the Belfast-based female duo making their mark on the music scene as self-producing, authentic and successful artists . In this honest conversation, they talk about their journey as musicians, the freedom and challenges of self-producing their own music , and why staying true to themselves is so important as artists. They also share some of the...

Kirsty from Arts & Toast chats with Martyn Walsh about an incredible 37 years with Inspiral Carpets , reflecting on the band’s journey, the music industry and everything that has changed along the way. Martyn shares his thoughts on how the music industry has evolved , from the early days of Inspiral Carpets to the very different landscape musicians navigate today. But despite all the changes,...

🎙️ NEW PODCAST: Tom from The Lottery Winners on music, ADHD, Robbie Williams & holding it in! 😂 Kirsty from Arts & Toast chats with Tom from The Lottery Winners about the freedom music gives him — and how stepping onto a stage allows him to unmask from ADHD, let go of expectations and simply be himself . They also dive into the band’s exciting upcoming support dates with Robbie Williams i...

🎙️ New Podcast Interview: Beans on Toast We caught up with Beans on Toast for a brilliant conversation about his love of Derbyshire , the places that inspire him, life on the road, and what keeps him writing and performing after all these years. Beans also talks about his upcoming live gig at Nottingham Arboretum — a unique outdoor setting for what promises to be a fantastic summer show. 🌳🎶 If y...