MusicalTalk - The UK's Independent Musical Theatre Podcast

Thos sits down to discuss cult favourite, [Title of Show], with the Producer, Director and Musical Director of a recent five star production to investigate whether the piece is verbatim theatre and how life can imitate art imitating life in an authentic way.  Now, will this episode prove to be more than nine people's favourite thing?

Disney's Beauty and the Beast has been remade for a new audience - complete with a CGI Beast, Emma Watson and an enhanced story line with some new songs by Sir Tim Rice and Alan Menken. Here is what Nick, Antonia and Michael had to say about it!

Nick shares his thoughts on the new musical of THE GIRLS - by Tim Firth and Gary Barlow - playing at the Phoenix Theatre - and discuss whether pop song writers doing musicals can actually work if a dramatist is behind it. Nick then talks to 2 stars of the show - Sophie Louise Dann and Claire Moore. We then hear a demo of the show's opening number by Gary Barlow.

Nick and Antonia travel further down the yellow brick road of the history of the Hollywood film musical - discussing trends and tropes seen in the 60s all the way to today. We chat about Rocky Horror, Grease, Les Mis, Disney, Cabaret, Chicago and many more... and also return to the (nearly) Academy Award winning La La Land!

Nick and Antonia bring you all the way back to the beginnings of the Hollywood musical - and trace its development throughout its early days discussing the Hays Code, the talents involved and the trends that formed. Michael Gordon Shapiro brings us bang up to date with his views on the recent filmed recording of the recent stage musical based on the recent-ish film of the true (but not-so-recent)...

As Henry Carpenter's wonderful new show, Summer Nights in Space, premieres at the Vault Festival in Waterloo, Thos  sat down with the writer, director and actors to talk about new science fiction musical odyssey – so listen to some of the songs and enjoy the atmosphere whilst hearing about a story that takes place beyond it!

Nick and Michael share their thoughts on the latest "filmusical" to come out of Hollywood. It's been nominated for 14 Academy Awards and has made people fall in love with the genre all over again - but does it deserve to be called a musical? Hear what we have to say...

Mike Shapiro talks to performer/writer/producer Marla Mindelle about performing on Broadway and then restarting her career virtually afresh in Los Angeles.

Thos talks to Ben Pollard and Joseph Beesley about their roles as co-director and musical director of a recent highly successful and well thought through production of Stephen Sondheim's complex and intricate, Merrily We Roll Along, to see what symmetry, connections and clues they could unscramble from within this wonderful Faberge Egg of a musical.  And does this show break Sondheim's own adage "...

Thos talks to Rick Guard, one of the people behind the new sell-out musical, Stop the Train, which was one of the big shows at last year's Edinburgh festival fringe – one of those rare shows that has a buzz about it!  Hear the songs from the show and learn how this superb piece of musical theatre gained traction….

Happy New Year from MusicalTalk! To celebrate, Nick and Antonia look at the ups and downs of 2016 - with everything from re-reviewing shows we've seen to saluting those we lost. To counterbalance that, they also look forward to 2017... will it be a good year? Let's hope so! We discuss Hamilton, LaLa Land, Beauty and the Beast, the ENO's upcoming Carousel, Strictly Ballroom, Dreamgirls and so much...

Yes, it's that time once again to get your feet up, your ears open and your expectations down for the annual end of year MusicalTalk quiz.  There are twelve questions, and one or two are even quite easy! And if you don't know the answers, it doesn't matter as there's a plethora (yes, I said plethora) of songs to enjoy.   So wave goodbye to 2016 and have a fantastic new year from everyone at Musica...

Nick and Antonia discuss Sister Act - currently touring the UK - and we also hear from legendary songwriter Tony Hatch as he, along with David Wood, talk to Nick about their musical - Rock Nativity. Nick and Antonia also have a tiny rant about audience etiquette!

It's time to look behind you once again and then settle down to listen to Thos as he concludes his in-depth interview with pantomime author, actor and expert, Andrew Pollard, as they discuss all things panto as well as this year's offering at the Greenwich Theatre, the all new pantomime , Peter Pan – A New Adventure!  You'll be hooked!

Join Thos as he gets to talk to the king of London pantomime, respected writer and dame-par-excellence, Andrew Pollard.  In this in-depth discussion, they talk about Andrew's fascinating career, the history of British Pantomime and its ties with music hall and variety, and his brand new panto, Peter Pan – A New Adventure, currently playing to packed houses at the Greenwich Theatre. Remember, the t...

Nick welcomes new presenter Antonia Gentile into the MusicalTalk studio to discuss her views on the role of the female in everything from opera to Disney. Nick also shares, with Thos Ribbits, his views on School of Rock - now playing at the New London Theatre to great critical acclaim.

As we celebrate Ten years and 500 episodes let's go back to where it all started with original presenters - Nick Hutson and Andrew Edwards. Hear as they review a major event from every year MusicalTalk has been broadcasting. Expect talk of Hamilton, Wicked, Matilda, Olympics, Les Misérables, Rent, Miss Saigon, Gypsy, Book of Mormon and a history lesson about Sweeney Todd... and strong language.

As MusicalTalk celebrates ten years of broadcasting with almost five hundred episodes (and counting) in the bag, Thos looks to the future of the show with extracts of forthcoming programmes: Hear about Allegro, Merrily We Roll Along, [title of show], Peter Pan, The Good Companions and Florodora, as well as chats on pantomime, revue, Noel Coward, Stephen Sondheim, new writing and old and enjoy the...

There's no need to be poe-faced about this week's episode as Michael Gordon Shapiro catches up with the people behind The House of Edgar, a wonderfully evocative and tuneful new musical about the legacy of Edgar Allan Poe which wowed reviewers and public alike at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.  With a fascinating discussion and four songs to enjoy, you'd be raven mad to miss it!

Thos joins the people behind the cult favourite, Vampire Hospital Waiting Room (yes, really!), to talk about their latest hilarious hit musical, Apocalypse Cruise Ship Love Affair (yes, really!).  Enjoys songs from the show and learn about this insanely marvellous nautical nightmare prior to its London run at the Arts Theatre (yes, really!).

Join Thos as he invites you to join him looking at three very different shows and listening to six very excellent songs in this episode from the Fringe as he talks about Michael Griffiths's one man Cole Porter show as well as The Shot Heard Round the World and the utterly delightful, Like Clockwork – and that's not a wind up!

Thos and Michael gather together again to cast an eye over a number of fringe shows including Pawn, When You Improv on a Star, The Princes' Quest, Ordinary Days, The Shot Heard Round the World and Like Clockwork, before analysing the oddity that is the perennial favourite, Lionel Bart's Oliver!

For the next two weeks, Thos is joined by noted musical theatre writer, Michael Gordon Shapiro, to discuss Michael's very first Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the shows he saw there.  This week, we'll be hearing music and musings on Stop the Train, Ushers, the House of Edgar and Van Helsing's Music Box as Michael casts a professional eye over some of the best of the Fest!

It's songs aplenty as we join Thos for a lively chat with the talented Laurence Owen, the creator and star of this year's hit one man musical spoof show, Cinemusicals High, and then explore the plot and score of Dolly Parton's Nine to Five and new show, Confessions of a Justified Songwriter, with actor and cajón-tapper extraordinaire, Cairan Walshe.

In what is now an annual tradition, Thos sits down with noted reviewer from Broadway Baby, Joshua Clarke, to chat and review some of the highlights from this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  On the bill of fare this week, it's [Title of Show], The Vaudevillains, Adam and Eve and Steve, The Ivor Novello Story, Promise and Promiscuity, Trust Me, I'm a Drama Teacher, and the astoundingly good How t...