MusicalTalk - The UK's Independent Musical Theatre Podcast

Nick Hutson talks to Jonathan Cohen about his thoughts on the new satirical musical from Steve Brown and Harry Hill telling the story of Tony Blair - now playing at the Park Theatre in London. 

This week we welcome back Mike Dixon to discuss his new autobiography - Turn Around and Take A Bow - which explores over 40 years of stories, anecdotes and life lessons from Mike!

Nick sits down with composer/lyricist Steve Brown to discuss the proper art of songwriting when it comes to his previous projects including I Can't Sing, Spend Spend Spend, Spitting Image and his new musical - TONY! The Tony Blair Rock Opera.

Nick is joined by blogger and self confessed "defender of the Jukebox Musical" - Rebecca - to discuss thoughts on the genre, its history and highlights! 

It's an unparalleled Troy Story in this weeks episode as we join Thos as the talks to Mike about the 2015 musical, Horseplay – The Troy Musical.  And there's a chance to hear a vintage recording of Kit Hesketh-Harvey in conversation with Thos about his recent new English translation of Offenbach's La Belle Helene, renamed Troy Boy.  Time to say Hi to the High Kings of Troy.

In this episode, Mike and Thos take a close look at one of the best musicals from the 2021 Edinburgh Festival Fringe (and award winner at the Denver Festival Fringe), Color Inside the Lines by Jenny Stafford.  Hear how they find the show to be the perfect example of a small, poignant, one performer musical and a surprising gem filled with craft and even visual leitmotifs.   

Welcome back to the second part of the conversation with Mike and Thos about Twisted – The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier as they study the craft and skill on display in this amusing parody musical before Thos concludes his unexpected look at viziers in musicals as he discusses The Rose of Persia, Arthur Sullivan's last comic musical from 1899.   

It's time to join Mike and Thos and they investigate Twisted – The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier – the 2013 musical trying to do for Jafar from the Aladdin film what Wicked did for the Wicked Witch of the West.  Find out how far a parody musical can move you, and then join Thos for a quick look at the history of viziers in musical history as he talks about Kismet, the 1953 Broadway hit.

Join Mike and Thos as they explore the "bonkers but brilliant" show, Timpsons the Musical and find out how an American responded to this entirely culturally British phenomenon (clue: he loved it!). There's also talk about this shows connection to the lost world of the industrial musical.  And remember, never eat a taco – from a bin!!

Nick talks to YouTube and singing sensation/impressionist Christina Bianco about appearing in Jim Cartwright's THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE - soon to be touring the UK. 

Jonthan Cohen chats to Nick about working with British actress - Lynda Baron - who died recently.  Jonathan talks about working with her on songs they did together for Come Outside and also her stint in Cameron Mackintosh's FOLLIES in the eighties.  

Does Cyrano de Bergerac retain its panache in film musical form? Tonia and Mike discuss the recent movie adaptation starring Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Dom talks to Nick about how it feels to be treading the boards again, how the pandemic, he thinks, has changed casting and his future role in adult pantomime! Nick then talks about his afternoon tea at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and what shows we have coming up in 2022!

Nick and Dom discuss the spectacular muscial - Moulin Rouge - now platying at the Picadilly Theatre in London's West End.  Nick also tells how he introduced Dom to Victoria Wood's final musical - The Day We Sang - starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton - and avaiable to purcahse online.

Episode 748:  Jesus Christ Superstar(s) – Part 2:  Tom and Thos still have Heaven on their minds as they continue their in-depth chat about just how JCS has survived and adapted over fifty years on stage in the UK and internationally.

Settle down to listen to Tom and Thos as they find out what's the buzz about Jesus Christ Superstar and how it's successfully adapted itself to changing times over fifty years. Tom is certain that everything's alright whereas JCS virgin Thos simply doesn't know how to love it.

It's a two player game as Josh and Thos get hot with excitement about Be More Chilled, the show that is somehow both a cult and completely mainstream.  Listen as they get in sync about its many strengths and touch on its unexpected timelessness. You won't find it hard to swallow!

It's a brand new year so it must be time for our traditional MusicalTalk musical theatre quiz – a merry mix of quirky questions and superb songs compiled for your pleasure by Thos.  This time it's all about the late Stephen Sondheim who was no mean compiler of mysteries himself. So, old friends, something's coming! And with so little to be sure of, now you know! It might be agony but once you've g...

MusicalTalk rounds up its tributes to the late Stephen Sondheim with a historic conversation from the time of his eightieth birthday in 2010 looking at the works of Sondheim, warts and all!

Thos revisits a 2014 interview with David Overton of the Sondheim Society in which Sondheim and his works were discussed in depth, as well as the then new revue called God, a Musical Celebration and Parody of Stephen Sondheim.

MusicalTalk again pays tribute to the late great Stephen Sondheim with a further selection of interviews and discussions about the great man taken from fifteen years of the extensive MusicalTalk archive including about Putting It Together, Follies, Merrily We Roll Along, Saturday Night, Anyone Can Whistle and Sondheim himself.

MusicalTalk remembers the late great Stephen Sondheim with a selection of interviews and discussions about the great man taken from fifteen years of the extensive MusicalTalk archive touching on Passion, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, Anyone Can Whistle, Saturday Night, Company and Revues.

For the next few weeks - we will be celebrating the legendary Stephen Sondheim - who recently died aged 91.  This week Nick replays a section from a podcast where he was invited to attend the press junket of the film of Sweeney Todd.    

This week, Thos and Josh get square eyes as they have a four cornered in-depth discussion about shows you could have watched online this summer as part of the EdFringe's new virtual streaming options including the classic Weill and Brecht musical, The Seven Deadly Sins.

  This week, Thos talks to Josh about his visit – in person – to the EdFringe this summer, and how it differed to previous years.  And we hear reviews and conversations about everything from Elvis to Ivor Novello and Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds to the Gondoliers.