The WhatsOnStage Podcast

Nancy and Sarah return from their January break full of excitement as Luke Hallgarten, artistic director of the Revel Peck Circus, explains how the art of the circus ring reaches parts other arts really can't reach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah and Nancy tip full-tilt into Christmas with a chat about Scrooge, pantomime dames, and all things festive. What does make a good Christmas show? Why is Sarah so miserable at a pantomime? And why does Nancy love carols? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Second World War, the British government thought the arts mattered enough to fund an entire entertainment arm. After the war, they built new theatres to enrich the peace, Why have we stopped believing culture is important now, when the world is reeling from a pandemic and a cost of living crisis? Nancy and Sarah take the long view of why they care about the arts - and why they should belong to...

As James Graham's new play Best of Enemies transfers to the West End, Nancy and Sarah talk to director Jeremy Herrin about working with new playwrights, the challenges of commercial theatre, the importance of assistant directors - and how a teacher changed his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we begin the run up to Christmas, Nancy and Sarah look back on shows that had a huge impact on them and their children - and the magic ingredients that all kids' shows need Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspired by Dominic Dromgoole's new book First Nights That Changed the World, Nancy and Sarah talk about the rituals of first nights - the food, the parties, the mood in the audience - and the effects they can have. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah welcome their first critic guest, Sarah Hemming, who writes for the Financial Times and the conversation goes all over the place, from the dangers of biscuits onstage to the idea that critics should walk towards a play if they want to be part of the discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah talk to David Hare about actors he has loved, performances he remembers, the difference between writing and directing, why some people loathe the theatre and why critics are so often wrong about breakthrough plays. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Nancy and Sarah went to the Old Vic to see Eureka Day - a comedy about a serious subject. One scene makes the audience collapse with helpless laughter, which got us thinking about the role of laughter in theatre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy and Sarah discuss recent theatrical outings at the Globe, the National Theatre and elsewhere to see multiple versions of Much Ado About Nothing. Why are some Shakespeare plays performed all the time - and should directors be bolder in their choices? Nancy also reveals her understanding of the reason you can't say Macbeth in a theatre - and Sarah shows a sad obsession with alphabetising her p...

In the week after Queen Elizabeth's death, Nancy and Sarah find themselves talking about the way she had been portrayed on stage and screen and how that affects our views - both of her personally and of the monarchy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy has been watching All's Well that Ends Well at the RSC in preview on her travels, and Sarah has been to see a sensational and long-running production of The Seagull. In this week's episode, we talk about the benefits of previews - and why they enrage journalists while helping actors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a visit to the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre to see 101 Dalmatians together, Nancy and Sarah talk about the effects of theatre in the open air - and how different audiences react to different venues. Plus Sarah reports back from her trip to the Edinburgh Festival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As thousands flock to the Edinburgh Festival over the next few weeks, we decided to devote this week's podcast to the joys of being in a city which is totally taken over by art - from the street performers to the most famous international artists. Nancy has performed there as a student; Sarah has watched an awful lot down the years. And we both have very happy memories of the place and what we hav...

Patrick Marber's Closer is 25 years old. As a new version opens at the Lyric Hammersmith, Nancy - who was in the last London revival - and Sarah are joined by the playwright to discuss what it meant when it was first unveiled, what it means now, and the role of critics in making it a success. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy has been part of a project performing all Christopher Marlowe's plays so we took the opportunity to have a chat about the mysterious life and difficult work of a master playwright. Mamma Mia, here we go again.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, as the awards season comes to its end with the announcement of the Tony Awards in New York, we talk about theatrical prizes - what it's like to win one, what it's like to judge them, and what purpose they serve. Plus Nancy describes going into labour in the middle of the Olivier Awards. You won't want to miss this one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...

Nancy Carroll and Sarah Crompton begin by discussing how critics write about actors on stage - and the difficulties of intensely personal descriptions. But then the conversation ranges far and wide to nudity, positive images of bodies, the effect of language on society - and a surprising amount about dogs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Carroll and Sarah Crompton discuss the value of the Ian Charleson Awards - invented by a critic to honour a great actor - and their remarkable success rate in identifying the stars of tomorrow Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Nancy, Sarah and their special guest Rosalie Craig talk about Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein and the great musicals they love - and new productions that are changing our view of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Carroll and Sarah Crompton talk about what it's like to play a real person - Nancy has - and about Bertie Carvel as Donald Trump at the Old Vic. Plus other theatrical incarnations of living people. And a bit about Jerusalem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actress Nancy Carroll and critic Sarah Crompton discuss what plays should be revived- and what it's like to work at the National Theatre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our theatrical encounters, we introduce ourselves and discuss the role of the critic and how it feels as an actress when you get a bad review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.