Theatre Audience Podcast

This episode, we're heading to Mount Olympus as we review Disney's  Hercules , now lighting up the West End. Has Disney finally found another stage musical to rival  The Lion King ? We discuss whether  Hercules  succeeds by reimagining the beloved 1997 animated classic, why Disney's live-action remakes continue to divide opinion, and what makes a great stage adaptation in the f...

In this episode, we're joined by Jordan Luke Gage to talk about one of our favourite new musicals of the year,  Redcliffe . Known for his incredible work on stage, Jordan has now turned his hand to writing, composing and lyric-writing, creating a show that feels both deeply personal and remarkably assured. After seeing  Redcliffe , we had to sit down and chat about the journey behind it....

In this episode, we explore three powerful productions that tackle some of the biggest questions facing society today. From the dangers of deepfake technology and online voyeurism to supernatural terror during wartime Iran and an inspiring true story of ingenuity in Malawi, these are shows that challenge, move and ultimately stay with you long after the curtain falls. Are You Watching? What happen...

This episode, Darren sits down with acclaimed stage and screen actor JJ Feild. Currently starring in the world premiere of Ben Ockrent's darkly comic family drama  Relics  at the Lyric Hammersmith, JJ discusses the appeal of the play, its exploration of family dynamics and the secrets we inherit. The conversation also takes a broader look at his remarkable career, from returning to the s...

This episode, we're talking horses - but in two very different theatrical experiences. Natalie reviews Peter Shaffer's psychological masterpiece Equus at the Menier Chocolate Factory, while Darren heads to the National Theatre for the long-awaited homecoming of the global phenomenon War Horse. Equus What could drive a seemingly ordinary seventeen-year-old boy to commit an act of shocking violence...

This episode, Darren sits down with actor, writer and co-creator Joshua Poole to discuss  Monarchs Anonymous , the riotous new historical farce arriving at The Other Palace. What began as a lockdown YouTube project has evolved into a full-scale stage production, bringing together some of history's most famous rulers for a chaotic group therapy session. Joshua talks about the origins of the sh...

This episode, we're joined by writer-director Ellie Coote and composer-lyricist Jack Godfrey, the award-winning creative team behind the smash-hit new musical Hot Mess. Following acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Southwark Playhouse, Hot Mess returns this summer for an extended London season at The Other Palace. The high-energy original romcom reimagines the climate crisis as the...

This episode, we head from the streets of Victorian London to the African savannah, with a stop at the most delightfully absurd cabaret in town. We review Cameron Mackintosh's spectacular revival of  Oliver! , Disney's enduring theatrical phenomenon  The Lion King , and the wonderfully bonkers physical comedy of  Derrière On A G String  at the King's Head Theatre. Oliver! Camer...

This episode, we celebrate the launch of Sting's return to the stage in The Last Ship, witness Sir Gary Oldman's extraordinary theatrical comeback in Krapp's Last Tape, revisit the magical world of My Neighbour Totoro, enjoy the romantic chaos of Stage Kiss, and experience Cynthia Erivo's astonishing one-woman performance in Dracula. The Last Ship We attended the media launch for The Last Ship, th...

In this episode, we’re joined by rising stage and screen actor  Georgina Fairbanks  to discuss stepping into the legendary West End production of  The Mousetrap  at St Martin's Theatre. Georgina opens up about playing Mollie Ralston in the world’s longest-running play, balancing comedy and tension inside Agatha Christie’s iconic mystery, and why audiences still can’t resis...

In this episode, we head from the glittering celebrations of the Fringe Theatre Awards at the Clapham Grand to the outrageous comedy of  Oh, Mary!  starring Catherine Tate, the fast-paced female ensemble drama  Flush , and a powerful new production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest directed by Clint Dyer. Expect dark comedy, emotional chaos, unforgettable perfor...

This episode, we’re diving into the haunting world of Let the Right One In at the Boulevard Theatre. Darren reviews Jack Thorne’s stage adaptation of the acclaimed Swedish vampire story, discussing how the National Youth Theatre tackled the play’s chilling atmosphere, emotional intensity and ambitious physical theatre within the intimate cabaret-style venue. Darren ta...

This week, we dive into  JEEZUS! ,  A Midsummer Night’s Dream  at Shakespeare's Globe, and  FLYBY  at Southwark Playhouse Borough - three productions fuelled by desire, transformation, and emotional chaos. From queer rebellion in 1990s Peru, to Shakespearean lovers lost in a moonlit forest, to a fractured romance drifting through deep space, these shows explore i...

This episode, we dive into two bold, politically charged productions -  A Doll’s House  at the Almeida Theatre and  Between the River and the Sea  at the Royal Court - each interrogating relationships under pressure. From the fractures within a marriage to the complexities of identity across borders, these shows ask what happens when the systems we rely on - love, family, natio...

This week, we explore three productions -  Dear Jack, Dear Louise ,  Invisible Me  and  An Evening Without Kate Bush - each capturing connection in very different ways: through letters, through late-life reinvention, and through music that brings people together. Natalie talks about the up-coming season at the Young Vic with a sneak peep from Artistic Director Nadia Fall .&nbsp...

This week, we explore three productions that each, in their own way, interrogate identity -through family, through art, and through community. From intimate domestic tensions to bold visual storytelling and vibrant, lived-in spaces, these shows remind us how deeply personal and political our stories can be. The Holy Rosenbergs Written by Ryan Craig and directed by Lindsay Posner, this gripping fam...

In this episode, Darren and Natalie bring together  Paco Peña: Solera ,  John Proctor Is the Villain , and a look at  The Off West End Awards (Offies)  - celebrating bold performance, urgent storytelling and the brilliance of Off-West End theatre. The Off West End Awards (The Offies) We take a moment to celebrate the Offies - the awards that champion the very best of Off-West E...

In this episode, we’re joined by Olivier Award-winning performer, writer and cabaret artist  Sarah-Louise Young , as she brings her wildly successful cult hit  An Evening Without Kate Bush  to Underbelly Boulevard in London. This isn’t your typical tribute show. Kate Bush isn’t in it… and yet she’s everywhere. Blending iconic music, audience participation, and a deep love for fandom...

This week Darren and Natalie take on four strikingly different productions. From dark historical drama –  Savage , and modern dating satire  You Matched With , to world-class dance  Turn it Out with Tiler Peck and Friends  and a raw, music-fuelled classic -  Teeth 'n' Smiles. Savage – White Bear Theatre A chilling and provocative play rooted in real history,  Savage &...

This week Darren and Natalie take on two epic stories reimagined for the stage - from dystopian spectacle with The Hunger Games: On Stage to one of Shakespearean’s most famous tragedy Romeo & Juliet. The Hunger Games: On Stage Citizens of Panem, the arena has arrived in London. This bold new stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ global phenomenon transforms  The Hunger Games  into a l...

Best known to millions as Raquel in the iconic BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses,  Tessa  Peake-Jones  joins Darren to discuss her latest stage role in the heartfelt new comedy-drama  Invisible Me , opening at Southwark Playhouse. Written by Bren Gosling and directed by Scott Le Crass, the play explores dating, loneliness and the search for connection later in life. Followi...

Our guest this week is director and theatre-maker  Jesse Jones , Artistic Director of  Royal & Derngate , who joins Darren to talk about bold programming, new writing, and why theatre should never be afraid of dividing opinion. Jesse’s caree...

This week Darren and Natalie take on three wildly different theatrical experiences - from razor-sharp satire with  The Producers  and dark musical thrills  American Psycho  to outrageous operatic comedy -  The Opera Locos . The Opera Locos – Sadler’s Wells The madcap Spanish company  Yllana  brings its international hit  The Opera Locos  to Sadler’s Wel...

In this special backstage episode, Natalie sits down with  Keala Settle  and  Hal Fowler , the stars of  Mrs. President  at the Charing Cross Theatre - a gripping reimagining of Mary Lincoln’s fight to reclaim her reputation after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Keala Settle delivers a powerhouse performance as a woman vilified by history, navigating grief, public sc...

This week, Darren and Natalie bring you backstage moments, bold new musical theatre, immersive magic and political satire with a photo call for  World’s Greatest Lover , Natalie took her school kids to see  Into the woods  and Darren attended the press night of  I’m Sorry, Prime Minister . World’s Greatest Lover – Photo Call & Cast Chats We were at the photo call for the hi...