Cat Stevens, Yusuf on tour and Moonshadow

Cat Steven is currently engaged on a concert tour at the same time as his new musical, Moonshadow is being prepared for a possible West End run.

But according to the Times Online review, all is not going too well.

The bad vibes began when Islam paused the performance for a 40-minute preview of his forthcoming musical, Moonshadow. A cast led by the former Hear’say singer Noel Sullivan trooped on to act, dance and deliver a mix of new material as well as the Cat Stevens classics Father and Son and Wild World. By the latter, streams of people were walking out, dismayed at Islam for handing over his hits. In truth, the musical segment lasted far too long and was confusingly introduced. In the West End of London, where it is expected to open next year, Moonshadow could go down a storm. In front of an audience who had come to hear Islam trawl his back catalogue, it was never going to work.

However, the bulk of the audience remained for a final segment of the show that began on shaky ground — they groaned as Islam introduced more new songs and pulled a plucky Sullivan back on to duet — but ended on a high with a lengthy, rocky rendition of Peace Train. (read more)

Oh dear, at first sight that wouldn’t seem to bode well for the musical. The people who want to be nostalgic about the songs may not be the right audience for the new show yet nostalgia would seem to be its main appeal. On the other hand there’s a lot of great material in that back catalogue and still some time left to turn it into a popular musical with wider appeal than just the hard core Cat Stevens fans who would only ever want to hear himself singing his old hits.

The Telegraph has a short interview which examines his life journey Yusuf Islam: coming out of the Moonshadows

..he continues to attract new audiences – his singing voice, at least, crosses generations and he recently won new fans when a track of his was used in the television show Skins.

and a review of the same concert the Times correspondent went to

Gosh, what a show. There was a standing ovation, disgruntled walk outs, some unfeasibly beautiful music, some “we are bored” slow hand clapping plus a surprise appearance by Ronan Keating. Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, must be feeling very confused this morning.

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On Tuesday Nov 3rd 2009 many West End Musicals favourites will be helping light up the city as part of the switch on of London’s Christmas lights. At 3 main venues in the centre of London stars from major productions will be involved in the switch on.

Sister Act – Oxford Circus

It’s the 50th Anniversary of the Christmas lights in Oxford St and the Sister Act cast will be there in force to make sure the ceremony goes with a swing. The switch will be flicked by Jim Carey (no really, Truman himself!),  the girl group The Saturdays, Taio Cruz will also entertain the crowds.

Sister Act

Oliver! – Regent St

Oliver! star Jodie Prenger and the London Community Gospel Choir will be at Regent St. Colin Firth (down girls!) will be doing the switch on. The Noisettes and  Daniel Merriweather will also be performing.

Jodie Prenger as Nancy in Oliver

Hairspray – St Paul’s Cathedral

The cast of Hairspray will be at St Paul’s Cathedral, along with Spandau Ballet, Little Boots, St Paul’s Cathedral Choir and Bob Hoskins doing the honours.

St Paul's Cathederal, London

More stars will no doubt soon be announced and I’ll keep you posted here on the Theatre Breaks blog

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I expect everyone has heard the sad news of the untimely death of Stephen Gately. Stephen Gately was probably best known as a leading member  of the boyband Boyzone. He went on to  star in the West End and in touring productions of several musicals.

He took the lead in Bill Kenwright’s production of Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the New London Theatre in 2003. He later went on to play the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2004.

He’ll probably be best remembered for singing the lead vocals on “No Matter What,” a song taken from the score to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s  ill fated musical Whistle Down the Wind.

Stephen Gately

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Peter Townsend of The Who has written anther rock musical. This one isn’t about growing up but rather about growing old. The musical is called Floss and tells the story of an ageing pub rocker and relationship with his wife.
Songs from the show will appear on the next Who album. Townsend is said to be in talks for a US opening in 2011.
He says he wants to tackle the issues the Baby Boomers are facing as they realise they didn’t die before they got old. The music will reflect the anger and disillusionment of this newly retired generation.
Meanwhile that other Townsend offering, Quadrophenia continues its UK tour.

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A new Cast for Calendar Girls from July 28th.

Jerry Hall

Jerry Hall, ex-model and ex Mrs Mick Jagger, she of the long blond hair and even longer legs will be joining the cast of Calendar Girls from July 28th! Jerry’s West End credits include Mrs Robinson in The Graduate and Mother Lord in the 2005 production of High Society

Dot Cotton in Calendar Girls

EastEnders star June Brown (Dot) will also join the ladies of Calendar Girls. Of course, June is a stunning actress so she’ll help to bolster the cast. In real life June couldn’t be further from the part she plays in Eastenders as she’s actually a very elegant lady.

The Eastenders connection doesn’t end there as Anita Dobson is also joining the cast.

The other cast members will include Gemma Atkinson, Jill Halfpenny, Jill Baker, Richenda Carey and Jack Ryder.

I can’t help feeling that there will be even more laughs backstage with this line up! I’d love to be a fly on the wall when that lot start dishing the dirt!

The new cast will join the show on July 28 until October 17.

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Mamma Mia!

MAMMA MIA! at the Prince of Wales Theatre will have major cast changes from Monday 15 June 2009.

The Mamma Mia Cast list

• Sally Ann Triplett as Donna Sheridan,
• Katy Secombe as Rosie
• Jane Gurnett as Tanya.
• Norman Bowman as Sam Carmichael,
• Paul Ryan as Harry Bright,
• Christopher Hollis as Bill Austin,
• Niamh Perry as Sophie Sheridan,
• Oliver Hembrough as Sky,
• Jodie Read as Ali,
• Laura Selwood as Lisa,
• Ben Heathcote as Pepper
• Sam McKay as Eddie.
• Melissa Jacques as alternate Donna Sheridan

Some of the new cast members (Sally Ann Triplett, Katy Secombe and Norman Bowman) have good West End credentials.
Christopher Hollis is better known for his TV work (EastEnders, The Bill, A Touch of Frost)
Of course we’ll all recognise Niamh Perry as she was a finalist on I’d Do Anything on BBC One. She didn’t win the role of Nancy but she was very, very good. I think she’ll be excellent as Sarah.

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Michelle Williams is Chicago’s new Roxy

New Chicago star Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams (ex-Destiny’s Child) is to make her West End stage debut starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago.

The US singer will appear at London’s Cambridge Theatre from July 13 until August 22.

Michelle first made her name with Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland in Destiny’s Child.

She released a solo album in 2002. She made her stage debut in the title role in the musical Aida on Broadway .
She has also played Shug Avery in the musical of The Color Purple, in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Michelle got very good reviews for her performance in the tour and I think it bodes very well for her time in Chicago.

Here she is at the 2006 Tony’s with the rest of the cast. (BTW doesn’t this sound like a great musical. I’d love to see it come here!)

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West End Live 2009 will take place on Saturday the 20th (11am to 6pm) and Sunday the 21st of June (12noon to 6pm). The venue will be Leicester Square.

This is the 5th annual West End Live and promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s extravaganza.

Although there’s no official running order or confirmations yet it seems likely we can expect to see performances from new shows like Priscilla and SIster Act as well as several of the more established favourites. As ever there will be some extracts from new off West End shows as well.

As soon as I hear what the running order will be I’ll post it here so you can plan your trip to be sure of seeing favourites. I really want to see Sister Act!

West End Live 2008

Last year’s West End Live was fantastic and well worth putting up with the crowds.

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Serious drama is the new black

Writing in the Evening Standard Nicholas Hytner makes a ‘confident prediction’. He says:

the hot tickets in London this summer will be for Shakespeare, Chekhov and Racine.

He suggests there’s serious hunger amongst the theatre audience for more complex plays. He goes on to say:

Over the next few months, sold out houses, a thousand strong, will discover again that honesty, intelligence and nobility of mind can be a crippling handicap (Hamlet).

That the destruction of a decayed old order is necessary and absolutely heart-breaking (The Cherry Orchard).

That obsessive love is an affliction that can turn a woman into a stalker (All’s Well That Ends Well) or prompt her to accuse an innocent young man of rape (Phedre) – but that in both cases the audience will stay with her, will not easily condemn, will not turn tabloid editor and cry witch.

I can’t disagree with any of that. They are all productions that I’d love to see. Rich, complex, serious drama. And there is an audience for it. Those productions, in the main, sell out before most of that potential audience can even book seats.

He’s not saying the West End musicals are dead. He’s being much more subtle than that. His point seems to be that the London theatre can both celebrate and satirise ‘pop culture’. I think he might be saying that we can have our ‘jukebox’, feel-good, musicals so long as they come with a suitable spoon full of self-awareness and make us think, as well as sing.

It will become part of a London theatre that is thriving because it provides escape, because it both satirises and embraces a debased popular culture. But above all, because it is serious. And it turns out that serious is what the public wants.

What do you want?

I hate to point out the obvious but Nicholas Hytner is Director of the National Theatre. To an extent he has to believe serious drama is what the public wants.

So it’s over to you, dear reader, what is it that you want?

More serious drama? Or more fluff like Legally Blonde?

(Oh and please, don’t try to persuade me it’s making a serious feminist point!)

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I’ve found a great new free way to listen to original cast recordings of lots of musicals on my computer. Right now I’m enjoying Zorro!

Spotify is a legal way to listen to music online either for free (with occasional ads) or if you pay for premium it’s ad free.

Spotify is sort of like radio on demand. It’s a streaming service so you can’t store the music on your computer or transfer it to an MP3 player but it’s good enough to listen to music whilst working on your computer.

You can make up your own playlists and share them with friends.

The service pays a small fee to access the songs legally so it’s perfectly ok to use. You have to download the software onto your computer but it’s really easy and works on both PC and Mac computers via Adobe Air

Cast recordings I found on Spotify so far

They are adding stuff all the time so it’s worthwhile searching. So far I’ve managed to find:

They are lots more – so I hope you enjoy Spotify.

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