JANE MCDONALD - THEATRE INTERVIEW

PANTOMIME INTERVIEWS 2014:
Jane McDonald - Jack and the Beanstalk (Birmingham Hippodrome)

Last week, we brought you a review of Loose Woman, Singer-Songwriter and all-round National Treasure Jane McDonald's latest UK Tour, Singer of Your Song, citing it as 'classy', 'tour-de-force' and 'supremely impressive'. This week, in the second part of our Jane triple-dip, Kyle caught up with her at the Birmingham Hippodrome to discuss her upcoming panto debut in Jack and the Beanstalk, the inspiration behind her first album in six years, and how it feels to be in greater demand than ever 16 years after first rising to success.

By Kyle Pedley.

Interview conducted Friday 12 September 2014.

Jane as she will appear as 'The Enchantress'
in Jack and the Beanstalk

Jane, thank you so much for your time...

My Pleasure!

Now, you seem to be busier than ever at the moment, between your new album, touring with sold out live shows, and now the Panto. How are you finding it all?

Well to be quite honest I’m a bit shocked I’m that busy, because I’ve been doing this for quite some time now and I keep thinking it’s going to slow down, and every time I come out of something, I think ‘Right, I can put my feet up a little bit more now’, but actually the time just gets filled with something else. 

THEATRE INTERVIEW - Liam Doyle (Wicked)

WICKED INTERVIEWS:
Part Two - Liam Doyle (Fiyero)

Wicked flies in to the Birmingham Hippodrome this week as part of it's first ever UK and Ireland tour, and as part of our WICKED WEEK celebrations, we've brought you interviews with two of the show's leads.

Last week, Kyle chatted with leading lady Nikki-Davis Jones, who plays Elphaba on the tour, and this week we conclude our interviews by chatting to Midlands native Liam Doyle, who plays Fiyero in the show. We discuss his unusual path into performing professionally, returning to the Midlands with Wicked, and landing his dream role...

By Kyle Pedley.
Interview Conducted Thursday 24th April 2014.

Liam Doyle as Fiyero in Wicked

“I’m worried that I’m 23 and doing the part that I always wanted to do... it’s just downhill from here!”

Actor Liam Doyle is humbly, and jokily, assessing exactly what it means to him to have bagged his self-confessed dream role at such a relatively young age. The Coventry-born performer is of course speaking of Fiyero, the dashing, debonair leading man of musical colossus Wicked, which continues it’s first ever UK tour this week as it opens for a summer tenure at the Birmingham Hippodrome.

“It’s amazing. It is the part that I always wanted to play, it’s a part that I always kind of identified with.”

WEST SIDE STORY - THEATRE PREVIEW

‘SOMETHING’S COMING’ AND IT’S GOING TO BE BIG AS ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ COMES TO THE MIDLANDS!

Birmingham gets ready for a Manhattan musical makeover as one of the most celebrated musicals of all time takes to the stage at the City’s New Alexandra Theatre next month.

Dates: Tuesday 01 - Saturday 19 April 2014

Preview by Kyle Pedley

Birmingham and the Midlands are in for a veritable musical theatre extravaganza next week as BB Promotion and ATG’s highly acclaimed revival tour of West Side Story takes residence at the New Alexandra Theatre for a three week run commencing Tuesday 1st April.

West Side Story changed the course of musical theatre when it opened on Broadway in 1957 and it remains one of the most successful stage shows of all time. The 1961 film adaptation went on to win a staggering 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, with only 3 other films in history surpassing this. In 2012, I myself selected the film adaptation as Number 1 on my countdown of The Top 20 Movie Musicals Of All Time. 

WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND AND FRIENDS GET 'BRASSED OFF' WITH BOSTIN' BLACK COUNTRY LAUNCH EVENT!

WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND AND FRIENDS GET ‘BRASSED OFF’ WITH A BOSTIN’ BLACK COUNTRY LAUNCH EVENT!

Wolverhampton’s premiere Theatre establishment is accompanied by show cast and creatives as they launch the Touring Consortium Theatre Company’s latest production at the West Midlands distinctive Black Country Living Museum.

Staff Director Richard Neale discusses 'Brassed Off'
with actors Luke Adamson and Andrew Dunn,
joining the Jackfield Band on stage.

A live brass band, complimentary trips down a reconstructed colliery mine, a question and answer session with some of the company’s cast and directors and a traditional fish ‘n’ chips lunch were the order of the day on Monday as the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre assembled press, patrons and affiliates to help launch the city’s leg of the ‘Brassed Off’ UK Tour, the Touring Consortium Theatre Company’s latest production, based on the 1996 film of the same name starring Pete Postlethwaite and Ewan Mcgregor, prior to it’s week-long engagement at the theatre this April. 

THEATRE PREVIEW - NOISES OFF

NOISES OFF AT THE NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

STARRING NEIL PEARSON AND MAUREEN BEATTIE

FROM MON 24 - SAT 29 JUN 2013

NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

Next Monday evening, (A)musings will be entering a world of acclaimed hilarity and farce as Chris Larkin joins David Bark-Jones, Maureen Beattie, Simon Bubb, Danielle Flett, Geoffrey Freshwater, Neil Pearson, Thomasin Rand and Sasha Waddell in the UK tour of Michael Frayn’s multi-award-winning backstage comedy Noises Off, directed by Lindsay Posner. Following its acclaimed run at The Old Vic and then at the Novello Theatre in the West End, Noises Off will arrive at Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre for one week from 24-29 June 2013, and as always we'll be there to bring our review of the show on opening night!

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL: DOLLY GOOD CHRISTMAS OFFER!

'HAVE A DOLLY GOOD CHRISTMAS!' With the cast of 9 to 5: The Musical at the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham!

The Cast of 9 to 5: The Musical, including Amy Lennox, Ben Richards and Jackie Clune. Photo credit - Phil Hitchman. 

A cast photocall was held at Centenary Square by the ‘Wheel of Birmingham’

on Thursday 6th December 2012.

Prior to their Christmas run opening at the New Alexandra Theatre on Monday 17th December for 3 weeks, the cast of 9 to 5 The Musical were in Birmingham to wish the people of the city a very Merry Christmas and invite them to see 9 to 5 The Musical where the parking and first drinks are on them! See the foot of the article for details on how to claim this great festive offer!

Our ‘Have a Dolly Good Christmas!’ promotion offers customers a premium ticket or price band A – B ticket to the show, free parking at the NCP Albany Car Park on the night of the show and a free soft drink or glass of wine in the bar.

9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL - PRESS LAUNCH PREVIEW

9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL AT THE NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

Theatre Run: 17 December 2012 - 5 Jan 2013

Previewed by Kyle Pedley

This Friday saw the press launch for 9 to 5: The Musical prior to it’s UK touring run, including a Christmas tenure at the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham beginning December 14.

On hand to preview the show were its cast, including Footballers Wives and The Bill alumni Ben Richards, West End veteran Jackie Clune, Natalie Casey who most will know from Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Television and Theatre supremo Bonnie Langford, and director Jeff Calhoun who brought a winning enthusiasm and self-deprecating charm to the launch very much in-line with what one has come to expect from Ms. Parton herself.