The WhatsOnStage Podcast

Luke Newton has won over millions of hearts as Colin Bridgerton, but will face a wholly different challenge when he stars in Darrah Cloud’s House of McQueen off-Broadway at The Mansion at Hudson Yards. Newton will take on the role of Lee Alexander McQueen, more commonly known simply as Alexander McQueen, in a show based on the iconic fashion designer's life.

It’s wedding season and Alex is away at one of the numerous celebrations he’s been invited to this summer. Which made him and Sarah think about the way that weddings are used on stage, screen and television. As Beth Steel’s Till the Stars Come Down packs them in in the West End, they look back at plays by writers such as Lorca, Shakespeare and more surprisingly Brecht have used the conventions, tensions and hidden dramas of marriage to unpick uncomfortable truths about human nature and how sometimes a wedding ceremony will reveal more than than the bride and groom had bargained for.

West End star Rosalie Craig will be returning to the stage this summer to appear alongside Sean Hayes in the London transfer of Good Night, Oscar, now playing at the Barbican Theatre. We sat down to have a virtual chat about the show, why it fits the Barbican so well and how for Craig, it's something of a homecoming. Beyond that, she also pined for an actor-musician version of Company – perhaps reuniting with her former co-star, and clarinet-playing friend, Jonathan Bailey...

Sarah and Alex pick up the debate about the role of criticism triggered by the New York Times decision to take three critics off their customary beat. And apply the lessons to the extraordinary range of reactions to Burlesque. And Alex reports back from Jesus Christ Superstar at the Watermill and Top Hat at Chichester.

We checked in with Emma De Souza, executive director of audience and commercial at Society of London Theatre and the mastermind behind the long-running audience development initiative, Kids Week. The scheme provides free theatre tickets for youngsters accompanying paying adult punters – a huge move in order to encourage the audiences of the future into the West End and beyond.Decades on from its launch, De Souza reflects on where Kids Week went so right, and why we live in unprecedented times for theatre audiences – and those who may one day build a lifelong love for all things stage. If you want to know more about how you can benefit from Kids Week, it runs until the end of August – so plenty of time to participate!

Sarah is still swanning it up in bella Italia (the country, not the restaurant), so Alex has brought in TheaterMania's editor-in-chief David Gordon to comb through two big stories in theatre this week. First of all, the turbulent Burlesque the Musical has had its opening night at the Savoy Theatre, with Alex giving his verdict on the production – and whether or not the behind-the-scenes controversy was over-sensationalised. Then – David reflects on his trip to Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts - where lines from a review spark public outcry from a production's director. Can creatives respond to reviews? And how does ALL of this play into what's happening at the New York Times?

In a special midweek episode, three former Elphabas – Louise Dearman, Kerry Ellis and Rachel Tucker – come together to discuss the legacy of Wicked and the new surge in love for the franchise after the release of the hit film. The trio will be appearing together for a special concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane at the end of August, and have used this opportunity to reflect on the lasting legacy of the production, and how it set the blueprint for the modern musical – and its very devoted fanbase.

As the Edinburgh Festival approaches Sarah and Alex cast their eye over the listings to see if they can pick the hottest shows and the most promising futures. Plus a WhatsOnPage bonus of their holiday reading lists.

Alex and Sarah will be back on Friday, but in the meantime we’ve dedicated an episode to a British show that continues to conquer both sides of the Atlantic, having been crowned the 2024 Best New Musical at both the WhatsOnStage and Olivier Awards in London and receiving four Tony nominations (winning one) in New York – Operation Mincemeat. We paired up co-creator and original cast member Natasha Hodgson (now performing at the Golden Theatre in NYC) with current West End company member Alex Young, who both play the role of Ewen Montagu (and others) in the SpitLip musical comedy.