The WhatsOnStage Podcast

It's a bumper reviews special! In what might be the biggest theatre opening of the year, the world of Game of Thrones comes to the stage in a gigantic production at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. But does it live up to the hype? Alex and Sarah discuss Dominic Cooke and Duncan Macmillan's efforts and what its future life might look like. Elsewhere, Sarah went to Regent's Park for a night under the (fake) moonlight at Cats, while Alex is trekking between theatres at the Edinburgh Festivals.

In a busy week Sarah and Alex talk about Ariana Grande’s decision to step back from her projected stage appearance opposite Jonathan Bailey in Sondhem’s Sunday in the Park with George. And as Alex sets off for Edinburgh, they discuss his top picks for the festival, the failure of Trainspotting and the death of Peter Gill.

Welcome to this bonus episode of the WhatsOnStage Podcast! A few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to take a very exciting trip into the rehearsal room for Game of Thrones: The Mad King, to chat to the lead cast about their time bringing Westeros to the stage. Currently in previews in Stratford-upon-Avon, the new stage play is penned by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. Joining the podcast are Tanisha Spring (who appears as Ashara Dayne), Elizabeth Ayodele (as Princess Elia Martell), Mariah Gayle (as Queen Rhaella Targaryen), Callum Woodhouse (as Lord Robert Baratheon), Michael Shaeffer (as King Aerys II Targaryen), Harmony Rose-Bremner (as Lyanna Stark), Luke Brady (as Brandon Stark), Noah Ritter (as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen) and Michael Abubakar (as Eddard Stark).

With Sarah on foreign shores, Alex heads to the Old Vic rehearsal room to chat to stage and screen legend Roger Allam. Known for his TV and stage appearances in the likes of The Thick of It, Les Misérables and Frank and Percy, Allam is back on stage this summer in How The Other Half Loves at the Old Vic. And, apparently, he played a certain body part in an Ayckbourn radio play. Allam also touches on the topic of amplification and seeing his greats at the Old Vic when he was young.

Welcome to this bonus episode of the WhatsOnStage Podcast! Phelim McDermott has staged everything – gargantuan operas, intimate shows and even forays into the world of Studio Ghibli with My Neighbour Totoro. He now brings his show Tao of Glass to @sohoplace for a West End season – mixing puppetry, the music of Phillip Glass and pseudo-memoir in an experience hoping to redefine what a West End show can be.

The year of the London Olympics and its successor sees theatre at a red hot peak. Sarah and Alex discuss plays from James Graham’s breakthrough to Lucy Prebble’s The Effect and Lucy Kirkwood’s era defining Chimerica. Plus The Audience with Helen Mirren and the groundbreaking The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Welcome to this midweek bonus episode of the WhatsOnStage Podcast! Today, the Donmar Warehouse's artistic director Tim Sheader (fresh from directing Jesus Christ Superstar at The London Palladium) reveals two brand new shows in his 2026 season – a new comedy involving Elvis' dead body, and a revival of Harold Pinter's No Man's Land. He also calls on more new comedies in UK theatre. After that, we head over to America where the stars of Hadestown discuss taking the award-winning musical to the big screen.

Sarah and Alex discuss Simon Stone’s new adaptation of The Orestia, out in the same week as Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster, and another example of the huge appeal of the Greeks. They talk about the cult surrounding Jonathan Larson, the composer of Rent, and ask whether Andrew Lloyd Webber is right when he puts the early closure of Cats:The Jellicle Ball down to the impossibility of producing theatre in New York’s famous heartland.

Producer Francesca Moody has brought some iconic shows to the stage: Fleabag, Baby Reindeer and Weather Girl amongst their number. This year, she's taking three new productions to the Edinburgh Fringe, even working with partners like Global Creatures, the minds behind the Moulin Rouge! and Muriel's Wedding musicals. Shedinburgh will also be shooting down south to the Young Vic for a London spell, in a big step forwards for the artist-led project. Moody also reflects on her programming strategy and always developing work with a long life in mind.