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How Very Hannah
Bronwyn James: Becoming ShenShen – Wicked Movie Moments You Haven’t Heard 💚
It’s Wicked: For Good week!!!!
...and we’re celebrating in style, with Shen Shen herself, Bronwyn James!
Bronwyn spills all the behind-the-scenes tea on filming both parts of Wicked, from landing the role of a lifetime to surviving six intense rounds of auditions – including full-on improv, dance numbers, and working closely with director Jon M. Chu.
We chat about *that* iconic dance sequence, adjusting to life on a mega film set, and the sheer joy of bringing such an iconic story to screen. Bronwyn opens up about imposter syndrome, what it’s like working alongside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and how the cast became a real-life coven of close-knit pals.
PLUS: we dig into character development, easter eggs, and how Bronwyn managed to sneak a little of her own comedic flair into the final cut 👀
Don’t forget to FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE wherever you’re watching and/or listening 🤭 ✨
📩 Email the show (your hotlines & confessions!!) at hello@howveryhannah.com 💌
🎟️ SEE ME ON MY FINAL TOUR DATE IN MANCHESTER!!! GET YOUR TICKETS: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/
🧢 SHOP MERCH: https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com
📚 BUY MY BOOK: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/476785/les-quizerables-by-lowther-hannah/9781529978964
SOCIALS
🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah
🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannah
Produced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️
Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
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14. Carrie Hope Fletcher: Elf the Musical, Veronica Sawyer Supremacy and Savage TikTok Searches!?
59:23||Season 2, Ep. 14December is here, Elf is back on stage… and so it’s only right I’m joined by the one and only Carrie Hope Fletcher!!! ❄️🎅🏼⛸️ She’s a musical theatre megastar, bestselling author, and certified YouTube queen… from child stardom to Les Mis legacy, Carrie’s done it all – and we’re getting into it. We’re talking Elf on the West End (complete with knee pads, juggling and a snow globe-induced show stop), her recent 100km Sahara trek for charity, and the surprising truth about how Heathers really took off in the UK – and how it shaped both of our careers 💘 Carrie opens up about life as a working parent in theatre, the pressures of public opinion, and the early closure of Bad Cinderella… plus what it’s like being the sister of McFly’s (and Paddington’s!!!) Tom Fletcher. 🎟️ See Carrie in Elf the Musical at the Dominion Theatre until Jan 3rd! https://elflondon.com/🎗️ Donate to CoppaFeel here! Don’t forget to FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE wherever you’re watching and/or listening 🤭 ✨📩 Email me at hello@howveryhannah.com 💌 AND JOIN US ON SOCIALS…🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannah Produced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
13. Emma Kingston & Zizi Strallen: Playing the West End Elphaba & Glinda - Cast Secrets & Movie Reactions 💚🩷
52:17||Season 2, Ep. 13Pink goes good with green… as does How Very Hannah with the West End Glinda & Elphaba… Zizi Strallen and Emma Kingston!!With Wicked: For Good out in cinemas, it felt only right to sit down and swap stories from both sides of the emerald curtain with these two West End icons are currently leading the cast in London. We’re talking:Glinda auditions (yes, Zizi only did one 😳)Emma’s ten-year journey to playing Elphaba 💚Stage door stories, sibling fame, and the pressure of iconic rolesWicked: For Good reactions – including that No Good Deed momentThe infamous Mary Poppins trapdoor hatch 🚪Why playing Glinda is even harder than people think…And the real friendship that makes a great Elphaba & Glinda pairing 👯♀️We also dive into a chaotic Confession of a Drama Queen and ask: have you ever turned up to a read-through without reading the script? (Zizi… we’re looking at you 👀)Don’t forget to FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE wherever you’re watching and/or listening 🤭 ✨📩 Email me at hello@howveryhannah.com 💌🎟️ SEE ME ON MY FINAL TOUR DATE IN MANCHESTER THIS WEEKEND!!!LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/🧢 SHOP MERCH: https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com📚 BUY MY BOOK: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/476785/les-quizerables-by-lowther-hannah/9781529978964SOCIALS🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannahProduced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
11. Ben Forster: ITV fame, Texting Andrew Lloyd Webber?! and a very Stagey Album…
45:51||Season 2, Ep. 11He might’ve won *Superstar* on ITV, but Ben Forster is so much more than a TV talent show winner... This week I'm joined by the fabulous Ben as we talk about his whirlwind rise to fame - from training at Italia Conti, to starring as The Phantom in the West End, to releasing an album of stagey hits. Ben talks about the pressure and privilege of singing arena shows, why in-ear monitors can ruin your vibe, and how Andrew Lloyd Webber went from judge to mentor (and text buddy ?!) Plus we chat all about his new album MUSICALS GREATEST HITS - recorded with a 90-piece orchestra - and shares the very real ups and downs of navigating fame, rejection, and imposter syndrome in musical theatre. Enjoy the episode!!and don’t forget to FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE wherever you’re watching and/or listening 🤭 ✨ 📩 Email me at hello@howveryhannah.com 💌🎟️ SEE ME ON MY FINAL TOUR DATE IN MANCHESTER!!! GET YOUR TICKETS: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/ 🧢 SHOP MERCH: [https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com](https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com/)📚 BUY MY BOOK: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/476785/les-quizerables-by-lowther-hannah/9781529978964 SOCIALS🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannah Produced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
10. Georgina Castle & Josh St. Clair: 50 First Dates, Stagey Kisses and Developing a New Show 🎭
36:20||Season 2, Ep. 10A world-exclusive West End musical, a first kiss in front of a live audience, and more behind-the-scenes chaos than you can shake a script at.This episode of How Very Hannah is a stagey treat, as I’m joined by Georgina Castle and Josh St. Clair - lead co-stars of 50 First Dates The Musical… our first on-stage couple!! We’re diving deep into the madness of developing, not only a brand-new show, but one that was originally a cult rom-com. We also talk navigating intimacy onstage with a co-star, and hear how it really works when you’re the original very-first-ever cast.🎟️ 50 First Dates: The Musical is playing exclusively at The Other Palace – get your tickets before it closes on November 15th!! https://theotherpalace.co.uk/50-first-dates-the-musical/ 📩 Email me at hello@howveryhannah.com 💌🎟️ TWO DATES LEFT TO SEE ME ON TOUR!!! GET YOUR TICKETS: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/🧢 SHOP MERCH: [https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com](https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com/)📚 BUY MY BOOK: https://lnk.to/LesQuizSOCIALS🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannahProduced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
9. Lizzie Bea: Hairspray, Heathers and Haunted Theatres! 👻
47:56||Season 2, Ep. 9It’s Halloween week, and the theatre ghosts are officially OUT… but Lizzie Bea’s not afraid!!! 👻🎃In this spookily stagey ep, West End icon and all-round lovely gal Lizzie joins me (with her gorgeous dog, Dolly). You might know her from Hairspray, Sister Act or Heathers.We’re talking tour life chaos, the highs and lows of leading a company, and the very real experience of performance anxiety (yes, even for the pros). Lizzie also shares the wildest backstage ghost story I’ve ever heard… safe to say, I won’t be switching off my dressing room light again.We also get into the power of representation on stage, and what it’s meant to Lizzie to step into leading roles as a plus-size performer - and why visibility, confidence, and feeling “enough” really matters.Plus, this week’s confession has got us all TERRIFIED 👀 because what do you do when you criticised a cast member but turns out… your mic wasn’t turned off (gulp 🫠🫣)?!Got a confession or dilemma of your own? Email me at hello@howveryhannah.com 💌🎟️ TWO DATES LEFT TO SEE ME ON TOUR!!! GET YOUR TICKETS: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/ 🧢 SHOP MERCH: https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com 📚 BUY MY BOOK: https://lnk.to/LesQuizSOCIALS🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah 🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannahProduced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
8. Stevie Doc: From Mamma Mia Dreams to The Devil Wears Prada 👠✨
31:53||Season 2, Ep. 8She won Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, she’s about to take on The Devil Wears Prada, and she’s here to spill the stagey tea… it’s the one and only Stevie Doc! ✨Brand-new West End leading lady, Stevie Doc’s stepping into her next huge role as Andy Sachs at the Dominion Theatre. We chat about her whirlwind journey from drama school to reality TV and what it was really like competing on screen.We chat about the awkwardness of being recognised in public, the realities of stage door life, and the not-so-glamorous side of keeping your voice healthy (spoiler: it involves broccoli and cruciferous veg). We also talk about drama school name changes, imposter syndrome, and learning to own your success - whether it’s from talent, TV, or sheer hard work.And of course, we round things off in true HVH fashion with a Mamma Mia superfan quiz that gets surprisingly intense…🎟️ Go see Stevie shine as Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre – opening tonight! https://thedevilwearspradamusical.com And you can come and see me on tour… only 2 dates left (Brighton and Manchester) !!🎟️ HVH TOUR TICKETS: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/🧢 SHOP MERCH: [https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com](https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com/)📚 BUY MY BOOK: https://lnk.to/LesQuizSOCIALS🔗 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG – https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannahProduced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music by Joe Truscott 🎵
7. Engaged?! My Sunset Boat Proposal Story (ft. Haribo & Drama) 💍
30:44||Season 2, Ep. 7It’s a solo episode this week… and you’re getting an EXCLUSIVE!! because I’m finally telling the full story of how I got engaged 💍✨We’re talking: Haribo rehearsal rings, a Greek boat driver, a stolen debit card and why I am, in fact, ringless…eeek!It’s chaotic, emotional…and honestly, very on brand.PLUS I’m diving into a powerful Confessions of a Drama Queen, all about body confidence on stage. From bad costumes to worse comments, we’re getting into the feels ❤️ 🎭Don’t forget, we still have 3 LIVE SHOWS left!! Get your tickets for Birmingham, Brighton or Manchester here 👉 https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/ ✨ 🧢 SHOP MERCH: https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com/collections/all📚 PRE-ORDER MY BOOK: https://lnk.to/LesQuiz💌 Got a confession or a dilemma for the pod? Email me at hello@howveryhannah.com…and get more HVH fun on socials!! ☎️ 🔗 TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG - https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannahProduced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music Composition by Joe Truscott 🎵
6. Stuart & Francis: From Starlight Express to TikTok Fame & Parenting Chaos
38:53||Season 2, Ep. 6Kitchen choreo, West End kids, and a surprise engagement? This one’s got it ALL.In this feel-good episode of *How Very Hannah*, I’m joined by stagey power couple, Stuart and Francis – the West End performers-turned-TikTok stars behind those iconic kitchen musicals 👨🍳🎶They went viral for turning the chaos of parenting into full-blown musical numbers (complete with props, harmonies and tap breaks in the kitchen), and now they’re bringing that same magic to a *real-life* live show.We’re talking love at first spotlight, surviving panto with a baby monitor, and raising the best kind of tiny drama queens!! They open up about their journey from the West End to TikTok fame, and how they’re turning all that chaos into their very first live show 💖We also have a *very relatable* Confession of a Drama Queen, plus a pretty appropriate Hannah’s Hotline !! and test Stuart and Francis’ knowledge on all things stagey & theatre (with the help of my new book 🤭 📖 )AND… there might be a sparkly little life update from me too 💍 👀Get in touch with the show on the DMs or email hello@howveryhannah.com Buy tickets to Stuart and Francis’ LIVE SHOW! https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury-theatre/events/2025/oct/stuart-and-francis-show-live?fbclid=PAdGRleANImttleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpwJe0h4WPBQ1J0wg6S580cjrHd6F1xuaGUVZh56-swf66LYyaRAvSCxeKqcx_aem_mFUPcm7bdjvVvDY-pJiF-gFollow Stuart: https://www.instagram.com/stueyarmfield/?hl=enFollow Francis: https://www.instagram.com/francishaugen/?hl=enHVH LINKS🎟️ HVH LIVE SHOW TICKETS: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/how-very-hannah/🧢 SHOP MERCH: https://howveryhannah.myshopify.com/collections/all📚 PRE-ORDER MY BOOK: https://lnk.to/LesQuiz🔗 TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@howvery_hannah🔗 IG - https://www.instagram.com/howvery_hannahProduced by Bear Lane Productions 🎙️Music Composition by Joe Truscott 🎵