The West End Frame Show: Theatre News, Reviews & Chat

It's time for another catchup episode!Join Andrew Tomlins (Editor of West End Frame) and Lisa Martland (Editor of Musical Theatre Review) for discussion about Cable Street (Marylebone Theatre), Beautiful Little Fool (Southwark Playhouse Borough) and Hamilton (UK Tour, Theatre Royal Glasgow). Andrew and Lisa also talk about The Traitors stage show and Eva Noblezada & Reeve Carney starring together in The Great Gatsby on Broadway. Having spent many years at The Stage – including five years as Deputy Editor – Lisa Martland is a theatre journalist who has worked for theatrical publications such as Musical Stages, Musicals Magazine, London Theatre, Stage Faves and My Theatre Mates. She is the Founding Editor of www.MusicalTheatreReview.com.This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

The West End Frame Show is back with a catchup episode!Join Andrew Tomlins (Editor of West End Frame) and Lisa Martland (Editor of Musical Theatre Review) for discussion about Paranormal Activity (Ambassadors Theatre), Kenrex (The Other Palace), Ballet Shoes (National Theatre) and Hercules (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). Andrew and Lisa also delve into the announcement that Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey will star in Sunday in the Park with George as well as Wicked: For Good's Oscars snub. Having spent many years at The Stage – including five years as Deputy Editor – Lisa Martland is a theatre journalist who has worked for theatrical publications such as Musical Stages, Musicals Magazine, London Theatre, Stage Faves and My Theatre Mates. She is the Founding Editor of www.MusicalTheatreReview.com.This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

It's the final episode of the year! Join theatre and lifestyle blogger Rachel Agyekum and West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, as they round up their top shows of 2025.Thank you for sharing your top shows of the year – we included as many of your contributions as possible in this episode. Rachel founded Rachel Reviewed in 2022 and writes reviews for her website alongside creating reel reviews and other theatre-related content for Instagram and TikTok. She is also a reviewer for WhatsOnStage. Visit the Rachel Reviewed website www.rachelreviewed.com. You can also follow Rachel on Instagram via @rachelreviewed and @rachelagyefron. This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thank you for listening to The West End Frame Show in 2025! We’re taking a little break in the New Year, but will be back in 2026 with lots more stagey catchups. Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Olivier nominee Emmanuel Akwafo (A Midsummer Night's Dream / For Black Boys) joins West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, for our first special end-of-year round-up episode!In this episode Andrew reveals his top five stage performances of 2025. Emmanuel shares his top shows and performance of the year, and they share submissions from West End Frame listeners too. Emmanuel is a producer, writer, director, award-winning actor and presenter. He originated the role of Pitch in For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy by Ryan Calais Cameron, performing the show at the New Diorama Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and Apollo Theatre. He received an Olivier Award nomination, along with his castmates, for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and won a Black British Theatre Award. This year Emmanuel starred as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre and won a Black British Theatre Award for his performance. His theatre credits also include Narrator in Sappho (Southwark Playhouse), Amiens in As You Like It (Globe Theatre), Mr Martin in The Bald Soprano (Leicester Square Theatre) and Jay in The Spalding Suite (Southbank Centre) as well as several pantomimes at the Lyric Hammersmith.Emmanuel's debut play Limp Wrist and the Iron First recently played a full run at Brixton House. He also directed and produced the show with his production company No Name Creatives. His producing projects have included the Black Print concert at the Phoenix Arts Club in London and Green Room 42 in New York. He also produced the Black Print panel at this year’s MusicalCon, as well as readings of some more of his plays. Follow Emmanuel on Instagram: @eman.akwafoThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thank you for listening to The West End Frame Show in 2025 and for sharing your top performances of the year - we included as many of your contributions as possible. We're back soon to round up our top shows of the year. Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Toyan Thomas-Browne (Top Hat / Shucked) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Toyan discuss "Oh, Mary!" (Trafalgar Theatre), Top Hat (Southbank Centre) and SVN Live (Arts Theatre) as well as the latest news about Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey's rumoured production of Sunday in the Park with George, Titanique and Beaches' Broadway transfers, One Day casting and more.Toyan is currently part of the ensemble in Kathleen Marshall’s revival of Top Hat. Following a successful run in Chichester, the production is now in London, playing at the Southbank Centre as part of its UK tour, and will transfer to Paris next year. Toyan also serves as the second cover for the role of Jerry Travers.Earlier this year Toyan finished his run as Marlon Jackson in the original West End cast of MJ The Musical (Prince Edward Theatre). He also appeared in the workshop of Bliss (Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells) and over the summer Toyan covered Peanut in the UK premiere of Shucked (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).Toyan’s theatre credits also include: Ain’t Too Proud (Prince Edward Theatre), Moulin Rogue (Piccadilly Theatre), Jack & The Beanstalk (Lyric Hammersmith), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (UK tour), first cover Lola in Kinky Boots (UK & Ireland tour), Me and My Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre), Guys & Dolls (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Wonderland (UK tour), The Prince: A New Musical (Arts Theatre), Christmas On Ice (Spirit Productions, USA), We Will Rock You (Royal Caribbean) and The Wizard of Oz (Haymarket Theatre).Follow Toyan on Instagram: @toyantbThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Shaun Kitchener (writer of Here And Now) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Shaun discuss Daniel's Husband (Marylebone Theatre), Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre), Singin' in the Rain (Royal Exchange Manchester) and Freaky Friday The Musical (Home Manchester) as well as the latest news about the WhatsOnStage Awards nominations, Once on this Island, plus Mean Girls and Cabaret casting and lots more. Shaun is a playwright, screenwriter, journalist and DJ. His plays have included Positive which ran at the Waterloo East and Park Theatres and All That which ran at the King’s Head and was nominated for multiple Offie Awards including Best Play. For television he is a core writer for Hollyoaks. In addition to further work on stage and screen, Shaun regularly writes about pop culture for Metro and in his newsletter Absolutely! via Substack.Shaun is the book writer of the Steps musical Here And Now which premiered last year at the Birmingham Alexandra and is currently touring the UK & Ireland. He has just become a 2026 WhatsOnStage Award nominee, as Here And Now is nominated for Best New Musical.For more Here And Now tour dates and tickets, visit www.thestepsmusical.com.Follow Shaun on Instagram: @shaunkitchenerbentleyThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.