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The West End Frame Show: Theatre News, Reviews & Chat
Broadway Special (Part 1): Hell's Kitchen, Suffs, The Wiz, The Great Gatsby, Lempicka & Water For Elephants (ft. Lisa Martland)
This week West End Frame Editor Andrew is in New York for the first of two Broadway episodes.
Andrew is joined by theatre journalist Lisa Martland (Editor of Musical Theatre Review) to delve into five new musicals and one revival from the 2023-24 Broadway season. They discuss Suffs (Music Box Theatre), The Great Gatsby (Broadway Theatre), The Wiz (Marquis Theatre), Hell’s Kitchen: A New Musical from Alicia Keys (Shubert Theatre), Water For Elephants (Imperial Theatre) and Lemkicka (Longacre Theatre).
Having spent many years at The Stage – including five years as Deputy Editor – Lisa is the Founding Editor of one of the UK’s top theatre websites, Musical Theatre Review which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Lisa is also Sub-Editor for Musicals Magazine.
Come back next week for our second Broadway episode!
Hosted by Andrew Tomlins.
@AndrewTomlins32
Thanks for listening!
Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.
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24. 300th Episode (ft. Jasmine Leung): High School Musical, Clueless closing, Titanique, Noughts & Crosses, 35mm + more!
52:57||Season 12, Ep. 24Jasmine Leung (Wicked / Moulin Rouge) co-hosts the 300th episode of The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Jasmine discuss Titanique (Criterion Theatre), Noughts & Crosses (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) and 35mm: A Musical Exhibition (Phoenix Arts Club) as well as the latest news about High School Musical, Clueless, Evita and lots more.Jasmine has been in the ensembles of Moulin Rouge, Wicked and Death Note as well as concert stagings of Evita and Oklahoma. Additionally Jasmine was a swing in the UK & International tour of The King And I.As well as appearing in lots of music videos and commercials, Jasmine has played roles on screen in Tar and Atlanta. Follow Jasmine on Instagram: @jasmine_leung_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.23. S12 Ep23 (ft. Emma Ralston): Jamie Lloyd's Evita, Diamonds & Dust, Grease, Nicole Scherzinger, Johannes Radebe in Kinky Boots + more!
58:36||Season 12, Ep. 23Emma Ralston (Sister Act / Gavin and Stacey) co-hosts The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Emma discuss Evita starring Rachel Zegler (London Palladium) and Dita Von Teese presents Diamonds and Dust (Emerald Theatre) as well as the latest news about Grease casting announcements, Nicole Scherzinger's Royal Albert Hall concert, Debbie Isitt’s Military Wives musical, the West End return of Kinky Boots and lots more.Emma is currently starring in I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical. Written by Alexander S. Bermange, the show is returning once again to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer. The comedic musical revue reveals everything you could want to know about musical theatre, and the people who love it – on both sides of the curtain!Emma was in the recent revival of Sister Act, performing the show at the Eventim Apollo, on tour and in the West End at the Dominion Theatre. Some of her other theatre credits include: Cinderella (Corby Cube), Aladdin (Capital), The Wind in The Willows (Turbine), Queen of the Mist (Charing Cross & Jack Studio), The Greatest Show (UK Tour), Bananaman the Musical (Southwark Playhouse), The Frogs (Jermyn Street), News Revue (Canal Cafe), Into the Woods (Rose & Crown Theatre) and Meet Me In St Louis (Landor Theatre).Emma recently appeared in Gavin and Stacey: The Finale (BBC). Her debut EP ‘On My Way’ is available to download and stream.I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical runs at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Gilded Balloon 31st July – 24th August 2025. Visit www.likeamusical.com for info and tickets. 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.22. S12 Ep22 (ft. Aaron Aisoni): Hercules, Just For One Day, Jimmy Awards, 35mm: A Musical Exhibition, Boop! closing + more
45:47||Season 12, Ep. 22Aaron Aisoni (Pretty Woman / 35mm) co-hosts The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Aaron discuss Hercules (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Just For One Day (Shaftesbury Theatre) as well as the latest news about Fabiola Caraballo Quijada's performance at the Jimmy Awards, Lauren Drew leaving Titanique, Boop! closing, casting for The Lighting Thief tour and more.Aaron recently graduated from Urdang, having previously attended The Brit School. He made his professional debut in Pretty Woman (Theater 11, Zurich) and will soon tour the UK and Ireland in Miss Saigon directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy.Aaron is currently in rehearsals for 35mm: A Musical Exhibition which is a theatrical song cycle composed by Ryan Scott Oliver, based on the Broadway photography of Matthew Murphy. It’s an exploration of love, obsession, ambition and art. Directed by Dean Johnson, the show is being staged for four performances at the Phoenix Arts Club next week produced by Taylor Jay Productions.Aaron also posts singing videos on TikTok where he has over 100k followers and five million likes.35mm: A Musical Exhibition runs at the Phoenix Arts Club on 7th and 8th July. Visit www.phoenixartsclub.com for info and tickets.Follow Aaron on TikTok: @aaron.oiThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.21. S12 Ep21 (ft. Marcus Collick): Rachel Zegler's balcony performance, Miss Myrtle's Garden, Les Misérables 40th anniversary cast + more!
51:22||Season 12, Ep. 21Marcus Collick co-hosts The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Marcus delve into the controversy surrounding Rachel Zegler's balcony performance in Jamie Lloyd's production of Evita at the London Palladium. They also discuss Miss Myrtle's Garden (Bush Theatre) and their favourite West End LIVE performances (Trafalgar Square) as well as the latest news about Broadway closures, Marisha Wallace and Billy Porter transferring to Cabaret in New York, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button closing and lots more.Marcus' US theatre credits include White Christmas and Damn Yankees. Since moving to the UK they have been in Spring Awakening (Phoenix Arts Club) and Zanna, Don't! (Old Joint Stock Theatre). Most recently they performed in the West End at ATG’s flagship creative learning program PLAYground at the Savoy Theatre!Earlier this year Marcus hosted the Stalls to Stage Awards at the Bush Theatre and now they're teaming up with Emmanuel Akwafo to co-produce and host The Blackprint Concert: A Fearless Declaration of Black Artistry Taking Up Space at the Phoenix Arts Club. The concert has a killer line-up including Koko Alexandra, Lauren Azania, Tanasha Chege, Elan Ayana Davies, Cameron Benard Jones, Idriss Kargbo, Claudia Kariuki, Leah St Luce, Paige Miller, Georgina Onuorah, Jordan Shaw and Jaz Terry. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Sean Green.You can see The Blackprint Concert: A Fearless Declaration of Black Artistry Taking Up Space at the Phoenix Arts Club on 3rd August 2025. Visit www.phoenixartsclub.com for info and tickets.Follow Marcus on Instagram: @_markyyymark_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.20. BROADWAY: Gypsy starring Audra McDonald, Floyd Collins, Real Women Have Curves, Little Shop of Horrors & Six (ft. Lisa Martland)
46:59||Season 12, Ep. 20We're bringing you another BROADWAY special!Theatre journalist Lisa Martland (Musical Theatre Review) joins West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, to discuss some of the hottest shows on Broadway. In this episode they cover Gypsy starring Audra McDonald, Floyd Collins, Real Women Have Curves, Little Shop of Horrors and Six.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, 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.19. S12 Ep19 (ft. Marianka Swain): Stereophonic, Billy Porter in La Cage, Four Play, Olly Alexander, Beetlejuice, Dame Elaine Paige + more!
57:00||Season 12, Ep. 19Journalist and editor Marianka Swain returns to co-host The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Marianka discuss the West End transfer of Stereophonic (Duke of York's Theatre) as well as the latest news about the new Encores season including Billy Porter in La Cage aux Folles, new plays at the King's Head Theatre, Olly Alexander being cast in The Importance of Being Earnest and lots more.Marianka is a London-based journalist and editor, writing culture articles, reviews and general features for the Telegraph newspaper and for London Theatre. This is her sixth time co-hosting The West End Frame Show! Visit Marianka's website: www.mkmswain.comThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.18. BROADWAY: Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Oh Mary, Smash, Boop, Just In Time, Pirates, The Last 5 Years & Gatsby (ft. Tom Self)
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38:27||Season 12, Ep. 17Rachael Nanyonjo (associate director of Retrograde) co-hosts The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Rachael discuss Patti LuPone's apology following her remarks about Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald as well as the latest theatre news about Hamilton, 13 Going On 30, Top Hat, Orfeh and more.Rachael is associate director on Retrograde in the West End, having previously been associate director for Play On (Lyric Hammersmith / UK Tour) and Newsies (Troubadour Wembley Park). She was the movement director for My Mother’s Funeral: The Show (Edinburgh Fringe / UK Tour / New York) and has worked on countless other productions.Rachael is directing a rehearsed reading of There’s a Mouse in the Kitchen at this year’s Talawa Firsts programme. The theatre company have put together a fortnight of groundbreaking Black British new work at Fairfield Halls in Croydon showcasing new writing and performance around the theme of Stay Strong.You can see There’s a Mouse in the Kitchen on 10th July. Visit www.talawa.com for info about the Talawa Firsts programme.Follow Rachael on Instagram @r.nanyonjo and visit her website www.rachaelnanyonjo.comThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.SHOW TALK: Shucked, Pop Off Michelangelo, New Six Tour & Bat Out Of Hell
23:39||Season 12Join West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins for a bonus show talk episode!In this episode, Andrew discusses Shucked (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Pop Off, Michelangelo (Underbelly Boulevard), Six's 2025-26 UK & International tour cast (Aylesbury Waterside Theatre) and Bat Out Of Hell (Peacock Theatre). 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.