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

Emma 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.  

Aaron 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.  

Marcus 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.  

We'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.  

Journalist 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.  

We're bringing you a BROADWAY special!Tom Self (Tina / Adrian Mole) joins West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins, to discuss some of the hottest shows on Broadway. In this episode they cover Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending, Oh Mary, Smash, Boop, Just In Time, Pirates: The Penzance Musical, The Last Five Years and The Great Gatsby.Come back next week for a second Broadway episode with chat about more Broadway shows!Tom is an actor, composer and musical director. He is currently a swing and understudy in the first ever UK & Ireland tour of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.Some of his other stage credits include Brief Encounter, The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4, Ordinary People, Camelot, The Hired Man, Sweet Charity, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert and more.Tom's show Me, Tom Self & I has a sold-out run at Crazy Coqs and he has been a finalist at the Pantomime Awards for Best Contribution to Music. He regularly teaches singing lessons, coaching and delivers masterclasses.Visit Tom's website www.tomself.co.ukThis podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Rachael 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.  

Join 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.  

Jessica Daley (Evita / I Should Be So Lucky) co-hosts The West End Frame Show!Andrew and Jessica discuss the latest news about Jessie J turning down the role of Sally Bowles, Remember Monday, casting for Here and Now, Rob Houchen and Anna Jane Casey doing Sweeney Todd and lots more.They also talk about the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre's report with analysis on the current state of theatre in the UK.Fifteen years ago, Jessica was a finalist on Over The Rainbow, BBC1's search for Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Her theatre credits include: Ali in Mamma Mia! (West End), Maria in The Sound of Music (UK Tour), cover Fantine in Les Miserables (International Tour), Frenchy in Grease (Dubai), Lynette in An Officer and a Gentleman (Curve Leicester), Eva Person in Evita (International Tour), Billy’s Mum in Billy Elliot (Leicester Curve) and Betty Haynes in White Christmas (UK Tour)More recently Jessica was in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium covering the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, she toured as Britney in I Should Be So Lucky and played Daisy in Lady Be Good in Sicily. She's also a podcaster in her won right, having hosted Park & Bark which is available wherever you get your podcasts.Follow Jessica on Instagram: @jessicacaca7This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening!Email: andrew@westendframe.co.ukVisit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.