Phil Willmott
04 May
New Shows 
The Gruffalo’s Child Comes to the West End
By Phil Willmott Thursday, May 4 2017, 09:57
The Toxic Avenger, who takes up residence at the Arts Theatre in September won’t be the only monster heading to the West End this winter. Although the Gruffalo is a much more cuddly beast designed to appeal to kids and the child in us all.
Following the success of the original Gruffalo stage show in central London, sequel The Gruffalo’s Child centres around his daughter who must learn to be brave in the outside world when, one wild and windy night she ignores her father’s warning, ventures out into the snow and risks an encounter with the scary Big Bad Mouse.
03 May
Casts
Looking forward to star Cate Blanchett and director Ivan Van Hove teaming up for ALL ABOUT EVE
By Phil Willmott Wednesday, May 3 2017, 10:21
I don’t recall another director influencing London and New York Theatre quite as powerfully as Ivo Van Hove has done in recent years.
Ever since he took the capital’s theatre scene by storm with his radical cut and paste amalgamation of Shakespeare’s Roman plays, recently revived at the Barbican, producers have clamoured to sign him up to bring his starkly staged expressionistic perspectives on classics, new writing and even the David Bowie musical Lazarus.
28 Apr
Reviews
Review: ROMEO AND JULIET at The Globe
By Phil Willmott Friday, April 28 2017, 15:13
The Globe Theatre has had a lot of bad press recently. Their recently appointed Artistic Director, Emma Rice, announced she was leaving the organisation after just a year. No one knows exactly what happened but Rice introduced stage lighting and amplified sound to the venue which had traditionally prided itself on presenting plays in a way that was as close to Elizabethan theatre conditions as possible. The general opinion seems to be that the venue's board of directors objected to this and Rice's position became impossible leading to her resignation.
24 Apr
News
Cast announced for Young Frankenstein
By Phil Willmott Monday, April 24 2017, 11:04
The cast has been announced for the London production of Mel Brooks' Broadway flop YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. I enjoyed it so much when I saw the dress rehearsal of the original show in New York that I paid to see it a second time!
However there's no doubt that it was dwarfed by the vast New Amsterdam Theatre and buckled under the weight of expectations that it would be as funny as Brook's previous smash hit The Producers and worth the record breaking, high ticket prices cynical and exploitative producers were charging.
24 Apr
Broadway Shows
Review: HELLO DOLLY at the Shubert Theatre, New York
By Phil Willmott Monday, April 24 2017, 10:31
It was a golden age for the Broadway musical. The early 1960s saw premieres of evergreen hit shows like Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady and Hello Dolly. They've been regularly revived ever since as highlights of subsequent Broadway seasons with stars of the day making them hot tickets ever since. Now Dolly is, in the words of the title song "back where she belongs" with a new production and leading lady that's got New York Theatre buzzing all over again.
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