It's the last episode of our three part look at the role of melodrama in musical theatre, and today Josh joins Thos to talk about the show that explicitly takes the tropes and characters of melodrama and turns them topsy-turvy - Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore, and specifically a recent production at London's home of Victorian musicals, Wilton's Music Hall.  Your eyes will be fully open ..read more

With the recent acclaimed revival of Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls (subtitled "The Victorian Melodrama") in London's atmospheric Wilton's Music Hall, join Colm and Thos as they continue their exploration of the history of melodrama and how it informs modern musical theatre in a multitude of ways.  In this episode they dissect the original Sweeney Todd stage sensation to see how it works and then identify the many musical cannibals who have feasted on its body over the years - from Gilbert and Sullivan to Sondheim.  Todd, that's good ..read more

Did melodrama die with Queen Victoria - or has it sneakily survived into 21st century culture?  Join Thos and Colm as they look at the unexpectedly wide scope of melodrama in musical theatre both historically and today: concentrating on the recent revival of Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls at the Wiltons Music Hall in London, we take you on a three part journey exploring the he fascinating world of this far-from-dead genre - and tell you the tale of the other 3Bs of music - Balfe, Benedict and Bishop ..read more

Moulin Rouge! The Musical - Hits and Misses  Join Nick and Hannah as they delve into the vibrant and glittering world of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. In this episode, our hosts discuss the highs and lows of this stage adaptation, starting with its lavish visual elements and captivating tangos that leave audiences spellbound. However, not everything that glitters is gold—Nick and Hannah critique the show's reliance on a plethora of pop songs, many of which feel outdated and detract from the overall experience. Hannah brings an intriguing comparison to the table, highlighting how the plot of ..read more

Thos sits down to talk with award-winning bookwriter, lyricist, composer and playwright, Jenny Stafford, about her poignant one woman musical, Color Inside the Lines, which won Best Solo Show at the Denver Fringe and impressed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2021 and 2022.  With songs from the score and in-depth conversation about the creative process and the role of sincerity in narratives, you'll be delighted by Jenny's insights about what may be the only musical ever based around the work of a Scantron multiple-choice marking machine.  ..read more

In this week's episode, you can enjoy songs from Jingle Street, the five star hit musical from the 2023 EdFringe, and hear insights and observations from its writer, lyricist, producer, director, choreographer, assistant director and one of the lead actors on what it takes to create and develop a show for the Fringe and beyond, particularly as a new theatrical company.  And as a special bonus, there's a chance to hear an exclusive recording - a rather brilliant cut song from this wonderful musical show. You'll love it - we "pinky swear" it ..read more

It's songs galore and laughs aplenty as Thos talks to the talented people behind Chordstruck Theatre about their hit shows, On Your Bike (Winner of the Best Musical at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2021) and Jingle Street (Five Stars from MusicalTalk, EdFringe 2023).  It's a lovely, insightful and fun filled conversation about the collective creative process of making not just one, but two, musicals! As Felix, one of the characters in On Your Bike, might say "Winner Winner Chicken* Dinner"    (*falafel also available ..read more

Join Thos as he talks with Shaye Poulton Richards, the talent behind the EdFringe success, Lies All The Way Down - a New Chamber Musical, a show that uses polyphonic sounds beyond the usual soundscape provided by a quartet to create the intense atmosphere needed for a pyschological thriller exploring the friend we make and the lies we tell. And hear songs and music from the show that help illustrate Shaye's creative process and her favoured combination of modern folk and contemporary classical sounds ..read more

Wicked has been playing in the West End for over 15 years so Nick thought it was about time that Hannah sees the show - so they did.   With the film coming out next year it seems the right time to discuss the show, its legacy and - more importantly - what it's like seeing it nowadays with very little knowledge of it!  Does it live up to the hype?  Is it still wonderful or is it still just popular?   ..read more

In 2020 Coronavirus threatened to kill opera! By 2022, only one man could save it - using his one person production of La Serva Padrona - where baroque meets 1970s funk in a new English version of Pergolesi's 1733 comic masterpiece. Thos joins the extremely talented musical academic and performer, David William Hughes, to discuss the third of his historic music trilogy - a joyous and delightful version of La Serva Padrona - served up from "an emergency opera kit" saved over from the Cold War era!  It's a funkadelic relic ..read more