All stories by Chris Wiegand on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

The best theatre to stream this month: Mum, Hamlet, Oliver Twist and more by Chris Wiegand

In a new monthly roundup, we pick 10 of the best shows to enjoy from home " including Shakespeare filmed in a church, a lavish musical and Gabriel Byrne's return to Dublin With three new pla…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:03AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Murder for Two review " daffy musical with a double act to die for by Chris Wiegand

Barn theatre, CirencesterLee O'Reilly and Sam Denia prove deft and daft in a mystery spoof that is crammed with ideas The question in this nimble murder-mystery spoof is not so much whodunni…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Walking With Ghosts review " Gabriel Byrne's trip down Dublin's memory lanes by Chris Wiegand

Gaiety theatre, DublinThe actor adapts his impressionistic memoir for the stage, giving life to the characters he observed as a boy in the 'theatre of the street' Gabriel Byrne's 2020 book W…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06AM[SHARE]
Monday, January 31, 2022

Kae Tempest's Paradise among finalists for Susan Smith Blackburn prize by Chris Wiegand

Tempest's National Theatre play, Amanda Wilkin's Shedding a Skin and Benedict Lombe's Lava all shortlisted for major playwriting award A reworking of Sophocles's tragedy Philoctetes by the p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:03AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 30, 2022

'Brothers and sisters getting their groove on': Melvin Van Peebles' house-party musical by Chris Wiegand

Known for his pioneering blaxploitation cinema, the late film director also created Don't Play Us Cheap, a goofy but soul-stirring Broadway hit that should not be forgotten When Melvin Van P…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Alan Cumming to play Robert Burns in solo dance-theatre show by Chris Wiegand

Actor aims to tell the Scottish poet's story 'using my whole body' in a production at the 75th Edinburgh international festival in August Alan Cumming will play Scotland's national bard Robe…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:12PM[SHARE]

Ian McKellen keen to star in a stage musical: 'I'm available but incompetent' by Chris Wiegand

The actor, who is taking on a one-off role as a detective, is ready for an all-singing, all-dancing production next He has played a wizard, a supervillain and the great Shakespearean leads "…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:03AM[SHARE]
Friday, January 21, 2022

Songs of glaze: Great British Bake Off musical to hit the stage this summer by Chris Wiegand

Show scored by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary is set to become summer's hot ticket and will premiere in Cheltenham in July After all those weekly showstopper challenges, it was perhaps inevit…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:18AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Jack and the Beanstalk review " panto season's not yet behind you! by Chris Wiegand

Available onlineStephen Joseph theatre's filmed seasonal offering is a proper winter warmer with some off-the-wall touches Scarborough's Stephen Joseph theatre had to cancel almost half the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:42PM[SHARE]
Monday, January 17, 2022

Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby stage show to open in Birmingham by Chris Wiegand

Rambert dance company and writer Steven Knight team up for an 'inspiring and uplifting' touring production The upcoming sixth series of blockbuster BBC drama Peaky Blinders will be the last …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:12AM[SHARE]
Thursday, January 6, 2022

Hex: National Theatre cancels opening night of Covid-cursed musical by Chris Wiegand

'Blighted' by pandemic, Rufus Norris's festive production will end current run without a press night but return in November The National Theatre has cancelled the official opening night for …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:18AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 15, 2021

King's Head theatre toasts Victoria Wood and Tom Stoppard in season of rare plays by Chris Wiegand

Dramas by Bryony Lavery, Timberlake Wertenbaker and Stephen Jeffreys also feature in readings to mark the venue's 50th birthday A pint-sized theatre that opened in the backroom of a London p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:18AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Bring It On: The Musical review " Lin-Manuel Miranda leads the cheer by Chris Wiegand

Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonLove Island's Amber Davies tops a charismatic cast, including Olympic gymnast Louis Smith, in a spirited show co-created by the Hamilton man Before Hamilton, Lin-…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 7, 2021

A Chorus Line review " a thrilling combination of sharp moves and snappy tunes by Chris Wiegand

Curve, LeicesterA gifted company has the chops to do the 1975 New York musical proud, saluting an imperilled industry with an irresistible revival 'I'm a dancer: a dancer dances," says Cassi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:06PM[SHARE]
Saturday, December 4, 2021

Robert Holman, 'extraordinary and influential' playwright, dies aged 69 by Chris Wiegand

Tributes paid to British dramatist acclaimed for dramas including German Skerries, Across Oka and A Breakfast of Eels Robert Holman, the playwright's playwright who was revered for his finel…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:54AM[SHARE]
Friday, December 3, 2021

Antony Sher on acting: 'You have simply got to be honest' by Chris Wiegand

Antony Sher was not only a superb performer but also an insightful observer on the craft of acting and the theatre " as shown in these extracts Antony Sher, celebrated actor, dies aged 72 C…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:06PM[SHARE]

Antony Sher, celebrated actor on stage and screen, dies aged 72 by Chris Wiegand

His vivid and moving performances, including an Olivier award-winning Richard III, made Sher one of the world's most respected theatre actors Michael Billington: 'A man of staggering versati…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54AM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 2, 2021

All About Theatre About Film: Ivo van Hove's big-screen obsessions in focus by Chris Wiegand

Europe's in-demand theatre director is also an avid cinephile. A dizzying exhibition joins the dots between his adaptations of arthouse movies " by Antonioni, Bergman, Cassavetes and others …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:03AM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 27, 2021

The Glass Menagerie review " Ivo van Hove's subterranean home blues by Chris Wiegand

Internationaal Theater AmsterdamIsabelle Huppert stars in a shrewd staging of Tennessee Williams' autobiographical memory play, to be livestreamed from the ITA Is this a latecomer weaving th…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:33AM[SHARE]

'I'm a great audience " I cry very easily': Stephen Sondheim in his own words by Chris Wiegand

In these extracts from interviews published in the Guardian and the Observer, the musicals maestro " who has died aged 91 " talks about rhyme, reviews and risk People say I always write abou…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:32AM[SHARE]
Friday, November 26, 2021

Stephen Sondheim: master craftsman who reinvented the musical dies aged 91 by Chris Wiegand

Scoring his first big hit with West Side Story at 27, the US composer and lyricist raised the art form's status with moving and funny masterpieces including Follies and Company Stephen Sondh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:06PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Basquiat and Warhol's 'intimate friendship' explored in Young Vic drama by Chris Wiegand

Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany play the art legends in The Collaboration staged by artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah It promised to be a knockout exhibition, with both artists wearing boxing …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:06AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 16, 2021

No turkeys allowed! 25 of the best shows to book for Christmas 2021 by Chris Wiegand

Looking for a jolly good trip to the theatre this winter? Here's our pick'n'mix selection of musicals, pantos and festive spectaculars, featuring circus tricks, high kicks and puppet rodents…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:32PM[SHARE]
Friday, November 12, 2021

Little Scratch review " superb staging of Rebecca Watson's novel by Chris Wiegand

Hampstead theatre, LondonThis version of the day-in-a-life book, directed by Katie Mitchell, achieves the same lingering power using a quartet of actors Towards the end of Rebecca Watson's d…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:33AM[SHARE]
Thursday, November 11, 2021

David Suchet: Poirot and More, A Retrospective review " the man behind the moustache by Chris Wiegand

Chichester Festival theatreThe actor revisits his life and craft " not least playing Hercule Poirot " in neat but affecting touring show Has Ian McKellen started a trend? To mark his 80th b…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:54AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Josephine review " Baker's story packed with rhythm and blues by Chris Wiegand

The Egg, BathWith a brilliantly physical performance from Ebony Feare, this toe-tapping show for over-sevens doesn't shy away from the stage star's tough times It took Josephine Baker five …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:33AM[SHARE]
Friday, November 5, 2021

Footfalls and Rockaby review " Beckett double bill casts a chilling spell by Chris Wiegand

Jermyn Street theatre, LondonPacing endlessly and rocking towards the big sleep, Siân Phillips and Charlotte Emmerson's performances make this evening deeply affecting This no-frills cell…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06PM[SHARE]
Friday, October 29, 2021

The Lost Lending Library review " immersive family show champions the magic of books by Chris Wiegand

Drapers' Hall, CoventryPunchdrunk Enrichment's site-specific project for children aged six to 11 turns a historic building into a secretive library On the way to The Lost Lending Library, a …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:42AM[SHARE]
Thursday, October 28, 2021

The Magician's Elephant review " a puppet you'll never forget by Chris Wiegand

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonIt is spirited and witty, with superb puppetry and comedic performances, but this new musical's songs don't stay with you and the messages are o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42PM[SHARE]
Monday, October 25, 2021

Beverley Knight: 'It's been a harder journey than if I'd acquiesced. But sod that' by Chris Wiegand

Returning to the stage to play Faye Treadwell, formidable manager of the Drifters, the singer and actor explains how she faced down sexism and racism to forge her own career path in Britain …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:03PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, October 20, 2021

'Joy matters': UK theatre festival tackles hard-hitting issues with a sense of fun by Chris Wiegand

HighTide's Inventing the Future weekender will feature six new scripts that playfully consider serious subjects, says artistic director Suba Das A sense of joy and playfulness is vital for t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54PM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off