Many people today recognise P. T. Barnum thanks to the hit movie The Greatest Showman, but the acclaimed stage production Barnum the Musical explores far more than the world of the circus. The long-running musical takes audiences on a deeper journey through Barnum’s life, revealing his political ambitions, personal struggles, and the powerful influence of his wife, Charity Barnum.

This week, I’m joined by Monique Young, who stars as Charity Barnum, to discuss the heart behind the production and the woman determined to keep Phineas Barnum grounded amidst fame and spectacle. We also dive into the extraordinary talent required to bring the show to life, from juggling and fire breathing to the high-energy choreography audiences are loving. With exam season underway, Monique also shares her top advice for aspiring performers and those hoping to break into the theatre industry. Tickets for Barnum the Musical are on sale now as the production tours the UK to rave 4 and 5-star reviews, featuring choreography by Oti Mabuse and music by Cy Coleman. Theatre fans in the East Midlands can book tickets through the Nottingham Playhouse website.

Go behind the scenes of Derby Theatre and Northern Stage’s exciting new production of Little Shop of Horrors in this special two-part episode of Arts & Toast.

In part two of this exclusive feature, Derby-born performer Kristian Cunningham shares his inspiring journey from his early days with Erewash Musical Society to landing the iconic role of Seymour in this major professional production. Kristian also opens up about co-founding KTStudios, the realities of working in the theatre industry and the challenges young performers face when balancing arts education, qualifications and career ambitions.

Expect honest conversations, backstage insight and plenty of passion for musical theatre as we explore what it really takes to build a career on stage.

From 30 May to 20 June 2026, audiences can catch Kristian Cunningham alongside Amena El Kindy in Little Shop of Horrors at Derby Theatre. Featuring live actor-musicians, creative captioning, and beloved songs including Suddenly Seymour, Skid Row (Downtown), and Feed Me (Git It), this cult-classic musical promises an unforgettable summer theatre experience.

Tickets available now via Derby Theatre.

In this special two-part episode of Arts & Toast, actor and performer Kristian Cunningham joins the Kirsty on the podcast to discuss his journey through the performing arts, alongside his starring role in the hit musical Little Shop of Horrors.

Presented by Derby Theatre and Northern Stage, Little Shop of Horrors is the iconic dark comedy musical blending sci-fi, Motown and B-movie horror that has entertained audiences for more than 40 years.

Kristian shares how his passion for theatre began with amateur dramatics in Derbyshire, before training at The Urdang Academy. He opens up about life beyond London as a working actor, building a successful performing arts academy in the East Midlands and balancing teaching the next generation of performers with professional stage roles.

From musical theatre and actor training to regional arts and creative careers outside the capital, this inspiring conversation explores why you don’t need to live in London to build a thriving career in the arts.

In this episode, we head to Lakeside Arts in Nottingham to explore an exciting new exhibition, Drawn Through Time.

The exhibition brings together an inspiring group of artists, including George Shaw, James Pyman, Billy Hughes, and Penny McCarthy. At the heart of the show is McCarthy’s work, deeply influenced by the Renaissance master Titian.

McCarthy was granted rare access to Titian’s lesser-known piece, The Submersion of the Pharaoh’s Army in the Red Sea, spending six months studying the artwork and his techniques. Her research, alongside rare woodcuts of Titian’s original works, forms a key part of this unique exhibition and will be available to see at this exhibition.

In this thought-provoking episode, Kirsty speaks with Penny McCarthy and curator Ashley Gallant about how art created over 500 years ago continues to influence contemporary practices - from modern urban landscapes and painting, photography to comics and even AI-generated art.

Drawn Through Time opens this weekend at Lakeside Arts in Nottingham and runs until 26 July. Entry is free, with a range of guided tours and talks available throughout the exhibition. For more details, visit the Lakeside Arts website.

Image made from details of: How I wanted to be that sky – to hold every flying and falling at once, 2021 by Penny McCarthy and The submersion of Pharaoh’s Army in the Red Sea, c. 1549 by Titian

Kirsty Corbett spoke with the cast of “Scenes from a Friendship”, Benedict Salter and Katie Redford about how rehearsals are going. The pair talk about reminiscing with

items such as Nokia 3210s and a yellow sticker bargains before going on to talk about the plot of the Long Eaton based play. They go on to talk about the emotional rollercoaster, Nottingham based, writer Jane Upton has put them on as they prepare for opening night.

First Year Juniors, Long Eaton, 1987. Kylie’s about to hit number one, and Jess meets Billy for the first time. There’s conflict, competition and mutual intrigue, but they quickly become inseparable: Proper soulmates – the kind who finish each other’s sentences and overshare about first kisses. As they pursue different paths, him in the big city, her in their fading hometown, they can’t escape the pull of their friendship – or the arguments and jealousy that come with it. Following them across the decades – from making mixtapes and endless summers, to the chaos of parenthood, Scenes from a Friendship is a warm, funny, and deeply felt look at the bond you share with the person who’s shaped your life, who knows all your flaws but loves you regardless.

Tickets are on sale, now, for “Scenes from a Friendship” . The show opens with its world premiere on Friday 15 May and due to demand the run, for the show, has now

been extended to 12 June 2026. Tickets start at £18 and can be bought from the Nottingham Playhouse website.

University of Derby 3rd year Theatre Arts Students are proud to announce their productions for 2026: "The Light Burns Blue". Based on the true story of the Cottingley fairies, The Light Burns Blue asks us to reflect on the ethical dilemmas of

truth and lies, and the whether we can believe all that we see, and to consider, in a world of darkness, what do we really need?

spoke Theatre Arts students & actors Olivia Osbourne, who plays Elsie, and Liv Murphy who plays Winifred as well as Isaac Raven, student marketing assistant and Senior Lecturer Amanda Wallace about the true story inspiration behind “The Light Turns Blue”. They also talk about what it is like to be students at a professional “learning theatre” which gives them access to key areas, besides acting, such as stage management, wardrobe and marketing.

Tickets are on sale, now, for “Light Burns Blue” which runs on 22 & 23 May, with both matinee and evening shows available. All performances will also be captioned. Tickets can be bought via the Derby Theatre website, for just £10 with discounts available for under 26s and University of Derby students.

Derby Theatre offers valuable industry experience and contacts. This course (Theatre Arts) is unique; no other university level course is housed in a producing theatre. You will be at the centre of this professional environment developing skills in acting, devising and directing for your career as a professional theatre artist. This theatre arts programme will develop your theatre and performance skills such as acting, directing and devising for your career as a professional theatre artist. For more details on the course please see the Derby University website.

The Lewis Sewell Memorial Trust, in partnership with producer Mark Robert Petty, is bringing “A Musical Spectacular!” to Derby Theatre on Sunday 3 May 2026 at 7.30pm.

Gillian Sewell's journey of honouring her Derby born son, Lewis Sewell, is nothing short of inspiring. After his passing in 2020 due to cancer, Gillian and her family set up the Lewis Sewell Trust, under Lewis’ instructions.

They empower young aspiring artists, ensuring that Lewis’ vision lives on, gifting scholarships to those who cannot afford to go to drama and theatre school but has a talent that will earn them a paid career. Every scholarship awarded, every opportunity created, is a testament to Lewis's spirit.

Kirsty Corbett began asking Lewis’ mum, Gillian, about how she finds fulfilling Lewis’ wishes for aspiring performers before chatting with the fundraising concert's Producer, Mark Robert Petty, about how he got involved with the Derby based charity.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now via the Derby Theatre website for A Musical Spectacular on Sunday 3 May 2026 at 7.30pm. This spectacular concert will feature an all-star West End cast, Carolyn Maitland (Woman in White), Luke McCall (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables), Laura Pick (previous Elphaba in Wicked), Luke Suri (Frankie goes to Hollywood), Manon Taris (Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera) and Chris Weeks (Spotify sensation & currently in Buddy Holly Story) performing alongside talented pupils from local colleges including Embark Federation and Kristian Thomas Company. Together they will perform beloved songs from musicals including The Greatest Showman, The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Hamilton, Back To The Future, The Buddy Holly Story, Guys & Dolls, Sunset Boulevard, Jersey Boys, Wicked, Les Misérables, Rent, Grease, Dear Evan Hansen, Mamma Mia! and many more.

In this episode I’m joined, again, by Ashley Gallant of Lakeside Arts and also Ceri Lewis from Artist Rooms. Artist Rooms was set up in 2008 by the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate galleries . Since its inception in 2008 the collection includes the original artworks of over 40 international artists and has allowed the Art to be toured all over the UK, enabling 60 million people to see iconic works of Art. It’s with thanks to Artist Rooms that the original work of Andy Warhol was brought to Nottingham. Some pieces haven’t been seen by the public in ten years and it was an absolute joy to listen to the passion of both Ashley and Ceri at the preview opening of this fabulous exhibition.

The show closes, at Lakeside Arts, on Sunday 19 April 2026, and there are a limited amount of tickets left via the Lakeside Arts website.

Lakeside Arts is the University of Nottingham's public arts centre and a leading regional venue for theatre, dance, and visual arts located on University Park. It offers an eclectic year-round program including exhibitions, workshops, and family-friendly performances across galleries, a museum, and a theatre. It’s an absolute gem of a place and, for the last couple of months, has been home to the original artworks of Andy Warhol. Some of the works on show haven’t been available to the public in a decade but thanks to Lakeside Arts and an amazing initiative with Artist Rooms they’re available for you to see. Artist Rooms is a programme run by the National Galleries of Scotland and the Tate which, amongst many positives, makes Art more accessible to the public away from London and Edinburgh, for example but more on that later.

In the first of this two part special, I chat with Ashley Gallant who is the Head of Visual Arts at Lakeside. He chats about his role and the logistics in making sure that the original artworks of Andy Warhol are both cared for and presented in an accessible way for the general public.

The second part of this series is also now LIVE! Head over to the Arts & Toast podcast with me, Kirsty, to hear from Ashley and also Ceri Lewis from Artist Rooms about their goal to make art accessible to the public, outside of areas such as London and Edinburgh.

Rosalie Minnitt joins the podcast to discuss her meteoric rise in the comedy world following the success of her debut character show Clementine. An award-winning comedy writer and performer, Rosalie has written for BBC Radio 4, BBC Bitesize and CBBC but it was her hilariously chaotic alter-ego Clementine that captured audiences at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe. Subsequently the show was named one of the top-reviewed performances of the festival by the British Comedy Guide and has seen sold-out runs and extended dates at Soho Theatre. Rosalie is now taking Clementine on tour across the UK. In this episode, Kirsty chats with Rosalie as she reflects on creating the wildly unhinged "Clementine", her journey from Durham University graduate to acclaimed comedian and what life has been like since her breakout Fringe success.