This week, Thos looks at one of the most significant changes to fringe festivals in 2021 – the advent of the virtual productions! Whilst they've been around for ages, it's only since the pandemic that they really taken off. And with more virtual musicals on offer than live musical productions at this summer's EdFringe, we take a look at two different shows you could have seen this year, and the variation in their approaches to putting on a show.

It's the very welcome return of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – and this year it was somehow both a lot smaller and a lot bigger – with a mixture of physical and virtual shows, giving it more of a global reach than ever. As always, MusicalTalk will be talking about the pick of the crop of musicals from this year's event but to get the ball rolling, and to mark the return of the world's largest arts festival, Thos and Colm sit down to talk, not about any particular shows, but about the feeling, atmosphere and intoxication of the EdFringe as a thing in itself. It's time to put out the bunting…

Andy Edwards talks to the current star of Singin' in the Rain Adam Cooper - discussing everything from Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake to working with Patrick Swayze!

Nick and John talk to award winning lyricist David Zippel about his work for Cinderella, Hercules, Woman in White, City of Angels and other smaller works!

Nick is joined by Dom as they discuss Singin' in the Rain - currently playing at Sadler's Wells.

Nick and Andrew discuss a manner of shows and topics including: Anything Goes, Mamma Mia (The Party), Amelie, Carousel, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Comeback and the newly renovated Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Join Mike Shapiro as he updates Thos about his wonderful Hollywood Fringe adventure musical, Gideon and the Blundersnorp, which having been in a successful virtual version last year has now been redeveloped for a real live theatrical production in 2021. In this bumper episode, you'll hear songs aplenty and entertaining chat about the show's unusual developmental journey as well as discussions on everything from orchestrations, poster design, to livestreaming each performance for global viewing!

Nick talks to Jonathan Cohen about HAIRSPRAY - now playing at the London Coliseum and then sits down with producerr Chris Clegg to discuss Tuck Shop, Death Drop and all things Drag.

Thos talks to musical theatre royalty, the amazing Kim Criswell, about her new show, the wonderful Rodgers and Hammerstein revue, A Grand Night for Singing, which is being presented at the Edinburgh International Festival this summer and brings together both well known and neglected F&H gems. Kim shares her thoughts on this great songwriting partnership and the difficulties faced by the production in the age of Covid-19 restrictions in a wonderful, wide ranging and hugely enthusiastic conversation which is bound to delight any lover of musical theatre.

Join Thos and Tim as they look in depth at the reworked version of the 1960s West End and Broadway hit, Half A Sixpence, which came to London in 2016 under the auspices of Julian Fellowes, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Find out if they thought it was a flash in the pan, a banging hit or deserved a wallop!