The WhatsOnStage Podcast

By Sarah Crompton & Alex Wood

WhatsOnStage managing editor Alex Wood and chief theatre critic Sarah Crompton host a weekly podcast on all things theatrical. News, views, frank exchanges and lists offer an unmissable guide to what’... more

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FAQs about The WhatsOnStage Podcast:

How many episodes does The WhatsOnStage Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 207 episodes available.

The WhatsOnStage Podcast episodes:

February 20, 2026 142. We have a lot to say about Dracula with Cynthia Erivo
The biggest opening of the year so far came this week in the form of Dracula, marking the return of Cynthia Erivo to the London stage. Sarah and Alex voice their opinions on the tech-heavy take on Bram Stoker's bloody classic – but are there too many bells and whistles for this to work? Plus – Westeros is stage-bound – the podcasting pair break down the news of the new play, Game of Thrones: The Mad King.
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37min
February 18, 2026 141. Bonus episode: Andor star Elizabeth Dulau on playing George Eliot and the Star Wars universe
Fresh from wowing Disney audiences as Kleya in Andor, Elizabeth Dulau is playing the iconic poet George Eliot in Alexi Kaye Campbell's brand new play Bird Grove, currently in previews at the Hampstead Theatre. We discuss the surprising facets of Eliot's personality as well as the challenges faced with trying to bring such a revered literary figure to the stage. Beyond that, we also touch on Dulau's experiences in the Star Wars universe – and how she imagines Kleya's storyline continued.
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24min
February 13, 2026 140. The Best Plays of the Century Part 2: The Years 2002/03
In part two of the series, Sarah and Alex weigh up the merits of new work from Caryl Churchill, Roy Williams and Kwame Kwei-Armah. Plus new writing from Lucy Prebble and Lynn Nottage. Who will take the crown in each year?
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40min
February 09, 2026 139. Bonus episode: Ben Platt and Mark Sonnenblick on their London musical UK premiere
Last month, WhatsOnStage was invited to the Menier Chocolate Factory to talk to the creator and star of their summer show, Midnight at the Never Get. Ben Platt will star in the UK premiere of Mark Sonnenblick’s musical. Set in 1965 New York, it follows Trevor Copeland and Arthur Brightman’s illegal romance, where they meet to perform songs in a secret nightclub act. David Cromer will direct a new production for its premiere at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
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19min
February 06, 2026 138. Godot, Slow Horses and why all TV actors should work on the stage
As he launches his new book about starring in Samuel Beckett’s Godot opposite Ben Whishaw, Lucian Msamati sits down with Sarah and Alex to lift the lid on the mood behind the scenes, the behaviour of audiences and why theatre is still like gym for young actors
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42min
February 04, 2026 137. Bonus episode: Newly announced Jonathan Larson Project cast talk the legacy of the RENT composer
On what would be Jonathan Larson's 66th birthday, the freshly revealed cast of The Jonathan Larson Project, including Grace Mouat and Max Harwood, came together for a special launch at Century Club in central London. At the same event, Jessie Elland, Maisie Smith and Jed Berry discussed their casting in the new production of Little Shop of Horrors, running in Manchester and Liverpool – while producer Thomas Hopkins explains why it's easier to programme on Broadway than in the West End right now.
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18min
January 30, 2026 136. The Traitors on stage! Cate Blanchett! Sandra Oh!
Phew – with new seasons at the National, Donmar Warehouse, Shakespeare's Globe and more, there's a lot for Alex and Sarah to unpack as they examine the latest announcements. But do all of these new shows suggest a growing cross-pollination between the worlds of theatre and screen? And what does it mean for audiences?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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32min
January 28, 2026 135. Bonus episode: About time – with Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose from One Day, and Billy Crudup and Denise Gough from High Noon
In this week’s bonus episode, we’re clock-watching! At Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre we chat to the stars of One Day: The Musical – Jamie Muscato (Moulin Rouge!, Heathers) and Sharon Rose (Hamilton), who join us to discuss the challenge of ageing 20 years on stage and bringing this iconic "July 15th" love story to life through song. Then, we head to London’s West End where the tension is mounting in High Noon. We sit down with Tony and Emmy winner Billy Crudup and the powerhouse Denise Gough to talk about the grit and adrenaline of performing a classic Western in real-time.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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15min
January 26, 2026 134. Bonus episode: Beverley Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu on bringing Marie and Rosetta to the West End
The profound effect that Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight had on contemporary music is rarely spelled out in full. There's a reason why Tharpe is heralded as the "godmother of rock ‘n’ roll." Between them, they helped reshape genres and alter tastes, all in a racist, misogynistic world that rarely gave them space to show off their groundbreaking talents.

That is the story now coming to @sohoplace with Marie and Rosetta, George Brant's two-hander that brings a rocking, untapped history into the present day. Stars Beverley Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu sit down to chat about their time with the production, aided by director Monique Touko and movement director Kloé Dean.

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21min
January 23, 2026 133. The Best Plays of the Century Part 1: The Years 2000/01
At the beginning of a new series Sarah and Alex weigh the merits of the century’s new writing. Will Sarah Kane or Joe Penhall take the 2000 crown? And what about Martin McDonagh’s contribution to 2001?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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40min

FAQs about The WhatsOnStage Podcast:

How many episodes does The WhatsOnStage Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 207 episodes available.

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