The WhatsOnStage Podcast

In part three of the series Sarah and Alex discuss new work from Alan Bennett and David Hare while announcing the arrival of a new generation - Laura Wade, Simon Stephens, David Harrower among them

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John Proctor is the Villain made a huge impact when it ran on Broadway, and it is finally making its UK premiere in a (now sold out) run at the Royal Court. Two of the show's stars, Sadie Soverall and Dónal Finn, discuss what the experience has been like and bringing this radical interrogation of Arthur Miller to the stage.

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On this week’s episode Sarah and Alex discuss the triumphant WhatsOnStage awards show at the London Palladium, Timothée Chalamet’s recent comments on the arts, some unexpected showings in the Olivier nominations and whether Sinners will enjoy a late Oscars surge.

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Sunday was WhatsOnStage Awards evening! Hear from all the winners as they collect their trophies, backstage at the iconic London Palladium in the heart of the West End. The evening also featured some stellar performances from the likes of Paddington, Hercules and The Phantom of the Opera.

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Jordan Fein talks to Sarah about the importance of community, making audiences feel involved and the difference between making theatre here and in the US. Plus: why he loves Stephen Sondheim and which show he’d like to direct next.

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Today, we’re shining a spotlight on a performer who has become one of the most vital voices in British theatre. Fresh from her Olivier Award win for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and her captivating turn in Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Maimuna Memon is returning to the stage with the show that truly defined her as a powerhouse creator. She’s bringing her hit gig-theatre musical, Manic Street Creature, to the Kiln Theatre for a strictly limited run this March.

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With the WhatsOnStage Awards nine days away, the Oliviers nominations six days away, the BAFTAS five days ago and the Critics Circle nominees now revealed, it feels like the right time to spend a long time discussing awards – their intricacies, their politics and, when controversy arises, what can be done to solve problems. Then, Sarah and Alex try their best to predict who might get nominated for an Olivier Award on Thursday.

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Though sworn to secrecy, Wicked: For Good's Dorothy Bethany Weaver has finally been able to discuss her time in the blockbuster musical franchise, taking on a small but pivotal role. In a wide-ranging interview she discusses leading the March of the Witch Hunters scene, working with Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater, and how she worked out Judy Garland's iconic mannerisms.

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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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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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