In this week’s edition of The Stage:
Thom Dibdin reports from the launch of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Nicholas Hytner’s attack on the ‘dead white males’ of British drama criticism triggered a storm of protest from the beseiged. Mark Shenton points out that the lack of diversity bewailed by the National’s artistic director is embedded deep within the theatrical institution itself.
Any Dream Will Do may have triumphed over Grease in terms of ratings, but which show was better at uncovering new talent and drawing fresh crowds to musical theatre? Alistair Smith investigates
Dear John looks at how to make the most of a graduate showcase performance
Kevin Berry investigates the emergence of clog dancing in mainstream entertainment, from a National production to Black Swan Rapper and Northern Broadsides theatre company
Phil Collins, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Brian Conley and Naomi Campbell all attended the stage school run by the inimitable Barbara Speake, who was been principal for 62 years and is still going strong. Tony Cooke meets the grand dame herself
TV script write Steven Moffat tells Matthew Hemley why his menacing new six-part series for BBC1, Jekyll starring James Nesbitt, is not a straightforward adaptation of the classic tale, but has been given a contemporary setting
As the Joseph juggernaut rolls into the West End with the might of the BBC behind it, how does a small production company begin to compete? Stacey Flanagan talks to Smile Productions, a little company with plans to do just that
Venues are increasingly competing to provide a complete evening’s entertainment, with fine dining and a show, writes Michael Darvell
As Britain’s leading designers prepare to show their best work at the international Prague Quadrennial exhibition of theatre and stage design this week, Peter Ruthven Hall recommends some of the best displays from the Collaborators exhibition at Nottingham Trent University earlier in the year
Achieving his ambition to be manager of the London Palladium, John Avery remained at the venue for 20 years. He talks to Partick Newley about Princess Diana’s favourite show and handling demanding actors
We also have interviews with:
- Claire Doyle, making her West End debut with Lord of the Rings
- Emmerdale actress Hayley Tamaddon, currently touring in The Rocky Horrow Show
- Comedy stage hypnotist Ken Webster
- Actress Anna Acton, currently starring in Noises Off at the Liverpool Playhouse
- Patrick Sandford, artistic director of Southampton’s Nuffield Theatre
Plus we have our usual array of columnists:
- Ian Herbert on the Prague Quadrennial
- Maria Hodson on avoiding August in Edinburgh, and what Helen Mirren said when asked whether she preferred Thierry Henry or David Beckham
- Clive Barnes on August Wilson’s last play
- Barbara Eifler on making the switch to production management
- Patrick Newley on why actresses are much wittier than men.
The Stage is available in most branches of WH Smiths and many other leading newsagents every Thursday, priced £1.30. Subscription packages are also available
