In this week’s issue of The Stage:
Little Shop of Horrors actress Ellen Greene talks to Paul Vale about her summer stint on the London stage in the musical Betwixt! and why money doesn’t motivate her career choices
Backstage Focus: Nick Smurthwaite meets Jon Driscoll, the man behind the special effects making audiences gasp in London and beyond
After ATG made headlines when an autistic audience member and his family were made to feel unwelcome at a performance of Wicked, Julia Potts, the company’s head of learning and access, dissects the difficulties staff encounter and opens up the debate
The intention is never to offend, but the complexity and sensitivity surrounding these issues can cause even the most experienced of us to make the wrong call on occasion, precisely because we are trying so hard to do the opposite
Dear John: “How have traditional impressionists’ acts changed to suit the modern television era?”
Training: Susan Elkin rounds up some of the best recent training books for writers and performers
Following three successful years of The Stage’s student reviewer team at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this month seven students will be appraising non-professional shows on a new website, the-u-review.co.uk, set up by two of their number and with mentoring from Stage festival critics. We meet U-Review founders Chris Wilmott and James Moemken
Actors Touring Company artistic director Ramin Gray talks to Aleks Sierz about the challenges of his latest production and the importance of imagination
Since entering the world of choreography, Andrew McNicol has gained countless opportunities to advance in his profession, working on the National Youth Ballet’s forthcoming production of Joanne Harris’ Chocolat. He talks to Lisa Martland about his career progression
As leading choreographers and dance companies establish initiatives to nurture young dancers and choreographers, Neil Norman looks at the thriving Dance Futures event and Young Creatives scheme, and talks to a graduate of the programme
Insight Focus: As performances get underway in Edinburgh, Ian Herbert takes a look at Europe’s other principal festival in Avignon
Since launching his career with a part in Lark Rise to Candleford, John Dagleish’s next role is about as different as it gets. He talks to Jonathan Watson about how he arrived in the world of E4’s Beaver Falls
As the latest revival of Singing’ in the Rain causes a storm among critics at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Nick Smurthwaite celebrates Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who created the masterpiece from the name of one tune
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