March 2009 Archives

In this week’s podcast, I talk to the creative team behind Jet Set Go!, the comedy musical which starts at the Jermyn Street Theatre next week after a successful run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In conversation are Pippa Cleary, composer & lyricist and finalist in The Stage’s Notes for The Stage musical theatre composition competition; Jake Brunger, book & lyrics and Luke Sheppard, director and choreographer.

A review of the musical will appear on The Stage website on Friday 3 April, at http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/, and in the following week’s paper.

To listen to the podcast:

You can use the player below, or download the MP3 file (10.9Mb) (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

Alternatively, subscribe in iTunes or your favourite podcast player. This will also ensure that you’ll automatically receive future podcasts when they become available. In addition, the iTunes version contains album art and chapter marks for easier navigation through the programme.

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The stories in this week’s news segment:

• Primeval writer Hodges calls for product placement ban to be lifted
• James Bulger play to given UK premiere at Arcola
• Edinburgh International Festival unveils 63rd programme
• Latitude festival to feature Royal Opera and ETT musical
• Punchdrunk and Wainwright lead Manchester International Festival 2009
• Cultural Olympiad to get a new ‘ringmaster’
• Theatres better outside London, says actor Tompkinson

This week marks the launch of an exciting initiative by The Stage. In partnership with Adam Street Private Members’ Club, we will be hosting a series of informal roundtable discussions with leading figures from the theatre and entertainment industries.

In this, the first of our The Stage @ Adam Street podcasts, the subject is The State of the West End. Joining Alistair Smith, The Stage’s News Editor, are:

• Nica Burns, chief executive, Nimax Theatres
• Caro Newling, director, Neal Street Productions
• Andre Ptaszynski, chief executive, Really Useful Group
• Richard Pulford, chief executive, Society of London Theatre
• Malcolm Sinclair, actor and vice-president, Equity
• Mark Shenton, theatre critic for The Stage, the Sunday Express and other publications, and Stage blogger at Shenton’s View

Together, they discuss West End box office results, the state of London’s historic theatre buildings, ticket prices and the responsibilities of theatre critics.

To listen to the podcast:

You can use the player below, or download the MP3 file (28Mb) or AAC format file (29.9Mb) (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

Alternatively, subscribe in iTunes or your favourite podcast player. This will also ensure that you’ll also automatically receive future podcasts when they become available. In addition, the iTunes version contains album art and chapter marks for easier navigation through the programme.

• Subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)
• RSS feed for other podcast players

This week in the podcast, we pay our final visit to BBC Showcase 2009. I talk to Phil Mealy and Craig Cash, writers of the comedy-drama Sunshine about the difficulties of talking about a series that does not comfortably fit in a pigeonhole. And BBC Worldwide executives Sarah Cooper (Chief Operating Officer) and Steven Macallister (MD, Sales and Distribution) talk about the pros and cons of trying to sell programmes internationally given the prevailing economic climate.

To listen to the podcast:

You can use the player below, or download the MP3 file (25Mb) (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

Alternatively, subscribe in iTunes or your favourite podcast player. This will also ensure that you’ll automatically receive future podcasts when they become available. In addition, the iTunes version contains album art and chapter marks for easier navigation through the programme.

• Subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)
• RSS feed for other podcast players

This week in the podcast we talk to Jack Murphy, the man who taught Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend to waltz as Victoria and Albert in the new British film The Young Victoria. And, in our second of three visits to BBC Showcase 2009 in Brighton, Suranne Jones talks about her recent role in ITV1 drama series Unforgiven, her theatre work and the possibility of American TV jobs.

To listen to the podcast:

You can use the player below, or download the MP3 file (25Mb) (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

Alternatively, subscribe in iTunes or your favourite podcast player. This will also ensure that you’ll automatically receive future podcasts when they become available. In addition, the iTunes version contains album art and chapter marks for easier navigation through the programme.

• Subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)
• RSS feed for other podcast players

Show notes, including links to the news stories in this week’s podcast, after the jump.