August 2010 Archives

As the kids behind E4 sketch show School of Comedy prepare to return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scott Matthewman interrupts their rehearsal period to talk to cast members Will Poulter, Lily Ainsworth and Ella Ainsworth about their involvement in the show, and the School’s creator, drama teacher Laura Lawson.

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. If you subscribe to the podcast series in iTunes, then not only will you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can listen to a streamed MP3 version below.

The idea of a cruise ship entertainer has entered the common parlance as a form of put-down, not least from the mouth of Simon Cowell when he wants to put down the latest X Factor or Britain’s Got Talent auditionee.

These days, though, cruise ship entertainment is a multi million pound operation. Alistair Smith visited one of Celebrity Cruises’ new Solstice Class ships, each of which features a 1,150 seat theatre and three full scale theatrical productions.

Interviewed in this podcast:

• Eric Bohus, director of entertainment
• Nick Weir, cruise director
• Lindsay Hamilton, performer
• Edward Blanch, performer

You can find out more about cruising in this week’s issue of The Stage.

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. If you subscribe to the podcast series in iTunes, then not only will you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can listen to a streamed MP3 version below.

Our latest podcast, in association with Musical Theatre Matters, continues on the theme of theatre criticism, and is in many ways a sequel to our last Adam Street podcast.

The Stage went to a recent breakfast meeting of Musical Theatre Matters, where the panel discussion was on the subject of whether theatre critics can ever be friends with artists and producers.

One the panel were:

• John Plews, artistic director at London fringe venue Upstairs at the Gatehouse
• Fiona Mountford, theatre critic of the Evening Standard
• David Babani, artistic director of the Menier Chocolate Factory
• Mark Shenton, theatre critic for The Stage and The Sunday Express, and a regular blogger on the Stage website
• Richard Beadle, musical director and composer
• and Kevin Wilson, a publicist with Clout Communications

The discussion was chaired by Katherine Ives.

For more on Musical Theatre Matters, go to www.musicaltheatrematters.org.uk

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. If you subscribe to the podcast series in iTunes, then not only will you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can listen to a streamed MP3 version below.