As the end of 2018 approaches, and we all start panicking about the fact it’s nearly over already, it’s time to reflect on what has been a spectacular year for Theatreland.
From unforgettable performances at West End Live, to heart-felt speeches at the Olivier Awards and fun and games with the top talent, we’re not ashamed to admit we’re a little sad to be saying goodbye to 2018 so soon!
So, before we start setting new years resolutions we know we’ll never keep, let’s take a look back at the top 10 videos from 2018 that you’ll want to watch well into 2019!
Joseph 50th special performance at the Olivier Awards 2018
And we kick off with a very special performance at this years Olivier Awards. Josephs of past and present coming together, with the obligatory children’s choir on backing vocals, to celebrate Joseph’s 50th birthday (doesn’t he look good for his age!).
No one could have predicted that the show would announce a triumphant return to the West End at the London Pallidum just a few months later.
West End LIVE 2018: Les Misérables
Do you hear the people sing? Because we sure can…
Giving theatre fans a chance to watch, sing and dance along with their favourite shows, it was tricky to pick just one moment from West End Live this year…which is why we ended up picking two…
Providing one of the most memorable sing-along moments of the day, the cast of Les Misérables showed everyone just why they’ve been running for over 30 years with their medley of hits.
Back to school with the cast of Heathers The Musical
There were some incredible shows with limited runs in the West End last year, and one that people couldn’t stop talking about was Heathers. The musical adaptation of the classic 80s film which had done so well on Broadway was finally in London!
Armed with new songs, a talented cast that included Carrie Hope Fletcher, Jamie Muscato and Jodie Steele, and direction from the iconic Andy Fickman, the show was a massive hit at The Other Palace. Quickly transferring to the Haymarket, excitable fans frequently dressed up as their favourite characters and practically drowned the cast in scrunchies at the curtain call every night.
While we were super sad to see the show leave, we’ll always have the memories…and eventually the cast album too…
Six questions for the Queens of Six
One of the other massive musical successes of the year was Six.
Telling the story of King Henry VIII’s wives in a way you’ve never seen before, with songs that are so good the cast album has been streamed over 3.5 million times, there’s some serious excitement about its return to The Arts Theatre in January 2019.
We caught up with the six queens to ask them six very important questions…
#TheatreLoungeLive – Chicago The Musical
Our Theatre Lounge Live has been full of some top theatrical talent, including casts from Dream Girls, Wicked, School of Rock and Kinky Boots to name a few.
In our latest Theatre Lounge Live, we were joined by Chicago’s Duncan James, Alexandra Burke, Mazz Murray, and Laura Tyrer, who brought down the house (well, the Phoenix Theatre) at this special one-off performance.
Sara Bareilles discusses Waitress in the West End
There have been some VERY exciting Broadway transfers announced for the West End next year, and one that has got a lot of attention and excitement around it already is Waitress.
With a stellar cast already announced (Jack McBrayer as Ogie, Katharine McPhee as Jenna, Marisha Wallace as Becky, Laura Baldwin as Dawn, Peter Hannah as Earl and David Hunter as Dr Pomatter), it’s like all our Christmases have come at once!
The story of pie-maker extraordinaire Jenna who wants to escape her small town and an unhappy marriage but faces challenges along the way has captured fans hearts before it’s even got here. So, we couldn’t wait to meet the talented lady behind the songs of the musical, Sara Bareilles, and find out how she was feeling about her songs coming over the pond with the West End’s first all-female creative team.
West End LIVE 2018: Eugenius!
While we’ve welcomed many fantastic shows this year to the West End, we’ve also had to break out the tissues for some incredible teary goodbyes. And one of the hardest goodbyes was for Eugenius.
A catchy musical about a comic-book fan and creator Eugene and his friends, the story lit up The Other Palace for not one run, but two.
The plot was all about Eugene, who ends up in Hollywood, making a movie of his home-made comic, after winning a competition. This uplifting story of friendship, superheroes, love and shooting beyond the stars, had people singing “Go Eugenius” and “Don’t shoot for the stars, shoot higher” every night for weeks on end.
But fans were left devastated when the anticipated West End transfer was cancelled, and we had to say goodbye to Eugene, Janey and Feris earlier this year.
So, re-live those happy memories, or make some new ones if you never got to see it, and get your hands in the air for the West End Live performance from the cast of Eugenius.
Hamilton performance at the Olivier Awards
We couldn’t list our top 10 videos without including the Hamilton performance at the Olivier Awards, and not just because over 2 million people seemed to enjoy it too!
The show had only been in the Victoria Palace Theatre for less than six months at this point, but watching the cast absolutely smash their performance made everyone realise the hype was real, and well deserved. As were the seven Olivier Awards they went on to take home that night…
The cast of Company try to sing (Not) Getting Married Today
Company has been another musical hit this year, with director Marianne Elliott’s unique take on the Stephen Sondheim musical about life, love and marriage. Turning the lead role of “Bobby” into a female character for the first time on the main stage, it gave a unique and brilliant take on an iconic musical, and it’s gone down very well in Theatreland.
The show has an incredible cast that includes Patti LuPone, Rosalie Craig, Mel Giedroyc, Jonathan Bailey, Richard Fleeshman and George Blagden. And when we got the opportunity to meet these talented folks, we wanted to do something a little different too…
Hamilton’s King George announces the 2019 Olivier Awards
While we’ve loved reminiscing over the last 12 months, we’re also incredibly excited about what 2019 has in store. From returning and new shows arriving in Theatreland, to Kids Week and of course the 2019 Olivier Awards!
And what better way to announce the next Olivier Awards, then with a previous winner from the last one? We asked Michael Jibson, winner of last year’s best actor in a supporting role in a musical Olivier Awards, to don his infamous King George costume and make this very special announcement…
And with that, it’s time to say thank you and goodbye to Theatreland 2018 and look forward to everything that 2019 has to offer! To keep updated of the latest videos from Theatreland, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!