MickeyJoTheatre

A few days ago, TRAINSPOTTING the musical opened at Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End.Among the reviews have been many of the most critical verdicts a new London opening has received in some time, prompting the question: why did the critics hate Trainspotting the Musical?sign up to Mickey-Jo's weekly substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com•00:00 | introduction02:34 | my review05:22 | The Guardian08:33 | WhatsOnStage12:42 | The Standard16:34 | The Stage20:50 | The Telegraph24:33 | The Fi...

There is yet more drama in the world of BURLESQUE the Musical as it was announced earlier this week that its two concurrently readying UK productions would each face some postponement.The show's London return, at the Arts Theatre at Marble Arch, has been delayed to 2027 and will no longer play at the same venue, while the UK tour has cancelled its first stop in Woking and will now begin performances in Sunderland.With considerable history of offstage drama, Mickey-Jo is taking a look back at prior productions of the show in order...

Earlier this week, MIDNIGHT AT THE NEVER GET opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London.The new musical, written by Mark Sonnenblick, stars Ben Platt and sees the off West End venue reconfigured as an intimate 1960s Cabaret space.Check out Mickey-Jo's spoiler-free and spoiler inclusive thoughts in tandem about this affecting new musical with a pastiche score...•00:00 | introduction02:49 | overview (spoiler free)13:47 | development (spoilers!)22:24 | conclusionAbout Mickey-Jo:As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on...

Mickey-Jo is answering one of his most frequently asked questions: which musical revival would you like to see next?Mickey-Jo is sharing 15 shows he would like to see revived either on Broadway or in the West End as well as his thoughts on how, where, and with whom they ought to be staged.Let Mcikey-Jo know which of these you would like to see as well as which revivals you are waiting for...check out Mickey-Jo's weekly substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.comAbout Mickey-Jo:<...

Mickey-Jo recently returned to HEATHERS THE MUSICAL, which is back in London once more at its new home - The Arts at Marble Arch.Having seen the show several times since it first arrived in the UK, Mickey-Jo was surprised by his reaction to the largely identical production and the feeling that the show was no longer one which he could enjoy.For Mickey-Jo's thoughts about this latest iteration of Westerburg High School, plus reflections on Hesthers' history and legacy, check out his latest review.check out Mickey-Jo's weekly substack...

Mickey-Jo recently hosted a post show Q&A with the company of RIDE THE CYCLONE after their performance at Southwark Playhouse Elephant.The cult hit musical received its UK premiere at the venue last year and has returned amidst huge popular demand for another engagement, with some additional cast members.Check out what they had to say about their discovery of the show, their favourite numbers to be a part of, and what it's been like performing in a heatwave.check out Mickey-Jo's free weekly substack newsletter:www...

This week Mickey-Jo saw 4 shows at Off West End Theatres:• The Jonathan Larson Project at Southwark Playhouse Borough • Ride the Cyclone at Southwark Playhouse Elephant • Hit Machine at Soho Theatre • Hole! at Soho TheatreCheck out what Mickey-Jo thought of the material, creative choices, and performances in each production.sign up to Mickey-Jo's weekly substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com•00:00 | introduction01:52 | The Jonathan Larson Project11:46 | Ride the Cyclone20:54 | Hit Machine28:11...

With increasing frequency, theatregoers in the UK have been observing a rise in the number of theatrical productions utilising AI.This comes amidst a global increase in the prevalence of artifical intelligence, in spite of its environmental and social impact.Today, Mickey-Jo is sharing his unfiltered thoughts about the arrival of AI in the theatre industry, bith onstage via generative AI imagery, as well as offstage in promotional materials and possibly even in the writing process...check out Mickey-Jo's free substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com<...

A new production of the musical SWEENEY TODD, written by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, opened earlier this week at the Birmingham Rep in the UK.The revival, which stars Ramin Karimloo and Meow Meow, features a condensed company and orchestra, offering a chamber-style reinterpretation of the usually grand piece, as well as shifting its setting around a century earlier.Find out more about this production, the winning material, and these new performances in this full review...check out Mickey-Jo's free substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com<...

It was recently announced that CATS: The Jellicle Ball, the groundbreaking, award-winning revival of the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, would close early on Broadway.The production, playing until early August at the Broadhurst Theatre, was the best reviewed musical of the Broadway season and won multiple Tony Awards for its creative team, though notably not for Best Revival of a Musical.That, however, is not the only factor that played a role in the show's early demise - check out Mickey-Jo thoughts on what went wrong with the Jellicle Ball on Broadway...<...

Good news! 3 years after they got engaged, Mickey-Jo and Aeron James are finally making wedding plans, and they're going to be tying the knot next year at a theatre!Today they are sharing some details of that upcoming wedding day, inspiration for a similarly theatrical wedding, including the types of theatres at which you can get married, and also letting you know their honeymoon plans and how you can help make them happen if you so wish! Stay tuned for some limited wedding coverage coming early next year, and thank you for watching...

Though it first premiered off-Broadway in 2013, Mickey-Jo had never seen FUN HOME on stage, and had been waiting to experience this celebrated show.He finally got the chance to see a production last week when it was revived at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, a unique regional venue in the UK.Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of this intimate production, its performances, and the show itself...check out Mickey-Jo's free substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.com•00:00 | introduction02:39 | synopsis / material...

Mickey-Jo recently visited the Soho Theatre in London where the new play HIT MACHINE is readying to begin its sold out preview performances.The play stars Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin as brothers and musicians with differing success in the industry.Check out what they each had to say about their characters, how they arrived at this play, and what translating pain into art means for each of them.•check out Mickey-Jo's free substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.comAbout Mickey-Jo:As...

The upcoming West End revival of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical RENT has recently announced its cast.Joining Gaten Matarazzo as Mark will be Travis Ross as Roger, Bella Brown as Mimi, Billy Nevers as Collins, Lazy Violet as Maureen, Olivier Award nominee Danielle Fiamanya as Joanne, Jeevan Braich as Angel and Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Benny.Find out why this news is so exciting and why Mickey-Jo thinks this production could become the most important staging of RENT since it premiered...•00:00 | introduction...

This week marked the arrival of one of the most anticipated shows of 2026 when the revival of the musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR opened at the London Palladium.The production, first seen in an earlier iteration at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, stars Sam Ryder and Tyrone Huntley alongside Desmonda Cathabel.Check out this full review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought of this latest staging of the rock opera from Sir Tim Rice and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber...•00:00 | introduction02:08 | history / context08:37 | creative choices...

Currently two things seem to be true: there are ever more stage musicals based on films, and there is ever more debate about whether there are too many of them.Today Mickey-Jo is glancing back at the history of the film-to-stage adaptations, the major examples that shifted how audiences engage with such shows including Disney's arrival on Broadway as well as musicals including Monty Python's Spamalot and Legally Blonde, and the potentially growing disinterest in recent movie based narratives.He is also considering whether musicals based on movies have a brand image problem...

Summer in London brings a slew of new limited runs, and in the past few weeks Mickey-Jo has seen a handful of play revivals which he's been eager to tell you about.• A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe• The Truth at the Apollo Theatre• Cyrano de Bergerac at the Noel Coward Theatre• The Misanthrope at the National Theatre Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of each of these productions, their new interpretations, and their creative choices...check out Mickey-Jo's free substack newsletter:www.mick...

Mickey-Jo recently had the chance to meet the cast of DEATH NOTE: THE MUSICAL, which arrives in London later this Summer with a fully staged limited run at the Barbican Centre.The newly announced cast includes Xander Pang, Colin Ryan, Telly Leung, Stephanie Zaharis, Grace Mouat, Paolo Montalban, Chloe Saracco, and more.Check out what they have to say about their characters, the story's huge following, and building this epic, brand new production.check out Mickey-Jo's free substack newsletter:www.mickeyjotheatre.substack.comAbout Mickey-Jo:<...

Earlier this year, Mickey-Jo saw EVERY BRILLIANT THING on Broadway starring Daniel Radcliffe.The play heavily incorporates audience participation, and during this visit Mickey-Jo was very nearly a part of the show in a key role.As well as telling the story of how that almost happened and why it didn't, Mickey-Jo is letting you know how well he thought the production transferred from an intimate London venue to the larger Hudson Theatre...•00:00 | introduction01:53 | synopsis / overview 06:34 | when I saw the show...15:46 | Bro...

In the last few weeks, two more musicals have cancelled forthcoming dates of their Australian tour, citing low ticket sales and economic challenges.Waitress and Beetlejuice will close early, with Back to the Future the Musical and Dear Evan Hansen having shuttered similarly in the last couple of years.In this conversation, Mickey-Jo is trying to figure out what's going wrong in the Australian theatre industry and whether there is hope for improvement for commercial musicals...•00:00 | introduction02:48 | Dear Evan Hansen / Back to the Future...