Checkmate or blunder? Adapting “The Queen’s Gambit” for the musical stage
"To adapt such a complex series into a musical would be to severely undermine the weight of each of these topics and in turn, the production would do no justice to the character of Beth Harmon and the communities she represents."
Beth Ranasinghe considers the obstacles in the path of adapting the hit Netflix show for the musical stage.
Modern musicals and new writing: where did musical theatre leave off?
CW: Addiction, rape, homophobia, conversion therapy, depression.
"While the apparent lack of original musicals can feel disheartening, there’s actually a lot of original work out there."
Katie Kirkpatrick looks at the state of new musical theatre.
Fun Home?
CW: sexual assault, child abuse, suicide, homophobia.
2015 was a great year in the history of musical theatre, possibly the greatest year of this century...
Hope in the Dark: The ‘New World’ Playlist
"We could all do with a bit of escape and a bit of hope"
‘The Most Important Thing to Do is to Keep Creating’: In Conversation With The Cast And Crew of ‘Songs From The Old World’
It is no secret that Covid-19 has put a strain on the UK's live theatre, especially given recent restrictions legally limiting public indoor gatherings...
‘Measure in Love’ – Preview
In the last few months, many aspects of our lives have had to change and adapt to fit into what we call ‘the new...
When Will We Be “Satisfied”? – Hamilton And Its Discontents
Four years after the now familiar opening thumps of Hamilton were first heard, the White House has met the Mouse-House; Disney+ allows subscribers to...
“Helpless”: Whatever Happened to Maria Reynolds?
Fear not, those of us who were unable to afford tickets to Hamilton on Broadway – for the mere cost of selling your soul...
Eight LGBTQ+ Musical Theatre Songs to Listen to this Pride
As we face the prospect of another six months spent watching Star Wars and ‘sport’ (?) with heterosexual relatives, now more than ever we...
An unhealthy obsession? The cult of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’
I must confess – I am quite obsessed with Cats.
Not the animal, of course, but Andrew Lloyd Webber’s seminal
1981 musical and the 2019 film...
Preview: RENT
I wouldn’t consider myself the biggest fan of the 2005 film RENT. I know, I know – I’m a bad musical theatre fan. But I tried...
Preview: Hero-Man
How flawed are the moral dynamics in children’s superhero cartoons, and can we critique them through the medium of rock opera? These are the...
Review: Merrily We Roll Along at the Oxford Playhouse
Merrily We Roll Along begins with a bang – the peak of Franklin Shepard’s career as a Hollywood producer while he relaxes (and then enters...
Review: Chicago
Cecelia Wang reviews Jazz Hands Productions 'Chicago' at the Keble O'Reilly.
