British Theatre Guide Podcast

Actor and author Emily Woof is best known for her film and TV work such as Mandy in The Full Monty, Shannon in Velvet Goldmine and Nancy in Oliver Twist, but she has also written novels and devised her own theatre pieces. At this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, she is performing her own solo play, Revolver, directed by her husband, Hamish McColl, writer and co-founder of theatre company The Right Size. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Emily during her Edinburgh run about the play’s subject matter, its predecessor piece at the 1993 Fringe, her devising process and her other writing work. Revolver, produced by Shared Experience, opened at Pleasance Courtyard on 14 August and runs daily at 2:20PM until 25 August 2025. (Photo of Emily Woof in Revolver, credit Sheila Burnett)

Indie rock band The Wedding Present was formed in Leeds in 1985, achieving a huge critical success with its debut album, George Best. 40 years and 300 songs later, the band is still going, and Artistic Director of Engine House Theatre and Wedding Present fan Matt Aston has written and is directing a new musical, Reception, based on the band’s back-catalogue. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Matt during rehearsals for the show about how he put it together, his history as a long-time fan of the band and the challenges of producing an original musical. David also spoke to David Gedge, founder, lead singer and songwriter for the band, about his reactions to having a musical based on his songs, his reflections on what he has seen in rehearsals and his songwriting style and technique. Reception: The Wedding Present Musical will be performed at The Warehouse in Holbeck, Slung Low, Leeds from 22 August to 6 September 2025. Tickets can be booked at the Leeds Playhouse web site. For more information about The Weddi

This episode features two very different solo shows, which can both be seen at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Thom Tuck is playing the titular 100-year-old clown, whose life story takes audiences though some of the major events of the 20th century, in Justin Butcher’s Scaramouche Jones, which he performed in Edinburgh in 2005, then again in 2015. His partner, Jenny Ryan, best-known as The Vixen on TV quiz programme The Chase, is performing her musical comedy show Björn Yesterday that unpacks her theory that ABBA never existed. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to them both together almost halfway through the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe about their shows, the current state of the Fringe, remembering lines and quiz answers, philosophy, the music they grew up listening to and lots more. Björn Yesterday runs every day at 5:30PM in the Cabaret Bar at Pleasance Courtyard from 30 July to 17 August. Thom Tuck is appearing in Scaramouche Jones at Hoots at Potterow at 2:45PM from 1 to 25 August 2025.

For almost 40 years, the Classic Thriller Season has been held during the summer at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. It’s one of the few rep seasons left in the country. In 2025, the season has been reduced to three weeks instead of four and will feature plays by Peter Gordon, Ira Levin and Richard Harris.   BTG Midlands editor Steve Orme spoke to Karen Henson from the producers Tabs Productions as well as Mark Pearce, who’s taking part in his first Thriller Season as the incomparable Inspector Pratt, and Sarah Wynne Kordas, who will be appearing in all three plays.   The Classic Thriller Season will run at the Theatre Royal from 12 until 30 August.   PICTURE: Sarah Wynne Kordas, Mark Pearce and Karen Henson.

While the various Edinburgh festivals are running, one of the many publications providing extensive coverage of them is The List magazine, which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary. The List publishes year-round free print publications and online content on arts and entertainment in Scotland, but it will be producing seven print publications in six weeks dedicated to the festivals, as well as bringing back its cross-festival awards, which it inaugurated last year and this year has expanded with new categories. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to List Publishing Ltd’s CEO, Sheri Friers, about how The List started, how it kept going after lockdown nearly closed it down, expanding into Australia, the challenges of journalism in the 21st century and covering the Edinburgh festivals. To find out more and to read the magazine online, including back issues going back to 1985, see list.co.uk, or if you are in Edinburgh during August, you will be able to pick up a current issue in print from many different loca

The winners of the biennial Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, were announced at a ceremony at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre on Monday 21 July 2025. Immediately after the awards were presented, BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to four of the five winners: Daisy Miles, who won the £10,000 North-West Original New Voice Award for her play R Lady’s, Terri Jade Donovan, who won a special commendation of £5,000 for Dog Dog Dog, Silva Semerciyan, who won the Judges’ Prize of £10,000 for her play Przewalski's Horses, and Tolu Okanlawon, who won the £20,000 overall prize for his play Shooters. The winner of the International Award of £10,000, Jesús I Valles, for his play Spread was not able to attend the ceremony. (Photo of winners Silva Semerciyan, Daisy Miles, Tolu Okanlawon and Terri Jade Donovan in the Royal Exchange Theatre following the ceremony, credit: Ellie Kurttz.)

Greg Mosse was the founder of the Criterion New Writing programme based at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End in 2015 and has written and produced 25 plays and musicals at venues including Chichester Festival Theatre, Portsmouth Guildhall and Worthing Theatre. Since lockdown, he has turned to writing novels, despite being married to best-selling novelist Kate Mosse, and his latest book, The Coming Fire, the third in a series that he began writing during lockdown, was published by Moonflower Books on 17 July 2025. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Greg just before the new book was released about the series and how he came to write it, as well as about the Criterion New Writing programme—for which he encourages mid-career theatre writers to apply—having two writers working in the same house and lots more about the process of writing and the current new writing scene in British theatre. Applications for the 2026 Criterion New Writing programme will open on 1 September 2025.

Lorenzo Allchurch and Alex Helfrecht, the writer and director of new play Lost Watches, which is to première at Park Theatre in London this summer, met when Alex directed Lorenzo as a child actor ten years ago in the film The White King. For his debut full-length play as a writer, Lorenzo will star alongside a sculpture of the head of the author William Burroughs voiced by Jason Isaacs, star of, amongst others, The Salt Path, The White Lotus, The Death of Stalin and the Harry Potter films, in the latter as Lucius Malfoy. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Lorenzo and Alex about the play and how to stage something with a surreal style and lots of technical challenges, the writing and development process, the differences between film and theatre directing, finding a gap in Jason’s busy schedule and lots more. Lost Watches can be seen at Park Theatre in London from 30 July to 23 August 2025.

Paula Garfield MBE, Artistic Director and co-founder of Deafinitely Theatre, is taking her adaptation of The Vagina Monologues by V (formerly Eve Ensler) on a short tour. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Paula a couple of weeks before the performances about her adaptation for both deaf and hearing audiences of a play that was a huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1990s, as well as about her reasons for co-founding the company in 2002 and its range and methods of working. Paula’s words are voiced by BSL interpreter Kathy Yeoman-Owens. The production will be performed at Exeter Northcott Theatre on 15 July, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield on 17 July and The Rep in Birmingham on 19 July 2025. For more information, see www.deafinitelytheatre.co.uk or contact the theatre box offices for tickets.

Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, has adapted F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, which is now 100 years old, for the stage for the theatre she recently left, Pitlochry Festival Theatre. It will be co-produced by Derby Theatre, where it will also open that venue’s 50th anniversary season, and will by directed by Derby’s Artistic Director, Sarah Brigham. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Sarah and Elizabeth about the production, the story’s continuing appeal and how their adaptation works, as well as about Derby’s anniversary, Elizabeth’s move from Scotland to South Yorkshire… and snooker. Elizabeth Newman’s adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, directed by Sarah Brigham, will run as part of the summer repertory season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Scotland from 27 June to 25 September 2025 before transferring to Derby Theatre from 3 to 25 October.

59E59 Theatres in New York City has presented a regular Brits Off Broadway season of British theatre productions since 2004. This year, the season runs from 22 April to 29 June and features eight productions that were recently performed in the UK. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Val Day, 59E59’s Artistic Director, and Brian Beirne, Managing Director, about the origins of the season, their selection process, the financing of this theatrical ‘unicorn’ (as Brian calls it) and the productions in the 2025 programme: The Last Laugh, written and directed by Paul Hendy, from Evolution Productions and Jamie Wilson Productions from 22 April to 25 May. The Ungodly, written and directed by Joanna Carrick, from Red Rose Chain from 23 April to 11 May. The Mistake by Michael Mears, directed by Rosamunde Hutt, from Essential Theatre from 24 April to 11 May. Gertrude Lawrence: A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening written and performed by Lucy Stevens and directed by Sarah-Louise Young from Astor Theatre from 13 to 25 May. S

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is regarded as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. A new production is touring the UK. BTG Midlands editor Steve Orme spoke to David Hayman, who plays Willy Loman, and director Andy Arnold about the previous production they worked on as well as their current project.   Death of a Salesman runs until 3 May.   Further information is available at the Trafalgar Entertainment web site.

The next production from Wise Children theatre company will be a new stage adaptation of the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock Cold War thriller North by Northwest, adapted and directed by Emma Rice. The roles of Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall, played in the film by Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, will be taken by Ewan Wardrop and Patrycja Kujawska. A week before previews at York Theatre Royal, BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Patrycja about the production and about the working process of a company and a director with whom she has had a long association. North by Northwest runs at York Theatre Royal from 18 March to 5 April 2025 before touring to HOME Manchester, Liverpool Playhouse, Bath Theatre Royal, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Alexandra Palace Theatre in London. (Rehearsal photo of Patrycja Kujawska as Eve Kendall and Ewan Wardrop as Roger Thornhill, credit Steve Tanner)

The programme for the tenth biennial Manchester International Festival for 2025 was announced on 11 March at Aviva Studios. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to John McGrath, Factory International’s Chief Executive and Artistic Director, and Creative Director Low Kee Hong, as well as Jonathan Watkins, director and choreographer of A Single Man, and the writer, Ntombizodwa Nyoni, and director, Monique Touko, of Liberation. The 2025 Manchester International Festival runs from Thursday 3 to Sunday 20 July. A Single Man, produced with The Royal Ballet and created by Jonathan Watkins from Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel with new music by Jasmin Kent Rodgman and John Grant, will be at Aviva Studios from 2 to 6 July. Liberation, written by Ntombizodwa Nyoni and directed by Monique Touko, will be at the Royal Exchange Theatre from 27 June to 26 July. For more information about all of the events in the festival, see the Factory International web site.

Playwright Jane Upton has taken her experiences of motherhood and included them in a new play, (the) Woman. Nottinghamshire company New Perspectives is touring the play which will also have a five-week run in London. Midlands editor Steve Orme spoke to Jane Upton and New Perspectives artistic director Angharad Jones about the play and how it was conceived. (the) Woman is on tour until 15 March and will be at London’s Park Theatre from 24 September until 25 October 2025.   (Photo: Jane Upton and Angharad Jones, credit Steve Orme)

Mary Wollstonecraft, famous for her work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, was born in London in 1759 but spent some of her early life in Beverley near Hull in Yorkshire. Playwright Maureen Lennon and actor Laura Elsworthy will together bring her back to the region in Maureen’s play Mary and The Hyenas, in which Laura will play Mary. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Maureen and Laura while the play was in rehearsal in Hull about Mary’s life and legacy, the continuing relevance of her message, bringing her story to life on stage and the flourishing arts scene in Yorkshire. Laura Elsworthy stars in the title role of Mary and The Hyenas by Maureen Lennon for Hull Truck Theatre and Pilot Theatre, directed by Esther Richardson with music by Billy Nomates, which runs at Hull Truck Theatre from 7 February to 1 March 2025 before transferring to Wilton’s Music Hall in London from 18 to 29 March.

Mama G is an award-winning year-round storyteller whose work is driven by the magic of pantomime. She has appeared in professional pantomimes across the UK for almost twenty years and this year stars in Aladdin at the Beck Theatre, Hayes. She has also written, directed and produced pantomimes for numerous holiday parks and theatres, including Stanley Arts Centre, South Norwood. Since 2018, Mama G has been sharing stories with children and their families about being who you want and loving who you are. The work has taken her to libraries, theatres, schools and festivals throughout the United Kingdom and in 2023 she appeared Off-Broadway with her show The Magic Bookmark. In October 2024, Mama G released of her first traditionally published picture book, Oh Yes I Am!, which celebrates the power of pantomime and is set to receive its first stage adaptation in the West End this December. Mama G speaks to BTG Panto Editor Simon Sladen about her career to date, the evolution of her Daming and her many ventures inclu

Leading pantomime company Evolution Productions will this year celebrate its 20th anniversary with ten productions at theatres right across England. BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to the conpany’s  founders, Paul Hendy and Emily Wood, about their upcoming panto season and about what goes into making their pantos, as well as about Paul’s play The Last Laugh, which will follow a very successful run at the last Edinburgh Fringe with a West End run early next year. Evolution Productions’ twentieth anniversary panto season in 2024 will run at theatres in Canterbury, Sheffield, Northampton, York, St Albans, Crawley, Dunstable, Shrewsbury, Lichfield and Basildon. Paul’s play The Last Laugh will run at London’s Noël Coward Theatre from 25 February to 22 March 2025.

Fierce Festival is a “youthful and joy-filled festival of international theatre, performance and experiences” which takes place in and around Birmingham every two years.   Midlands editor Steve Orme spoke to Fierce’s artistic director Clayton Lee and Adam Kinner whose one-to-one show Manual will be presented daily in the Library of Birmingham.   Fierce Festival will run from Tuesday 15 until Saturday 19 October.   (Photo: Clayton Lee and Adam Kinner, credit Steve Orme)

In 2009, TV writers Trevor Suthers and John Chambers put together a night of short, brand new plays written by established TV writers which took its name from its original venue, the Joshua Brooks pub on Princess Street in Manchester. Fifteen years on, and now at fringe venue 53two, JB Shorts is an established biannual event on the Manchester theatre calendar with its two-week runs of six 15-minute plays. With the 25th JB Shorts about to open, BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Trevor together with actor James Quinn, who wrote for the very first JB and has written, directed and performed in many since, about what JB is all about and what this next run will offer, as well as how the whole thing began. JB Shorts 25 runs at 53two, Arch 19, Watson Street, Manchester from Wednesday 9 to Saturday 19 October 2024.