In The Frame: Theatre Interviews from West End Frame

Allyson Ava-Brown is starring as Nell/Elizabeth in Coven.

Described as a "scorching" new musical, Coven is based on England’s most notorious witch trials. The show kicks off its run at the Kiln Theatre later this month for a limited two-month run. Coven is written by Rebecca Brewer and Daisy Chute, with the production directed by Miranda Cromwell.

Allyson most recently has a lengthy run as Angelica Schuyler in the West...

Ore Oduba is starring as Dr Frederick Frankenstein in the UK revival of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein.

Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, Young Frankenstein is running at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester to mark the venue's 10th anniversary year. 

Ore kicked off his career as a broadcaster, hosting a plethora of TV shows. In 2016 he was voted as the winner of the fourteenth series of BBC One’s Strictly Come ...

Melanie La Barrie is In The Frame!

Melanie is currently playing Nurse in the UK premiere of Mary Page Marlowe, marking her return to The Old Vic where she previously performed in The Lorax. Melanie is also reuniting with artistic director Matthew Warchus who directed her as Mrs Phelps in the original cast of Matilda. Mary Page Marlowe is written by Tracy Letts, with cast also including Susan Sarandon and Andrea Riseborough...

David Hunter is In The Frame!

David is starring as Matt Flamhaff in the premiere of 13 Going on 30 The Musical. The show is about to kick off its run at the Manchester Opera House, reuniting David with Lucie Jones who he starred alongside in the West End production of Waitress.

13 Going on 30 is based on the 2004 movie starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. The musical is written by the film writers Josh Goldsmith and Cat...

Solomon Davy is playing Chad Manford in the UK premiere of The Code by Michael McKeever.

The play is running at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, with Solomon starring alongside Tracie Bennett and John Partridge. The Code unfolds over a fictional yet hauntingly plausible cocktail hour that quickly spirals into a tense psychological battleground — where fame, identity, and survival hang by a thread.

After training at The Wilk...

Bobbie Little is playing Olive/Paula in the premiere of Military Wives The Musical at York Theatre Royal.

Written and directed by Debbie Isitt, the musical is based on the 2019 movie and inspired by a true story.

Bobbie's theatre credits include: The Witches, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Heathers, High Fidelity, Mamma Mia, Little Shop of Horrors, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, Hairspray and more. 

In this episode Bobbie...

Joanna Woodward is reprising her performance as Ulla in The Producers.

Following its sold out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Producers has transferred to the West End for a run at the Garrick Theatre. Joanna is starring alongside Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin in Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan's show.

Joanna recently starred as Clare in The Time Traveller’s Wife (Apollo Theatre & Storyhouse Chester). She previou...

Ahead of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical closing in the West End, in this episode we revisit the conversations we had with Karis Anderson, Kristina Love, Tsemaye Bob-Egbe, Rhianne Louise McCaulsky, Jenny Fitzpatrick and Chanel Haynes who have all played the title role.

Tina received its world premiere in April 2018 in London and subsequently broke all box office records at the Aldwych Theatre. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and w...

Tony winner Laura Benanti is In The Frame!

You know Laura for her astounding Broadway career, which includes roles such as Maria in The Sound of Music, Cinderella in Into The Woods, Claudia in Nine, Julia in The Wedding Singer, Louise in Gypsy (which won her the Tony), Candela in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Amalia in She Loves Me and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.

Beyond Broadway, Laura’s career spans conce...

Aimée Fisher and George Crawford are In The Frame!

Real-life couple Aimée and George are currently performing alongside eachother in the West End production of The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum. They're both in the ensemble, with Aimée playing Gilda Grey whilst covering Myrtle and George covering both Nick and Gatsby.

Aimée's theatre credits include Les Miserables (Sondheim Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria), Elf (Domi...

Madeline Charlemagne is In The Frame!

Madeline recently had a big career chapter with Hadestown (Lyric Theatre). She was part of the original West End cast as a Fate and understudy for Eurydice. A few months into the run Madeline took over the role of Eurydice full-time. At the end of her contract, she returned to playing a Fate alongside the original cast for the special filmed performances for the Hadestown live capture.

A...

Courtney Stapleton is In The Frame!

After training at ArtsEd Courtney made her West End debut in the ensemble of Mamma Mia!, as a cover for Ali. She went on to cover Éponine in Les Misérables and was dance captain for Bat Out of Hell.

Courtney joined the original West End cast of Six as the alternate for Seymour and Parr before being cast in the original West End cast of Dear Evan Hansen as standby Zoe and Alana.

Courtney ...

Rebecca Lock is starring as Caz in Here And Now: The Steps Musical.

The show about to kick off a tour, with Rebecca reprising her performance from the show's premiere run last year in Birmingham. Featuring the music of Steps, Here And Now is written by Shaun Kitchener and is produced by Steps and ROYO with Pete Waterman. The show is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Matt Cole and Matt Spencer-Smith as musical su...

Laura Dawkes can currently be seen starring as Princess Anna in Disney’s Frozen on Disney Plus.

Upon graduating from Emil Dale, in 2023 Laura made her West End debut as Anna in Frozen at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and she continued with the show until it closed the following year. During her run, Laura filmed Frozen's live capture which has now been released on Disney Plus.

Laura has also been in KIN and Cinderella, alongsi...

Pippa Cleary is In The Frame!

Pippa is the only British female composer to have had three musicals produced in the West End - My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?), The Great British Bake Off Musical and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾.  

Over her 16 year career, Pippa has worked in theatre, TV, animation, pop and advertising. She wrote the first original opening number for the 2023 Olivier Awar...

Amara Okereke is In The Frame!

Amara is playing She in Echo by Susan Eve Haar at the King's Head Theatre. Following runs in Edinburgh and New York, Echo has opened in London directed by Abigail Zealey Bess. The psychological thriller delves into the ethics of reproductive technology, the performance of intimacy and the terrifying beauty of being made.

Amara made her West End debut as Cassie in 13 The Musical. She went on to t...

Roshani Abbey is starring as Jean Leslie & Others in the West End production of Operation Mincemeat.

Operation Mincemeat premiered on the London Fringe at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019. The show quickly gained a devoted following, and played sold out runs at Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios. The musical transferred to the West End in 2023, winning Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards. In addition to its London r...

Taylor Bradshaw is in the ensemble of the London revival of Brigadoon by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner.

Directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, the show opens next month at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where Taylor previously performed in La Cage aux Folles.

Taylor made his West End debut in Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre). His other theatre credits include: How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Southwark...

Chelsea Halfpenny is starring as Tracy in the brand new musical Maiden Voyage at Southwark Playhouse Elephant.

Written by Mindi Dickstein and Carmel Dean, the show brings to life the true story of the first all-female sailing crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Chelsea started out her career in the world of television, playing roles in Casualty and Emmerdale. She made her West End debut as Judy in 9to5 at the Sa...