Marianka Swain - Page 20

One American great inhabits another in this superior cabaret, as the Broadway legend Audra McDonald slips into the skin - and unforgettable voice - of jazz icon Billie Holiday. The emotional sensitivity makes it far more than just an immensely skilful impersonation, and makes McDonald's delayed West End debut well worth the wait.

Ashley Gilmour's previous work includes Link Larkin in Hairspray and the ensemble of the original revival cast of Miss Saigon. Now, he's graduated to playing Chris in the UK and Ireland tour of Boublil and Schonberg's legendary musical, which begins at Curve Leicester on 1 July.

American playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins asserts that the nightmarish workplace depicted in Gloria bears little resemblance to his time at the New Yorker, but that tension between truth and imagination adds a nicely meta layer to this spiky portrait of the ways in which we appropriate, fictionalise and commercially repackage reality.

Sisters Grimm, a company founded by composer Ella Spira and choreographer Pietra Mello-Pittman, is following up hit show INALA with new dance musical Voices of the Amazon. Fusing ballet, contemporary and capoeira with a Brazilian score and narration by Jeremy Irons, it premieres this July at Sadler's Wells.

Following a sold-out Almeida run, Robert Icke's thoughtfully contemporary take on Shakespeare hits the West End, with its original cast mainly intact (Derbhle Crotty succeeds Juliet Stevenson as Gertrude on 4 July). The big draw, of course, is the superb Andrew Scott in the title role, but Icke's production is just as considered in every supporting part, resulting in a wonderfully rich experience.

Jon Brittain's Rotterdam, the 2017 Olivier Award winner for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, has played at Theatre503, Trafalgar Studios and 59E59 Theaters in New York. The bittersweet comedy, which addresses gender, sexuality and identity, returns to the West End this month for a run at the Arts Theatre.

Sara Poyzer, whose previous work includes Billy Elliot, has been starring as Donna Sheridan on the Mamma Mia! tour and now takes the role in the West End production at the Novello Theatre.

Relative newcomers Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington were thrilled to land the lead roles in Jim Steinman's musical Bat Out of Hell. Several decades in the making, the show is now playing at the London Coliseum.

Killian Donnelly's stellar musical career includes Kinky Boots, Memphis, The Commitments, Billy Elliot and The Phantom of the Opera. From tonight, he becomes the new West End Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.

'My mother says you're tragedy personified,' reports a precocious child to Carol, who recently attempted suicide. It's typical of Alice Birch's harrowing new play, which wrings blistering humour as well as despair from its accomplished portrait of women in pain and their disconnect from those around them.

In this febrile climate, do we want societal critique from our theatre or pure escapism? As I experienced when I recently swapped BroadwayWorld UK Editor duties for a New York trip, both theatrical regions are currently just as charged by provocative, resonant commentary as by jazz hands ­– as this year's Tony Award nominations reflect.

Has there ever been a time when we're more in need of irrepressible optimism? The orphan who convinces everyone around her that 'the sun will come out tomorrow' has certainly hit the West End at an opportune moment, and there's plenty of enjoyment to be had from a show that is, nevertheless, far more throwback than vital piece for 2017.

Simon Lipkin's numerous credits include Avenue Q, Rock of Ages, The Lorax and Guys and Dolls. He's currently starring as Rat in a new musical version of The Wind in the Willows, which begins its West End run at the London Palladium on 16 June.

It's entirely possible that there will one day be a fascinating Heart of Darkness-esque documentary about the making of Common. We can only hope, because the creation of something so extraordinary, so wilfully bewildering, on the National's biggest stage is surely a story worth telling.

Actor Gary Trainor, whose past work includes the West End productions of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, I Can't Sing and The Shawshank Redemption, has been playing the role of alternate Dewey in School of Rock since its London premiere. He's now leading the cast as Dewey.

Actress Janique Charles was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She moved to the UK to join the touring cast of The Lion King in 2013, and is now playing Nala in the West End production.

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a classic musical and acclaimed Shakespeare to buzzy history plays, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews…

Director/choreographer Drew McOnie's work includes In the Heights, Strictly Ballroom, The Wild Party and Jesus Christ Superstar. He's now back at Regent's Park helming On the Town - the classic musical tale of three sailors on shore leave in search of love and adventure - which opens tonight.

Actor Alex Bourne's past musical work ranges from Kiss Me, Kate to Chicago and We Will Rock You. After playing Daddy Warbucks on tour, he's now back in the role for the West End run of Annie, which begins previews at the Piccadilly Theatre on May 23.

Following UK tours of West Side Story and Singin' in the Rain, plus several ensemble and understudying roles in shows like Wicked and Grease, Matthew Croke takes on his first West End lead when he becomes the new Aladdin on 5 June in the hit Disney production at Prince Edward Theatre.