Norman Bowman: Finding the Music in Shakespeare

Send us a textAs the RSC's Twelfth Night heads to the Barbican Theatre for a festive run, we are joined by veteran actor Norman Bowman. Known for seamlessly bridging the worlds of musicals and plays, Norman’s career has taken him from the West End to the Donmar Warehouse to the RSC. Hailing from Arbroath, his journey is one of continuous growth and reinvention, tackling everything from tap shoes to the complexities of Shakespearean verse. As he continues to play Antonio, he shares with us his experience working with actor / director / doctor Prassana Puwanarajah and also about welcoming in new actors such as Daniel Monks to the rehearsal room for the Barbican run.In our interview with Norman Bowman, we discuss his return to the role of Antonio in the RSC's transfer of Twelfth Night to the Barbican. Having previously played Curio in a previous production, Norman tells us about his love for this show and the various characters within the world that Shakespeare has created. Having started off his career in musicals, we also talk about his recent turn as Archie in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's landmark revival of Brigadoon. Throughout our conversation, Norman is humble about the longevity of his career which has taken him from the like of Les Miserables and Guys and Dolls to Twelfth Night which sees him reunite with Samuel West and Freema Agyeman following last year's acclaimed Stratford run.Twelfth Night runs at Barbican Theatre until 17 January 2026

Send us a textTom Glynn-Carney is one of the most dynamic and versatile actors working across stage and screen today. After earning an Evening Standard Award and Drama Desk Award for his role in The Ferryman, he has gone on to become a major figure in Westeros as Aegon II Targaryen in the acclaimed HBO series House of the Dragon. However, Glynn-Carney maintains a powerful connection to the theatre, having more recently won praise for his role in The Glass Menagerie opposite Amy Adams, sharing the role of Tom Wingfield with Paul Hilton . His latest stage venture sees him return to the London stage, joining a world-class ensemble for a major revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.In this brand new interview with Tom Glynn-Carney, we discuss his pivotal and explosive role as George Deever in Ivo van Hove’s five-star rated production. Tom offers candid insights into collaborating with acting legends like Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and the unique artistic challenge of bringing Miller’s devastating themes of war, morality, and the American Dream to life on the West End. Since the show opened, his performance has been hailed by critics as "stupendously well-acted" and vital to this "astonishing, deeply moving piece of theatre." All My Sons runs at Wyndham's Theatre until 7 March 2026 with tickets on sale NOW!

Send us a textFollowing her smash hit debut play Farm Hall, Katherine Moar is returning to Jermyn Street Theatre with her latest play: Ragdoll, based on the Patty Hearst trial. With just 4 actors, the play takes audiences to the centre of the celebrity, violence, and scandal of 1970s America. Focused on the power dynamics between "the heiress" and her lawyer Robert, the play also takes audiences to 2017 where Robert faces a trial of his own in the court of public opinion. We see stark parallels between events of today and that of the 1970s and Katherine Moar carefully crafts characters provide audiences with food for thought.In this new interview, Katherine Moar talks to us about her experience of bringing her plays to the stage whilst also pursuing a PhD in History. We reflect on the success of Farm Hall  which transferred from Jermyn Street to a UK wide tour before playing in the West End. During our conversation, Katherine shares with us the challenges of being a new writer and shares her hopes that the theatre ecosystem would evolve to champion new writers into becoming established writers. It will be interesting to see if Ragdoll follows the same success as Farm Hall and we look forward to seeing more of Katherine's works being staged in the future.Ragdoll runs at Jermyn Street Theatre until 15 November 2025.Support the show

Send us a textAfter graduating from RADA, James McArdle became a darling of the National Theatre appearing in landmark productions of Platonov, James I and Angels in America, all in a relatively short span of time. Since then, James McArdle has established himself as one of the most compelling actors on stage and screen. Now, he returns to the Olivier stage for the first time since 2019 for newly appointed Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham's inaugural show: a new adaptation of Euripides' Bacchae by Nima Taleghani. In the show, James takes on the role of Pentheus in a show which has been radically revamped for modern audiences. Taleghani's version includes rap verses and a thumping beat which helps build the tension of the piece that leads viscerally into the ultimate tragedy of the piece.In this brand new interview, James McArdle reflects on his numerous successes at the National Theatre and why it feels so fitting returning to the Olivier stage after a few years away. Indeed his last National Theatre project saw him taking on the title role in Peter Gynt, a thrilling update on Ibsen's original text where audiences saw James lead a 4 hour show with immense energy. Throughout our conversation, he also pays homage to Jonathan Kent who he describes as mentor who has helped shape him into the actor he is today. In our interview, we also touched on his critically acclaimed performances in Angels in America, Platonov and The Tragedy of Macbeth at the Almeida where he shares insights into his working relationship with Saoirse Ronan and also fight director Kate Waters who he reunited with on Bacchae. It's a fascinating conversation with one of the most exciting actors on stage and screen working today and it seems there's still more that we can look forward to.Bacchae runs in the Olivier Theatre, National Theatre until Saturday 1st November 2025.Support the show

Send us a textAfter a triumphant run at Nottingham Playhouse and at the Young Vic, Alec Boaden is returning to 'Punch' for it's West End run at the Apollo Theatre. In the show, Alec multi-roles several characters opposite a cast that includes Julie Hesmondhalgh, Tony Hirst and David Shields as Jacob Dunne. The show tells the extraordinary true story of Jacob Dunne, a regular lad from Nottingham whose impulsive punch led to fatal consequences. When he leaves prison, Jacob meets with Joan and David – the parents of his victim James – a meeting that would profoundly change both of them. Since the show premiered, Jacob's story has rippled worldwide with audiences deeply touched by his successful rehabilitation.In this brand new interview with Alec Boaden, he tells us about his journey from Television Workshop to training at one of the world's leading drama schools to making his professional stage debut in a five-star rated James Graham play. We hear him talk about his affection for his Nottingham roots and how that's shaped him into the actor he is today. During our conversation, he also reveals that he'll be understudying David Shields in the lead role. After concluding Punch's run at the Young Vic, Alec took on the role of Jude in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's revival of Noughts & Crosses, an adaptation of Malorie Blackman's bestselling novel. Alec won praise from critics and audiences for his dark portrayal of one of the show's central characters and he tells us about the important responsibility of humanising these darker characters. It's an endearing conversation where he also shares his love for his class at Guildhall as he also tells us about his hopes for his career moving forwards.Punch runs at the Apollo Theatre, London from 22 October - 29 November with tickets on sale NOW!Support the show

Send us a textAfter earning an Ian Charleson Award nomination for her Hermia in the Bridge Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Isis Hainsworth has continued to take on some of Shakespeare's best loved roles and is now preparing to take on the role of Isabella in Measure For Measure for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Here Isis will be making her RSC debut where she's set to star alongside a stellar cast that includes the likes of Tom Mothersdale, Oli Higginson and Emily Benjamin. The production will also see rising star director Emily Burns return to the RSC following her five-star rated Love's Labour's Lost last year also at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. As a lesser-performed Shakespeare play, this is set to be a must-see show of the season with the RSC continuing it's latest season of shows. In this new interview, Isis Hainsworth opens up about her humble beginnings as an actress to being named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow in 2022. As she continues rehearsals for Measure For Measure, we hear her talk about her love for acting and the joy of returning to the theatre following her recent widely acclaimed performances in Romeo and Juliet and The House of Bernada Alba, both directed by Rebecca Frecknall. Indeed, we hear Isis speak affectionately about the directors she's gotten to work with and she highlights her admiration for Emily Burns for taking a bold approach to Measure For Measure, stripping parts of the text back whilst remaining faithful to the story. It's an endearing conversation throughout and it seems Isis is unlikely stop anytime soon as she continues to charm audiences and peers alike.Measure For Measure runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 13 September - 25 October with tickets on sale now!Support the show

Send us a textFor over 20 years, Samuel Barnett has established himself as one of the most compelling actors on the UK stage. His latest role sees him multi-roling over 15 characters in Caroline Bird's 'The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse'. The role sees him making his Nottingham Playhouse debut where he will act opposite Maxine Peake in the title role. The new play reintroduces Mary Whitehouse to audiences, exploring her campaign to uphold British conservatism as well as the root of her controversial beliefs.In this new interview, Samuel Barnett talks about his real life memories of Mary Whitehouse and why he felt this play felt particularly relevant today. Over the course of our conversation, he looks back on some of his most memorable performances including playing 2 of Shakespeare’s women as well as of course originating the role of Posner in ‘The History Boys’. We hear him talk about his love for acting as he shares with us his excitement at making his Nottingham Playhouse debut, insights into his relationship with Artistic Director Adam Penford and more!The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse runs at Nottingham Playhouse from 5 September - 27 September.Support the show

Send us a textAfter finishing a run of 'Stalled' earlier this year at the King's Head Theatre, Josie Benson is now about to appear another UK musical theatre premiere: 'The Harder They Come' at Theatre Royal Stratford East. The show is an adaptation of the cult classic film of the same name and brings together a top tier creative team including director Matthew Xia and writer Suzan-Lori Parks. The production also marks a welcome return to Stratford East for Josie Benson who first worked at the audience-favourite theatre 25 years ago in 'Make Some Noise'. Since then, she's performed in some of the West End's biggest shows including 'Phantom of the Opera' and 'Mamma Mia!'. The show will also reunite Josie with Jason Pennycook with whom she worked with on 'Porgy and Bess' in the West End.In this new interview, Josie Benson sat down with us to talk about this eagerly anticipated new musical which promises to transport audiences to Kingston, Jamaica. The film is famously credited for bringing Reggae to the music and Josie tells us how the music that features in this new production will dazzle audiences looking for a great night out. With tickets selling fast, Josie urges our listeners to book quickly before the run sells out. Over the course of the conversation, we also reflect on how the theatre industry has evolved to become more diverse and inclusive of professionals from different backgrounds. It seems like the perfect time to be revisiting the story of 'The Harder They Come' and it looks like audiences will be treated to an excellent evening of theatre when they see the show.The Harder They Come runs at Theatre Royal Stratford East from 13 September - 25 October with tickets on sale now!Support the show

Send us a textWhen Jasper Talbot graduated from RADA last year, he was quickly whisked off to Chichester to play Mick Jagger in Chichester Festival Theatre's production of Redlands. Now, he is starring opposite Rosamund Pike in the five-star rated  production of Inter Alia at the National Theatre. In the show, he plays Henry, Judge Phillips' awkward yet relatable teenage son. The show has been described as a companion piece to Suzie Miller's Prima Facie which won Oliviers for Best Play and Best Actress for Jodie Comer. Inter Alia can be seen as an evolution of Suzie Miller's writing with the introduction of more characters and the reunites much of the team from Prima Facie.In this brand new interview, Jasper Talbot reflects on the last year and opens up about the challenges of being an emerging young actor. He talks to us about graduating RADA where he made lifelong friends with many of his cohort and entering an industry that is often full of uncertainty. He shares with us some key memories along the way that has kept excited about his career ahead as Inter Alia continues performances at the Lyttleton Theatre, something he describes as a big tick for him too. Throughout our conversation, Jasper remains candid about his experiences as a young actor still finding his way, learning from actors in rehearsals and in workshops. It'll be interesting to see what he does next as he cements his status as rising star to watch on stage.Inter Alia is playing at the Lyttleton Theatre, National Theatre until 13th September. The play will also be broadcast to UK cinemas on NT Live from 4 September and worldwide from 25th SeptemberSupport the show

Send us a textWhilst Brigadoon continued rehearsals, Cavan Clarke sat down with us to discuss the eagerly anticipated revival of Lerner & Leowe's beloved musical. The production also marks an exciting return for Cavan to Regent's Park Open Air Theatre following his acclaimed performance as Mercutio in Kimberley Syke's production of Romeo & Juliet in 2021. Brigadoon has often been described as one of the greatest musicals to come out of the Golden Age of Musicals, and has been much missed in London after experiencing a 20 year absence from the UK stage. In Drew McOnie's production, Cavan Clarke plays Jeff Douglas, a pleasure seeker and companion to Tommy Albright who arrive at the Scottish Highlands in the middle of World War II. The show's been adapted by Rona Munro and we hear Cavan talk about her updates to this classic show and what audiences can perhaps expect from this new productionIn our interview, Cavan Clarke talks to us about making his professional musical theatre debut having long been a fan of musicals himself. During our conversation, we looked back on some of his career highlights including playing Mercutio at Regent's Park, and his work on the landmark production of Small Island at the National Theatre. We hear him talk about the challenges of being a jobbing actor too and the sacrifices one sometimes has to make in order to make ends meet. We also talk to Cavan about his relationship with rising star Jack Wolfe, and how he hopes to work together on a project in the future. It seems like an exciting time for Cavan Clarke and we hope this won't be the last time he features in a musical too.Brigadoon runs at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre from 2 August - 20 September 2025 with tickets available now.Support the show