Start / The WhatsOnStage Podcast / How do you stage an unfinished musical

How do you stage an unfinished musical?

45 min • 16 maj 2025

Sarah Crompton and Alex Wood dive headfirst into Stephen Sondheim and David Ives' Here We Are, wading through the history and themes of the show as it makes its European premiere at the National Theatre. After that, they swim through a wellspring of topics including the Young Vic's exciting new season (with four of Sarah's favourite directors involved) and Cynthia Erivo's fang-tastic West End return in Dracula.

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Senaste avsnitt

Who’s getting married in the morning?

8 augusti | 33 min

Bonus episode: Rosalie Craig talks Good Night, Oscar, working alongside Sean Hayes and an actor-musician Company with Jonathan Bailey

6 augusti | 30 min

Has the New York Times sent shockwaves through the theatre world?

1 augusti | 38 min

Bonus episode: How do we build theatre audiences of the future?

30 juli | 30 min

Burlesque's turbulent arrival in the West End – and directors arguing with their reviewers

25 juli | 48 min

Bonus episode: Three Elphabas talk the new world of Wicked – and what the show’s legacy means

23 juli | 32 min

What are the hits and who are the stars of tomorrow?

18 juli | 45 min

Bonus episode: Natasha Hodgson and Alex Young go head-to-head in an Operation Mincemeat special

16 juli | 21 min

Why seeing a play from the cheap seats can change your life - with special guest playwright Beth Steel

27 juni | 33 min

Bonus episode: Special guest Katie Brayben on the magic of returning to a role

20 juni | 33 min

Will social media be the end of theatre critics? And are there too many standing ovations?

18 juni | 43 min

Behind the scenes at Jamie Lloyd’s Evita

13 juni | 46 min

Bonus episode: What happens when you win a Tony Award? With Sarah Snook, Jak Malone, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more

11 juni | 16 min

Special guest Sonia Friedman talks career-firsts, the hardest shows she's worked on and why Broadway's model is broken

6 juni | 37 min

Bonus episode: A gigantic new London theatre made for musicals, with special guest Rosemary Squire

4 juni | 10 min

A final theatre season to rule them all

30 maj | 32 min

Why British theatres are on the brink of going bust

23 maj | 42 min

Bonus episode: Special guest Hadley Fraser on juggling a West End show, solo concert and gardening!

21 maj | 27 min

How do you stage an unfinished musical?

16 maj | 45 min

The best shows to see this summer - from Stereophonic to Jesus Christ Superstar

9 maj | 36 min

Bonus episode: Jamie Lloyd, Tom Francis and Jak Malone discuss their Tony nominations!

2 maj | 29 min

The National Theatre begins a huge new chapter – but what should audiences expect?

29 april | 38 min

Greatest theatre feuds in history, warm-up games and swings, covers and more decoded in our latest Q&A episode

25 april | 43 min

How Oklahoma! changed my life - with special guest Anoushka Lucas

18 april | 50 min

Is London theatre in rude health?

16 april | 16 min

Everything you didn't see at the Olivier Awards

11 april | 38 min

Bonus episode: Michael Sheen and Russell T Davies discuss their latest collaboration

7 april | 15 min

Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss talk Six The Musical Live - the new film of their hit show

4 april | 36 min

Special guest Sir Tim Rice talks Chess returning to Broadway, writing songs with Elton John - and what it’s like to be working with Andrew Lloyd Webber again

28 mars | 40 min

Special guest Samantha Barks talks Les Mis, Frozen on Disney Plus and Oliver!

24 mars | 41 min

Special guest James Graham on Gareth Southgate, male role models and why his next play is about the collapse of the global economy

21 mars | 38 min

What’s hot on Broadway?

14 mars | 41 min

Bonus episode: the cast of Operation Mincemeat on their Broadway debuts

11 mars | 21 min

Why are there never enough loos in theatres and do shows close in previews?

7 mars | 48 min

We need to talk about the Oliviers nominations

5 mars | 39 min

Are stars ruining - or saving - the theatre?

28 februari | 46 min

Bonus episode: Interviews with Jonathan Bailey, Hayley Atwell, Tom Hiddleston, Mason Alexander Park and Jamie Lloyd in a Shakespeare bonanza!

25 februari | 17 min

Why is everyone obsessed with awards?

21 februari | 41 min

How to solve a problem like Ophelia

14 februari | 30 min

Bonus episode: Imelda Staunton, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more talk WhatsOnStage Awards wins

12 februari | 12 min

Can critics spoil shows?

7 februari | 35 min

Bonus episode: Cameron Mackintosh, Matthew Bourne and more talk Oliver! in the West End

31 januari | 9 min

Special guests Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey on the RSC's gigantic plans for the year

29 januari | 35 min

The greatest stage disasters

24 januari | 42 min

The future of West End musicals, AI reviews and Michael Sheen's next move

17 januari | 40 min

Britain’s most haunted theatres, ghost lights, the future of the National and stage size headaches

10 januari | 40 min

Bonus episode: Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lloyd talk Tempest

7 januari | 9 min

Will 2025 be a game-changing year for theatre?

2 januari | 35 min

Top tips for shows to see in 2025 - part one

1 januari | 31 min

Is Wicked the best stage-to-screen movie? What might beat it?

27 december 2024 | 30 min

The best movies about theatre

25 december 2024 | 29 min

What are the best stage shows of 2024?

20 december 2024 | 37 min

Bonus episode! Wilde women Sharon D Clarke, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen discuss the National Theatre's Importance of Being Earnest

18 december 2024 | 9 min

The ultimate theatre stocking fillers

13 december 2024 | 43 min

The Sex Education effect

6 december 2024 | 33 min

Santa vs Scrooge: top Christmas shows for all tastes

29 november 2024 | 35 min

Bonus episode! The Wicked movie costume designer Paul Tazewell spills his spellbinding secrets

27 november 2024 | 30 min

164 years, 70 characters. Three actors. Three hours

22 november 2024 | 28 min

Special guest Mason Alexander Park on The Tempest, The Sandman and The Emcee

15 november 2024 | 31 min

Noël Coward was an angry young man

8 november 2024 | 33 min

Return of the Actress

1 november 2024 | 31 min

Will the West End rule over Broadway in 2025?

25 oktober 2024 | 32 min

London theatre enters its tragic era

18 oktober 2024 | 31 min

Look back in anger - or dismay?

11 oktober 2024 | 31 min

Special guest James McArdle talks Tom Stoppard, Macbeth and how to save regional theatre

4 oktober 2024 | 36 min

Ghastly or a joy? End of an era at the National Theatre

27 september 2024 | 28 min

The wonder of Ian McKellen

20 september 2024 | 26 min

Special guest Carrie Hope Fletcher talks love, motherhood and taking a new show on the road

13 september 2024 | 35 min

What happens when critics get it wrong?

6 september 2024 | 33 min

What are the unmissable shows this autumn?

30 augusti 2024 | 39 min

Special guest Francesca Moody talks Fleabag, Fringe and the secret to stage success

23 augusti 2024 | 35 min

Our favourite musical revivals

16 augusti 2024 | 32 min

Who wins at Edinburgh?

9 augusti 2024 | 40 min

Bernadette Peters: the Broadway legend on Sondheim, solo concerts and sharing a dressing room with dames

2 augusti 2024 | 27 min

From Edinburgh Fringe to world domination?

26 juli 2024 | 35 min

Is Death of England the great state of Britain play? Ft Roy Williams and Clint Dyer

19 juli 2024 | 33 min

What happens when a show loses its star?

12 juli 2024 | 33 min

Is Andrew Lloyd Webber cool now?

5 juli 2024 | 33 min

Are musicals manipulative?

28 juni 2024 | 28 min

Tonys special: Light in a troubling time for Broadway + Sondheim's supremecy cemented

18 juni 2024 | 33 min

Performing rights, Operation Mincemeat and amateur theatre

14 juni 2024 | 29 min

(ATASTTC) And it's goodbye from Nancy

8 juni 2024 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) Tom Holland's Romeo and Ian McKellen's Falstaff

30 maj 2024 | 35 min

(ATASTTC) Food on stage - and guests for the dream dinner party

20 maj 2024 | 45 min

(ATASTTC) The secrets of learning lines - plus Machinal and Love's Labour's Lost

3 maj 2024 | 39 min

(ATASTTC) Last word on the Oliviers - and two new plays about friendship

20 april 2024 | 36 min

(ATASTTC) Brian Cox, Patricia Clarkson, the Brontes - and why cutting the creative arts is mad

7 april 2024 | 47 min

(ATASTTC) What's the point of critics if they can't agree?

30 mars 2024 | 45 min

(ATASTTC) Faith Healer, Keir Starmer and the arts, and the popularity of podcasts

24 mars 2024 | 29 min

(ATASTTC) A final word on the Oscars

15 mars 2024 | 28 min

(ATASTTC) Family sagas from Dear Octopus to The Simpsons

10 mars 2024 | 38 min

(ATASTTC) Hadestown, Matt Smith and the importance of speaking out

29 februari 2024 | 38 min

(ATASTTC) One Day and the appeal of romcoms

20 februari 2024 | 29 min

(ATASTTC) Is British theatre in crisis?

12 februari 2024 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway ft Jonathan Groff

3 februari 2024 | 52 min

(ATASTTC) Oscar nominations - and the wonder of Jodie Foster

25 januari 2024 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) Putting up a fight ft Kombat Kate

17 januari 2024 | 63 min

(ATASTTC) The appeal of Father Brown

10 januari 2024 | 27 min

(ATASTTC) Looking ahead in 2024

2 januari 2024 | 31 min

(ATASTTC) Six top feel-good films to watch at Christmas

23 december 2023 | 49 min

(ATASTTC) Love , music and the cold war. Plus the appointment of Indhu Rubasingham to the National Theatre

19 december 2023 | 27 min

(ATASTTC) Technical Rehearsals and the power of women on stage

7 december 2023 | 32 min

(ATASTTC) What makes a Christmas show feel good?

28 november 2023 | 32 min

(ATASTTC) What makes a classic?

15 november 2023 | 37 min

(ATASTTC) Hurrah for the National Theatre!

31 oktober 2023 | 47 min

(ATASTTC) Noel Coward and Private Lives - ft Patricia Hodge

20 oktober 2023 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) Good news on star ratings - and thoughts on Andrew Scott's Vanya

9 oktober 2023 | 31 min

(ATASTTC) Can star ratings be improved?

18 september 2023 | 29 min

(ATASTTC) Feel-everything musicals and why they work

5 september 2023 | 32 min

(ATASTTC) End of summer catch up

22 augusti 2023 | 35 min

(ATASTTC) Before and after Brideshead- ft Diana Quick - part two on women and great roles

21 juli 2023 | 36 min

(ATASTTC) Before and after Brideshead - ft Diana Quick - part one

4 juli 2023 | 45 min

(ATASTTC) Groundhog Day, Tom Stoppard - and why actors make art

18 juni 2023 | 41 min

(ATASTTC) Succession and acting on screen vs stage

6 juni 2023 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) The power of Puppets - ft Finn Caldwell

22 maj 2023 | 38 min

(ATASTTC) Dancing at Lughnasa and Brian Friel - ft Jo Stone-Fewings

10 maj 2023 | 32 min

(ATASTTC) Richard Burton and the appeal of Hamlet

30 april 2023 | 27 min

(ATASTTC) Violence on stage

16 april 2023 | 42 min

(ATASTTC) In praise of the matinee

3 april 2023 | 31 min

(ATASTTC) Losing - and finding - your voice

24 mars 2023 | 36 min

(ATASTTC) Putting Women Centre Stage

9 mars 2023 | 35 min

(ATASTTC) Dog poo, creatives and critics

24 februari 2023 | 34 min

(ATASTTC) What happens in rehearsals?

9 februari 2023 | 36 min

(ATASTTC) A visit to the Circus ft Luke Hallgarten of Revel Puck Circus

31 januari 2023 | 36 min

(ATASTTC) What makes a great Christmas show?

21 december 2022 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) Why the arts deserve government support

9 december 2022 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) Best of Enemies ft Jeremy Herrin

26 november 2022 | 47 min

(ATASTTC) Theatre for kids

12 november 2022 | 22 min

(ATASTTC) First Nights - the triumphs and disasters

5 november 2022 | 34 min

(ATASTTC) Food for thought ft Sarah Hemming

27 oktober 2022 | 42 min

(ATASTTC) A life in theatre - ft David Hare

12 oktober 2022 | 62 min

(ATASTTC) The funny thing about comedy

1 oktober 2022 | 34 min

(ATASTTC) Much Ado About Much Ado

24 september 2022 | 34 min

(ATASTTC) The Queen on stage and screen

13 september 2022 | 38 min

(ATASTTC) Previews - what's the point?

29 augusti 2022 | 37 min

(ATASTTC) Theatre in the open air - and on the road

13 augusti 2022 | 33 min

(ATASTTC) The Edinburgh Festival

6 augusti 2022 | 31 min

(ATASTTC) Closer 25 Years On - ft Patrick Marber

20 juli 2022 | 51 min

(ATASTTC) All about Christopher Marlowe

8 juli 2022 | 30 min

(ATASTTC) What's the point of theatre awards?

10 juni 2022 | 34 min

(ATASTTC) Do critics have to weigh their words?

3 juni 2022 | 39 min

(ATASTTC) The Ian Charleson Awards

22 maj 2022 | 36 min

(ATASTTC) Company, Oklahoma! and other great musicals - ft Rosalie Craig

14 maj 2022 | 46 min

(ATASTTC) Donald Trump and real people on stage

6 maj 2022 | 35 min

(ATASTTC) The Corn is Green

29 april 2022 | 39 min

(ATASTTC) What's it like to get a no-star review?

5 april 2022 | 47 min

How do you stage an unfinished musical?

Senaste avsnitt

Who’s getting married in the morning?

Bonus episode: Rosalie Craig talks Good Night, Oscar, working alongside Sean Hayes and an actor-musician Company with Jonathan Bailey

Has the New York Times sent shockwaves through the theatre world?

Bonus episode: How do we build theatre audiences of the future?

Burlesque's turbulent arrival in the West End – and directors arguing with their reviewers

Bonus episode: Three Elphabas talk the new world of Wicked – and what the show’s legacy means

What are the hits and who are the stars of tomorrow?

Bonus episode: Natasha Hodgson and Alex Young go head-to-head in an Operation Mincemeat special

What's the point of an interval? And why are we spraying vodka backstage?

Bonus episode: What does an actor-musician musical even mean?

Rachel Zegler, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more discuss Evita's secrets

Is Evita the show of the summer? And if not, what is?

Why seeing a play from the cheap seats can change your life - with special guest playwright Beth Steel

Bonus episode: Special guest Katie Brayben on the magic of returning to a role

Will social media be the end of theatre critics? And are there too many standing ovations?

Behind the scenes at Jamie Lloyd’s Evita

Bonus episode: What happens when you win a Tony Award? With Sarah Snook, Jak Malone, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more

Special guest Sonia Friedman talks career-firsts, the hardest shows she's worked on and why Broadway's model is broken

Bonus episode: A gigantic new London theatre made for musicals, with special guest Rosemary Squire

A final theatre season to rule them all

Why British theatres are on the brink of going bust

Bonus episode: Special guest Hadley Fraser on juggling a West End show, solo concert and gardening!

How do you stage an unfinished musical?

The best shows to see this summer - from Stereophonic to Jesus Christ Superstar

Bonus episode: Jamie Lloyd, Tom Francis and Jak Malone discuss their Tony nominations!

The National Theatre begins a huge new chapter – but what should audiences expect?

Greatest theatre feuds in history, warm-up games and swings, covers and more decoded in our latest Q&A episode

How Oklahoma! changed my life - with special guest Anoushka Lucas

Is London theatre in rude health?

Everything you didn't see at the Olivier Awards

Bonus episode: Michael Sheen and Russell T Davies discuss their latest collaboration

Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss talk Six The Musical Live - the new film of their hit show

Special guest Sir Tim Rice talks Chess returning to Broadway, writing songs with Elton John - and what it’s like to be working with Andrew Lloyd Webber again

Special guest Samantha Barks talks Les Mis, Frozen on Disney Plus and Oliver!

Special guest James Graham on Gareth Southgate, male role models and why his next play is about the collapse of the global economy

What’s hot on Broadway?

Bonus episode: the cast of Operation Mincemeat on their Broadway debuts

Why are there never enough loos in theatres and do shows close in previews?

We need to talk about the Oliviers nominations

Are stars ruining - or saving - the theatre?

Bonus episode: Interviews with Jonathan Bailey, Hayley Atwell, Tom Hiddleston, Mason Alexander Park and Jamie Lloyd in a Shakespeare bonanza!

Why is everyone obsessed with awards?

How to solve a problem like Ophelia

Bonus episode: Imelda Staunton, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more talk WhatsOnStage Awards wins

Can critics spoil shows?

Bonus episode: Cameron Mackintosh, Matthew Bourne and more talk Oliver! in the West End

Special guests Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey on the RSC's gigantic plans for the year

The greatest stage disasters

The future of West End musicals, AI reviews and Michael Sheen's next move

Britain’s most haunted theatres, ghost lights, the future of the National and stage size headaches

Bonus episode: Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lloyd talk Tempest

Will 2025 be a game-changing year for theatre?

Top tips for shows to see in 2025 - part one

Is Wicked the best stage-to-screen movie? What might beat it?

The best movies about theatre

What are the best stage shows of 2024?

Bonus episode! Wilde women Sharon D Clarke, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen discuss the National Theatre's Importance of Being Earnest

The ultimate theatre stocking fillers

The Sex Education effect

Santa vs Scrooge: top Christmas shows for all tastes

Bonus episode! The Wicked movie costume designer Paul Tazewell spills his spellbinding secrets

164 years, 70 characters. Three actors. Three hours

Special guest Mason Alexander Park on The Tempest, The Sandman and The Emcee

Noël Coward was an angry young man

Return of the Actress

Will the West End rule over Broadway in 2025?

London theatre enters its tragic era

Look back in anger - or dismay?

Special guest James McArdle talks Tom Stoppard, Macbeth and how to save regional theatre

Ghastly or a joy? End of an era at the National Theatre

The wonder of Ian McKellen

Special guest Carrie Hope Fletcher talks love, motherhood and taking a new show on the road

What happens when critics get it wrong?

What are the unmissable shows this autumn?

Special guest Francesca Moody talks Fleabag, Fringe and the secret to stage success

Our favourite musical revivals

Who wins at Edinburgh?

Bernadette Peters: the Broadway legend on Sondheim, solo concerts and sharing a dressing room with dames