← MickeyJoTheatre
MickeyJoTheatre
why this RENT revival could be huge | Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the upcoming West End production
00:22:59
Loading summary
Transcript22 lines
- [00:02]
Acast Announcer
Acast powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend.
- [00:11]
Jameela Jamil
What if you laughed all through your commute? Or if you heard the funniest story while at the gym? Well, now you can I'm Jameela Jamil and guests on my new podcast Wrong Turns share their most mortifying and hilarious disaster stories. I'm talking people like Mae Martin, Bob the Drag Queen, Katherine Ryan, Jake Johnson, Margaret Cho, Simon Pegg Penn Bad and so many more. So listen wherever you get your podcast. Wrong Terms where dignity Goes to die
- [00:41]
Acast Announcer
ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere.
- [00:47]
BetterHelp Ad Narrator
Acast.com a better help ad after my session and talking to my therapist and really feeling seen and heard for the first time, I just felt like a weight just was lifted off of my shoulders and I felt like it was a good match. From the first time we talked, I could tell people from lived experience that they should try therapy. I could really be myself again and I have this continued support with BetterHelp. Wherever you are, that's where BetterHelp begins. Visit betterhelp.comrandompodcast to get started.
- [01:19]
Lemonade Pet Insurance Ad Narrator
Does having a house full of pets make you feel as if you work in middle management? Does Bit Z keep blowing off her performance reviews while Bayleaf steals from the supply closet? Maybe they're unhappy with their benefits package. With Lemonade Pet insurance, you'll give them the healthcare they need without breaking the company's bank, AKA yours. And with Multi Pet discounts, your entire tail wagging workforce is covered. Keep climbing that ladder and soon you'll be Regional VP of Treat Distribution. Get a quote@lemonade.com pet
- [01:51]
Mickey Jo
I am not overreacting. At least I don't think I am when I tell you that this upcoming West End revival of Rent could be the biggest production of the show since the original. I cannot stop thinking about this show. There are about 525,600 reasons why I'm excited about it and I'm going to share a few of them with you today. Oh my God. Hey, welcome to my theatre themed YouTube channel. Or hello to those of you listening to this on podcast platforms. My name is Mickey Jo and I am obsessed with all things theatre. I am a theatre critic, content creator and pundit here on social media and today we are going to be talking about the upcoming West End revival of the musical Rent. We're going to talk about the history of the cultural phenomenon that is Rent. We're going to talk about the history of this production specifically because it has been seen before by UK audiences in a previous format. We're also going to talk about the newly announced cast and why this has the capacity to be the biggest production of the show since that original staging. As always, I'm going to share all of my thoughts with you, but I would love to hear yours as well. If you are excited about Rent, if you've already got your tickets or you're planning to, or you have a slightly different opinion, please feel free to let me know all of your thoughts in the comments section down below. And if you would like to hear more of my thoughts about other upcoming shows as well as all of my theater reviews, make sure you're subscribed here on YouTube or following me on podcast platforms. For now, though, the dates have been confirmed, the casting has been announced, and there is no day but today for me to share my feelings with you about the upcoming West End revival of Rent. So you may be thinking of this as just an upcoming production of Rent. Why is this such a big deal? To my mind, and if we glance back at the history of the show, it was this redefining cultural phenomenon when it first arrived in the mid to late 1990s. Written of course by the late genius Jonathan Larsen, Rent was an utter product of its generation that changed the game when it came to contemporary rock musical theater. It dictated many of the sounds, the aesthetics and the sensibilities that would follow. And it really typified an entire generation giving way to huge musicals that would come in the following years like Spring Awakening and Next to Normal and plenty of others besides a full generation after Rent was first seen on Broadway, which is to say, 30 years later, we're hearing so many composers and writers who have clearly been influenced by the brilliance of Jonathan Larson. And though Rent is so quintessentially of the 1990s, so many of its characters, its personality, its themes, certainly at score, transcend that original period and really speak to young people ongoingly. This concept of queer, anarchic, anti capitalist found family is, I think, felt very strongly, almost more so today than it has been for the past couple of decades. And in terms of timing, not only is it a big anniversary for Rent, but also I think it's a great moment to bring the show back. I think there is really an audience for it right now, especially here in the uk, where there is an entire generation of very eager, very engaged young musical theater fans, as well as all of those, myself included, who had already fallen in love with Rent previously at some point in their lifetime. The show is about exactly as old as I am. And you know, it came to the West End originally. It wasn't quite the success that it was on Broadway, but even on Broadway it had this huge cultural breakthrough. It had these massive fans, such die hard fans that for their own health and welfare, the producers of Rent actually coined the first ever lottery rather than rush tickets because they were getting concerned about these kids camping out on the sidewalk. And yet, in spite of its initial award winning, sold out explosion on Broadway, the production still closed around 10 years later. And this is the critical thing. Since then there has been many a production of Rent. There have been regional productions aplenty. There have been high school and college productions. There was the film adaptation about which people have justified mixed feelings. There have been tours, there was the Hollywood bowl, sort of semi comedy concert staging. There was also in the 2000 and tens, an off Broadway revival which made some boldly different choices to the original production. Though not as boldly different as Rent Remixed in the west end in the 2000s. We'll get to that in just a moment. But that Off Broadway production, in spite of its starry cast, ultimately did not begin to aspire to the success of the original. It was perhaps just a little bit too soon. Meanwhile, over here in the uk, the original production transferred. It ran at the Shaftesbury Theatre, it toured around the country. I can't really speak in that much detail to how it was received because scarcely had I been born, but it would certainly make sense to me if UK musical theatre audiences needed a little bit of time to figure out what Rent was. You know, it's very New York and at the time it would have been brand new. In the years since, there have been a handful of UK revivals of rent, including rent remixed in the 2000s, which made a lot of bold choices with the material and is perhaps better left forgotten in the past. Listen, I'm not going to be the one to tell you about it, but if you would like to do some research, Google at your own peril. Then the best part of a decade later, there was another Rent revival. This might even have been branded as the 20th anniversary revival. It was staged at, I think the other Palace Theatre in London. It toured around the uk, which is when I saw it. And I saw Rent for the very first time on stage after having grown up with the film, suddenly realizing, oh, these songs are in a different order. What do you mean it doesn't open with Seasons of Love? What do you mean, Maureen? I'm not a theatre person. And that to its Credit was a pretty great and very well cast production that for the most part was very true to the aesthetics and vibes and direction choices of the original Rent, having been one of those shows where the original production is so iconic that other productions, even non replica one, tend to rarely stray from it all that much. Until one did. Now we're still in the UK, we're in Manchester specifically. The year is 2020. Theatres across the country and indeed around the world have been forced to close because of the pandemic. Towards the end of the year, however, theatres in the UK are beginning to tentatively reopen. Included among them is the ever intrepid Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester. An intimate converted sort of a studio space which at that point was a real gem in the Manchester theatre scene and in the years since has gone on to grow and become a pretty prevalent powerhouse in terms of regional musical revival production. But at the end of 2020, they're producing rent, directed by Luke Shepard, who has since become the Olivier Award winning director of Paddington the Musical, as well as the Little Big Things and Juliet, the new revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express. He has had a string of recent high profile successes and this production, which was cast with a handful of then emerging rising stars in the industry including former original six Queens, Millie o' Connell and Mayor Quanza lead, as well as a pre sunset Boulevard Tom Francis, who gave a staggeringly good performance as Roger, stylistically lent him to Rent's emotional compatibility with the pandemic that everyone was still living through. And it meaningfully implemented social distancing and the power of moments when characters eventually would come back together into the staging as well as in a slightly limited and somewhat challenging space, a stage layout with characters sat on rows of chairs around three sides of the playing space resembling a support group. Now, ultimately, the full ambitions of this production were never quite realized because it was forced to shut down early due to the resurgence of COVID due to variants. Remember Omicron? What a time. However it was filmed, which is how I had the chance to see it, it was also brought back the following year with a slightly different cast. And it is that production, still directed by Luke Shepard, but which promises to be heavily updated, that is transferring to the West End later this year. And my point in all of this is Rent remains hugely relevant and beloved of multiple generations of musical theatre fans. People know what Rent is. It brings an awful lot of power and nostalgia and enthusiasm. But there hasn't been in the show's entire history a particularly singularly impactful or successful revival, not since that original production. And there has never really been in the United Kingdom a really huge, momentous production of Rent, which this I think has the chance to be, especially because of the way that it's been cast. So let me tell you more of the specific details about this production, where you can book your tickets, and who has just been announced in the Prince.
- [10:09]
Acast Announcer
Acast Powers the World's Best Podcasts Here's a show that we recommend.
- [10:18]
Jameela Jamil
What if you laughed all through your commute? Or if you heard the funniest story while at the gym? Well, now you can I'm Jameela Jamil and guests on my new podcast Wrong Turns share their most mortifying and hilarious disaster stories. I'm talking people like Mae Martin, Bob the Drag Queen, Katherine Ryan, Jake Johnson, Margaret Cho, Simon Pegg, Penn Badgley, and so many more. So listen wherever you get your podcast. Wrong Terms where dignity Goes to die
- [10:48]
Acast Announcer
Acast helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere.
- [10:54]
BetterHelp Ad Narrator
Acast Do a Better Help ad After my session and talking to my therapist and really feeling seen and heard for the first time, I just felt like a weight just was lifted off of my shoulders and I felt like it was a good match. From the first time we talked, I could tell people from lived experience that they should try therapy. I could really be myself again and I have this continued support with BetterHelp. Wherever you are, that's where BetterHelp begins. Visit betterhelp.comrandompodcast to get started.
- [11:28]
Mickey Jo
Simple Cast. Okay, so I'm reading from the show's press release. Chris Harper Productions and Sonja Friedman Productions, both of them powerhouse producers who care deeply about musical theatre and history. In association with Hope Mill Theatre, this production's original producers are delighted to announce principal casting for the new production of Jonathan Larson's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical Rent. Precious few are the musicals that have won both the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, directed by Olivier Award winner. Thank you Paddington. Luke Shepard I am incredibly excited actually to see Luke's updated work on Rent because a common thread running through many of the productions that we've seen of his recently, including Just for One Day, the Live Aid musical, that being the one that I neglected to mention has been a real sort of family friendly sentimentality and sweetness. And Rent has always been a little more angsty, a little more grung and I'm intrigued to see how he meets that Joining the previously announced Gaten Matarazzo. Let's take a moment for that. First of all Gaten had already been announced, and I'm glad that they did it this way because Gaten is a sort of a celebrity name a tier above the rest here who are brilliant musical theater stars. But had they all been announced together, I feel the revelation of him may have sucked up all of the oxygen. And since we already knew about Gaten, it meant that we've had today to be really excited about everyone else who's going to be joining him. Anyway, Gaten is going to be playing Mark, which I think is brilliant casting, if you don't know. He loves musical theater. He's done a great many musicals in addition to being in Stranger Things on Netflix. But he was a wonderful Tobias in the Sweeney Todd revival on Broadway. He was also as a child in Les Miserables. And I feel like Mark is a role that is going to be a really great fit for him because he isn't identical to previous versions of the character. He isn't, you know, going to be a replication of Anthony Rapp. You already get the sense that he's going to approach this and characterize this and sing this qu differently, which I think is important. I think a Rent revival ought not to simply emulate the original production. I think that would be a mistake. I heard some commentary when he was first announced that this felt a little bit like Rent Junior. And admittedly, Gayton Reed's a little younger than he is, but I believe he is going to be the same age that Anthony Rapp was when he originated the role. And I think the film has an awful lot to answer for, for various reasons. But since it for the most part features the original Broadway cast reprising their roles around a decade afterwards, we tend think of those characters in the film version as the ages of the characters in the show, when realistically, I think the whole thing plays better with slightly more youthful performers in the roles. Listen, these characters make more sense in their early 20s. They can't pay their rent, but they are ambitious and they are, you know, a little perhaps naive in certain ways. It's also, and this has been pointed out by other people on social media, a lot more charming to deal with characters in their early 20s who can't pay their rent versus characters in their 30s. At a certain point you say, just get a job. Anyway, I think Gaten's going to be a really exciting Mark, and I think that sets the tone for this casting brilliantly. Joining him will be Travis Ross as Roger. Travis has previously been seen as Bobby in cabaret at the KitKat Club. The current West End revival in Cake, the Marie Antoinette playlist, very Dancy show, as well as 42 balloons and west side Story. And I'd been hearing a lot of recording artists names rumored for this role. I'd been hearing that they might be going in some surprising directions. So the fact that this is, you know, just an earnest rising musical theatre performer is really encouraging and I'm very excited to find out what he brings to Roger. Now we also have Billy Nevers as Collins. I just saw Billy performing last night in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium. I was just sat here like 12 hours ago talking about the immense star power that he has as well as the incredible vocal talent he has been seen in Gosh in and Juliet when he previously worked with Luke Shepard in Legally Blonde at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in which he told Court no uncertain terms to take her break. But also really rising. He was seen on the Hamilton tour playing Lafayette, subsequently playing Burr after understudying the role his alternate Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. He is really on the rise. He's a phenomenal stage talent. I already cannot wait to hear his performance of I'll Cover you Reprise. We also love to see queer performers in queer roles. And speaking of which, he is going to be playing on stage opposite Jeevan Brach and as Angel. Now, Jeevan got his professional debut, his award winning professional debut in the role of Rusty in Starlight Express when he worked with director Luke Shepard. And he was in that role for a little while. He returned to the role. He's been doing a couple of other gigs and concert appearances since. He is an actor who I call a friend. He is an extraordinary young talent with a beautiful voice. And shamefully, the brilliance of Jeevan as Angel had not occurred to me whatsoever. I think I was too busy manifesting him playing Jamie new in the upcoming production of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, which it transpires he can't because he's doing rent in the West End again. The vocals are going to be delicious, but the spirit and the youthful energy that he's going to bring to angel, the sass that he's going to bring to Angel, I can tell you with utter confidence this is going to be a great performance. Meanwhile, I've skipped some names. Let me circle back because another huge rising West End talent is going to be joining this cast. Bella Brown is going to be playing Mimi. Now, you may have seen Bella recently as Rapunzel in Into the Woods. You may have seen her prior to that as the mistress and alternate Eva Peron in Evita at the London Palladium. Her star has certainly been on the rise. She is a talented and a versatile vocalist, one who I first saw in her final year at drama school playing Cassie in A Chorus Line. So I've known for some time what a fantastic actress she is. She was of course also in the West End production of Hadestown. And those of you who saw Bella as Evita probably have the clearest sense of the dynamic energy that she's going to bring to Mimi. I haven't yet had the opportunity to see her play someone sort of spunky and youthful and I am phenomenally excited to see and hear her in this role, which I think is objectively probably the best role in the show. I mean, Mimi's a fantastic part, but wait, there is even more talent in the role of Maureen. Another show stopping part is Lazy Violet. Now, as well as having played Maureen in a previous production, they are also an alum of Six the Musical. I have seen them in public the Musical at the Edinburgh Festival. Free Cringe. Brilliant vocalist, brilliant talent. You may have seen them on stage before, credited with a different performing name. They are also a musician and singer songwriter. And I love to see a real performer in the role of Maureen, a real personality. I also love to see a fiercely queer individual playing the role of Maureen. And I am fascinated about the Maureen Joanne relationship in this production because they are going to be playing opposite Danielle Fiamanya, recently a first time Olivier Award nominee for her performance in Brigadoon at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. And prior to this, I mean, she's been in so many different productions. She's been in plays and musicals. She's been a talent to watch for a while now. She was the first cover Elsa when Frozen first opened in the West End understudying Samantha Barks. I have been saying for the longest time that Danielle Fiamanya is an extraordinary talent. I thought her Elphaba was an inevitability. I still do, but it's going to be great to hear her Joanne. And aside from absolutely everything else, you've got to sit back and think about how sensational this show is going to sound. All of these voices together. Not forgetting the final announced principal cast member, Joaquin Pedro Valdas, another very talented friend of mine. Let this be a lesson to all of you actors out there. Become close friends with Mickey Joe Theater. It gets you cast in Rent. Joaquin is another one who is a really versatile talent who has been in completely different types of musicals. He's going to be playing Benny, which I find really interesting. You may have seen him leading the concert stagings of Death Note in the West End a couple of years ago in the Baker's Wife at the Minier Chocolate Factory, in Alfred Hitchcock Presents at Theatre Royal Bath, in the Frogs at Sulk Playhouse. But in all of that time, I really don't feel as though I've had the chance to see Joaquin play a role like Benny, nor have I ever seen the character of Benny played by an actor like Joaquin. So this is going to be fascinating. But in addition to the exciting casting, let's see what else we can find out about the production. A Better help ad matching with my
- [20:02]
Monica Reinagle
therapist was very quick and easy.
- [20:04]
Mickey Jo
I just filled out a couple of questions. Before you know it, I was matched with the therapist.
- [20:07]
BetterHelp Ad Narrator
I just felt like a weight just was off of my shoulders and I felt like it was a good match from the first time we talked. BetterHelp is there to meet people at their needs, giving them a space to feel safe.
- [20:18]
Mickey Jo
There is a stigma about therapy, but
- [20:21]
BetterHelp Ad Narrator
with BetterHelp, I meet people where they are. Wherever you are, that's where BetterHelp begins. Visit betterhelp.comrandompodcast to get started. We know you'll always find ways to look out for the people you love, and with Amica Life Insurance, we'll help build a plan to make sure you always can. Visit amica.com and get a quote today.
- [20:53]
Mickey Jo
So if I've sold you on this already and you would like to know the dates, it's going to be playing at London's Duke of York's Theatre, which is set to be renamed the Tom Stoppard Theatre. Currently it's housing a production of his play Arcadia and it will be there from 26th September 2026. And due to popular demand, demand booking has today been extended until 27th March 2027. I dare say it may potentially be looking to extend even further. It feels like there's an abundance of young talent in the industry right now and it wouldn't surprise me if this is just the first cast of this revival and we have more exciting names joining subsequently. A little down the road, producers Chris Harper and Sonja Friedman said one of the greatest privileges of producing theatre is discovering and championing exceptional new talent, and that's exactly what this extraordinary young company represents. This remarkable group of actors embodies everything that has made Jonathan Larson's rent so enduring individuality, honesty, fearlessness and generosity of spirit. Nearly 30 years after it first changed the landscape of musical theatre. That's what I said. Rent remains as vital, urgent and life affirming as ever. That's also what I said. Its story of love, friendship, community and resilience continues to speak powerfully to every new generation. Which is why it felt so important that this production should be led by the voices, vitality and authenticity of the art of artists performing it today. We can't wait for audiences to discover these exceptional performers and experience the thrilling chemistry they've created together as they honor Jonathan Larson's extraordinary legacy. And we've got something of a blurb here about the show, but let's talk through the rest of the creative team. Alongside director Luke Shepard, we have choreography by Tom Jackson Greaves, set designed by David Woodhead. More on that in just a moment. Costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson. Audio production and sound design by Paul Gatehouse video design and cinematography by George Reeve and Nathan Amzi. Nathan Amsi, who worked on Sunset Boulevard, doing video design for that. Notably, I'm not anticipating that the whole thing is going to be filled with cameras, but we do have Mark, a filmmaker who is capturing footage. Perhaps that might be embedded into the aesthetics of the production. Makeup and hair design by Jackie Saundercock, UK casting by Pearson Casting, who have done a fantastic job and us casting by Jim Carnahan. The musical supervisor is Bill Sherman, the musical director and associate musical supervisor is the wonderful Katie Richardson. The intimacy director is Asha Jennings Grant, the associate director is Priya Patel Appleby and the dialect coach is Joe Trill. And that other than where to get your tickets, which happens to be@rentthemusical.com that's easy enough to remember is everything they seem to have told us in this press release, other than a wealth of information about all of the creatives, the producers and the history of the show. But here's the thing, we do stand to learn just a little bit more about this production if we follow that link and try and book ourselves some tickets, which I may or may not have already done prior to sitting down here today. What you will notice in addition to the usual seating layout of the Duke of York's Theatre soon the Tom Stoppard Theatre is that there are multiple rows of on stage seating. There seem to be a couple of rows on either side as well as four rows behind the usual playing space, making this a production of Rent perhaps slightly in the round. And this whole onstage ticketing thing seems to be somewhat in vogue at the moment. Jesus Christ Superstar currently doing this with onstage Standing positions at the London Palladium. The layout here looks not ent entirely unlike the configuration that the Old Vic has been in for a little while now. And the cynic in me says that putting audience members behind the action is an easy enough way to not have to come up with or spend money on a set design. But the creative optimist in me acknowledges that Rent is a production that trades on both an epic rock scale musically, as well as a quality of intimacy and human connection in its plot. And so I dare say, being able to encircle it in this way and being able to share that space as they create this sense of community through strife and through connection, I think. I think that's going to be really interesting. So I am tentatively optimistic about the concept of on stage seating. And all it really leaves for us to do is speculate about the performances and the concept of the direction and how this material is going to be interpreted, because it doesn't seem like we can, because of the presence of audience members sat on stage. And to anticipate that much of a huge aesthetic swing, which, because the aesthetic of the original production is so enduringly iconic, is probably the right choice to make anyway. There's the possibility that this could be a somewhat Jamie Lloyd adjacent, stripped back version of Rent, but it seems unlikely that it's going to be really high concept like Rent in space, which, needless to say, is not something that I want. Although, now that I mention it, can't help but be curious. Coming to Broadway next season, Rent, the Jellicle Ball. And you know, since you mention it, by which I mean since I brought it up, is the timing right? Has it been long? Long enough such that if this production is very successful in the West End, if it becomes an artistically celebrated hot ticket, if it wins the Olivier, if there is a claim for these performances, could we see this production heading stateside and transferring to Broadway to become the first Broadway revival of Rent? This is what I'm saying. This is why it could be a huge, huge deal. You get it now? Anyway, until the thing opens, or perhaps I get some kind of an early preview of the rehearsal room that I think is everything that I can discover about this production and everything that I can share with you. Be sure to stay tuned here on social media for either a review from me or perhaps a rehearsal preview of the show as it's coming together. I'm going to do my best to try and get as close to this revival as I can. And if you don't want to miss any potential content. Make sure you're subscribed here on YouTube with the notifications turned on so you don't miss any new videos or following me on podcast platform platforms. For now though, that's everything I have to say about Rent. Coming back to the West End, I would love to know what you think. Have you got tickets? Is anyone going to the first preview? Who are you most excited to see on stage? Let me know all of your thoughts and thank you as always for listening to mine. I have been Mickey Jo and I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey day for 10 more seconds. I'm Mickey Jo Theatre. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day.
- [27:02]
Monica Reinagle
Subscribe
- [27:06]
Oregon Lottery Ad Narrator
Oregon Parks make an Oregon Summer but what makes an Oregon park? Well, Oregon Lottery Gameplay helps no matter the game Megabucks, Video Lottery or Keno funds from lottery games help support parks projects across the state, ensuring they stay safe, accessible and open for all. In fact, Discover State Park Scratches are in stores now. It's the perfect way to put a little bit of Oregon's parks in your pocket. The Oregon Lottery Together we do good things. Must be 18 or older to play Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only.
- [27:38]
Acast Announcer
ACAST powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend.
- [27:45]
Monica Reinagle
I'm Monica Reinagle, nutritionist, author and host of the Nutrition Diva podcast. We dig into the questions that you are actually asking. Asking if it's okay to drink coffee on an empty stomach, whether it's possible to retrain your sweet tooth, which ultra processed foods you might actually want to include in your diet. We take a closer look at diet trends, fact check sketchy claims and track down the science so that you can feel more confident about what's on your plate. New episodes are released every Wednesday. Find Nutrition Diva on Apple, pay podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening and be sure to follow or subscribe so you don't miss a single episode.
- [28:32]
Acast Announcer
ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com.