Episode 907: The Real Housewives of the Zombie Apocalypse
By Zeus! It's time for MusicalTalks's celebration of our Pick of the Fringe 2025 - the arrestingly titled (and genuinely brilliant) The Real Housewives of the Zombie Apocalypse! Join Thos as he figuratively feasts on the brains of John Paul Liddle and Hugh Moore, the people behind this amazingly funny, clever, literate, satirical and tuneful modern masterpiece of a musical to find out how it came to be created! Wittily combining craft, zombie lore, reality television and classical myth with a catchy score and top notch lyrics (quadruple rhymes anyone?), this musical is a bona fide modern classic. With fascinating insights and three amazing songs, don't let life get in the way of your enjoying this bumper episode!
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Episode 906: Two Soups and a Revival - Acorn Antiques Returns
This week on MusicalTalk, Nick and Dom sit down to celebrate one of British musical theatre's most brilliantly bonkers gems: Acorn Antiques. With the recent Hope Mill Theatre production bringing Victoria Wood's cult favourite back into the spotlight, they explore how this new staging honours (and occasionally reimagines) Wood's unmistakable wit, warmth and musical mischief. From the show's origins as a beloved sketch, to its transformation into a full-scale musical bursting with charm, Nick and Dom reflect on why Acorn Antiques continues to resonate with audiences decades later. They discuss standout moments from the Hope Mill production, the enduring brilliance of Wood's writing and the extraordinary legacy she left behind as one of Britain's most cherished comedic voices.Â
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Episode 905: Five, Six, Seven, Elf!
✨ Pop nostalgia meets festive cheer in this lively, laugh-filled episode of MusicalTalk! ✨ This week, Nick and Andrew take a nostalgic step back to the '90s as they discuss HERE AND NOW — the brand-new Steps musical currently touring around the UK! Plus, Nick introduces a new voice to the MusicalTalk team — Emily! Emily joins to chat about ELF at the Aldwych Theatre — a festive favourite that she's performed in… but never actually seen until now! Both HERE AND NOW and ELF were star-studded gala performances, and our hosts share their thoughts on the spectacle, the audiences, and the sheer joy of theatre at its most celebratory. Â
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Episode 904: Songs of the People
Join Thos as he revisits a conversation with celebrated songwriter Sue Casson about her seminal musical masterwork, Dreams of Peace and Freedom, currently on a national tour, and learn how this piece has become part of a multiplatform experience entitled Songs of the People. From Magna Carta to Victorian Scottish land clearances, via the Nuremburg War Trials to Southwark Cathedral in 2025, Songs of the People encompasses international history, philosophy and democracy in a breadth of exciting and thoughtful ways - but always with achingly beautiful music at its core. Songs of the People is an epic entertainment for the generations. Don't miss this bumper episode!
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Episode 903: Revisiting Just William: Two Decades On
In this reflective episode of MusicalTalk, Nick sits down with Thos to revisit his musical adaptation of Richmal Crompton's classic British short stories: Just William, first written as his examination piece twenty years ago. Together, they explore how two decades of experience — and a world of new technology (along with nearly 20 years of MusicalTalk!) — have transformed Nick's process as a composer and writer. From song ideas that have stayed with him since his student days to the tools that now bring them to life, it's a warm and insightful look at artistic growth and rediscovery. Plus, listeners will get to hear three of Nick's original demo recordings from the show, offering a rare glimpse into his creative evolution.
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