MusicalTalk - The UK's Independent Musical Theatre Podcast

Nick is joined by composer (and friend of the podcast) Andy Abrams and director Gary Lloyd to talk all things Shining in Misery, following its UK premiere at The Other Palace as part of MT Fest.
They dive deep into the creation of the show — from its musical styles and theatrical influences to the challenges of adapting such a psychologically charged story for the stage. Andy and Gary unpack how the piece evolved, how tone and atmosphere were shaped through music and direction, and what it's like collaborating on a brand-new musical with such a dark, distinctive voice.
And of course, there's the question everyone wants answered… does Stephen King himself know about the show?

Yes, Sondheim was alive and kicking in 2025, at least so far as his works and legacy were concerned because in London alone, you could have seen Road Show, Here We Are, The Frogs and Into the Woods - and MusicalTalk did!  So, Colm and Thos having put in the leg work, sat down for a run through of each of these varied and, in some cases, seldom produced Sondheim shows, and try to work out why they were the ones to be revived (or premiered, in one case).  It's not always a "Shaw" thing.

The "LeDorean" is polished, the flux capacitor is fluxing and Thos and Nick are ready to take MusicalTalk somewhere very specific in the timeline — though they're not saying where just yet.
In this episode, our hosts travel back to a moment when optimism was in the air, creativity was boundless, and entertainment itself was being boldly reimagined. It's a time when music, storytelling and spectacle collide on a scale never quite seen before — and when a certain brand of showmanship begins to redefine what "musical theatre" might mean to future generations.
Elsewhere on their temporal travels, Thos and Nick explore what happens when the Gershwins meet Britain: how their sound, swagger and sophistication land on UK soil, and what that cultural exchange reveals about taste, class, and the evolving identity of musical theatre on both sides of the pond.
Along the way, expect thoughtful detours into Gilbert & Sullivan, Oliver, Disney as well as philosophical musings on Thespis (or should that be Thospis?) and the inevitable leap forward to modern pop performance — yes, The X Factor gets caught in the time vortex too.

Thos takes a trip back to the town of Hawkins, Indiana in 1983 where times were simpler, hair was bigger (much bigger) and and unsupervised children were getting snatched by inter-dimensional beings!  No, it's not television success story, Stranger Things - it's something even better - the 2025 five star EdFringe production of Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical by Jonathan Hogue.  In this episode Thos talks to the Director, Producer and one of the stars of this amazing, funny and musical-theatre loving musical. If you know the difference between your Joe Raposo and your Jule Styne, then this is the chat about the show for you!

This week on MusicalTalk, Nick is joined by Michael David Glover, the book writer of SEA WITCH, playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 1st March.
Michael takes us inside the creation of the show — from its origins and development to the realities of shaping a new piece of musical theatre for today's audiences. The conversation digs deep into the writing process, the collaboration between creatives, and the ever-evolving challenges (and rewards) of being a writer and producer in the current theatrical landscape.
https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/sea-witch/