Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway @ Leicester Square Theatre
JOHN BARROWMAN with SETH RUDETSKY as pianist & host
Friday April 13 & Saturday 14, 2018
“International theatre and TV star John Barrowman MBE returns to perform in London in Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway @ Leicester Square Theatre concert series for 3 intimate performances produced by Mark Cortale.
John Barrowman is best know in the US for his role of Malcolm Merlyn (aka The Dark Archer) in the hit TV series Arrow, based on the Green Arrow comic books, and in the UK as Captain Jack Harkness, in Dr Who and Torchwood.
Seth Rudetsky recently starred in a charity gala of his Broadway musical Disaster! in 2016 at Charing Cross Theatre.
Broadway @ Leicester Square Theatre began in 2013 with Patti LuPone and returned with Audra McDonald last year. What differentiates this concert series from any other perhaps, is the seamless mix of intimate behind-the-scenes stories from Broadway’s biggest stars – prompted by Rudetsky’s probing, funny, revealing questions – and their stellar singing of the musical theatre repertoire. This is a spontaneous evening of hilarity and show-stopping songs that is not to be missed.
John Barrowman landed his first professional role, starring as Billy Crocker opposite Elaine Paige in the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes. Since then, John’s career as a leading man in musical theatre has seen him star in many West End shows, including Matador, Miss Saigon, The Phantom Of The Opera, and Sunset Boulevard. John made his Broadway debut in the role of Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. He then returned to Broadway starring in Stephen Sondheim’s Putting it Together with Carole Burnett. Sam Mendes’ UK premiere of The Fix at the Donmar
Warehouse garnered John an Olivier Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical. He appeared in the West End most recently as Albin/Zaza in the Menier Chocolate Factory’s award-winning production of La Cage Aux Folles, performing to full houses for nine weeks in 2009. This role won John the 2010 What’s On Stage award for Best Take-over in a Role. In HM The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014, John was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to entertainment and to charity. www.johnbarrowman.com
Seth Rudetsky is a self-confessed walking talking Broadway search engine who lives and breathes The Great White Way! A musician, stand-up comic, actor, writer, and radio host, his career includes performing on Broadway, writing three books, penning a weekly Playbill.com column, and playing piano in more than a dozen hit musicals,including Ragtime, Les Miserables, and The Phantom of the Opera. Best known to US audiences as the daily Broadway host of Sirius/XM radio, he has also been nominated for a Grammy Award – for his recording of the musical Hair – and was three times nominated for an Emmy Award – for his writing on The Rosie O’Donnell Show as well as winning the title “Funniest Gay Male in New York” for his stand-up comedy.”
Review by Richard Lambert, 5 Stars
Having enjoyed Patti LuPone’s evening with Seth a couple of years ago I expected tonight to be a fun evening. And I expected John Barrowman to have a chocolate voice to make housewives swoon across the nation. But I never expected this evening to so fantastic as it was! John isn’t just a performer who can sing a bit – he can SING!!!! Until tonight I had no idea how talented he was! Yes I’ve seen him on television, and I’ve seen nearly every West End that’s out there – but I’ve never seen such natural easy vocal skills like John Barrowman’s. He sings from the heart and has effortless vocal skills. He can snap in and out of comedy, to teary-eyed revelations, to heart-felt songs in a second. His emotional engagement is superb!!!
I knew I’d like John Barrowman in this evening but have actually left thinking I’m now a little in love with John Barrowman. There’s nothing quite like talent to move your emotions to next base!
Anyone who wants to stage a concert would learn a lot from this production! It nails it!
Blue velvet back-drop lit with downlighters and side movers. A vase of flowers on a pedestal. A grand piano. 2 chairs and a table (discretely upstage out of immediate view) for water jug and tumblers. Classic and gorgeous!
The free-flow nature of the evening, where it’s not too formatted or pre-scribed, adds to the entertainment. Pulling a former side-kick star from Sunset Boulevard from the audience was genius! Little hiccups cos the next song has not been printed in any song list until Seth or John say “let’s do it” adds to our wonder at their professionalism, charsma and ease of being in the spotlight. It also allows John to wander over to the piano and read from Seth’s dots. All adds to the vulnerability, exposure and raw talent displayed by these 2 accomplished professionals!
Seth Rudetsky is the perfect host! Brilliant at interview, encyclopedic in knowledge, great fun and the perfect support accompanist you could ever dream of sharing the stage!
I would say “go get a ticket” – but you can’t! This show is rightly sold out!
But, I did video a sneaky few moments during one of his numbers 🙂
(Sister, ha! I was there! You weren’t!)
You’re all welcome!!!
https://vimeo.com/264692326
Mark Cortale presents Broadway @ Leicester Square Theatre
JOHN BARROWMAN with SETH RUDETSKY as pianist & host
LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE
6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX
Box office: 9020 7734 2222
www.leicestersquaretheatre.com
Friday April 13 & Saturday 14, 2018
Friday at 7.00pm, Saturday at
3.00pm & 7.00pm
Tickets:
£25 – £65 & £100 (Including meet & greet)