Posts with the label paul taylor-mills
Showing posts with label paul taylor-mills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paul taylor-mills. Show all posts

Monday, 4 February 2019

MT Fest UK, The Other Palace | Press Launch


Brainchild of Paul Taylor-Mills, MT Fest, opens at The Other Palace in one week's time and is set to provide a host of new and exciting theatrical events. Last week saw the launch of the festival in The Other Palace Studio and featured special performances from Luke Bayer, Evelyn Hoskins and Sooz Kempner

When introducing the festival, Paul explained how he's always wanted to put an event like this on because of the large amount of work he gets sent that doesn't get the chance to be showcased. He told us how many pieces don't lack quality, but can't be developed because there is a "lack of resource and audience appetite"; and how this festival is his way of showcasing hidden gems in musical theatre and allowing composers, writers etc... to be seen by not only a paying audience, but industry professionals who can help them develop their work in the future.

He also reminded us that no one knows what makes a successful musical (and if they say they do, they're lying.) So this whole showcase of musicals is an exploration and adventure to see what works in front of an audience and what doesn't.


The two week event is structured so there's something to see at all times of day, including:

  • The Taster Menu: the main event for showcasing new musicals. Eight semi-staged shows lasting 45 minutes each. Information about the shows and tickets can be found here
  • BEAM Brunches: Shining a light on some of the most talented up and coming musical theatre songwriters. Full listings can be found here
  • Tea for Two: Frank and inspirational afternoon chats with some of the most celebrated people in musical theatre. Including chats about choreographing a musical, the do's and don'ts for auditions and how theatre criticism is changing. Full listings can be found here
  • Night Caps: Informal late night concerts with some of the top musical theatre performers. Paul told us he's also asked the performers to add in a song or two which hints at their next career move which is exciting. To see the performers and book tickets, click here
Evelyn Hoskins described the festival as a "pick n mix of new work" and it certainly seems like there's going to be something for everyone to discover so why not immerse yourself in theatre and attend this event!

MT Fest UK runs from 11th-23rd February 2019. Tickets are available online or from the box office at The Other Palace.

MT Fest UK, The Other Palace | Press Launch

Monday, 4 February 2019

Monday, 14 May 2018

West End Live Lounge: Number 1, The Other Palace | Review


West End Live Lounge: One
The Other Palace
Reviewed on Sunday 13th May 2018 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★★

The email telling me about an upcoming West End Live Lounge concert is one I look forward to with excitement and anticipation as the night always proves to be a joyous, talent-filled one. Last night's concert was exactly that, a celebration of Number 1 music, performed by a stellar line up, in aid of Centrepoint, a charity which supports homeless young people.

Opening the show with a gloriously haunting version of Sia's Titanium, were the ever stunning Kelly Agbowu and Natalie Green. Both performers have beautifully smooth vocals and they complement one another perfectly. 

From here on, act one of the concert raced by with vocal brilliance after vocal brilliance. Lisa Marie Holmes and Zoe Birkett gave heartfelt performances whilst, Jodie Jacobs gave an energetic performance of Jerry Lee Lewis' rock classic Great Balls of Fire. Rock numbers proved to be an audience favourite with Andrew Polec earning rapturous applause and cheers after his performance of Living on a Prayer.



Adam Bailey's haunting interpretation of Run was a sure stand out and Moya Angela closed act one with a spine-tingling, note perfect performance of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You.

Hosting the night were the hilarious Vikki Stone and The Other Palace producer, Paul Taylor-Mills. The pair bounced off each other naturally with their wit and banter providing fantastic transitions between songs.

Vikki took a break from hosting to open act two with her comical, stripped back performance of Cotton Eyed Joe. The great thing about West End Live Lounge is that although it's for a serious cause and a celebration of immense talent, at it's heart it's about love and humour. The whole night is set out to be a joyous night of fun and that's exactly what it is. You can feel the love in the room and it's truly heartwarming to be a part of.



Act two was a maelstrom of talent with 1/3 of Divalution: Sejal Keshwala involving the audience in her spirited version of Aretha Franklin's Think. Joel Harper Jackson and Andrew Bateup both brought chills with their performances of Lay Me Down and Georgia on my Mind. Their voices are smooth as butter and they are mesmerising performers to watch.

Natalie and Kelly returned with the wonderful Impossible and Liisi LaFontaine, on her fleeting visit to London, treated us to a seamless performance of Grenade. The song selection of this concert was top notch, with song after song fulfilling my emotive ballad craving. Christina Modestou's performance of If I Were a Boy was vocally flawless as was Liam Tamne's rendition of Diamonds.



Musical director extraordinaire Sam Coates and his incredible band did an outstanding job of accompanying the performers and creating their own musical magic. American singer Stacey Francis brought gospel to The Other Palace, whilst Divalution (formerly Sapphire Soul) brought their usual sass and killer belt with an epic 23 song mash up.

Bat Out of Hell stars Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington concluded the night with an acrobatic, dynamic performance of Evanescence's hit, Bring Me To Life. The pair have enough sparks to power all the lights in The Other Palace and it's clear why audience's are loving them over at the Dominion theatre.

Although the performers were amazing, the real star of West End Live Lounge is Shaun McCourt who set up the concerts. Shaun puts so much work into them and it's clear that his passion and drive are infectious throughout the entire West End Live Lounge family. There's so much joy evident and each concert provides a perfect, musical night out. Don't miss the next one... you'll regret it!

photo credit: Nick Brittain

West End Live Lounge: Number 1, The Other Palace | Review

Monday, 14 May 2018

Monday, 17 April 2017

The Musical Marathon, The Other Palace | Review


The Musical Marathon
The Other Palace
Reviewed on Sunday April 16th 2017 by Grace English 
★★

The Musical Marathon at The Other Palace was held in support of Orchid a cause close to the hearts of far too many of us; that of fighting male cancer. Even at its most light-hearted and celebratory points neither the performers nor the audience lost sight of what we were there for, and this is what marks it as a truly spectacular and important evening.

Paul Taylor-Mills and Caroline Flack carried us through a maelstrom of powerhouse performers singing songs of their choosing, most of which are in some way anthems of ambition and resilience. Nathan Amzi opened the show with a heartfelt rendition of 'Titanium', and from there, not a single performer gave anything less than their absolute best, each one truly holding the audience completely in the moment. A special mention has to go to Kim Criswell's 'Look to the Rainbow/Over the Rainbow', as well as Emma Kingston's 'Listen' and Marisha Wallace's heart-wrenching 'Stay With Me' as the standout performances of the night, even amongst a group with no weak links whatsoever. In addition, Aimie Atkinson, Genesis Lynea and Stephanie Rojas closing Act One with an energised rendition of 'Lady Marmalade' was a true testament to girl power and their boundless talents as individuals.

Between the performances, Paul Taylor-Mills and Caroline Flack kept us entertained with jokes and anecdotes from their time working with the performers, and even hosted a form of 'karaoke bingo' that resulted in a hilarious improvisation of 'Don't Stop Believing' in the style of Meatloaf and Britney Spears. This allowed the night to easily overcome an issue facing any concert-esque shows; that of failing to engage the audience and thus loosing their attention about an hour in. In overcoming this, we get a sometimes hilarious, sometimes emotional, and constantly enjoyable night showcasing some of the best talent on the West End.

In spite of the fun, it should be remembered that this night was held in the interest of raising money for a serious and important cause which you can learn more about here: https://orchid-cancer.org.uk/

Photo credit: Claire Bilyard

The Musical Marathon, The Other Palace | Review

Monday, 17 April 2017