Reviews from Ruhrtriennale, plus thoughts on Jonathan Bailey’s Sunday in the Park with George departure
OHMYGOD HEY!
Welcome back to my weekly collation of the various reviews, opinion pieces and theatre news updates I’ve shared across multiple social media platforms.
Evidently I’m allergic not just to a handful of citrus fruits but also to restful time at home because I spent less than a week in my flat after getting back from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before flying to Düsseldorf for an entirely different festival.
I had discovered Ruhrtriennale, an almost 25 year old arts festival taking place across former industrial sites in Germany’s Ruhr region, accidentally. While swiping through instagram stories, a reposted moment between rehearsals shared by rising star Diego Rodriguez caught my attention due to its location tag – what was he doing in Germany? I discovered Rebel Rebel, the new David Bowie jukebox musical premiering in late August under the direction of Ivo Van Hove, and just as quickly I was looking into flights.
You can find my full coverage of the festival, and the two shows I saw there (the other being a Polish play, Europa) in a series of posts here on instagram.
In an effort to balance the cultural offering, I also returned to Starlight Express (when in Bochum) and the German musical Romeo und Julia: Liebe ist Alles. Meanwhile I’ve been doing my best to enjoy the final few moments of Summer’s peace between bombshell announcements including Six’s Broadway closure and Jonathan Bailey’s Sunday in the Park with George exit. You can find all of my thoughts on both at the various links below…
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why Jonathan Bailey has left SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE: Thoughts on the revival’s future…
Following the recent news that Ariana Grande will not appear in next year’s London revival of Sunday in the Park with George, it has been announced that Jonathan Bailey will also depart the production.
Find out more about the potential reasons behind this decision, as well as its implications for the upcoming revival and whether it will still go ahead…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Why is SIX closing on Broadway? Thoughts on the hit musical coming to an end in New York…
It was announced earlier today that the Broadway production of Six, currently playing at the Lena Horne Theatre, would end its run at the beginning of 2027.
The musical, which began performances in 2020, but was unable to celebrate its official opening night until New York’s theatres reopened in late 2021, is in its sixth year and has become a global phenomenon alongside its Broadway and West End success.
Given the ongoing popularity of the London production, I’m considering why the Broadway run is ending, whether it might still have a future in New York, and what’s next for the Lena Horne Theatre…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Meet the UK cast of KIMBERLY AKIMBO: Interview with the London production at the Hampstead Theatre!
The Tony Award winning musical Kimberly Akimbo is making its UK Premiere at the Hampstead Theatre in London, starring Maria Friedman.
I was recently invited to visit the rehearsal room to see a preview of the show as well as discuss the rehearsal process so far with the cast and creative team, including writers David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori.
Find out more about this brilliant, bittersweet show and then go book tickets to see it for yourself in London!
This Week’s Reviews
Angels in America at King’s Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh
Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Europa at Jahrhunderthalle, Ruhrtriennale, Bochum
Review available Instagram
Rebel Rebel at Jahrhunderthalle, Ruhrtriennale, Bochum
Review available Instagram
We went to a German theatre festival! Theatre Vlog ft Ruhrtriennale, Starlight Express, Romeo und Julia
Days after leaving the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Aeron and I flew to West Germany for Ruhrtriennale, an Arts festival taking place across repurposed industrial sites in the Ruhr region of the country.
The festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, is overseen in 2026 for the final time by Ivo Van Hove, and included amongst its programming a new musical called Rebel Rebel, starring Diego Andres Rodriguez, Ari Notartomaso, and Daniel Donskoy, using the music of David Bowie. As well as this, I saw Europa, a Polish written adaptation of a play by Wajdi Mouawad.
While we were in town, we couldn’t also took the opportunity to see the musical Romeo und Julia: Liebe ist Alles, experience an evening in Dusseldorf, and head back to the long-running production of Starlight Express in Bochum.
What’s coming up this week?
The coming days include a last minute cross-country trip to catch one of the UK’s most notorious recent openings as well as the latest from the National Theatre starring Cate Blanchett.
Stay tuned for my thoughts on which recording artists have contributed the strongest original musical theatre scores and a vlog recapping this year’s hotly anticipated 24 Hour Musical.
If you’d like to see me onstage in the show (whatever it may be!), then all will be revealed as the performance begins on 5th September at the Camberley Theatre – tickets are on sale here.
Until next week, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey… week! – Mickey-Jo
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