2022 has been a busy year for a WhatsOnStage videographer! From opening nights and exclusive performances to high-profile interviews and awards coverage, there was a plethora of exciting filming opportunities over the past 12 months… and rest assured, we took full advantage!
From our extensive list of in-house created video content, we’ve chosen just 22 videos to guide us through a very stagey 2022… Enjoy!
1. In January, we kicked off a brand new series, partnering with our New York sister site TheaterMania. “West End vs Broadway” brings together two actors, who are playing the same role in London and New York, and gives them the opportunity to pose three burning questions to their transatlantic counterpart. What better way to launch the series than with two Alexander Hamiltons?! And you can also watch subsequent episodes here.
2. In February, we celebrated the 22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the West End and were treated to performances from the likes of Back to the Future, Frozen and more:
3. In March, we were on hand for a starry opening night at the Ambassadors Theatre, meeting some of the stars (including Bridgerton‘s Jonathan Bailey) and creative team of the acclaimed revival of Cock:
4. Later that month we put together our own mockumentary in celebration of Mother’s Day, starring Mamma Mia!‘s own mother-daughter-combo, Mazz Murray and Emma Mullen:
5. In April, we put on our Sunday clothes and hit the Green Carpet for the 2022 Olivier Awards, back at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time since 2019:
6. We also joined the cast of the UK premiere of The Cher Show in rehearsals, sitting down with director Arlene Phillips, choreographer Oti Mabuse and the three leading ladies: Debbie Kurup, Danielle Steers and Millie O’Connell:
7. In May, we joined the cast of Grease as they rehearsed for their upcoming run at the Dominion, chatting to Olivia Moore, Dan Partridge and Peter Andre:
8. One of the most lauded productions of the year was the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at the Young Vic and we were on hand to catch up with Arthur Darvill, Anoushka Lucas, Marisha Wallace and more, following the curtain call:
9. Harry Potter star Tom Felton and Doctor Who standout Mandip Gill made their West End debuts in May, starring in 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Criterion Theatre, and they sat down with us to talk all things supernatural:
10. Omigod You Guys! We also celebrated the opening night of Lucy Moss’ “unhinged” revival of Legally Blonde, starring Courtney Bowman and Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre:
11. We also sat down with the West End’s “Most Wanted” – Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage – to play a special Bonnie and Clyde-themed edition of Mr and Mrs:
12. In June, we sat down with Game of Thrones favourite Emilia Clarke, as she prepared to make her West End debut in Jamie Lloyd’s revival of The Seagull:
13. In July, we invited Beauty and the Beast cast members Courtney Stapleton (who plays Belle), Shaq Taylor (the Beast) and Sam Bailey (Mrs Potts) to compete against each other in a little game we like to call “Be Our Guest… Take Our Test!”:
14. West End stalwart Kerry Ellis also treated us to an exclusive rendition of the title track to Anything Goes at the Barbican Theatre alongside a whole host of tap-dancing sailors:
15. In September, we visited the cast of the world premiere musical The Time Traveller’s Wife during rehearsals for two “First Listen” performances from the new show. You can watch Joanna Woodward perform “Masterpiece” below and then check out David Hunter performing “Wait For Me” here.
16. In October, we met theatre royalty in the form of Ian McKellen at the launch of Mother Goose, alongside his stage husband John Bishop, and got into the Panto spirit:
17. We also chatted to David Tennant, as well as castmates Sharon Small and Elliot Levey and director Dominic Cooke, on opening night of the hotly anticipated revival of C P Taylor’s Good at the Harold Pinter Theatre:
18. One of the biggest theatrical hits of the year is undoubtedly the RSC’s world premiere stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro and we were at the Barbican, of course, to celebrate opening night:
19. Producer and theatre owner Nica Burns also gave us a private tour of @sohoplace – the first new West End venue in 50 years – in October:
20. In November, we took a trip to Leeds Playhouse, where Gareth Snook (aka Willy Wonka) guided us on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Keep up, Buckets!
21. Bronté Barbé and Michael Ahomka-Lindsay serenaded us with an exclusive performance of “Something To Believe In” from the beloved UK premiere of Disney’s Newsies:
22. And in December, we visited the wonderful cast of The Wizard of Oz at Curve in Leicester, where Christina Bianco hosted a special gameshow entitled “The Quiz-ard of Oz”:
Stick with us in 2023 as we take our cameras to the best that Theatreland has to offer!