Category: Entertainment

  • TV | Against The Law, BBC 2

    BBC 2’s Against The Law

    Programme length: 82 mins

    Broadcaster: BBC 2

    Daniel Mays (Line Of Duty, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Public Enemies) stars in BBC Two’s powerful factual drama as Peter Wildeblood, a thoughtful and private gay journalist whose lover Eddie McNally (played by newcomer to television, Richard Gadd), under pressure from the authorities, turned Queen’s evidence against him in one of the most explosive court cases of the 1950s – the infamous Montagu Trial.

    More than ten years before the partial decriminalisation of homosexual acts in 1967, Peter Wildeblood, and his friends Lord Montagu (Mark Edel-Hunt) and Michael Pitt-Rivers, were found guilty of homosexual offences and jailed.

    With his career in tatters and his private life painfully exposed, Wildeblood began his sentence a broken man, but he emerged from Wormwood Scrubs a year later determined to do all he could to change the way these draconian laws against homosexuality impacted on the lives of men like him.

    The drama also features Mark Gatiss (Taboo, Sherlock) as Wildeblood’s prison psychiatrist, Doctor Landers and Charlie Creed-Miles (Ripper Street, Peaky Blinders) as Superintendent Jones.

    Woven through this powerful drama is real-life testimony from a chorus of men who lived through those dark days, when homosexuals were routinely imprisoned or forced to undergo chemical aversion therapy in an attempt to cure them of their “condition”. There is also testimony from a retired police officer whose job it was to enforce these laws, and a former psychiatric nurse who administered the so-called cures. All of these accounts serve to amplify the themes of the drama and help to immerse us in the reality of a dark chapter in our recent past, a past still within the reach of living memory.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Jane Eyre – National Tour

    ★★★★ | Jane Eyre – National Tour

    Following being orphaned, Jane Eyre is placed in the ward of her cruel aunt, who favours her own children over Jane and eventually sends her to school, where Jane meets Helen, who teaches her that “there are no evil people, only evil deeds”. Growing into a strong, confident young woman, Eyre becomes a teacher and eventually a governess, and she takes employment at Thornfield Manor, where she meets and falls in love with Rochester, her employer. But Rochester is a deeply complex man who harbours dark secrets and carries with him the weight of a past which is about to come back to haunt him.

    Charlotte Bronte’s seminal work needs very little introduction and under the impressive direction of Sally Cookson, the story is beautifully brought to life in this National Theatre production, using a slew of innovative and varied theatrical techniques to provide a highly contemporary take on a classic tale. The set, consisting of a white curtained backdrop and multi-level wooden platforms accessed by a series of ladders and steps proves to be incredibly versatile and surprisingly effective in its portrayal of the various locations. The cast scramble over the set with energy and enthusiasm as they portray multiple characters meaning that there is an almost constant flow of movement on stage.  Simple props and a healthy dose of imagination on behalf of the audience provide for an effective, original and inventive presentation.

    Nadia Clifford’s portrayal of the titular character is one which is full of confidence, life and determination, and Tim Delap’s performance as Rochester compliments it well, with his aloof and brooding quirkiness. Overseeing events is Melanie Marshall, who observes and narrates key aspects of Eyre’s life with bursts of jazz infused song utilising her beautiful and distinctive voice. The remainder of the cast play numerous roles with clear demarcation between characters and, in the case of Paul Mundell, with a little humour injected into the proceedings.

    Quite what Bronte purists will make of the production is unknown, as, whilst the production sticks closely to the source material and lifts out text, passage and prose from it, this is not your run of the mill period costume drama. Instead, it is a refreshingly inventive, highly stylised and imaginatively presented piece which never loses the spirit of the novel, and which is as trailblazing and as forward thinking as the central character herself.

    Jane Eyre is on National Tour calling in at numerous venues including Leeds Grand Theatre, Belfast Opera House, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre, Milton Keynes Theatre, Norwich Theatre Royal and Brighton Theatre Royal and is currently booking until 23rd September 2017. Visit the National Theatre Website for details. Many thanks to Sheffield Theatres for facilitating this review.

     

  • FILM REVIEW | Their Finest

    FILM REVIEW | Their Finest

    ★★★ | Their Finest


    A film about London in 1940 during The Blitz is finally being released in theatres – Their Finest – a year and a half after principal photography began and 6 months after it had its European premiere at the London Film Festival in October 2016.

    I’m not entirely sure why it has taken this long for the film to finally make it into the cinemas – it’s not a bad movie, but it’s also not a great movie.

    Their Finest details a motley crew of screenwriters tasked with writing a script for a film that would hopefully lift up Britain’s flagging spirits during WWII as well as inspire America to enter the war. That’s a lot of responsibility for three people to take on, in a film based on the 2009 novel by Lissa Evans. Gemma Arterton’s character Catrin Cole (based on a real woman, Diana Morgan, who wrote for Ealing Studios) actually has no screenwriting experience, but she’s basically just looking for a paycheck to help her artist husband Ellis (Jack Huston) pay the bills. But she gets more than what she bargained for when she’s hired by the British Ministry of Information to assist Tom Buckley (a very good Sam Claflin) on a film script. Winston Churchill tells them that they need to write a story that will inspire the nation, and so they write a propaganda film amidst all that is happening in Europe. But it’s Bill Nighy as the leading man of their film (playing Ambrose Hillard) who steals the movie. He’s wonderful and witty and oh so debonair when he’s on set in the making of the movie within the movie, and he’s wonderful off the set when he’s telling jokes to the rest of the cast and crew, and tender and fatherly when he is giving advice to Catrin. But all is not ok in her life, she catches her husband cheating on her on one of her few visits she makes to their home, and her and Buckley realize they have more in common with each other than just putting words to paper. Set this all against the backdrop of WWII and what you’ve got is a classic in the making.

    But Their Finest is not quite a classic. Some of the scenes look a bit staged, not very realistic for a film that relies on the portrayal of London during the Bliz. Arterton is fine and lights up the screen with her beautiful face, and Claflin is very handsome as her mentor, but director Lone Scherfing (who directed the wonderful An Education with Carey Mulligan) along with a script by Gaby Chiappe, don’t quite make it 100% believable. Production values are fine, costumes wonderful and the score very dramatic when it needs to be, but it’s Nighy that you will remember – he’s deserving of nominations for this film – but the film itself not so much.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Whisper House, The Other Palace, London

    ★★ | Whisper House
    whisper-house review

    The Whisper House is a 2009 musical with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik, writer of the multi-award winning rock musical Spring Awakening. Never performed before in the UK, this felt like it could be an exciting possibility for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new venue. The bar has been set high with recent jazz musical The Wild Party and the raucous studio hit This Joint is Jumpin’. Sadly, this ghost story felt more soulless than spooky. It was more of a stifled yawn than a sneaky whisper. In spite of a great cast, clever use of lighting and an evocative set, it’s a musical with a dreary book and songs that seem to merge into one anther.

    In wartime America, pre-pubescent Christopher is sent to his aunt’s eerie old lighthouse following the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent admission to a psychiatric hospital. Aunt Lily is a mournful woman, encumbered by a club foot and haunted by a past event. Oh, there’s also two convenient singing ghosts who waft about the stage making dramatic hand movements around people’s faces and pulling quaint horror film faces. Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds. There’s also a flimsy plot involving a Japanese man who works for her and the xenophobia of the times. There are storms, of course, and water swishing about. It’s a weak storyline and an inadequate framework for the equally dull songs. There’s something strangely hypnotic about the whole thing and not in a good way. I came away unsure how long I’d been in the theatre, whether there was a storyline and without any ability to recall the songs.

    If you’re a die-hard musical theatre fan and love Spring Awakening then you might enjoy this as a rare chance to see a musical that unsurprisingly failed to hit London before. You’ll definitely enjoy the cast and their fine voices. My general advice, though, would be hollered loudly rather than whispered: stay away.

     

    Whisper House plays at The Other Palace until 27th May 2017

  • Cast of Drag Race season 9 pay homage to George Michael video – WATCH

    The contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9 paid tribute to the late George Michael in a reworking of his hit ‘Too Funky’.

    NYC drag queen Peppermint and singer-songwriter Ari Gold covered Michael’s song as a duet that also features the CuCu loving Cynthia Lee Fontaine.

    British singer George Michael died at the age of 53 on Christmas day. He was found dead in his Oxfordshire home in Goring from natural causes.

    His iconic ‘Too Funky’ video was released in 1992 as part of the Red Hot + Dance album which raised money and awareness to fight HIV and AIDS.

    Peppermint’s video starts with Cynthia Lee Fontaine asking the question, “would you like me to seduce you?” in Spanish followed by Sasha Velour, Alexis Michelle, Valentina, Shea Couleé, Charlie Hides, Kimora Blac, Trinity Taylor, Eureka, Farrah Moan, Jaymes Mansfield, Aja and Peppermint walk down the run was just like Linda Evangelista, Tyra Banks and Julie Newmar did in George’s original video.

    Speaking to Billboard Peppermint said that George Michael was an “absolute inspiration to me and many queer people during a time when being openly gay was a career killer.”

    She went on to say: “It’s likely the public would have rejected him had he come out in the ’80s and instead he had them dancing, celebrating, and even singing along to lyrics about the life & love of a queer man. I think it just shows that we are all more alike than different. We really wanted the chance to pay proper tribute to George Michael.”

    Watch the video here:

  • TV REVIEW | Looking, Season 1

    The search for happiness starts with LOOKING

    (C) HBO

    Rumoured as the gay version of Sex and the City, Looking is not your typical gay drama.

    Usually, gay dramas tend to include either drug-fuelled sex orgies with someone eventually dying of AIDS or ridiculously good looking men just sleeping with each other in unbelievable circumstances and situations.

    However, Looking is none of this; it is refreshingly unique in its portrayal of modern gay culture. Yes, there are good looking men but they are not ridiculously hot. They are typical gay men who live in San Francisco and are trying to figure out what it is to be gay in the 21st century; including the blurring of relationships, ageing in the gay world and the question of monogamy versus polyamory.

    Looking offers an unfiltered look at three friendships in one of America’s most iconic cities. Looking: Season One introduces us to Patrick (Jonathan Groff best known for The Normal Heart and Glee), who is a 29-year old video game designer getting back into the dating world after learning about his ex’s engagement as well as aspiring artist Agustín (Frankie J Alvarez best known for Smash), who questions the idea of monogamy as he transitions into domesticity with his boyfriend and career waiter Dom (Murray Bartlett best known for White Collar), who is the oldest member of the group who, at 39, is soon to be facing middle age with his romantic and professional dreams still unfulfilled. The trio’s stories intertwine and unspool dramatically as they search for happiness and intimacy in an age of unparalleled choices, and rights, for gay men.

    Rounding out the world of Looking: Season One are the UK’s own Russell Tovey (Being Human, The History Boys), starring as Kevin, Patrick’s boss and love interest; Dom’s roommate Doris (Lauren Weedman); Agustín’s boyfriend Frank (O.T. Fagbenle); and Patrick’s co-worker Owen (Andrew Law), as well as the legendary Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap, Star Trek: Enterprise) who stars as Lynn.

    The complicated, funny and romantically charged lives of three friends living in San Francisco takes centre stage in the sexy and lyrical Looking: Season One which comes to Blu-ray and DVD on 12th January 2015 courtesy of HBO Home Entertainment. The whole season and individual episodes are also available to own and watch instantly on Amazon Instant Video, blinkbox, Google Play and iTunes.

    Looking: Season One, created by Michael Lannan (Nurse Jackie, Remember Me) and executive produced by Sarah Condon (Bored to Death) and Andrew Haigh, who wrote and directed the critically-lauded Weekend, is a ground-breaking comedic drama that focuses on the universal themes of falling in love and ultimately finding fulfilment.

    DVD & Blu-ray special features include audio commentary episodes 1 – 8 with Jonathan Groff, Frankie Alvarez, Murray Bartlett, Andrew Haigh, Michael Lannan, Raul Castillo, Ryan Fleck, Russell Tovey, Reed Morano, Jamie Babbit, John Hoffman, Lauren Weedman, Tanya Saracho

    Overall opinion:
    A must see. Regardless of age, this gay drama tells the true story of what it is to be gay in our modern world. Featuring much-loved stars such as Jonathan Groff and Russell Tovey, we promise you that you’ll watch for the eye candy but stay for the story.

    First published Dec 2014

  • FILM REVIEW | 71

    ★★★★★ | 71

    Getting left behind by your Army platoon when you go on a dangerous military mission is not exactly a novel idea in the movies, but this new version with rising star Jack O’Connell, this feature debut from TV director Yann Demange is certainly one of the best.

    Set in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the height of ‘the Troubles’ and just one year before the infamous ‘Bloody Sunday’ massacre in 1972, O’Connell plays orphan Gary Hook who had joined the Army as a route to being independent and self-sufficient. He had expected a cushy first assignment and so like the rest of his platoon is shocked to be suddenly deployed instead to be part of the peacekeeping forces in Ulster.

    The first house raid backing up the police in a hostile Catholic area of Belfast that Hook’s unit takes part in, goes dreadfully wrong and the lieutenant in charge orders a hasty retreat when the large crowd of onlookers start getting very violent. In the mayhem to hot-foot it out of there in one piece, Hook and fellow soldier Thommo are left behind. When the two men are cornered by members of the IRA, Thommo is shot dead at point blank but Hook manages to escape into the darkness.

    Totally lost in the warren of backstreets of a hostile alien city the young soldier tries to find a way back to the barracks but meanwhile he is being hunted not just by his Commanding Officer, but also by a covert British Intelligence Unit who are anxious that he doesn’t stumble into any of their operations, and also by two fractions of the IRA who are fighting amongst themselves in how to resolve the situation once they capture him.

    As Hook makes his way around avoiding flying Molotov cocktails seemingly hurled everywhere in the scary streets full of upturned vehicles set on fire, he is aware of being very much alone. He falls into the hands of a young kid who takes him to the HQ of the UDF the Protestant paramilitaries.

    It’s obvious that come to the final showdown when Hook is finally reached by one or all of the parties out to locate him that there will be more mayhem and shootings in this conflict that never shows the slightest indication that it would ever cease.

    Full marks to cinematographer Tat Redcliffe and production designer Chris Oddy for making the streets of Blackburn (in the North of the UK) standing in for Belfast, look so utterly menacing and full of fear. It’s a very impressive story and is directed with such remarkable style that it earned Demarge a British Independent Film Award for his work.

    It is, however, young Jack O’Connell’s dynamic performance as the scared young soldier immersed in a bloody struggle that he neither understood or could even relate to, that makes this movie so very compelling. His fight was for his own life and to simply ensure that he would survive and be there to support his kid brother still trapped in the Orphanage back home. O’Connell’s talents lie in convincing us with his steadfast bravado and his powerful physical presence, yet somehow at the same time never letting us forget he’s still a big kid at heart. This role follows his outstanding performance in the prison drama ‘Starred Up’ and with his starring role in Angelina Jolie’s ‘Unbroken’ about to be released, this young British actor is clearly destined to be one of THE next batch of Hollywood’s leading men.

    This review was first published in Dec 2014

  • FILM REVIEW | The Theory Of Everything

    ★★★★★ | The Theory Of Everything

    The remarkable life story of the world-renowned physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking who was diagnosed with motor-neurone disease at the age of 21 years and defying medical prognosis of an imminent death went on to publish world-changing theories of relativity and quantum mechanics turns out to be one of the most tender and romantic movies of the year.

    This new biopic from James Marsh (Oscar Winning Director of the documentary Man On The Wire) is based on the second biography written by Stephen Hawkins ex-wife Jane and focuses very much on how she enabled him to lead a full and rich life in spite of his crippling illness. Their story really starts when Hawkins, having won a First Honors Degree at Oxford University, chooses to transfer to Cambridge to do his post-graduate doctorate. Here he meets and immediately falls in love with Jane despite the fact that they seem like total opposites: she is studying poetry and is a devout churchgoer. When Hawkins discovers this last point he dryly remarks that he has a problem ‘with the whole celestial-dictator premise’. Somehow their marked differences seem to actually unify them, partly because one of the Hawkins’s strongest traits is his ability to be open to changing his opinions. None so more apparent when later on in life when he contradicted one of his most important theories and did a complete U-turn and actually proved that he got it wrong the first time around.

    When Hawkins is forced to realise that all his clumsy physical missteps that culminate with him hitting his head during a sidewalk fall are because of the fact that he has this debilitating illness, it’s Jane who has the inner strength to push Hawkins into both marriages and also into not giving up. Despite the fact the Doctors have declared that he will be dead in two years, the couple starts a family whilst Hawkins finally starts his Dissertation.

    Hawkins rapid physical deterioration makes him completely dependent on Jane for even the most basic daily bodily functions. The only parts that seem untouched by this particularly pernicious illness are his brain and his wit, both of which sustain and enable him to be the brilliant and very funny quick-witted man that he is. However, with both her husband needing 24/7 help and two children to bring up too, Jane needs some support and relief. She finds this in her local Church after joining the choir led by a handsome newly widowed man. Jonathan, still bereft after his recent loss, is at a loose end so is happy to help Jane out with some of the tougher tasks keeping her family functioning which inevitably draws the two of them closer. So much so that when she later gives birth to another son, there is talk about who the real father is.

    By the time that Jane hires a nurse to help Stephen after he can no longer speak, their marriage which had finally been strained to near breaking point, now slowly moves to a separation and eventually divorce just as the movie reaches its end. There is one final scene of a graceful reconciliation when Hawkins is invited to Buckingham Palace to receive his Order of Merit from the Queen, which seems a fitting finish.

    Marsh doesn’t discount the vast body of Hawkins’s work in the story but he places it a context that makes it easier to understand for those of us that cannot comprehend the many complexities of ‘A Brief History of Time’ and all his subsequent intellectual theories. He clearly shows the vast importance of Hawkins findings on black holes and the boundaries of the universe with the reactions of the academic world and the acclaim and fame that accompanies all of this.

    By focusing on the highly personal story of this remarkable man who could never have any of his achievements without the unselfish love and devotion of the exceptional woman, he gives us one of the most unique and compelling behind-the-scenes biopics ever. What raises it to be such an awe-inspiring movie, however, is the electrifying impassioned performance of young Eddie Redmayne as Hawkins.The defining trait of how brilliant he is in this role is that he has captured the very essence and soul of this great man as his body stops functioning. Without even realising it, you quickly appreciate that he has gone way beyond just capturing Hawkins’s physical decline in this deeply thoughtful career-defining performance that is nothing short of breath-taking. He is so wonderfully brilliant that the images of him lighting up the screen remain with you for days after. He should start practising his acceptance speech for the many Awards that he will now be showered with.

    Felicity Jones gives a quiet and powerful performance as Jane Hawkins, and there is an impressive list of talented supporting actors like Charlie Cox, David Thewlis, Emily Watson and Simon McBurney.

    The script by writer (and novelist) Antony McCarten is peppered with some perfect moments of real humour and wit and it makes this such an uplifting tale even in the darker moments of the story. Evidently, Jane Hawkin’s first biography was written immediately after the divorce was not quite so full of sweetness and light, so it’s probably a good thing they passed on to the happier, and presumably the truer, version of this story.

    First published in Dec, 2014

  • DVD Review | Theo & Hugo (Paris 05:59) – sexually charged and romantic

    ★★★★ | Theo & Hugo

    Two men meet at one of Paris’ most popular, and notorious, gay sex clubs, and then embark on an evening with lots of twist and turns, in the new film Theo & Hugo.

    You might think you’re watching a gay porn film as the first 20 minutes of Theo & Hugo is full on man-to-man action – erections and anal sex are all on full display, filmed at L’Impact – a naked gay sex club in the Marais district in Paris. Theo and Hugo, In French, with English subtitles, is shot in real time, and it’s in that club where Theo and Hugo meet, at exactly 4:27 am, amongst the writhing and moaning group of men who are all enjoying each others’ company.

    While there, Theo & Hugo connect sexually, intimately, and emotionally. They then decide to leave the club together to carry on their night with each other. But what wasn’t discussed while they were having unsafe sex at the club was the use of a condom to prevent HIV transmission, as Hugo (Francois Nambot) tells Theo (Geoffrey Couët) that he is HIV+.

    What transpires after is a rollercoaster of a night for both of them, when Theo goes to the hospital to get PEP (Post-exposure prophylaxis), medication that should kill any traces of the virus that might be in his system.

    Romantically, and responsibly, Hugo joins him there. They then wander the streets of Paris, on a night that could turn out to be either very romantic or very tragic, with the ramifications of HIV staring them right in the face, and the possibility that their encounter could be more than just an encounter.

    Is Theo & Hugo a porn film or is it a film with an important message? This is something that you will have to decide, but nonetheless, it’s guerrilla and gay filmmaking at its finest. And Kudos go to the actors for ‘baring it all’ in scenes that are relevant to the message of the film, and to writers and directors Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau for bravely, and successfully, having the balls to make this controversial, yet romantic and engaging film. It’s sexually charged and romantic.

    Theo & Hugo (Paris 05:59) is available on iTunes and Amazon and is also available at WolfeVideo.com and Digital and Vimeo

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Thoroughly Modern Millie – Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    ★★★ | Thoroughly Modern Millie – Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    Set in the prohibition era in 1920’s New York, Millie Dillmount arrives from Kansas determined to snag herself a rich husband, but ends up broke after being robbed, and finds her way to the Hotel Priscilla, a run-down establishment owned by Mrs Meers. Millie tries desperately to seduce her rich boss, whilst all the time falling for penniless Jimmy Smith. But when it comes to it, will Millie choose wealth over love, and will she ever work out why the girls in the hotel keep mysteriously disappearing?

    Photo Credit – Darren Bell

    Thoroughly Modern Millie is a traditional, old-school musical in a similar style to those written by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Using catchy songs, a will they/won’t they love story and gentile comedy, the show bounces along in a rather enjoyable manner and maintains all of the elements one would expect from such a production. The rather straightforward plot is interspersed with a number of pleasing ensemble dance breaks and littered with toe-tapping songs which progress the narrative. Throw into the mix a rather silly subplot involving disappearing hotel guests and an ending that could only happen in a musical and you have a fun show overall.

    Joanne Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing) throws her all into the title role and surpasses expectations as Millie. The dancing, as you would expect, was spot on, but her voice was an unexpected treat, with only a little overacting letting her down at times. Sam Barrett proved to be quite a charming leading man as Jimmy Smith and the ensemble proved their worth in the dance routines, in particular, Damian Buhagiar who stood out from the crowd with his committed and well-performed dancing.

    Where the show faltered was with an uncomfortably out of date portrayal Mrs Meers, the white slave trader (yes, that’s right!) as a pantomime style Chinese woman, complete with chopsticks in her hair and rather poor Pidgin English which jostles harshly against such an otherwise whimsical plot. The set was slightly uninspired, despite its art deco/Chrysler building influence; and a rather long penultimate scene in which Graham MacDuff’s portrayal of a drunken Mr Graydon and some fake corpsing certainly outstayed their welcome. The show could have also done with a reprise of one of the songs performed by the full cast to round off the evening as the curtain fell.

    Overall, the show is light, bubbly, breezy and undemanding and a generally solid production of a little performed, if slightly dated, musical. Clifton shines in the singing and dancing stakes and the show is ultimately a feel-good, if rather throwaway, piece of theatre.

    Thoroughly Modern Millie is currently at Leeds Grand Theatre (www.leedsgrandtheatre.com) until 22nd April 2017, before continuing on its national tour until the 15th July 2017. Full details can be found at the show’s webpage at http://modernmillie.co.uk/

  • Simply Barbra ‘The 75th Birthday Concert!’

    Steven Brinberg – the world’s most famous Barbra Streisand performer – is returning to London for three nights only – playing at The Pheasantry in Chelsea – with his show celebrating Barbra Streisand’s 75th birthday in a show aptly titled ‘Simply Barbra ‘The 75th Birthday Concert!’.’ Brinberg will be singing songs from Streisand’s latest album, greatest hits and Broadway’s best. Brinberg will be joined by musical director Nathan Martin.

    Steven has been acclaimed for his vocal performance of Barbra Streisand for over a decade around the world. He has also appeared in numerous concerts with the late Marvin Hamlisch, released two CD’s, appeared in films such as ‘Camp’ and ‘Boys Life,’ and has also appeared in a concert version of ‘Funny Girl’ on Broadway, with Whoopi Goldberg and Kristin Chenoweth. He will soon be seen in the upcoming film ‘Thirsty’ as well as in the popular television show ‘Blue Bloods.’

    Simply Barbra ‘The 75th Birthday Concert!’ – Thursday, April 20th to Saturday, April 22nd, showtimes each night at 8:30 pm, doors open at 7:00 pm.

    For tickets, please go to:

    https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/simply-barbara-the-75th-birthday-concert

    To hear Brinberg singing as Barbra, please go to:

    https://itunes.apple.com/ch/album/simply-barbra-original-cast/id219130461