Bethany Antonia's Collection

Oh my goodness. Nothing can quite prepare you for the range of emotions you’ll go through whilst watching this show, and I haven’t stopped telling people to go and see it since it opened in November. A shining light on what we do best in London, and a masterclass in performance, songwriting, and creative genius. And considering our current climate, it’s a very welcomed, fitting reminder that kindness will always prevail in the face of prejudice. Run don’t walk, (if you can get tickets that is!)

My oldest and goldest. The first musical I ever saw in London, is returning to the West End next year and I couldn’t be more excited to see it. This soundtrack will always mean so much to me. A beautiful, life-affirming story of passion trumping the odds, that reminds us to let go of our pre-conceived notions and celebrate expression in whatever form it’s given.

Our theatre landscape was forever changed in 2015, when Hamilton burst onto the scene. Memorising the soundtrack alongside every other theatre-kid it etched its way into my heart, taught me how to rap, and stayed there. A genius retelling of history and a showcase of sung-through musical theatre at its finest. Witty, addictive, exhilarating.

A truly extraordinary creative endeavour. A one-of-a-kind improvised musical, that we (the audience) get to have a hand in writing. We brainstorm ideas for the era, the style and the plot and then get to sit back, relax, and watch it all unfold into a usually hilarious piece of theatre. A triumphant celebration of creativity, and a shimmering night out for anyone looking for something different!

Ha! I’m just a teeny bit biased. But I don’t think there’s anything else like Hadestown in London right now, and I feel so honoured to be doing it. I fell in love the first time I heard the concept album. I really cherish musical theatre that blends different genres and celebrates individuality, and that’s exactly what Hadestown is. A big melting pot of Jazz and blues, folk music, gospel, and country - all topped with a cherry of accents from across the UK. It’s rare, it’s beautiful, I’m so lucky.

The show that I’m most excited to see is a musical based on the true story of William Kamkwamba, a 13 year old engineer who built a wind turbine out of scrap materials, bringing electricity and irrigation water to his village in Malawi. Using his self-taught knowledge of physics and engineering. The 2019 film inspired by the same story blew me away and I can’t wait to see what the creative team have done with this retelling.