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Send us Fan Mail A show that begins in the aftermath of 11 September 2001 has no right to be this joyful, this funny, and this full of heart, yet Come From Away manages it. I’m joined by Beccy Pooley from King’s Lynn Players to talk about why this contemporary musical hits audiences so hard, and why it feels especially powerful in community theatre where ensemble spirit is the whole point. We get into the true story behind the script: Operation Yellow Ribbon, when hundreds of flights were diverted into Canada, and the tiny town of Gander, Newfoundland, suddenly hosted around 7,000 unexpected passengers. Beccy explains how the musical focuses on ordinary people doing extraordinary things, offering food, shelter and calm at a moment when the world felt unsafe. We also talk about what it takes to perform the piece responsibly, from sitting with the gravity of 9/11 in rehearsals to finding the humour and warmth that keeps the story human. If you love the craft of performance, there’s plenty here too: the show’s role-doubling, the challenge of Newfoundland accents, Beccy’s Texan drawl as Diane, and the songs that stay with you long after curtain call, including I’m An Islander, Screech and Me In The Sky. Come From Away plays 11-14 November at the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange, with a Saturday matinee, and tickets are available via the Corn Exchange website or box office. If this conversation makes you think of someone who needs a great night at the theatre, share it with them, then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the East Anglian Theatre Podcast. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail   Mean Girls on tour left me thinking about a tricky question: when a show is polished, loud, and brilliantly performed, what makes it truly memorable? I start by sharing my recent theatre reviews, from the UK touring production of Mean Girls the Musical to the darker, sharper end of the spectrum with Switzerland at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. One leans on pop-cultural familiarity and high-octane choreography, the other proves how much tension a two-hander can generate when direction, design, and performance are absolutely locked in. Then I’m joined by Helen Arbon and Ali Crawley from Sudbury Dramatic Society to talk about their latest production: Underdog: The Other Other Brontë. It’s a contemporary, fast-paced, very funny play that's not afraid of adult language, and it takes a fresh swing at a familiar literary dynasty. We get into why Anne Brontë so often becomes the overlooked sister, how the play imagines the family dynamics through Charlotte’s perspective, and what it reveals about rivalry, reputation, and the pressures women faced to be published and believed. We also dig into the practical craft of making community theatre feel bold: staging on three sides at Sudbury Arts Centre, using ensemble actors to become critics, publishers, and voices, and building energy with movement, music, and playful theatrical moments. If you’re searching for Suffolk theatre recommendations, Sudbury Dramatic Society updates, or a smart modern Brontë sisters play, you’ll find plenty to take away here. Subscribe for more East Anglian theatre chats, share this with a local theatre mate, and leave a review telling me what you’re going to see next. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail A diagnosis can steal your plans in an instant, but it can also rewrite your creative life in ways you never saw coming. I’m joined by playwright Rae Mainwaring to talk about Bright Places, her bold, funny, brutally honest play about living with multiple sclerosis, and why she wanted audiences with MS to finally see something real and hopeful reflected back at them. Rae breaks down what MS actually is, including relapsing remitting MS, how symptoms can shift over time, and why “you look well” can land so painfully when fatigue, pain, and sensory weirdness are happening out of sight. We dig into the chaos of being diagnosed at 23, just as adult life is meant to be opening up: work, money, travel, independence, and all the big choices suddenly feel uncertain. Bright Places tackles that disruption head-on, using three performers to play different versions of Rae and letting the story swing between laugh-out-loud moments and raw vulnerability. We also get practical about accessible theatre. Rae explains creative captioning that is built into the design of the show every night, not tucked into a corner or saved for a single performance. If you care about disability representation, invisible illness, and what modern UK theatre can do at its best, this conversation is for you. Bright Places tours the UK, including Chelmsford Theatre on 8 October and Ipswich’s New Wolsey Theatre on 20 October, with details at carbontheatre.org.uk. If you enjoy the podcast, subscribe, share it with a theatre-loving friend, and leave a review so more people can find these East Anglian theatre stories. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail A holiday camp in the 1950s, a cast full of big personalities, and a sitcom so many of us can still quote even if we have not seen it for years, Hi-De-Hi! is heading to Sheringham Little Theatre, and we are going behind the scenes with the people bringing it to life. I’m joined by Andrea Wilson and Robin Taylor from Cromer and Sheringham Operatic and Dramatic Society (CSODS) to talk about why this classic British comedy still works, what audiences can expect from the stage version, and how nostalgia shapes the way we watch live theatre. Andrea shares what it is like stepping into Peggy Ollerenshaw’s shoes, including the excitement of playing such a recognisable character and the very real pressure of doing an iconic role justice. Robin talks about playing Barry Stuart-Hargreaves, the bickering marriage dynamics that drive some of the funniest moments, and how the script pulls together familiar situations so fans of the original sitcom feel instantly at home, while newcomers still get a clear, light-hearted story. We also get properly practical about local theatre making. Robin lifts the curtain on the Hi De Hi! set build, from juggling the staff room and Jeffrey’s office to shifting into the Hawaiian ballroom, all within the limits of a small-stage venue, plus a few “cunning tricks” to make key moments land. If you love East Anglian theatre, amateur dramatics, British sitcom adaptations, and the craft that turns community effort into a brilliant night out, this one is for you. Subscribe for more theatre chats, share the episode with a fellow theatregoer, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail Dracula isn’t just a castle, a cape, and a bite in the dark. Sometimes the most unsettling part is the journey, a sealed space where escape is impossible and every creak of timber sounds like a warning. That’s why we’ve fallen hard for Dracula: The Last Voyage of the Demeter, a gothic horror play that zooms in on the ship that carries Dracula towards England and asks us to live inside the dread, scene by scene, person by person.  I’m joined by director Harry Quirk plus cast members Rebeka Igneczi and Soledad Strangward from Growing Theatre to talk about bringing Sean Carney’s script to the UK for the very first time. We dig into what makes this take feel fresh for Dracula fans, how the story stays tense even when you know the voyage is doomed, and why the structure feels almost like a mystery, with revelations arriving through Dracula’s point of view. Along the way we get into strong character writing for Elizabeth and Jessica, the impact of gender-blind casting, and what it’s like rehearsing a play built from tight, focused encounters rather than big ensemble blocks.  We also zoom out to the wider East Anglian theatre scene: the projects that keep artists busy between shows, the value of local variety nights, and those bucket list roles we all secretly carry around. If you’re searching for East Anglian theatre recommendations, a new Dracula adaptation, or details on the Headgate Theatre in Colchester and the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, you’ll want this one queued up.  If you enjoy the chat, subscribe, share the episode with a theatre-loving friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the podcast. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail Fairy tales are meant to be safe, tidy, and finished by the time the curtain falls. Into The Woods is what happens when you put those stories in the same world, let them crash into each other, and then ask the awkward question: what comes after you get your wish? Ray chats to director Thom Bailey and performers Dean Kenneth and Taryn Taylor ahead of Gorleston Pavilion Theatre’s production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into The Woods on the Norfolk/Suffolk coast. We break down what the show really is, for anyone who only half-knows the title: a musical theatre “multiverse” of Cinderella, Jack, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and more, anchored by the Baker and the Baker’s Wife as the most recognisably human pair on stage. Thom explains why he sees this piece as a masterpiece, and we dig into the craft that makes it hit so hard. The score is famously complex, with rapid lyrics, tight timing, and music that mirrors natural speech, meaning the acting and the singing are inseparable. Dean and Taryn share what it takes to learn it, what it feels like when it finally clicks, and why audiences should expect proper belly laughs in Act One followed by a twist that turns the whole thing on its head. We also chat about getting into theatre, juggling productions, local highlights, and why staging ambitious work in East Anglia matters. If you’re searching for live theatre in Norfolk/Suffolk, Sondheim musicals, or a night out that’s funny, sharp, and unexpectedly moving, this is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a theatre friend, and leave us a review with your favourite fairy tale character and why. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail A wildfire takes everything, then a comedian picks up a ukulele and decides hope is still allowed. We’re joined by writer-performer Erin Hunter and director Kristen Duffy to talk about Burn Baby Burn LA Inferno, a funny, poignant one-woman show born from the LA wildfires of 2025 and the real loss of Erin’s parents’ home. It’s a frank, warm chat about what it means to make theatre from fresh grief, and why “tragicomedy” is not a dodge but a survival strategy. We get into the craft choices that make the show land: character work that spoofs celebrity culture and influencer detachment, the politics you can’t ignore when disaster strikes, and the quiet comedy of family dynamics when you’re trying to protect the people you love from 6,000 miles away. Kristen shares what Slackline Productions brings to the process, including a clear mission to champion women 35+ on stage and screen, and why a solo show can be one of the hardest formats to shape when you want it to be clear, human and genuinely funny. There’s also plenty for local theatre fans: quick-fire reviews of On the Edge at Sheringham Little Theatre, Wild Arts Theatre’s stripped-back The Marriage of Figaro at Norwich Theatre Royal, and The Pantaloons’ four-hander Twelfth Night. We finish with Burn Baby Burn LA Inferno tour dates across Sudbury, Cambridge and beyond, plus how to keep up with ticket info and future shows. If you enjoy smart theatre chat and new work with bite, subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a review. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with writers Nat Riches and Natasha Atkinson, and Director Gina Stock about their new musical, 1816 Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with Olivia Knight, Christina Isgrove, and Vanessa McAuley about their upcoming tour of Euripides' Greek tragedy, Medea Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with Nikki Matthews, author of the novel Kitty upon which her stage adaptation is based.  Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with Jez Pike, Jess Bellamy, and Monty Jordan about the production of Breaking the Code that they're set to star in at the Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich.  Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail A chat with Ruby Bardwell-Dix, who's playing Maria in Beccles Public Hall & Theatre's production of The Sound of Music Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with Izzie Porter and Carol Rowell about Sprowston Parish Players' upcoming production of the classic British sitcom, You Rang m'Lord? Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with Malcolm Hollister, Director of the current production from Sudbury Dramatic Society, Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution. Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.

Send us Fan Mail An interview with James Dowson, Director of the latest production from the Combined Actors of Cambridge - Nell Gwynn by Jessica Swale Support the show Visit eatpod.co.uk where you'll find all episodes of the podcast, the reviews we produce, and a page to contact me about getting featured on a future episode.