MickeyJoTheatre
Join Mickey-Jo from MickeyJoTheatre as he reviews the latest show from the West End, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-West End, Edinburgh Fringe and across the globe. As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a social platform, Mickey-Jo is pioneering a new medium for a dwindling field. His YouTube channel: MickeyJoTheatre is the largest worldwide in terms of dedicated theatre criticism, where he also share features, news and interviews as well as lifestyle content for over 95,000 subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
why are these musicals using AI?! | the growing problem with artificial intelligence on and offstage
With increasing frequency, theatregoers in the UK have been observing a rise in the number of theatrical productions utilising AI.
This comes amidst a global increase in the prevalence of artifical intelligence, in spite of its environmental and social impact.
Today, Mickey-Jo is sharing his unfiltered thoughts about the arrival of AI in the theatre industry, bith onstage via generative AI imagery, as well as offstage in promotional materials and possibly even in the writing process...
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Sweeney Todd starring Ramin Karimloo, Meow Meow (Birmingham Rep) - ★★★ REVIEW
A new production of the musical SWEENEY TODD, written by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, opened earlier this week at the Birmingham Rep in the UK.
The revival, which stars Ramin Karimloo and Meow Meow, features a condensed company and orchestra, offering a chamber-style reinterpretation of the usually grand piece, as well as shifting its setting around a century earlier.
Find out more about this production, the winning material, and these new performances in this full review...
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<...why is CATS: the Jellicle Ball closing?! | what went wrong for the Broadway musical revival
It was recently announced that CATS: The Jellicle Ball, the groundbreaking, award-winning revival of the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, would close early on Broadway.
The production, playing until early August at the Broadhurst Theatre, was the best reviewed musical of the Broadway season and won multiple Tony Awards for its creative team, though notably not for Best Revival of a Musical.
That, however, is not the only factor that played a role in the show's early demise - check out Mickey-Jo thoughts on what went wrong with the Jellicle Ball on Broadway...<...
Mickey-Jo and Aeron James are getting married! An update on their stagey wedding plans!
Good news! 3 years after they got engaged, Mickey-Jo and Aeron James are finally making wedding plans, and they're going to be tying the knot next year at a theatre!
Today they are sharing some details of that upcoming wedding day, inspiration for a similarly theatrical wedding, including the types of theatres at which you can get married, and also letting you know their honeymoon plans and how you can help make them happen if you so wish!
Stay tuned for some limited wedding coverage coming early next year, and thank you for watching...
Fun Home (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester) - ★★★★★ REVIEW
Though it first premiered off-Broadway in 2013, Mickey-Jo had never seen FUN HOME on stage, and had been waiting to experience this celebrated show.
He finally got the chance to see a production last week when it was revived at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, a unique regional venue in the UK.
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of this intimate production, its performances, and the show itself...
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00:00 | introduction
02:39 | synopsis / material
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Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin talk HIT MACHINE | the stage and screen stars on their UK theatre debut (INTERVIEW)
Mickey-Jo recently visited the Soho Theatre in London where the new play HIT MACHINE is readying to begin its sold out preview performances.
The play stars Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin as brothers and musicians with differing success in the industry.
Check out what they each had to say about their characters, how they arrived at this play, and what translating pain into art means for each of them.
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why this RENT revival could be huge | Mickey-Jo's thoughts on the upcoming West End production
The upcoming West End revival of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical RENT has recently announced its cast.
Joining Gaten Matarazzo as Mark will be Travis Ross as Roger, Bella Brown as Mimi, Billy Nevers as Collins, Lazy Violet as Maureen, Olivier Award nominee Danielle Fiamanya as Joanne, Jeevan Braich as Angel and Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Benny.
Find out why this news is so exciting and why Mickey-Jo thinks this production could become the most important staging of RENT since it premiered...
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00:00 | introduction
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Jesus Christ Superstar starring Sam Ryder (London Palladium, West End) - ★★★ REVIEW
This week marked the arrival of one of the most anticipated shows of 2026 when the revival of the musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR opened at the London Palladium.
The production, first seen in an earlier iteration at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, stars Sam Ryder and Tyrone Huntley alongside Desmonda Cathabel.
Check out this full review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought of this latest staging of the rock opera from Sir Tim Rice and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber...
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00:00 | introduction
02:08 | history / context
08:37 | creative choices
...are too many MUSICALS based on MOVIES? | a history of film-to-stage adaptations and originality
Currently two things seem to be true: there are ever more stage musicals based on films, and there is ever more debate about whether there are too many of them.
Today Mickey-Jo is glancing back at the history of the film-to-stage adaptations, the major examples that shifted how audiences engage with such shows including Disney's arrival on Broadway as well as musicals including Monty Python's Spamalot and Legally Blonde, and the potentially growing disinterest in recent movie based narratives.
He is also considering whether musicals based on movies have a brand image problem...
the plays to see (and skip) in London - REVIEW ROUNDUP of Cyrano de Bergerac, The Truth, The Misanthrope, and A Midsummer Night's Dream
Summer in London brings a slew of new limited runs, and in the past few weeks Mickey-Jo has seen a handful of play revivals which he's been eager to tell you about.
• A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe
• The Truth at the Apollo Theatre
• Cyrano de Bergerac at the Noel Coward Theatre
• The Misanthrope at the National Theatre
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of each of these productions, their new interpretations, and their creative choices...
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meet the cast of DEATH NOTE: the musical | stars discuss the upcoming 2026 West End production
Mickey-Jo recently had the chance to meet the cast of DEATH NOTE: THE MUSICAL, which arrives in London later this Summer with a fully staged limited run at the Barbican Centre.
The newly announced cast includes Xander Pang, Colin Ryan, Telly Leung, Stephanie Zaharis, Grace Mouat, Paolo Montalban, Chloe Saracco, and more.
Check out what they have to say about their characters, the story's huge following, and building this epic, brand new production.
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<...Mickey-Jo almost married Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway | storytime and review of Every Brilliant Thing
Earlier this year, Mickey-Jo saw EVERY BRILLIANT THING on Broadway starring Daniel Radcliffe.
The play heavily incorporates audience participation, and during this visit Mickey-Jo was very nearly a part of the show in a key role.
As well as telling the story of how that almost happened and why it didn't, Mickey-Jo is letting you know how well he thought the production transferred from an intimate London venue to the larger Hudson Theatre...
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00:00 | introduction
01:53 | synopsis / overview
06:34 | when I saw the show...
15:46 | Bro...
what's going on with shows in Australia?! | why so many touring musicals have been closing early
In the last few weeks, two more musicals have cancelled forthcoming dates of their Australian tour, citing low ticket sales and economic challenges.
Waitress and Beetlejuice will close early, with Back to the Future the Musical and Dear Evan Hansen having shuttered similarly in the last couple of years.
In this conversation, Mickey-Jo is trying to figure out what's going wrong in the Australian theatre industry and whether there is hope for improvement for commercial musicals...
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00:00 | introduction
02:48 | Dear Evan Hansen / Back to the Future
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the PHANTOM 40th cast is phan-tastic | thoughts on the Phantom of the Opera West End casting news
Yesterday, the West End production of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA announced the cast for their upcoming 40th Anniversary Celebrations.
Broadway breakout star Jordan Donica will return to the musical, this time as the Phantom, with Beatrice Penny-Touré also returning as Christine Daaé and Rhys Whitfield as Raoul.
They will be joined by new and familiar faces, including Joseph Millson and Sierra Boggess who were both among the principal cast of Love Never Dies and will each play new supporting roles.
Check out why this cast is so exciting as well as...
how does Theatre work in a heatwave? | audience advice and new onstage measures and changes
This week, the United Kingdom has once again been experiencing soaring temperatures, and theatres around the country have had to adapt.
Today, Mickey-Jo is reporting from his own heatwave-hit home to let you know what to expect when theatregoing during high temperatures, as well as sharing some recent stories of how shows have adapted both on and offstage.
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00:00 | introduction
02:11 | audience advice
10:29 | onstage measures
16:03 | conclusion
About Mickey-Jo:
As one of the leading voices in theatre criticism on a...
Pride (Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, London) - ★★★★ REVIEW
Mickey-Jo saw his most anticipated new show of the year - a musical adaptation of the film PRIDE.
The show, which is set in the 1980s, tells the true story of LGSM, a group of Lesbians and Gay men from London who supported a community of miners during Thatcher era strikes.
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of the show, its material, and the extent to which it measured up to the extraordinary film upon which it is based...
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Sinatra The Musical (Aldwych Theatre, West End) - ★★★ REVIEW
Following its world premiere production at Birmingham Rep, SINATRA the Musical has arrived in the West End.
Playing at the Aldwych Theatre, the musical stars Joel Harper Jackson as Frank Sinatra, depicting a chapter of his career scored by some of his most recognisable hits.
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of the show and how it sits alongside other jukebox bio-musicals...
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00:00 | introduction
02:43 | overview / material
11:48 | creative choices
18:27 | pe...
WARRIORS is opening on Broadway | is this new musical the next Hamilton?
It was announced this week that WARRIORS, co-written by Lin Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis, would begin performances in March 2027 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway.
The show, which is a stage adaptation of the film THE WARRIORS, began its life as a concept album which originally featured Amber Gray, Lauryn Hill, Kim Dracula Philippa Soo, and more.
Check out my thoughts about the show, the detail released so far, and whether I think it will be a Tony Award winning success to rival Hamilton...
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the best and worst of WEST END LIVE 2026 | reviewing every musical performance
This weekend, Mickey-Jo headed back to one of the most anticipated, and best attended events in the UK theatrical calendar: West End Live!
This annual free performance featured almost all of the musicals in the West End including Hercules, The Lion King, Les Misérables, Hamilton, Six, Matilda, Paddington, Beetlejuice, Titanique and more as well as various upcoming, regional and off-West End shows!
In today's new episode Mickey-Jo is reviewing almost all of the performances from the weekend, check it out to hear his thoughts on who was the most entertaining and gave t...
SWEENEY TODD at the Birmingham Rep cast discuss revival | Ramin Karimloo, Meow Meow, & David Bedella INTERVIEW
Mickey-Jo recently had the enormous privilege of sitting down with Ramin Karimloo, Meow Meow, and David Bedella from Birmingham Rep's upcoming revival of SWEENEY TODD.
Check out what the stage stars had to say about this exciting new production, tackling Sondheim, and even their favourite kind of pie.
You can still get tickets to see the production at Birmingham Rep between 4 July and 15 August.
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About Mickey-Jo:
As one of the leading voices in theatre...
THE TRAITORS is 5 different plays?! | news on the West End stage adaptation of the hit TV series
Earlier this week it was announced that the stage adaptation of the Traitors would be a 5 part cycle, offering different endings on each subsequent night of the week.
The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal will begin performances in May 2027 at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in the West End and will also allow audience members the opportunity to vote to affect the show on Saturdays.
Check out Mickey-Jo's thoughts on how this will work and whether he's excited about it...
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Thespians (UK Tour) - ★★ REVIEW
Since its announcement last year, audiences have been eagerly anticipating THESPIANS, the first ever full stage musical from Mischief Theatre.
Mischief are the award winning company behind hits such as The Play That Goes Wrong and the Goes Wrong Show, with their latest comedy play, The Comedy About Spies, returning to the West End this summer.
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought about this latest offering, how well it measured up to their usual high standards, and which creative choices surprised him...
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will PADDINGTON work on Broadway? | thoughts on the success of the hit West End Musical's transfer
It was announced yesterday that PADDINGTON The Musical, the multi-Olivier Award winning West End smash hit, would officially transfer to Broadway, opening at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in Spring 2027.
The stage adaptation of the Michael Bond story and the STUDIOCANAL films is directed by Luke Sheppard (The Little Big Things, Starlight Express) with Tom Fletcher and Jessica Swale having written the score and book respectively. The West End production stars Arti Shah and James Hameed, who jointly perform the role of Paddington Bear, with a supporting cast including Adrian Der Gregorian, Amy Ellen Richardson, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt...
Operation Mincemeat (UK Tour) - ★★★★★ REVIEW
Last night Mickey-Jo finally caught the UK Tour of OPERATION MINCEMEAT, the award winning musical still running in the West End and on Broadway.
The show, which included three of its co-writers among its cast for much of its early development, has recently welcomed many new cast members and thus the question, is it still brilliant without its original stars?
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of the show at Woking Theatre, its cast, and its ability to win over audiences nationwide...
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Mickey-Jo saw Jamie Muscato and Joy Woods in CABARET | thoughts on the musical revival's new West End cast
Mickey-Jo was recently invited to attend a gala night at the West End production of CABARET, currently running at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre in London.
The production, which has been directed by Rebecca Frecknall and originally starred Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley has recently welcomed new stars Jamie Muscato (The Great Gatsby, One Day, Heathers) and Joy Woods (Gypsy, The Notebook, Little Shop of Horrors) as The Emcee and Sally Bowles.
Check out Mickey-Jo's thoughts on what the production is like with these brand new stars as well as...
Jordan Luke Gage & Andrew Exeter on REDCLIFFE and the evolution of its design at Southwark Playhouse
Mickey-Jo recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jordan Luke Gage, the writer and star of the new musical REDCLIFFE, and Andrew Exeter, the show's set designer, to discuss its evolution.
The original musical, based on a true, queer story, recently opened for a limited run at Southwark Playhouse Borough and is hosting unique Q+As after many of its Tuesday matinee performances.
Check out what these brilliant creatives had to say about the show's development and its potential future...
About Mickey-Jo:
As one...
the best shows at the Edinburgh Fringe? | Mickey-Jo's 2026 recommendations for plays and musical theatre
The arrival of Summer means that the start of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is looming, and after multiple requests I'm finally sharing my biggest guide to this year's plays and musicals ever!
As well as sharing every production that caught me eye, and letting you know when and where you can find it, I'm affording a MickeyJo seal of approval both to shows I can already vouch for, and those I'm most confidently anticipating.
Check out my picks for this year's Festival Fringe, stay tuned for my coverage, and share your own recommendations...
Kiss of the Spider Woman (UK Tour) - ★★★★★ REVIEW
Last weekend, Mickey-Jo caught the new UK revival of the musical KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN at the Southampton Mayflower Studios.
The production marked Mickey-Jo's first experience with the show despite years of curiosity and now he's excited to share his thoughts on not only this revival but also the show's material...
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00:00 | introduction
02:44 | the material
08:26 | this production
15:04 | conclusion
About Mickey-Jo:
As on...
the real reason STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW is ending on Broadway and in the West End
It was announced earlier this week that STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW would close both on Broadway and in the West End at the end of this year.
The production, which has enjoyed inconsistent box office success amidst the release of the final season, is to be released via Netflix as a professional recording, and may never be subsequently seen on stage.
Check out this theatre news recap to find out the real reasons why the play is ending both of its productions almost simultaneously...
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00:00 | introduction
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REVIEW ROUNDUP (We Had a World at Hampstead Theatre and Under the Shadow at Almeida Theatre)
This week, Mickey-Jo's theatregoing began with two new plays at off West End venues - We Had a World at the Hampstead Theatre, and Under the Shadow at the Almeida.
We Had a World, which Mickey-Jo first saw off-Broadway at New York City Center, is an autobiographical memory play in which Joshua Harmon recalls his grandmother and re-examines her character through his mother's eyes.
Under the Shadow is the stage adaptation of a 2016 Iranian-set horror film of the same name that depicts a woman living under the tension of the post revolution regime...
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Watermill Theatre, Newbury) - ★★★★ THEATRE
The Watermill Theatre in Newbury has just celebrated the opening of their annual summer musical, and this time it's a revival of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG!
The uniquely charming regional British Theatre stages actor musician productions which increasingly include promenade elements that see the audience travelling outdoors during the show.
Check out this full review to find out how exactly the creatives managed to fit this iconic flying car onto their intimate stage...
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did the TONY Awards get it wrong? | Mickey-Jo's reaction to the 2026 winners, performances and ceremony
Last night, Broadway celebrated the end of another season of new openings with the 2026 TONY Awards, hosted by recording artist P!nk.
In a ceremony that saw Schmigadoon!, Death of a Salesman, Ragtime, Liberation, Cats the Jellicle Ball and the Lost Boys winning some of the night's biggest prizes, actors Joshua Henry, John Lithgow, Caissie Levy, Lesley Manville, Shoshana Bean, Ali Louis Bourzghui, Alden Ehrenreich, and Laurie Metcalf were recognised for their performances.
A day later, Mickey-Jo is ready to discuss his thoughts on the ceremony itself, the evening's biggest winners, the impact...
RSC Review Roundup (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui starring Mark Gatiss and The Tempest starring Kenneth Branagh)
Last weekend Mickey-Jo headed to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon to watch two strikingly different pieces of theatre in one day.
These were: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, starring Mark Gatiss, and The Tempest starring Kenneth Branagh.
Check out this double bill review to find out what Mickey-Jo thought of these two plays...
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00:00 | introduction
01:46 | The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
11:10 | The Tempest
23:59 | conclusion
About Mickey-Jo:
As one of the le...
War Horse (Olivier Theatre, National Theatre, London) - ★★★★★ REVIEW
Earlier this week Mickey-Jo was invited to attend the opening night of WAR HORSE, on its return to the National Theatre.
The hugely succesful play has been entertaining audiences for almost 20 years, and having seen it for the second time, Mickey-Jo’s own feelings about it have evolved.
Check out his full review to find out more about the stage adaptation, its creative choices, and its current cast...
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00:00 | introduction
03:07 | the...
High Society (Barbican Theatre, London) - ★★★★ REVIEW
A new revival of the Cole Porter scored musical HIGH SOCIETY has opened at the Barbican in London.
The production, which is based on the movie musical of the same name, is one of the largest stagings in the show's history and seems to seek to rival Anything Goes for joyous, all-dancing scale.
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of the show, having seen 3 other productions in the past, and whether it works on this large scale...
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...the truth behind the texting drama at Inter Alia | why Rosamund Pike spoke out after her performance
Conversation has once more turned to audience behaviour and theatre etiquette after Rosamund Pike spoke out about texting during a performance of Inter Alia.
Pike, after completing her Olivier Award winning performance in the West End play, returned to the stage in order to beseech the audience not to pierce the trust between actor and audience.
The question, then, is whether audience behaviour can be wholly dictated by those onstage, what constitutes disrespect and how do we combat a decreasing capacity for interpersonal empathy in the stalls?
check out Mickey-Jo's...
Titaníque (St James Theatre, Broadway) - ★★★★★ REVIEW
The hit parody musical TITANIQUE, from Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue, has opened at the St James Theatre on Broadway.
The show, which parodies the popular 1997 James Cameron film Titanic, features the songs of the iconic Celine Dione as it wittily retells the story of Jack, Rose, and the fateful iceberg.
Check out this full video review for Mickey-Jo's thoughts on why the show's material works as well as it does, whether it succeeds on Broadway, and what the current cast is like.
Don't forget to comment below...
Can Mickey-Jo and Aeron James predict the 2026 Tony Awards? | which Broadway actors, plays and musicals will win this year?
This weekend, the 2026 Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall, celebrating the best of another year of Broadway theatre.
This year's nominated plays and musicals include The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Cats: the Jellicle Ball, Ragtime, Death of a Salesman, Giant, Oedipus, Liberation, The Balusters, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Titaníque, and more.
Check out this video to find out who and what Mickey-Jo and his stagey fiancé @AeronJames think will win at this year's ceremony...
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00:00 | introduction
02:32 | the performances
1...
Broadway's Best and Worst Plays REVIEW ROUNDUP (Giant, Proof, Dog Day Afternoon, Joe Turner's Come and Gone)
Last month, Micey-Jo saw 23 shows in 2 weeks in New York, including these 4 Broadway plays:
• Proof at the Booth Theatre
• Giant at the Music Box Theatre
• Joe Turner's Come and Gone at the Barrymore Theatre
• Dog Day Afternoon at the August Wilson Theatre
These productions have been recognised as some of the most and least artistically successful new productions of the season, and today Mickey-Jo is sharing his verdict on each.
Check out what Mickey-Jo thought of the writing, creative choices, and performances!
check...
Beetlejuice (Prince Edward Theatre, West End) - ★★★ REVIEW
The fan favourite musical BEETLEJUICE, which has haunted three Broadway houses since it first premiered, has finally made its way to the West End.
The musical adaptation of the classic film opened last night at the Prince Edward Theatre in London and stars David Fynn as the ghost with the most.
Check out Mickey-Jo's first ever review of the show, which he's now seen on either side of the Atlantic, including his thoughts about this production, its material, and its standout performances...
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00:00 | introduction
02:27 | the production
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