You're On Tonight

Eddie Marsan has built one of the most extraordinary acting careers in Britain. From Ray Donovan and Ridley Road to blockbusters like Vera Drake, Back to Black, and Sherlock Holmes, he’s almost never been off our screens. But now, for the first time, Eddie talks about his return to the stage after 24 years.

In this encore, Eddie talks about how he learnt to act on stages above pubs in anonymity, how the best actors are problem-solvers, and why he still faces classism in the industry today despite his success.

Produced by The Sound Co...

Jonathan Sayer knows better than most what happens when theatre goes wrong. As one third of the writing team behind Mischief Theatre, he helped create The Play That Goes Wrong, A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong and The Comedy About Spies - shows that have gone from humble beginnings to international success, playing everywhere from the West End and Broadway to stages in more than 50 countries.

But when it comes to things going wrong, Jonathan has stories of his own. From spectacular set malfunctions to improvised lines he wishes he could take back, Jonathan has an extraordinary...

Nicola Espallardo is a trailblazer. Not only has she appeared in some of the biggest musicals in the world (Les Miserables, Hamilton), she was also the first Asian person to play Elphaba in the West End’s Wicked. All before the age of 30.

In this encore, Nicola discusses achieving her dream – not only how empowering it felt, but why it can also lead to the scariest moment in any career: figuring out what comes next. We also hear an incredible story of what happens when Elphaba sings the wrong line – and why that moment is a part o...

Steph Parry’s most memorable understudy story sounds like something straight out of a musical. In 2016, while working as a standby in 42nd Street, Steph got a phone call telling her to run to a completely different theatre, where a different cast, performing a different show, desperately needed her to step in as Donna in Mamma Mia! With just 18 minutes to get on stage, she went from eating her dinner in the dressing room to playing one of musical theatre’s biggest leading roles - and the press attention that followed changed her life.

In this epis...

David Tarkenter is a rare thing – an actor who simply hasn’t stopped working. For decades he’s graced some of the country’s most iconic stages – The National, The Old Vic, The Globe – alongside theatrical heavyweights including Alan Cumming, Bertie Carvel, Daniel Radcliffe, Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn.

And his stories left us speechless. In this Encore, David tells a truly unforgettable story about being flown around the world at a moment’s notice to cover in a production of Hamlet – only to have no idea who he was playing, which were his costumes, and who anyone else...

Lucy Jenkins and Sooki McShane have cast some of the biggest hits in British theatre, including The Play That Goes Wrong, the original cast of War Horse and A Comedy About Spies. But what does a casting director actually do?

In this episode, they take us behind the scenes of the casting process, revealing how the industry works, what a casting director is really looking for, and how the job has changed dramatically over the course of their careers.

From delivering scripts by hand to actors’ front doors (and their favourite Soho pubs) to...

Strictly Come Dancing winner and star of Coronation Street, Ellie Leach, had her stage debut as Miss Scarlett in 2024 in Cluedo 2. Hannah Boyce starred opposite her, directed the show while it was on the road, and also understudied Ellie.

In this Encore, Ellie discusses the horrors that come with performing live, including wigs going haywire and styling out stumbles. Hannah talks about her time understudying on Broadway, and what it’s like as an understudy to rehearse sex scenes. Reflecting on their careers - this is the kind of honesty you only hear when the rehearsal ro...

When Margot Robbie produced one of the biggest plays to hit the West End in a generation, Hollywood came with her. Quentin Tarantino was at press night, A-listers were descending on the theatre - and Harry Bradley was standing in the middle of it all as an understudy on Ava Pickett’s 1536.

Harry talks to us about what it’s like being part of a show surrounded by that level of hype, and the strange, difficult and sometimes terrifying experience of attending a huge press night when nobody knows who you are, or quite what you do.<...

Clive Marlowe is a world-record holder: he has been covering the same roles on The Mousetrap for 15 years, making him the longest-serving understudy in history and understudy royalty.

In this encore, Clive reveals incredible stories from his career, including show-stops, acting through COVID, and the terrifying moment when you’re finally told ‘you’re on tonight.’ He reflects not only on what it’s like to be thrown onstage unprepared, how the class system dictated the start of his career, and what it can feel like to be perpetually waiting in the wings.

Link to th...

Allie Dart’s days never seem to go to plan. From tiny fringe theatre to massive West End shows, Allie’s career has never shied away from backstage chaos.

And she has the stories to prove it. In one of the most extraordinary understudy stories we’ve heard, Allie talks about what happened when her performance went properly viral. In 2025, Allie was asked in The Comedy About Spies to step into a male role she didn’t cover, had never rehearsed, and had never even looked at - with just a few hours’ notice. She tells us what it...

Dawn Buckland has been performing for over 40 years, starting her professional career on Starlight Express when she was just 17. Since then, she’s worked non-stop on stage and screen from Billy Elliot and Fame, to Mamma Mia 2 and Wonka.

Dawn has the best collection of stories that you’ve never heard the likes of – until now. In this encore, Dawn talks chaos and crashes on Starlight Express, causing a power outage mid-show, and what happened when she had to play Danny Dyer’s mother.

Link to the full episode: https://pods.link/sgn44ppwn6bns...

Emma Lucia has spent the last year doing one of the hardest jobs in musical theatre: being ready to step on at a moment’s notice and make one of the Musical Theatre’s most recognisable roles her own. All while stepping into a role normally played by one of the most iconic names in the industry.

As the cover for Jenna in the 10th anniversary tour of Waitress - a role normally played by Carrie Hope Fletcher - Emma knows what it feels like to walk onstage as an understudy in front of an audience who...

WE’RE BACK!

Season Two of You’re On Tonight is here - with more extraordinary stories, more backstage chaos and 12 brand-new episodes.

More hero stories, more horror stories and completely unbelievable moments from the people who know better than anyone what happens when the show has to go on.

The calls nobody expected. The performances nobody planned for. The stories that have never made it beyond the dressing room - until now.

These are the stories you don’t hear in the programme, the press interview or the...

Somehow… we’ve reached the end of season one.

To every single person who’s sent us a message, an email, a DM, or shared their own experience with us - we genuinely cannot tell you how grateful we are.

And of course… this isn’t the end. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming announcements from us soon!

If you want to get in touch with the show, share your story, or just say hi, you can reach us at [email protected]  or over on socials below.

Instagram...

Princess Donnough is an icon. After making her West End debut as an understudy in I’m Sorry, Prime Minister, she was quickly “bumped up” to leading the show night after night – a whirlwind experience that would test any performer’s nerve.

But if that sounds intense, it’s nothing compared to her time with Sh*tfaced Shakespeare.

In this episode, Princess takes us inside one of the most gloriously chaotic shows in theatre – where one performer is absolutely smashed and the rest of the cast have to somehow keep a Shakespeare play on track. From...

James Haxby is an understudying legend. He’s worked on some of the biggest shows in the world - from 9 to 5 to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where he covered the iconic role of Willy Wonka. 

But when James understudies - he goes all in. He tells us how he covered fourteen roles in a single production, and is currently understudying Beetlejuice on its Australian and international tour, stepping into the shoes of the role’s creator, Eddie Perfect.

In this episode, James shares what it’s really like to cover such legendary parts...

Sam Denia is quite simply one of the loveliest people we’ve ever had in the studio - and one with the most strings to his bow (pun intended).

In 2025, Sam understudied in Stereophonic - the most Tony Award-nominated play in history. In this episode, he gives us a fascinating insight into what it’s like to work on a show of that scale, covering performances from an extraordinary cast including actors who have won Tony Awards for the very roles he covered, as well as Olivier Award nominees such as Zachary Hart (nominated for Stereophonic and...

Laura White is an inspiration. Not only has she been in everything in the last decade from The Play That Goes Wrong to BBC’s Doctors, she’s also been one of the leading voices shaping the culture of British theatre.

Laura has incredible stories from her time understudying – from being called back to play a role she’d not performed for over three years, to what it’s like when The Play That Goes Wrong… goes wrong.

But this episode is also about something much more. 

In 2020, Laura set up the Page O...

Megan Armstrong has been in some of the most exciting shows in the world. From Cats, to Avenue Q, and currently The Producers, Megan has been an understudy, swing, and principal throughout her career.

But she has also played one of the most famous - and secretive - roles in the history of theatre. In 2021, Megan was hired to play ‘The Woman’ in the long-running West End production The Woman In Black. 

And she wasn’t allowed to tell a soul. 

We find out what it was like to play a role s...

Georgie Staight is working on some of the most exciting and dynamic productions in theatre today. From Hamlet at the National Theatre to the West End and Broadway smash-hit Operation Mincemeat, she’s built a career shaping performances both on and off stage.

But what does a director actually do?

In this episode, Georgie pulls back the curtain on the rehearsal room. She explains the different roles a director plays throughout a process, the crucial differences between a director and an associate director, and what it really takes to build trust with a ca...

Eddie Marsan has built one of the most extraordinary acting careers in Britain. From Ray Donovan and Ridley Road to blockbusters like Vera Drake, Back to Black, and Sherlock Holmes, he’s almost never been off our screens. But now, for the first time, Eddie talks about his return to the stage after 24 years. 

In May, Eddie appeared in the Young Vic’s production of An Oak Tree, where he was forced to step onstage - without ever having seen the script - and perform in front of a live audience. In this episode, Eddie talks hones...

Nicola Espallardo is a trailblazer. Not only has she appeared in some of the biggest musicals in the world (Les Miserables, Hamilton), she was also the first Asian person to play Elphaba in the West End’s Wicked. All before the age of 30. 

Nicola has done what many only hope to do - she’s achieved her dream. In this episode she talks about not only how empowering that felt, but why it can also lead to the scariest moment in any career: figuring out what comes next. 

Along the way, we hear truly...

David Tarkenter is a rare thing - an actor who simply hasn’t stopped working. For decades he’s graced some of the country’s most iconic stages - The National, The Old Vic, The Globe - alongside theatrical heavyweights including Alan Cumming, Bertie Carvel, Daniel Radcliffe, Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn. 

And then there’s the story that left us speechless. 

In 2021, David understudied Ralph Fiennes in a one-man production starring and directed by Ralph Fiennes. He talks about the relentless preparation, the psychological pressure of covering a titan, and the moment he had to...

Strictly Come Dancing winner and star of Coronation Street, Ellie Leach, had her stage debut as Miss Scarlett in 2024 in Cluedo 2. Hannah Boyce starred opposite her, was the show's Resident Director, and also understudied Ellie.

Here, for the first time ever, Ellie tells us how terrified she felt about performing for live theatre, and Hannah gives her own experiences of what it’s like for an actor to develop stage fright. Along the way, we hear the most incredible stories from Ellie and Hannah’s careers - wigs going wayward on the Strictly Tour, mad moustaches and...

Clive Marlowe is a world-record holder: he has been covering the same roles on The Mousetrap for 15 years, making him the longest-serving understudy in history and understudy royalty. This is an episode like no other. 

Clive reveals incredible stories from his career, including show-stops, acting through COVID, and the terrifying moment when you’re finally told ‘you’re on tonight.’ He reflects not only on what it’s like to be thrown onstage unprepared, but how to deal with your moment being over, and what it can feel like to be perpetually waiting in the wings. Covering th...

Dawn Buckland has been performing for over 40 years, starting her professional career on Starlight Express when she was just 17. Since then, she’s worked non-stop on stage and screen from Billy Elliot and Fame, to Mamma Mia 2 and Wonka.

Dawn has the best collection of stories that you’ve never heard the likes of - until now. In this episode, Dawn talks chaos and crashes on Starlight Express, causing a power outage mid-show, being Cher’s personal choreographer, and what to do when the audience starts literally fighting in the stalls.

Reflecting on her lo...

Launching 11th February, You’re On Tonight is a weekly podcast shining a spotlight on understudies, swings and covers in the theatre industry. Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turner and Liam Horrigan, it shares extraordinary, behind-the-scenes stories from the people who ensure the show must go on.

New episodes every Wednesday.

Produced by The Sound Company. www.sound.co.uk

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