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MusicalTalk - The UK's Independent Musical Theatre Podcast

MusicalTalk
Musical Theatre
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Gilbert and Sullivan
Pop Off Michelangelo
The Boys From Syracuse
Come From Away
Wicked
Theatre
Comedy
London
Potty the Plant
Cynthia Erivo
Ruddigore
Charles Strouse
The Queen Is Mad
Broadway
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Ariana Grande
Stranger Things
Annie

We are a weekly podcast devoted to bringing you news, views, reviews, interviews and much more content devoted to musical theatre and film. We discuss composers, writers, actors, theatres and shows and encourage listeners to join in. Visit our site at musicaltalk.co.uk

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes1009Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

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Latest Episodes

Nick revisits Avenue Q at the Shaftesbury Theatre for its 20th anniversary—and discovers a show that's traded shock value for something warmer, wiser, and unexpectedly nostalgic.

In this episode, he explores how Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx's irrever... more

Nick, Chris and Nikki fire up the flux capacitor one last time as they attend the final performance of the London production of Back to the Future: The Musical. What makes this farewell especially poignant is their unique full-circle journey with the... more

Join Thos for more about Mad About The Boys - A Marvellous Party, Wela Kapela Productions' five star EdFringe Cabaret that tells the tales, and sings the songs, of those three titans of musical theatre in the the first half of the twentieth century -... more

MusicalTalk marks the 75th anniversary of the death of Ivor Novello, one of the greatest British musical theatre writers of the 20th Century in opulant style! Join Thos for the first half of a fascinating conversation with the people behind the 2025 ... more

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Recent Guests

Daniel Anderson
Performer, creator of Mad About the Boys cabaret
Wela Kapela Productions
Episode: Episode 925: Mad About the Boys: Novello, Coward and Porter (part 2)
Amanda Bothmar
Writer and director of Mad About the Boys cabaret
Wela Kapela Productions
Episode: Episode 925: Mad About the Boys: Novello, Coward and Porter (part 2)
Amanda Butmer
Writer and Director of Mad About the Boys
Amanda Bottmar Productions
Episode: Episode 924: Mad About the Boys: Novello, Coward and Porter (part 1)
Stephen Weiner
Composer and writer of musical theatre
Composer of Monte Cristo and other musicals
Episode: Episode 922: Countdown to Monte Cristo with Stephen Weiner
Serena Cherry
Musician (Svalbard) and solo project Knock Tool
Svalbard, Knock Tool
Episode: Episode 921: From Mosh Pit to Orchestra Pit (Feat. SVALBARD's Serena Cherry)
Gary Lloyd
Director, choreographer, creator, writer extraordinaire
Episode: Episode 920: Shining in Misery - A Stephen King Sized Parody!
Jason Wayhead
Director of Stranger Sings!
Dr. Phillips High School Theatre
Episode: Episode 917: Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody
Bianca Toledo
Actress playing Joyce Fires in Stranger Sings!
Dr. Phillips High School Theatre
Episode: Episode 917: Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody
Sarah Clark
Production Manager and Designer of Stranger Sings!
Dr. Phillips High School Theatre
Episode: Episode 917: Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody

Host

Thos Ribbitts
Long-running host with multiple name spellings across episodes; key voice.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 86 ratings
  • Fantastic

    Brilliant podcast! Any musical theatre fan should listen! All the special episodes are my favs! All the special guests are amazing!!!!!! recommend to anyone.

    As for the guy who says it needs More music in it.... dude.... it’s not a radio show... or EP... podcasts are for discussions!!! Not radio. duh! Ha.

    Joking. Just enjoy the info you get here coz it’s fantastic

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A-Suz!
    United Kingdom8 years ago
  • Hilarious!

    This podcast is great. It's a podcast that does not take itself too seriously and therefore can be enjoyed by musical theater nerds or people that are simply curious about musical theatre going on in London or anywhere really. Job well done.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Joanie Little
    Canada11 years ago
  • Wonderful

    A fantastic listen - doesn't take itself too seriously, nicely chatty and informative. Some good interviews hidden away. At its best when lighthearted in style.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PerfectSix
    United Kingdom14 years ago
  • Take a listen, you won't regret it!

    Just absolutely brilliant. I've been an avid listener of this podcast since 2007 and it's never failed to entertain me. Not only is it hilarious - I've had to pause it at times as I was laughing so hard - it is also informative, and a great incite to the world of Musical Theatre. If you have ANY doubts about listening to this podcast, please put them aside and take a listen. You'll be very glad you did.

    Oh, if you're not already, go follow the MusicalTalk team on Twitter at @musicaltalk

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dreamscomekaren
    United Kingdom14 years ago
  • Frank Loesser at 100

    Guessing at facts, and often guessing wrong, and carrying on at length about songs not by Loesser.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    A. Memmo
    United States14 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Shows are informative and entertaining, with great guest lineups and insider theatre knowledge.
Positive feedback highlights the show's accessibility and breadth of topics across musical theatre history and current productions.
Listeners praise the balance of humor and depth, plus strong interviews with industry professionals.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 925: Mad About the Boys: Novello, Coward and Porter (part 2)
Q: How do you approach reconciling three different composers with distinct styles in one show?
We treat each composer as a character in the narrative, shifting accents, phrasing, and delivery to reflect their voice while keeping the story coherent for the audience.
Episode 922: Countdown to Monte Cristo with Stephen Weiner
Q: What is the ensemble and orchestration approach for the off-Broadway production?
The project uses a seven-musician ensemble to maintain intimacy and manage space constraints, with ongoing tweaks to orchestrations led by David Hancock-Turner, aiming for a sound that feels both traditional and expansive enough for the material.
Episode 922: Countdown to Monte Cristo with Stephen Weiner
Q: How do you decide between working with public-domain properties vs. newer or rights-restricted works?
Weiner explains that public-domain titles offer built-in recognition, while rights-restricted properties come with higher rights complexity; both paths need careful consideration of audience awareness, potential reach, and production economics.
Episode 922: Countdown to Monte Cristo with Stephen Weiner
Q: For listeners unfamiliar with the source material, can you give a quick view of your version of the story within Monte Cristo?
We discuss that the show is a freely adapted blend of the novel and Fechner's play, focusing on Edmond Dantès's unjust imprisonment, his transformation into the Count of Monte Cristo, and the moral questions of revenge versus love, with modern-heat emotional moments suitable for musical theatre.
Episode 921: From Mosh Pit to Orchestra Pit (Feat. SVALBARD's Serena Cherry)
Q: Why does Serena value memorable melodies and how does that relate to her work in metal?
She explains that she aims for pieces where a single motif can evoke wide emotional range, and she seeks that same evocative quality in metal, even when layered with distortion and intense performance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About MusicalTalk

What is MusicalTalk about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A lively, UK-centric discussion focused on musical theatre, with frequent interviews and deep dives into shows, productions, and industry culture. Episodes mix current West End chatter, historical trivia, and creator-led conversations, often pairing guests from theatre, directing, and performance with playful critique and insider storytelling. Noteworthy is the show's willingness to explore crossovers between genres, celebrate niche productions, and feature seasoned theatrical professionals, making it a strong fit for listeners who crave behind-the-scenes insights and theatre history alongside show recommendations.

Where can I find podcast stats for MusicalTalk?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for MusicalTalk. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to MusicalTalk and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does MusicalTalk get?

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What are the audience demographics for MusicalTalk?

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How many subscribers and views does MusicalTalk have?

To see how many followers or subscribers MusicalTalk has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to MusicalTalk?

These podcasts share a similar audience with MusicalTalk:

1. Stuff You Should Know
2. Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast
3. This American Life
4. Loving You: The Untold Sondheim
5. WHAT WENT WRONG

How many episodes of MusicalTalk are there?

MusicalTalk launched 20 years ago and published 1009 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact MusicalTalk?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for MusicalTalk?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for MusicalTalk from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on MusicalTalk?

Recent guests on MusicalTalk include:

1. Daniel Anderson
2. Amanda Bothmar
3. Amanda Butmer
4. Stephen Weiner
5. Serena Cherry
6. Gary Lloyd
7. Jason Wayhead
8. Bianca Toledo

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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