Stage Appropriate (A Musical Theatre Podcast)

3 more shows from our New York trip: all off-Broadway and some old favourites included. South American rodents, killer plants and top level parenting decisions await you.

We went back to Broadway, baby! And here is the first of our round-ups of the shows we saw when we were there, covering two shows that were new to us and one previous favourite, along with understudy slip-related misunderstandings, dopplegangers and Katy finally snapping and shh-ing people (not Juno, on this occasion).

Today's musical theatre nonsense comes via a trip to York for the new production of 'The Secret Garden,' based on a book which Katy definitely read as a child but, of which, apparently has no recollection whatsoever.

In this episode, we ask the really big questions that other podcasts are too scared to discuss. Does all great art come from suffering? Should we cling onto childhood for longer? And, most crucially, do we all have an LNER puppet in the back of our head? Oh, and we also talk about 'Tina', the Tina Turner bio-musical a little bit. If you have a dog called Otis/are a person called Otis, this one's for you.

So, the chances that anyone at all knows what we're on about in this episode are tiny but as that's probably the case half the time anyway, we'll carry on. If you don't know, Drama Club was an iconic Nickelodeon show, cut off in its prime, never to be seen again, featuring the funniest writing kids' TV has ever seen (probably). If you aren't desperately searching the dark web for it by the end of this episode, we've failed.

We're back after a little break in posting/forgetting that this episode hadn't already been posted. If you've listened before you'll be shocked to learn this episode features as much discussion of snacks, Finn Wolfhard and Punch the monkey as The Kinks. If you haven't listened before, maybe start with one of our more professional efforts...

Get ready for some incisive debate about today's shows, as well as some nonsense about pigeons and characters from Young Sheldon. Thanks for listening to our silly podcast!

Childbirth might be a nightmare but Southwark Playhouse never is; in this episode, we discuss the wonderful Ballad Lines, a mildly traumatic but beautifully sung new musical, playing at one of our favourite theatres.

Here's another episode about something musical theatre-adjacent which we've enjoyed at home (repeatedly) - the pure joy and genius that is Apple TV's Schmigadoon! Let the campaign for season 3 start here. Justice for Les Schmis!

Not only did it rain for the whole of January, but we also had weeks without a theatre trip so the whole thing was very sad. Not to worry though, because there's always made-for-TV Disney movies with the Jonas Brothers, dodgy sound levels and questionable dance moves.

Our first shows of 2026 take us to Panem (or, as Juno seems to think it is called, the E-Planet), Hawkins and, erm, some woods. It was like being on a gap year except it meant going to London for two days and noone got a henna tattoo or food poisoning.

It's time for our annual awards, when we celebrate the very best of the shows we saw in 2025. Do you like our new theme music? Juno remixed it because apparently she's a DJ now. Also, if Jamie Muscato does happen to be listening, nobody thinks you're a loser; it was just the competitive spirit getting to one of the presenters. Let us know which shows you'd award in the comments!

Three shows to discuss today and yet somehow the most iconic bits are Juno having oddly specific wedding cake ideas and a guest appearance from a member of our household making their Stage Appropriate debut.

One of our (and everyone's) most anticipated shows of 2025 is today's topic; will we buck the trend and be the one dissenting voice, claiming Paddington is not good?No. Of course we won't. Don't be silly.

Happy Boxing Day, everyone! Or plain old happy December 26th if Boxing Day is not a thing where you are. What does it even mean? Noone knows.Anyway, here's our episode on the long-awaited debut of musical theatre nerd favourite, Ride the Cyclone, currently playing at Southwark Playhouse Elephant. Please excuse the random Stranger Things references; Juno's a teenager now and completely beyond control.

We're back! With an episode we recorded in October! Which hasn't been posted till now because the laptop was on the blink! Anyway, we have returned with tales of a brilliant pair of shows, a first trip to Birmingham and a PUBLIC DISORDER REPORT. It's all very exciting.

Here's the tale of our Musical Con weekend, confusingly prefaced with a detailed analysis of 'Evan Almighty.' As usual, dinosaurs get a mention, along with problematic 90s film plots and peanut-butter based snacks.

It's the musical adaptation of Juno's favourite film! This is big news. This is discussed among other topics including anti-Paddington slander, our acapella skills and whether Jurassic Park would make a good musical.

We went to see this brand new show during its premiere run at the lovely York Theatre Royal (which, incidentally, has the best sight lines of any stalls seats anywhere). Somehow we end up discussing how horses would wear trousers, Juno seems to lose herself trying to remember an Eminem song (see what I did there?) and at least one of us is definitely about to lose their voice.

A glaring contrast in shows in this episode, with bonus discussion of two straight plays too. What a treat! Listen out for us being judgy about other people's toilet habits and Juno speculating on the Birmingham marshmallow scene.

The last of our London summer shows are the topic of discussion in this episode, also featuring chatty audience members, inclement weather and Juno for some reason deciding right before recording a podcast was the right time to put on a face mask that would a) limit her ability to speak and b) make her look like a fictional serial killer.

Inevitably, we saw the summer's biggest show in the West End: Jamie Lloyd's Evita. It was... a whole thing, involving the world's tallest man, baffled customers at the Angus Steak House and, for some reason, a Harry Potter tangent. And probably loads of Oliviers. Not for us.

This summer, we made our second trip to Edinburgh for the craziness of the Fringe and it was EPIC. You'll hear all about it in this episode, featuring Shakespeare, netball, aerobics, acapella, velociraptors and Jaffa Cakes, as well as a insight into Juno's complex life plans despite being only 12. Roll on Fringe 2026!

Don't worry; despite Juno's confusing into to this episode, this is still the same silly theatre podcast. In this episode, we're talking about a charming childhood favourite (including dogs) and a classic musical with metaphors that are either very profound or confusing, depending on which one of us you agree with. Let us know if you've seen either of these shows!

In a change to our usual programming, we're talking about a play today, with bonus lecturing on the history of football from Katy; who wouldn't want to listen to that?

We're back after a long delay, because Katy has been too busy sewing Juno's Musical Con outfit to edit anything. Thanks to Ava Max, we know that in chess, a king can move one space at a time, but queens are free to go wherever they like. Thanks, Ava Max. In 'Chess,' the actual musical, however, things are a bit more complicated, especially when there's crazy David Bowie make-up and disturbing whooping men involved, as you'll hear in this episode.

We present you with lots of corn-y jokes (haha), Juno repeatedly listing the whole principal cast of The Great Gatsby in London and Katy, quite shamefully, calling Georgina Onuorah "Georgia." Why? I don't know. Also featuring: pigeons, performative ovations and stage door stampedes.

What self-respecting 12 year old doesn't beg to see two weird Sondheim shows in two days, especially ones with hardly any songs/baffling amphibian themes? We talk celebrity casting, long notes and nervous dogs in this highly cerebral episode.

In this episode we discuss something fun, something dramatic and something horrible: can you guess which is which? In amongst the serious musical theatre business and continued Jeremy Jordan content, we pitch our plans for 'Charlie and Lola: The True Crime Musical,' yawn a frankly ridiculous amount and engage in some friendly accent critique.

As you can guess from this episode's title, we're all over the place (and way out of date) in this one. From questioning the mechanics of flight to QR code scams, along with the rampant capitalism of show-themed plushies and, once again, Juno showing her spelling skills, try to keep up if you can.

It's been a while since we've had the kind of theatrical parenting fail that inspired this podcast, so here's one for the list! Did we check the age rating properly? No. Also featuring the big question everyone's (probably) talking about: are ABBA murderers?

We love it when a new show has its premiere up north so A Knight's Tale making its debut at the Manchester Opera House is a big win. Listen to find out what we loved about this insanely fun adaptation of the film, with bonus spelling demonstrations and the joy of an opportunity to remember The Great British Bake Off Musical. A Knight's Tale is on until May 10th so book your tickets now!

We're back! Don't worry. Although maybe, like when Roger moves to Santa Fe in 'Rent,' you didn't actually notice we'd gone anywhere. We saw the fantastic Inspired by Theatre stage Jonathan Larson's hit musical in York, which somehow inspired this random conversation covering 'Friends,' Jeremy Jordan and, somewhat inevitably, Pringles.

Are you ready to hear the word "lovely" 800? Then you're okay to press 'play' on this episode. From the National Theatre's big Christmas show to a wonderful amateur production in a tiny theatre in York, we're giving you the full theatrical experience today, along with some nonsense about Funko figures, parking, Christian Pale and a theatre-going first for both of us.

It's our 100th episode! A full century of musical theatre nonsense! Not a hundred years, obviously. We mark this momentous occasion with a shiny new show and adaptation of a 90s classic - Clueless. Spoiler; we loved it. You'll observe much quoting of the film in this episode, as well as a wild piece of hypocrisy in terms of whether musical songs need to be memorable. Whatever!

The Devil might indeed wear Prada, but does she have any good songs? 'Not really' is the answer to that question, which was sad for contrarians like us as we were quite keen to disagree with everyone who doesn't like this show. In amongst the savage criticism (i.e. comparisons to Mildred Hubble), there's intense discussion of Bisto and, for some reason, Katy clearly in the midst of losing her voice.

There's a weird amount of content about doughnuts in this episode, for which we apologise. Once that's out of the way, you can expect celebrity spotting, fights in the stalls and the jumpsuit questions everyone's asking.

What's a lost show, you ask? It's a show we've seen but not recorded an episode about. Some of them are from pre-podcast days, some suffered technical faults and, let's be honest, some of them we just didn't want to ever have to think about again. And somehow, in amongst all this, we forgot to talk about Mamma Mia, so you can guess which of these reasons applies to that situation.

We went to our first concert staging of a musical and it was ... interesting? This episode features some discussion of the show in question, but significantly more time devoted to talking cats with weird food preferences, the Jonas Brothers, imaginary Les Mis casting and arguing about The Time Traveler's Wife. Because we are professionals.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson musical is finally in London and what are we talking about? Sunset Boulevard, Wicked and why Percy is everyone's favourite World Book Day costume. This show is currently booking until August so, if you can get to The Other Palace, do it!

We got to see one of the hottest shows of the season on our first trip to the Donmar Warehouse. It may be based on a "complicated Russian novel," but don't worry; we're as silly as usual. So, in amongst incisive analysis of musical styles and the show's prospects of a transfer, we get into My Little Pony while also contemplating whether everyone really was kung fu fighting and possibly making up some 'War and Peace' plot points.

In craziness not witnessed since our Edinburgh Fringe episode, here, we talk about six different shows (one of which, funnily enough, is Six). In amongst the incisive theatrical analysis, you'll be treated to toilet updates, altercations with ushers (not with Usher, although he does get a mention too) and, crucially, recommendations for the best cookie in NYC.

It's back to Broadway for us for a crazy Christmas of theatre. In amongst the usual deep and intellectual discussion of these three new shows, look forward to hand gesture-based discrimination, merch reviews and some nonsense about whether cows can use phones.

As if the eclectic mix of shows being discussed here wasn't enough, we can also offer travel and weather advice, confessions of childhood-lion-crushes, some judgement of our fellow audience members and, as usual, enthusiastic warbling.

In this special episode, we award our favourite shows of the year through complex democratic methods including rock, paper, scissors and glaring at each other. You might think from listening to this that we only saw about 4 things this year, but don't be fooled; we're just very obsessed with very specific things we saw in 2024.

If you're wondering why it's taken us 89 episodes to get to one of the biggest musicals of all time, it's a combination of technical problems and apathy, but the long-awaited movie adaptation blew one of those problems out of the water. So here we are: being weird about Jonathan Bailey, speculating on uniform codes and, crucially, being spoiler-y. If you haven't seen the show and don't want spoilers for Part 2 of the movie, heed our warnings and turn off before we ruin it for you!

We saw Dear Evan Hansen on its current UK tour and now you can hear what we thought about it, via a diversion into super pets and Juno's apparent beef with vibrato. Also, is this actually a show about vampires? Possibly. We also talk about Red Ladder's latest production, Sanctuary, which is definitely not about vampires.

A true tale of two shows in this installment, with a Stage Appropriate favourite and one that grabbed us slightly less. This episode also functions as a weird promotion for Leicester as well as an unexpected opportunity for Juno to discuss the relative merits of chairs in school. We are, as is often the case, judged by our fellow audience members, but don't worry; we're judging them right back.

Tales of musical theatre celebrity spotting, audience impalings and the apparently popular new sport of merchandise-throwing all feature in our discussion of one of the West End's newest (and saddest) shows. Stay tuned till the end for bonus content in the form of Katy having a complete sense of humour failure and probably missing the whole point of The Play That Goes Wrong. Additional note to our American listeners who we LOVE and definitely do not judge as a population based on the behaviour of three people.

Top tips, exhaustive shopping rundowns and an inexplicable (and possibly unlistenable) Celine Dion sing along: it's our Musical Con 2024 episode! It was our third year at Musical Con and we love it, even if Juno will forever be salty about being spurned at the Backstage Theatre. Also expect, for no obvious reason, a diversion into how eclectic the music taste of an 8 year old can be,.