The real Pat Nixon bore little resemblance to the woman so often described as elusive, mysterious and “plastic” in the press. Heath Hardage Lee takes us through Pat Nixon’s life and career. And myths are busted left and right! Learn how Pat Nixon, the supposed quiet housewife, was actually a career woman, and an important reason that Richard Nixon …

Musical theatre writers Caitlyn Burt & Amir Shoenfeld (When We Strike) co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew Caitlyn and Amir discuss A Chorus Line (Sadler's Wells) and I'm Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire (Southwark Playhouse) as well as the latest news about Lin-Manuel Miranda's new musical, Your Lie In April, Dear Evan Hansen in Australia, The Hi…

Join West End Frame Editor, Andrew Tomlins for some extra Show Talk! In this episode, Andrew discusses Hello Dolly! starring Imelda Staunton (London Palladium), Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (The Other Palace) and Shrek The Musical (Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith). Hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Emai…

July 30th is the 79th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II in 1945, and the famous shark attack on its helpless crew floating in the Pacific Ocean. Captain Quint’s story about the USS Indianapolis in the movie “Jaws” is only the beginning of a gut-wrenching piece of history. There’s a lot more to the Indianapolis s…

Kayleigh McKnight (Six / Hugh Jackman's Arena Tour) returns to co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Kayleigh discuss Next To Normal (Wyndham's Theatre) as well as the latest theatre news about The Producers at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Ragtime at New York City Center, Ghost The Musical's tour casting and lots more. Some of Kayleigh's the…

American Presidential primaries and conventions seem excessively complicated, and maybe even outdated. Could they all just be an email, as office workers say nowadays? Fortunately, Professor Philip Nash explains all! We can't promise that we make primaries and conventions seem logical and sensible. But we do our best! Episode 558.…

Professor James Hill Welborn joins us to discuss the question – how did white Southerners in the nineteenth century reconcile a Christian faith that instructed them to turn the other cheek with a pervasive code of honor that instructed them to do just the opposite—to demand satisfaction for perceived insults? He analyzes the birth of this peculiar …

Ian Oswald (Burlesque / Moulin Rouge) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Ian discuss The Baker's Wife (Menier Chocolate Factory), Six (Vaudeville Theatre) and Hadestown (Lyric Theatre) as well as the latest news about Here And Now, Becoming Nancy, Sunset Boulevard, House of Cleopatra, I Am Harvey Milk and lots more. Ian is currently in th…

The summer of 2024 has been, um, very interesting. An assassination attempt on Donald Trump, frightening Supreme Court rulings, but also hopeful election results in the UK. We are indeed living in interesting times. But is “may you live in interesting times” actually an ancient Chinese curse, or is the history of the saying more complicated? We tak…

Julie Yammanee (I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical / Jerry's Girls) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Julie discuss And Juliet (Manchester Opera House, UK Tour) and the BYMT 20 Years on Stage Gala (The Other Palace) as well as the latest news about Six's new UK & International tour cast, the most streamed Broadway musicals, Equity taking…

The 2025 Project and the rise of extreme right-wing politics in America means that it's a good time to listen to our show about one of the 20th century's most extreme right-wing groups, The John Birch Society. It has strongly influenced libertarian and Republican politics since its founding in 1958. Dr. Matthew Dallek tells us the story of the Soci…

Kyle Birch (A Strange Loop / I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Kyle and Andrew discuss Title Of Show (Phoenix Arts Club) as well as the latest news about The Society of London Theatre’s “Theatre for Every Child" campaign, casting for the Les Misérables arena tour, James Corden delaying a performance of The Constit…

After his many felony convictions, Donald Trump’s supporters have likened him to America’s Founding Fathers. They were also felons, so the MAGA crowd says. But how true is that? We explain all in this episode, and also bust the many myths found in “The Price They Paid” email and Facebook post that’s being quoted endlessly these days. Episode 556.…

Americans put up Liberty Poles to express political beliefs in the period of the Early Republic. These poles were massive, highly decorated, and highly contested. Both Federalists and Anti-Federalists used them to promote their ideas of what the new Republic should reflect in terms of “liberty.” Join us to discuss how different early American polit…

On this week's solo episode, Andrew discusses Mean Girls (Savoy Theatre), Starlight Express (Troubadour Wembley Park) and Six (UK Tour, New Theatre Oxford) as well as the latest news about Hercules, the Avenue Q reunion, Natasha Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and lots more. Hosted by Andrew Tomlins. @AndrewTomlins32 Thanks for listening! Email: a…

Professor Rachel Mesch guides us through three compelling lives and careers in 19th-century France. The lives of French writers, Jane Dieulafoy (1850–1916), Rachilde (1860–1953), and Marc de Montifaud (1845–1912), did not conform to nineteenth-century notions of femininity. In their work, they contested conventional gender norms, and refused to be …

Choreographer Joanna Goodwin (Pippin / My Fair Lady) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Joanna discuss Kiss Me Kate (Barbican Centre), Rent (New Peterborough Theatre) and Standing At The Sky's Edge (Gillian Lyne Theatre) as well as the latest news about West End Live, Bat Out Of Hell, The Lightening Thief, Ian McKellen and lots more. Some…

"Juneteenth" (June 19th) is now widely regarded as marking the end of slavery in the United States. Professor Buzzkill examines the many dates related to the abolition of human enslavement in the US. And he pleads for more holidays observing this moral advance! Encore Episode!By Joe Coohill

Khalid Daley (The Big Life / Choir Boy) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Khalid discuss Babies (The Other Palace), Kathy & Stella (Ambassadors Theatre) and Marie Curie (Charing Cross Theatre) as well as the latest news about The Tony Awards, Tammy Faye, Dear Evan Hansen, Jemma Rix returning to Wicked and lots more. Having trained at the…

It’s June 12th! Loving Day! Loving Day is being celebrated worldwide. You might think that Loving Day is Valentine’s Day, February 14th, but it’s not, it’s today, June 12th. If you don’t know what Loving Day is, listen to the story we tell you in this brief, special episode. And go to lovingday.org to find out more! Encore episode!…

Heather Haley, a civilian historian for the United States Navy, enlightens us about the work of a historian outside traditional academic institutions. She works for the US Naval History and Heritage Command, doing naval history research, finding and preserving historical records related the the Navy and its ships, and writing analytical works. And …

Rushand Chambers (For Black Boys / The Lion King) co-hosts The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Rushand discuss Jesus Christ Superstar (UK & Ireland Tour, New Victoria Theatre Woking), Heathers (@SohoPlace) and Diva: Live From Hell (King's Head Theatre) as well as the latest news about Sondheim On Sondheim, The Devil Wears Prada, Dolly Parton, The P…

Dr. Neil Young helps us understand how and why gay Republicans regularly faced condemnation from both the LGBTQ+ community and their own political party. They’ve been active and influential for decades, however. Gay conservatives were instrumental, for example, in ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and securing the legalization of same-sex marriage—but…

Kayla Carter returns to co-host The West End Frame Show! Andrew and Kayla discuss Redcliffe (The Other Palace Studio) and the Spring Awakening 15th Anniversary Reunion Concert (Victoria Palace Theatre) as well as the latest news about Audra McDonald, Calamity Jane, Your Lie In April, The 39 Steps and more. After graduating from the Royal Academy Of…