Radio Gorgeous

Star of the St Trinian’s films and inspiration for Victoria Wood and Miranda Hart, Joyce Grenfell was one of Britain’s most loved female comedienne, writer, actor and singer. Cheryl Knight tells us about Joyce, and her hugely popular one woman show which is touring southern England. Press link for tour info and tickets.  http://www.apollotheatrecompany.com/ode-to-joyce.html #OdetoJoyce…

Emily Soldene was a true Victorian, born of the wrong side of the tracks, she was illegitimate and her mother was working class, a bonnet maker by trade. Emily reinvented herself at twenty-two, she took singing lessons and willed herself to stardom.  Hear her 3rd cousin once removed best selling author Helen Batten tell us…

In February 1961 Marilyn Monroe was sectioned by her psychiatrist. One Night with Marilyn is a theatrical exploration of this harrowing time mostly unknown by her millions of fans.   Claire-Monique Martin and Charlotte Reidie, who both play Marilyn in the play, talk to Donna Freed about their roles and the themes of mental illness…

Singing sensations Rosemary Ashe has a wonderful habit of writing one woman shows to perform, always musical, her last successful show featured Ethel Merman. Today we talked about her spanking brand new show called ADORABLE DORA, a tribute to Dora Bryan. Dora was an actress and singer in the second half of the 20th century,…

Lizzie Manwaring director of the play “Bible John” (last shown at Edinburgh Festival). Lizzie talks about this dark unsolved case featuring women who went out for a good night out dancing, which ended in horror. Set in Scotland in the late 1960 the play is partly a retelling of one of Scotland’s darkest unsolved crimes,…

  GUY SINER of ‘Allo Allo’ fame – MAN WEEK with Victoria Pearson on Radio Gorgeous Guy Siner of ‘Allo Allo’ fame, famous for playing Lieutenant Gruber the gay World War Two German soldier. Guy discusses his fantastic career including his experiences on stage and screen, working with Johnny Depp and Derek Jacobi and his…

The Actresses by Barbara Ewing with Josephine Pembroke on Radio GORGEOUS At last! A novel with a middle aged woman, with grey hair on the front cover is published in the UK. A first and a victory for us women! Ex actor Barbara chats to Josephine about her novel which has been rereleased after 21…

  Karena Johnson, Director Female Parts: Shorts with Donna Freed GORGEOUS ENTERTAINMENT  Karena Johnson talks about Hoxton Hall’s female centred festival culminating in three short plays she is directing: A Woman Alone, The Immigrant and A Mother. Each of these one woman pieces play with stereotype and women’s roles: wife, mother, immigrant that also reflect…

  Emma Hall, Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties: Gorgeous Entertainment:  Emma has a mission: produce powerfully entertaining and though provoking theatre that addresses gender imbalances and encourages young people to work in all aspects of the theatre. As Peter Hall’s daughter, she didn’t really have a choice but her production company, Antic Face, which…

Gorgeous Entertainment: Kate Fahy and Laura Rogers Kate Fahy (Lorraine) & Laura Rogers (Sally) of Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind Kate and Laura play mother and daughter in this gritty and darkly humorous play of love and violence in the American West. This is the second time they have been cast as mother…

New Play, Fabric, by playwright Abi Zakarian with Donna Freed on Radio Gorgeous  Playing all throughout August at Underbelly at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Abi Zakarian’s new play exposes the unravelling  of a young woman’s life after she is raped. She was commissioned to write the one-woman show for actor Nancy Sullivan and director Tom…

  That’s Entertainment: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG: A Comedy About a Bank Robbery Nothing goes to plan for Nancy Wallinger and Charlie Russell but that is the plan: they are the slapstick wonders of Mischief Theatre who has staged The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong. But a bank robbery? Piece of comedy cake;…

So, THIS is what happens STORYTELLING – Laurel Lefkow GORGEOUS LIVES by Jo Rees We all love a people who tell a good story or can recount something shocking or moving that happened to them in real life. So it’s no surprise that ‘So, This Is What Happened’, a story-telling club night in the Omnibus…

Intermission Youth Theatre: Mark Rylance was so impressed with Intermission Youth Theatre’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew: Taming Who, he asked them to be their patron. Based in St. Saviour’s in Knightsbridge, Intermission Youth theatre is directed by former prison inmate Daren Raymond. We speak to Associate Director, Cecilia Segar and two young women in this…

Queen of HAIR – Annabel Leventon at Crazy Coqs Annabel Leventon is a true rock chick. Performer, actress, cabaret star and serious actress is performing on Sunday 27 2015 September at Crazy Coqs in Covent Garden.  She has worked with many famous actors including Peter O’ Toole, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Irons and Elaine Paige. Judy…

Nominate A Woman Who Inspired YOU! PHENOMENAL PEOPLE – INTERVIEW FOR RADIO GORGEOUS BY NICKI BANNERMAN Nicki Bannerman talks with Shakespeare and TV actress Victoria Moseley and poet and author Malika Booker at the Phenomenal People live theatre performance event. A pop-up live performance event called Phenomenal People celebrated stories about women in society with an…

‘Eclipsed’ is a play explores the relationship between four young women at a rebel army base during the civil war in Liberia in 2003. In the context of war, what happens when the biggest threat is actually from your own side. Eclipsed is at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill until May 16. Cast member…

  My Stubborn Tongue by Anna Fishbeyn – The story of the girl who refuses to be defined by her origins (Russian in America, Jewish in Russia, poor little immigrant), this cabaret style show is told through Russian and American songs and dances from the 1980’s. That’s Entertainment: My Stubborn Tongue written and performed by Anna…

Norma Jeane The Musical – Marilyn Monroe Norma Jeane The Musical examines real life events in the blonde bombshell’s life in February 1961, 18 months before her death – ruled a suicide – from an overdose of barbiturates on August 5, 1962. She is visited by the ghosts of her troubled past during this turbulent time….

00:00 – Gorgeous Gossip  09:35 – The Separation Welcome to our Happy Valentine’s Divorce Special! Baby It’s cold outside – Josephine and Donna are on the sofa with their loved ones: The Box Set. Josephine is mad on Madmen and Donna shows her age by calling Brideshead Revisited a boxset. We dismiss Scandi noir in…