Latest news with #Soho
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Evita audiences in West End left disappointed that showstopper scene takes place off stage
Jamie Lloyd's production of Evita has been referred to as the hottest ticket in the West End right now, with audiences paying as much as £250 for a seat. But theatregoers keen to watch one of the biggest showstoppers in musical history – Eva Perón's performance of Don't Cry for Me Argentina – were left bitterly disappointed when they learned the scene would not actually take place on stage. Instead, Snow White actor Rachel Zegler, in her West End debut, is performing the song and a short piece of dialogue on the balcony of the London Palladium for passersby each night, while a video is projected to those inside. The 24-year-old, who rose to fame in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, surprised hundreds of people on the streets of Soho on Saturday when she belted out the song on the balcony for the show's second-half curtain raiser. Crowds are now expected to assemble at the spot on Argyll Street at about 9pm every night for the duration of the show's run, which ends in September. It's a move that has divided theatregoers, with some taking to social media to air their frustrations. One fan said they 'go to the theatre to share the same space with a performer', while another added: 'Sorry, are you saying I've paid £350 for 2 tickets and she's singing the biggest number outside at people who haven't paid?' But others have argued that the outdoor performance reinforces key themes in Evita, such as spectacle and political theatre. 'This isn't just clever staging or a viral moment for social media, although it's certainly generating buzz,' wrote Chris Peterson, the founder of OnStage Blog. 'It's a reimagined theatrical gesture that reframes everything we think we know about Eva Perón. It turns a moment of private confession into a public performance.' Sign up to The Guide Get our weekly pop culture email, free in your inbox every Friday after newsletter promotion Meanwhile, members of the crowd outside called it a unique immersive experience. 'You might be a bit gutted to have missed the most important song [if you were in the theatre], but you've still got the rest of it to go and it's given a good night to a lot of people who wouldn't normally be able to get that experience,' one person told Metro newspaper. Zegler is the latest big name to star in the musical, which was created in 1978 by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and is based on the life of the Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of the president, Juan Perón. Previous actors to have played the role include Elaine Page and Patti LuPone on stage, and Madonna in the 1996 film adaptation. Lloyd, who directed Evita at Regent's Park Open Air theatre six years ago, is known for his use of video screens and radical interpretations of the classics. His Olivier and Tony-winning reboot of another Lloyd Webber classic, Sunset Boulevard, similarly sent a character out on to the street for a scene, which was streamed to audiences inside the Savoy theatre. And as part of his production of Romeo and Juliet, the Spider-Man star Tom Holland was sent to the roof of the Duke of York's theatre, with his performance filmed by drones and beamed into the auditorium. Zegler, who found herself at the centre of controversy during the release of Snow White for her pro-Palestine activism and dismissal of Disney's old-fashioned themes, has previously spoken of her love for the musical. 'Evita has been such an important musical to me since I was a little girl, when my dad and I would sing Don't Cry for Me Argentina together on my back patio,' she said. 'The opportunity to bring Jamie Lloyd's singular, visionary ideas to life on stage is an honour unlike any other.' She leads a cast that includes Diego Andres Rodriguez as Che, James Olivas as Juan Perón, Aaron Lee Lambert as Agustín Magaldi and Bella Brown as The Mistress.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Glastonbury 2025: post your questions for drag legend Bimini
Roll up, roll up! This year you can find the Guardian's ringleaders – OK, interviewers – from Friday through to Sunday at noon on the Astrolabe stage, with cracking conversation between culture's most exciting minds and our journalists Zoe Williams and Miranda Sawyer. On Saturday, get up close and magical with the illusionist formerly known as Dynamo, AKA Steven Frayne, fresh from his 47-date residency in Soho. Here's hoping he can magic away any lurking rain clouds. Then on Sunday, it's garage-rock rapscallions Pete Doherty and Carl Barât of the Libertines, who'll be talking to us before they dash off to their Pyramid stage performance. Kicking things off on Friday, Bimini will be charting their rise from their breakout moment on RuPaul's Drag Race in 2021 to being a multi-hyphenate punk-drag storyteller – pop artist, podcaster, published author, you name it. The Great Yarmouth-born, non-binary fashionista has become a key advocate of activism through drag and for the LGBTQIA+ community. Expect a frank conversation featuring their trademark wit, as they discuss anything from the power of drag and life outside the gender binary to how to pull off the best festival fit and look fierce in the shower queue. Want to hear their hot takes? Let us know! Please post your questions in the comments section below and the best will get asked on stage. And if you can't be on the front row this year, you'll be able to read what happened – and what our guests got grilled with – later on the Guardian's website.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
China's brand Uooyaa's London Pop-Up Is Making Fashion Fun
Uooyaa's temporary pop-up store in Brewer Street, London runs from 3 June to the end of August. It's official. We have entered the cutie-verse. From baby animals to childish drawings, Labubu to Mary Janes, all things cute have entered the mainstream. Chinese brand Uooyaa is bringing its playful aesthetic to London. On 13 June, the Shanghai label opened a pop-up store in London's Soho area which will run for 3 months. Over that time, the temporary store is set to become a hub of activity: collections will change every few weeks; an ongoing style lab, curated by the UK stylist Emily Evans, will offer one-on-one styling experiences while the street artist Rebel Pencil —whose cheerful designs inspired by London life decorate the Brewer Street windows—will host activations like live-painting in the vibrant space at the heart of Brewer Street. This joy lies at the heart of the brand's DNA and founder Alex Yin says that 'having fun is an important attitude towards life.' And it extends to the coy designs. The Soho space is full of playful pieces such as dégradé sailor tops, 3-D flower dresses, and patchwork skirts. Trompe l'oeil and hand-drawn illustrations decorate cadet coats and denim work jackets. This season, felines are a recurring motif, with cats appliquéd on shirts or embroidered on tapestry jackets. 'We never overproduce, but almost every season, our coats tend to sell out,' explains the founder Alex Yin who splits his time between London and China. Yin, who graduated from the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT) in 1997 with a degree in art and fashion, started his career at Metersbonwe —then a start-up. Over a decade, he rose to the role of creative director of the conglomerate which at its peak, operated over 5,000 stores across China. After overseeing Metersbonwe's expansion into a billion-dollar company, Yin then set his sights on building his own Shanghai brand. He struck gold again, making Uooyaa a household name in China within 10 years. With 80 standalone stores in Tier 1 cities, it ranks consistently in the top-selling lists on Tmall. As of December 2024 (the company's most recent figures), it had generated around £62 million in sales for the year. Now, it's looking outward. The London pop-up follows a store in Tokyo in May 2025, hinting at a global expansion strategy. 'We might be an established brand in China but we are new to Japan and the UK market, so we are starting from a showroom to a pop-up store to test our assumptions,' says Yin who is using the pop-up to understand how the market responds to his products before 'potentially investing in a permanent store.' Already the feedback has exceeded his expectations during the week-long soft launch. Inside Chinese brand Uooyaa's London pop-up store with feline-inspired designs. Stylist Evans, who has been collaborating with Uooyaa across several seasons, says it hits a particular sweet spot—especially when it comes to London consumers. 'It always adds a little unexpected twist which feels very original. I think customers here [in the UK] embrace a little quirky edge. Plus, keeping the client interested with frequent drops and good quality is always a good move,' Evans says. Uooyaa's appeal can be seen in the context of China's rising cultural power. Within that, London has been an especially pertinent draw. In May, Chinese company Urban Revivo opened a 3-floor store nearby in Covent Garden. Both Pop Mart, the toymaker whose iconic character Labubu has become a worldwide sensation and drinks company Hey Tea, which has been tapping the growing bubble tea trend, have stores in the UK capital. Meimei Zhao, founder of marketing agency Variety Plus, says that while it may seem like more and more Chinese brands are gaining attention in the West, it's simpler than that. 'There will always be space for brands that speak to our most basic human needs — happiness, joy, and emotional connection — no matter where they come from,' she explained. For Yin too, this global shift is 'more of a coincidence than a calculated move.' Uooyaa's origin isn't the core of the brand. Instead, it's addressing a lack of fun fashion and interesting clothes. 'What defines Uooyaa is playful and bold designs. With the world a more uncertain place, our design can provide a much-needed source of joy,' he says. And who can argue with that? Uooyaa's windows have been decorated by London street artist Rebel Pencil who will host activations like live-painting in the pop-up store
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
William Hill to pay former executive nearly £70k after ‘flawed sexual harassment probe'
William Hill has been instructed to pay nearly £70,000 to a former executive after an employment tribunal concluded he was unfairly dismissed. The ruling followed allegations of sexual harassment and a subsequent flawed internal investigation. Joe Tobin, previously the "head of search" at the gambling firm, was dismissed without notice last year. It came after a disciplinary hearing in August found he had touched a female colleague's body and stuck his fingers in her mouth in a pub in Soho where people were watching England play Denmark in the Euros on June 20. Mr Tobin claimed that he had been unfairly dismissed and an employment tribunal judge ruled in his favour in April, saying the internal probe 'was not satisfactory', highlighting in particular that the organisation did not request CCTV footage from the bar, and citing that police had found no evidence of any sexual assault. William Hill has now been ordered to pay Mr Tobin £68,065, subject to tax deductions. The tribunal heard that the woman had asked other colleagues to ensure she was not left alone with Mr Tobin ahead of their arrival at the Soho pub, explaining he gave her a 'weird vibe' and that the pair had had disagreements – including one over the Israel-Palestine war at the company Christmas party. Of the evening, she said in her statement to the tribunal: 'Every time the claimant would join a conversation with me and others he would put his arm on my back and slowly move his hand lower to my butt before moving his arms off completely. This happened more than once. 'Later on Frankie (another colleague) and I were having a conversation when Joe joined us. As Frankie was sharing the story I reacted which left my mouth wide open. This is when Joe pushed his fingers down my mouth.' She described how she was 'shocked' and grabbed Mr Tobin's hand, prompting him to take his fingers out and laugh, before going to the toilet where she 'gargled and rinsed her mouth and cried'. She submitted a grievance on July 5 and Mr Tobin was informed of the allegations on July 17 during a meeting with his line manager. Mr Tobin was said to have felt 'physically sick' after being told of the allegations, which he said were 'serious' and 'horrible to hear'. He admitted speaking to the woman, saying it was 'all friendly', and insisted he did not recall any inappropriate behaviour, according to the tribunal. At a disciplinary meeting in August, dismissing officer Gavin Hilton concluded that Mr Tobin had committed gross misconduct in breaching William Hill's Equality-Everyone Matters policy. Mr Hilton said: 'There has been a lot of noise around the night, focused on allegations of inappropriate physical conduct which could be construed as sexual harassment towards a colleague. 'We've heard from a number of witnesses and my belief is something did happen. We've not taken this decision lightly. Consequently, I've decided that an appropriate sanction would be summary dismissal.' The woman reported the incident to the police earlier in August, and an officer concluded upon viewing CCTV footage from the pub that they 'did not see any sexual assault or other forms of criminal or unacceptable behaviour', ending the investigation with no action taken. Employment Judge Walker said Mr Hilton's decision was 'based on brief witness statements' and that overall there were 'very limited grounds' for reaching the conclusion that Mr Tobin had committed the alleged misconduct. The judge said the company made 'no effort at all' to contact the bar and request the CCTV footage, adding: 'The impact of a dismissal for gross misconduct in relation to an allegation of harassment is extremely serious and one which is likely to have career-ending outcome for the individual – in those circumstances the effort needed to apply for the CCTV was entirely reasonable.' 'The key issue in my view is the failure to try to obtain this CCTV and take reasonable steps to review it and the general approach taken to interviewing only enough witnesses to support the complainant's case without any real regard for the possibility of looking for evidence to exonerate Mr Tobin renders this dismissal unfair,' they went on. 'Overall, this was not a satisfactory investigation, and the disciplinary hearing manager did not challenge the evidence enough to make that inconsequential.' The judge said the police statement is 'clear evidence' that the alleged incident did not occur and concluded Mr Tobin did not commit gross misconduct and was unfairly dismissed, with William Hill in breach of contract in failing to pay the claimant's notice pay.
Elle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Elle
These Sneakers Keep Charles Melton on the Move
Charles Melton has become a jack of all trades. From appearing on the CW's Riverdale to garnering a Golden Globe nomination for his role in May December, the actor is always looking for his next challenge. Most recently, he starred in Alex Garland's Warfare and wrapped season two of the critically acclaimed comedy Beef. Melton is on a mission to tackle a wide array of projects, ticking off one genre at a time. 'You're constantly evolving in life, and in turn, in your art and whatever you choose to do or show to the world,' Melton, who is Zooming in from Copenhagen, tells ELLE. 'I've been very fortunate to go from one thing to the next, to be challenged creatively, and to constantly learn and be around great filmmakers.' Now, the actor has teamed up with Coach for its latest campaign video, 'Not Just for Walking,' directed by Alma Har'el. Melton explains that throughout it all, his personal style has remained pretty low-key, and he sports his Soho sneakers wherever he goes. Below, the actor opens up about experimenting with different genres, his favorite Coach pieces, and what it's like fronting a fashion campaign. I guess it really depends on the project. Every project has its own spirit and soul. I went from TV to film, and then to filming season two of Beef. What motivates me is the filmmaker first, and then the material. I don't think it's one over the other. I'm just trying to challenge myself in everything that I do. I mean, you never want to repeat the same thing, right? I just wrapped Beef a couple of weeks ago, and man, it was definitely one of the most incredible experiences I've had. I'm excited for everyone to see it. I'm currently in production on a film with Nicolas Winding Refn that I'm very excited about, and it's been unlike anything I've done before. I'd say my style is pretty relaxed. I think sneakers are probably the most important thing for me, and that's why it's so exciting to be a part of the campaign, which touches on the courage to be real and show all facets of who you are. Whether it be an event or red carpet, it's a nice little chance to express yourself in the most authentic way you want to. I love the versatility of the Soho sneaker—it's the last thing I put on before I head out the door, and it takes me from day to night without missing a beat. I'm looking at my bag right over there—my red Coachtopia Loop backpack has also become my go-to. It's traveled with me from L.A. to Seoul to Copenhagen, and it holds everything I need while I'm on set. It's both stylish and sustainable—and it just works. My dog Naya is here with me. She took her first flight five days ago. She's a Siberian Husky, and after we finish up here we're going to do a little Euro trip together. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
