JULIAN WOOLFORD

By Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick

' For a reminder of the sheer emotional and historical power of this tremendous story, though, it's worth seeing Julian Woolford's austere and beautiful touring production, playing this week at the Edinburgh Playhouse. With its dancing figures moving against a wash of golden sky that suggests a perpetual sunset, this show is not so much impressive in detail – although the dancing and music are glorious – as overwhelming in its seriousness of purpose, and its cumulative effect. Joe McGann is in muted, almost subdued vocal form as the hero Tevye the milkman, trying to honour Jewish tradition and keep his family together while tides of historic change sweep towards his little village of Anatevka. But he acts like a man stunned into reverence by the significance of the story he carries on his shoulders, not only for Jewish people, but for all the scapegoated and dispossessed of history, and when a page of family portraits from the Warsaw ghetto slides down over the big Playhouse stage at the end of each act, the hairs rise on the back of the neck, in recognition of a superb and intensely humane piece of theatre.' The Scotsman

‘Made a slightly dated musical youthful and relevant again.'  Sunday Express

‘A sincere and thoughtful production.’ Edinburgh Evening News

'Simply superb. This is quality musical theatre at its best.' Worcester Standard

'All in all a real treat for Nottingham theatre-goers and in fact, I am tempted to go and see the show again' BBC Nottingham

'This production is remarkable... Joe McGann is brilliant, the rest of the cast too were excellent.' Kent on Sunday

SOUTH PACIFIC

By Rodgers and Hammerstein

British National Tour

Until July 2008

For tour dates click here

  

  

  Photos: Bob Workman

'**** Julian Woolford’s stylish and enjoyable production, a show that pulses with life.’
Sunday Express

'A colourful, rowdy spectacle brought to life by an energetic and acrobatic cast' Hull Daily Mail

'*****  Take yourself on a enchanting, insightful, musical journey to the South Pacific' Entertainment Manchester

'South Pacific shows that London is not the only place to see a good musical' 50Connect.co.uk

'This production is simply superb' Oxford Daily Info

DEADLY MURDER

By David Foley

Vienna's English Theatre

Photos: Reinhard Reidinger

'Julian Woolford has directed the complicated story almost like a film, edgy and fast-paced.' Kurier

'Effectively brings together a modern big-city atmosphere a la 'Sex and The City' and the crackling tension of Agatha Christie'  Kronenzeitung

'Seldom do we see such exciting violence on the stage as in "Deadly Murder."' Wiener Zeitung

 THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS (THE MUSICAL)

By Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell

Sound Theatre and King's Head Theatre

   

Photos: Allesandro Evanglista

‘***** So deadly it’s amazing the West End is still standing…I was notching up three giggles and a belly laugh per minute…Excellent…The direction is as slick as oil’  Metro

‘****Julian Woolford’s energy packed production fits perfectly onto this tiny stage’
Evening Standard

‘ a cast who work like demons and sing like angels’ The Independent

‘**** A runaway hit’
Critics Choice
Time Out

‘More laughs per minute than anything else in the West End…I’ve seldom seen an audience so giddy with pleasure.’ Evening Standard Diary

IN YOUR HANDS

By Natalia Pelevine

New End Theatre

‘**** This is an impressive production, directed by Julian Woolford, with gripping performances from the entire cast’ Ham and High

‘Julian Woolford’s powerful staging’ The Guardian

VITA AND VIRGINIA

By Eileen Atkins

Sevenoaks Playhouse Studio

‘A tour de force, not only because artistic director Julian Woolford’s clever staging of the enigmatic relationship…but because of dynamic performances by Joy Brook and Penelope McGhie’  Bromley Times

‘This is a solid production, confidently and powerfully performed by two very strong performers’
The Stage

By Julian Woolford and Richard John

Sevenoaks Playhouse

   

Photos: Bob Workman

'Julian Woolford directs, adapts and provides some fine lyrics to Richard John’s original music. The unique ballads, chorus numbers and up-tempo pieces certainly boost the production.'
The Stage

'Would not look out of place in the West End' Sevenoaks Chronicle

WALLFLOWERING

By Peta Murray

Sevenoaks Playhouse Studio

   

'A truly breathtaking, magical piece of theatre… Julian Woolford’s exceptional production…(Sarah) Wildor and (Adam) Cooper keep up a staggering level of energy and performance that leaves the audiences tripping the light fantastic.'  Kent Courier

'The polish and confidence of this production makes it a real treat to watch.'
The Stage

KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN

By Manuel Puig

Sevenoaks Playhouse Studio

 

'In this new production, Julian Woolford has sought to bring the terror of the past into the face of the present...Julian Woolford’s excellent production. The image we are left with is of an ideal love that captures the imagination and just won't let go. '  The Courier

WIND IN THE WILLOWS

By Julian Woolford and Richard John

Sevenoaks Playhouse

   

'Sevenoaks Playhouse, under its artistic director Julian Woolford, has been steadily building a reputation for quality theatre…Good natured and full of fun…John’s jaunty music, along with Woolford’s lyrics, play an effective part in the show’s storytelling…It should certainly make you smile.'
The Times

TURN OF THE SCREW

By Henry James, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher

Sevenoaks Playhouse Studio

CAROUSEL

By Rodgers and Hammerstein

British National Tour


 

‘***** Julian Woolford's excellent production is a three kleenex job which sent this reviewer's tear ducts into overdrive.’
Whatsonstage.com

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

By Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick

British National Tour

 

'This is a show of truly awesome proportions… an evening of pure entertainment.'
BBC Manchester

'UK Productions version of the classic musical oozes quality from beginning to end. There wasn’t an element of this production I could fault. From acting to lighting, set design to choreography, it was in a class of its own. The acting is superb, the choreography amazing, the dialogue humorous and the songs, played by a magnificent orchestra, catchy.'
Southampton Echo
 
‘Julian Woolford’s masterly direction of the villagers exodus from their homeland was as touching as it was poignant’
The Scotsman

MURDERED TO DEATH

By Peter Gordon

National Tour

   

'All the red herrings,  black looks and (almost) blue jokes anyone could wish for.'
Eastbourne Herald

'Wonderful spoof keep the audience guessing.' Hull Daily Mail

...AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

By James Edwin Parker

Rattlestick Theatre, Off-Broadway, New York

LET HIM HAVE JUSTICE

Written by the Company, Philip Sutton and Julian Woolford

Cochrane Theatre

'Strange how potent musical theatre can be...Another plus is Julian Woolford's production, as plain and direct in its  unbroken 90 minutes as the script.' The Times

Cast album on JAY Records

TWO BOYS IN A BED ON A COLD WINTER'S NIGHT

By James Edwin Parker

By Julian Woolford

Bristol New Vic

OEDIPUS REX

By Sophocles, translated by Christopher Stace     

Julian is a Professional Writer Associate of Mercury Musical Developments, established in 1992 to support, develop and initiate new musical theatre in the UK and worldwide.