A series of interviews led by Carlos Tseng with some of the most prominent figures in the world of theatre, arts & entertainment. The series offers an up close insight into the lives and work of our esteemed guests, often leading to surprising, poignant and humorous answers. Find out more by listeni
Send us Fan Mail With The Cherry Orchard now playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Shubham Saraf sat down for an intimate reflection on his return to the stage and his return to the world of Chekhov. Having previously played in the Almeida's Three Sisters, we talked about the common traits between Tuzenbach and Yepikhodov - men forced to deal with unrequited yearning. The show sees him working under the careful direction of Ian Rickson, the director behind Jerusalem, the play that reaffirmed ...
Send us Fan Mail In this new episode, we sat down with the incomparable Alice Fearn as she continues her run as Debra in Tony Award winning musical Kimberly Akimbo. Tracing her artistic expansion from a talented debutante to a seasoned leading lady, Alice reflects on what it means to continually grow and truly master the craft of musical theatre. Having dazzled audiences across the West End for a number of years, she is now making her Hampstead Theatre debut in a theatre not known for staging...
Send us Fan Mail As rehearsals continue for her highly anticipated Chichester Festival Theatre debut in Nina Segal’s Antigone Exits, Nina Cassells sat down with us for a deep, insightful conversation on her craft. Under the direction of Jeff James, Nina unpacks the visceral experience of bringing Sophocles' iconic heroine into a modern political sphere, exploring how she and the company are shaping the collective energy of the Chorus and navigating the intimate spatial mechanics of Chichester...
Send us Fan Mail As he continues his run as part of the 40th anniversary cast of Phantom of the Opera in the West End, Joseph Millson sat down to delve into the realities of the uncertain landscape of the acting industry, unpacking the profound highs and inevitable lulls of the profession. Having won a WhatsOnStage Awarad as Raoul in Love Never Dies, we hear him talk about the joy of reuniting with Sierra Boggess for Andrew Lloyd Webber's beloved musical's anniversary. During our conversation...
Send us Fan Mail As Game of Thrones: The Mad King continues its 5* rated run at the RSC, Noah Ritter sat down with us to reflect on his early career success. Fresh off his professional stage debut portraying John Lennon in Please Please Me at the Kiln Theatre, Noah discusses the art of stepping into the world of Westeros as a character that's largely existed as a myth in the books and TV series. We also explore his transition from graduating from Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCM...
Send us Fan Mail Ahead of her highly anticipated run at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Millie O'Connell sat down to discuss her role as Demeter in Drew McOnie's radical, gritty reimagining of Cats. As an artist known for her high-voltage presence on stage, Millie gives us an unfiltered look into what it really takes to strip away forty years of theatrical tradition, trading nostalgia for a grounded aesthetic that frames the Jellicle tribe as London’s strays and rebels. We hear her reflect on...
Send us Fan Mail After a string of recent successes, Pearl Chanda is gearing up for her return to the Almeida Theatre in Rebecca Frecknall’s summer revival of Sarah Kane’s Cleansed. Fresh off an incredibly brooding, restrained turn in Hedda to navigating trauma-induced paralysis in Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass at the Young Vic, Pearl gives us an unfiltered look into what it really takes to inhabit Kane's nightmarish world. Having described her time performing Sarah Kane's Crave at the Sheffie...
Send us Fan Mail Ahead of her highly anticipated London stage debut at the Marylebone Theatre, Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actor Christine Lahti sat down for a profoundly intimate conversation with us. In her new solo play, The Smile of Her, she strips away the immaculate veneer of 1950s American suburban mythology to confront the suffocating "silences" of her childhood. We explore the psychological architecture of bringing such an achingly personal piece across the Atlantic—treati...
Send us Fan Mail As Rajiv Joseph's Archduke prepares to open at the Royal Court Theatre, Olivier Award winner Chris Walley sat down with us for an intimate discussion on his craft and his upcoming return to the stage. The show looks at key events and the lives of those involved in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. We hear Chris talk about the biting humour in Rajiv Joseph's script and the vigour required working in Lyndsey Turner's rehearsal room. Indeed, the upcoming production ...
Send us Fan Mail Ahead of her highly anticipated return to the Kiln Theatre following her debut at the RSC’s The Other Place, the indomitable Ellen Thomas sat down with us to discuss her powerhouse role as Pearl in the world premiere of Martina Laird’s Driftwood. Ellen delves into the psychological weight and socio-political gravity of portraying a fierce matriarch running a downtown gentlemen’s club on the precipice of Trinidadian independence. We hear her reflect on the delicate art of unea...
Send us Fan Mail After nearly a decade since her West End debut in Les Miserables, Amara Okereke has solidified her standing as one of the most exciting performers of her generation. Now making her RSC debut, Amara sat down with us to talk about taking on the role of Ariel opposite Kenneth Branagh's Prospero in Sir Richard Eyre's new production of The Tempest. Having already played some of the UK's most prestigious and largest stages including the London Coliseum, Sheffield Crucible and...
Send us Fan Mail After leaving Canada for the UK, Arthur Boan has worked steadily through some of the most acclaimed production in recent years on stage. For our latest interview, Arthur Boan joined us to unpack how he tapped into Chief Bromdon in Clint Dyer’s electric revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. We dive into the challenge of playing a silent giant where his most powerful lines are the ones he never actually says. We talk about Clint Dyer's reimagining of Dale Wasserman's play...
Send us Fan Mail As Marylebone Theatre prepares to open a seminal revival of Arthur Miller's The Price, Elliot Cowan sat down with us to talk about taking on the role of Victor Franz, a man grappling with the physical and emotional debris of a family estate. As a veteran of the stage, he's become known for his ability to inhabit characters defined by internal conflict. Indeed his career has seen him move seamlessly between the physical demands of the stage and the precise requirements of scre...
Send us Fan Mail Ahead of his return to the Donmar Warehouse for the first time since 2010’s Polar Bears, multi-award-winning actor Paul Hilton sits down to discuss his role as Richard in the world premiere of Fran Kranz’s Mass. Paul delves into the psychological weight of portraying a father navigating the devastating aftermath of a school shooting under the visceral direction of Carrie Cracknell. We hear him reflect on the unique technical demands of the Donmar’s intimate space, inviting th...
Send us Fan Mail Since her debut, West End rising star Gracie McGonigal has gone from strength to strength and is now in the centre of the world's attention on screen, with her milestone casting as Hazel in the fourth season of Netflix’s 'Bridgerton'. We hear her reflect on the significance of the role, noting the production's inclusive approach to disability. This television debut marks a pivotal shift in her career, offering a broader platform for her advocacy for authentic representation w...
Send us Fan Mail Ahead of his return to Southwark Playhouse, multi-award winning actor Stuart Thompson sat down to discuss the world premiere of Theo Jamieson's new musical: Flyby. Stuart delves into the psychological complexities of his character, Daniel—an engineer and astronaut discovering himself in a cosmic world. He shares with us his initial reactions to the wondrous material as he returns to the world of musical theatre following on from his award-winning performance in Spring Aw...
Send us Fan Mail After the recent opening of Man and Boy in the Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, Laurie Kynaston sat down with us to talk about this rare revival, working with director Anthony Lau on this new production and sharing the stage with acting legends Ben Daniels and Malcolm Sinclair. Our discussion delves into the contemporary revival of Terence Rattigan’s plays and the reasons his character-driven stories remain relevant to modern audiences. Laurie himself made his debut in anot...
Send us Fan Mail In this new interview, we sat down with the luminous Dino Fetscher as he continues his run in Oh, Mary! in the West End. Following his Olivier-nominated turn as Felix Turner in the National Theatre’s devastating revival of The Normal Heart, Dino has returned to the stage in a role that is as chaotic as it is brilliant: playing Mary Todd Lincoln's Teacher in Cole Escola’s subversive smash hit. The show has been received heartily by critics and audiences alike, with laughter er...
Send us Fan Mail Over the last few years, Oli Higginson has proved himself to be a real force on both stage and screen, starring in major revivals of The Last 5 Years, Measure For Measure and won the Ian Charleson Award for his Cassio in Othello. Now he returns to the world of musical theatre in the Almeida Theatre's revival of American Psycho the Musical, taking on the role of Timothy Price in what will be Rupert Goold's last directing outing at the theatre as Artistic Director. Duncan Sheik...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sat down with the luminous Holly Godliman as she prepares to take the stage at the Old Vic in Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece, Arcadia. As the production approaches its February 4th opening, Holly delves into the "brilliant machinery" of Stoppard’s writing and her role as the spirited Chloë Coverly—the modern-day character who famously suggests that sex is the one force capable of upsetting Newton’s deterministic universe. From the technical rigors of mastering...
Send us Fan Mail Over the last few years, Rosie Sheehy has established herself as a force to reckon with. Her latest role sees her making her Royal Court Theatre debut in Luke Norris' Guess How Much I Love You? The new play explores what it means to be in a long term relationship and the difficult choices that come with being in love. She'll be starring opposite Robert Aramayo and Lena Kaur, and we hear her talk affectionately about Luke's writing as well as Jeremy Herrin's masterful directio...
Send us Fan Mail Ahead of the launch of the Welsh National Theatre, BAFTA Cymru award-winning actress Nia Roberts sat down with us for a wide-ranging conversation. Nia is widely recognised for her breakthrough in the Academy Award-nominated Solomon & Gaenor and for her haunting performances in Hidden and The Feast. In the inaugural production from Welsh National Theatre, she portrays Mrs. Webb in a brand new reimagining of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. The staging features an all-Welsh cast...
Send us Fan Mail Louis Gaunt has solidified his reputation as one of the most charismatic and technically gifted triple-threat performers in the musical theatre today. After earning a Stage Debut Award for his breakout performance as Will Parker in Oklahoma!, he's earned further acclaim for his roles as Bert in Mary Poppins and more recently in the role of Tommy in Brigadoon. His latest role sees him returning to the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester to play Don Lockwood in a five star rat...
Send us Fan Mail As Fred Woodley Evans prepares to return to the Jermyn Street Theatre for a high-stakes run in Lyle Kessler’s Orphans, he sat down with us to talk about this eagerly anticipated revival. A visceral drama exploring the raw edges of family and survival, this production marks a significant homecoming for Fred. After making waves in Outlying Islands at the start of 2025, his return is something audiences are very much looking forward to. Alongside Fred, he will be starring opposi...
Send us Fan Mail As the RSC's Twelfth Night heads to the Barbican Theatre for a festive run, we are joined by veteran actor Norman Bowman. Known for seamlessly bridging the worlds of musicals and plays, Norman’s career has taken him from the West End to the Donmar Warehouse to the RSC. Hailing from Arbroath, his journey is one of continuous growth and reinvention, tackling everything from tap shoes to the complexities of Shakespearean verse. As he continues to play Antonio, he shares with us ...
Send us Fan Mail Tom Glynn-Carney is one of the most dynamic and versatile actors working across stage and screen today. After earning an Evening Standard Award and Drama Desk Award for his role in The Ferryman, he has gone on to become a major figure in Westeros as Aegon II Targaryen in the acclaimed HBO series House of the Dragon. However, Glynn-Carney maintains a powerful connection to the theatre, having more recently won praise for his role in The Glass Menagerie opposite Amy Adams, shar...
Send us Fan Mail Following her smash hit debut play Farm Hall, Katherine Moar is returning to Jermyn Street Theatre with her latest play: Ragdoll, based on the Patty Hearst trial. With just 4 actors, the play takes audiences to the centre of the celebrity, violence, and scandal of 1970s America. Focused on the power dynamics between "the heiress" and her lawyer Robert, the play also takes audiences to 2017 where Robert faces a trial of his own in the court of public opinion. We see stark para...
Send us Fan Mail After graduating from RADA, James McArdle became a darling of the National Theatre appearing in landmark productions of Platonov, James I and Angels in America, all in a relatively short span of time. Since then, James McArdle has established himself as one of the most compelling actors on stage and screen. Now, he returns to the Olivier stage for the first time since 2019 for newly appointed Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham's inaugural show: a new adaptation of Euripides'...
Send us Fan Mail After a triumphant run at Nottingham Playhouse and at the Young Vic, Alec Boaden is returning to 'Punch' for it's West End run at the Apollo Theatre. In the show, Alec multi-roles several characters opposite a cast that includes Julie Hesmondhalgh, Tony Hirst and David Shields as Jacob Dunne. The show tells the extraordinary true story of Jacob Dunne, a regular lad from Nottingham whose impulsive punch led to fatal consequences. When he leaves prison, Jacob meets with Joan an...
Send us Fan Mail After earning an Ian Charleson Award nomination for her Hermia in the Bridge Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Isis Hainsworth has continued to take on some of Shakespeare's best loved roles and is now preparing to take on the role of Isabella in Measure For Measure for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Here Isis will be making her RSC debut where she's set to star alongside a stellar cast that includes the likes of Tom Mothersdale, Oli Higginson and Emily Benjamin. The produ...
About Up Close with Carlos Tseng
A series of interviews led by Carlos Tseng with some of the most prominent figures in the world of theatre, arts & entertainment. The series offers an up close insight into the lives and work of our esteemed guests, often leading to surprising, poignant and humorous answers. Find out more by listeni
Up Close with Carlos Tseng is a English arts & books podcast from Carlos Tseng. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
