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Michael Ball has been a star of musical theatre for over 3 decades; winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical twice! This is just what you’d expect from Michael Ball - warm, light hearted, a bit of romance and a multitude of characters, some goodies, some baddies, a lovely story that might well work if adapted into film or play. In 2007 Michael made his BBC Proms debut with An Evening with Michael Ball at the Royal Albert Hall, which marked the first time a musical theatre star had been given a solo concert at the Proms. In 2016 he released Together with friend and singer Alfie Boe, with the album becoming the UK’s best-selling album of 2016; and in 2020 they released their first festive album, Together at Christmas. Sarah Bauer, editorial director said: ‘Whether on the stage, radio or TV Michael always entertains, moves and delights his audience, and I know the same will be true of his books. To be swept away to another world by such a brilliant and instinctive storyteller as Michael is the escape I think we’re all craving.’
The Empire: The debut novel from the master of musical The Empire: The debut novel from the master of musical
The story was good and I loved the closeness of the theatre folk, and the strong female characters. I could not put the book down, it’s so refreshing and original, and a classic case of advice to new authors - write about what you know. And Michael did just that! Fantastic, I really hope we will revisit The Empire at some time in the future, as I’m not ready to leave this wonderful and eminently likeable cast behind. I so hope that the characters will rise like a Phoenix, along with The Empire theatre, from the ashes. Highly recommended.Honestly, I could say so much more, but I don’t want to spoil this for you. If you love war heroes, theatre, romance and drama, read The Empire. The Empire evokes the grandeur and magic of the theatre setting, the excitement, hard work and extravagance of staging a show, especially when it’s a make or break situation. I loved the sense of camaraderie between the actors and crew, once one or two had been put in their place, but regardless of that, things don’t always run smoothly. There’s more going on behind the scenes than on the stage. How I loved this book! I am delighted to say how much I enjoyed this novel, written by Michael Ball, an all- time favourite singer/ actor of mine. A celebrity artiste who is an excellent writer is something of a rarity, in my experience, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I should have known Michael Ball would be a safe pair of hands,. As an avid theatre goer, lover of musicals, and an enthusiastic amateur in musical theatre, this book was perfect for me. The characterisation is strong, the storyline original, and the plot line tight, everything I had hoped for, and was thrilled and a little surprised to find in ‘ The Empire’.
The Empire by Michael Ball | Waterstones
If that wasn’t bad enough, her step-grandson (not much younger than the lady herself) is a drunken, gambling coward with an overbearing mother and between them they also attempt to undermine the efforts of the arty types running the show. It has a fabulous, colourful cast of characters, all of whom have connections to The Empire and their stories seamlessly wove together in the book. Michael Ball has written an enchanting story that had me enthralled from beginning to end. The perfect book to lose yourself in at the end of a long day, The Empire has everything you could possibly need from an historical romance. With a large and varied cast of memorable characters you can’t help but fall in love with, The Empire is a moving and uplifting read that once started you do not want to put down. Michael’s writing is delightful as he instantly transports you to post World War 1 England and the glitz and glamour of a world he obviously knows so much about. There is a fairly large cast of characters, which meant that the story and the world of The Empire felt very lavish, like those rare occasions where a theatre production has a company of more than 25 people on stage and a full orchestra in the pit. While some characters were more front and centre than others, each one was unique and well-developed – and they all had a part to play in saving The Empire. Take, for example, actor-manager Ivor French and doorman Danny Moon. They're a seemingly unlikely pairing, and yet they were the heroes of an intriguing sub-plot towards the end. This may not be the kind of work that wins the Booker prize, but it is highly entertaining, will undoubtedly sell well and will have members of the Michael Ball fan club in raptures.
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He also just happens to be the handsome romantic type, who starts out as the stage door man but in no time at all falls for the shy but lovely heroine and proves himself to be a budding impresario, who puts together a revue, led by a star hauled out of a fish and chip shop. Although I found this to be a well written and informative novel about the world of theatre it sadly left me feeling unmoved, failing to hold my interest and I will not be reading the sequel. Don’t let me put you off reading this though, as if you are a fan of Michael Ball and the world of theatre, it will probably appeal to you. but its has to be myriad of characters associated with the empire that draws you in and its a story that you lose yourself in
The Empire by Michael Ball | Goodreads The Empire by Michael Ball | Goodreads
Michael will be writing more books, making this into a series, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next for everyone! Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book. Here he meets Grace, who he feels an immediate attraction to. But there's no time for that! Grace is extremely busy, working alongside a select 'cast' trying to keep open the theatre that they love. The Empire is under threat from a rival theatre owner and they are determined that he will not get his hands on it. The large cast of characters is slightly overwhelming, but happily there is a (very long) list to refer to. However, I soon became caught up in the story, following the fortunes of the cast, the theatre and the shows. I did wonder while reading whether Michael Ball had based some characters on people he knows and/or has worked with. I imagine it would have been hard not to do so but regardless, his love for the theatre and its people shines through. Michael Ball's brings all his theatrical experience to his debut novel as we are introduced to 'The Empire', a wonderful theatre whose future is in jeopardy.And then there's Joseph P. Allerdyce. He is he owner of many other entertainment venues in the region and has a plan to let The Empire fail under its new management so the new owners become desperate to sell and he can add the building to his list of conquests. The Empire is an accomplished debut. The story flows well and is written with warmth, feeling and wit, along with touches of romance. There are also darker moments, dirty dealings, tensions and secrets to uncover, but despite the unexpected and dramatic finale there’s no question of giving up.
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