The Empire: 'Wonderful. A lifelong love letter to the theatre' Reverend Richard Coles

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Sir Barnabas Lassiter has died and the patriarch's second wife, a former actress has left The Empire in the hands of Edmund Lassiter along with all the other family businesses.

Michael Ball makes his debut with Zaffre - Bonnier Books Michael Ball makes his debut with Zaffre - Bonnier Books

It has the razzmatazz and the glamour, it also has the shady and the undesirable, but all the way through this story the feeling of "the show must go on" is one that resonated with me.Whilst it’s not necessarily a comedic plot, there are some lovely light-hearted moments scattered throughout the book which brought a smile to my face every time. 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. As an avid theatre goer, lover of musicals, and an enthusiastic amateur in musical theatre, this book was perfect for me. One thing leads to another and Jack with Grace who is also a woman of all trades begins to try to save the theatre as it is likely to be bought by a rival and become a picture house so the rumours have it. I have been a Michael Ball fan for over thirty years, seen him in many shows and concerts, so when I saw he had written a book I had to read it.

The Empire by Michael Ball | WHSmith

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. While this is a story about grief and getting on with your life it is also about accepting mistakes of your past. It was easy to imagine the theatre with the glitz and glamour from front of house and the struggles going on behind the scenes. Not easy, but just decided I would read it on its own merits I would either like it hate it or live it.I am not normally a fan of historical fiction however this was written in a way that was empathetic to the era yet with a modern readability to it. 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. If you are an avid reader you will quickly work out what is what and the ’twist’ can be worked out in advance, though none the less satisfying for that. The Empire is beautifully portrayed, with the life of an old theatre struggling to rekindle its glory days, and the many characters within it all hoping to hang on to their dreams. We are taken into the world of theatre where people are transported into a dream world which gives them an escape from day to day reality.

Michael Ball turns his hand to writing - Michael Ball Michael Ball turns his hand to writing - Michael Ball

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. I am sometimes cynical of celebrity authors but this is easy to forget and I got so immersed in the story.The story gets real juicy (with a twist or two) when Jack learns of a shocking secret - good enough to bring down what he built so far. There is a cast list at the beginning which would be very helpful with a physical copy but not as easy with kindle.