THEATRE REVIEW: Elegy starring Zoe Wanamaker, Barbara Flynn & Nina Sosanya

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Donmar Warehouse

WHEN: 29/4, runs to 18/6

At just 75 minutes long Elegy feels like the obvious follow-up to author Nick Payne’s biggest hit Constellations, an exploration of free will and quantum physics, which opened on Broadway over a year ago starring Jake Gyllenhaal after a West End transfer.

  • Read on for which celebrity was in the audience for our performance

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THEATRE REVIEW: Dr Faustus starring Kit Harington

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHERE: Duke Of York’s

WHEN: 9/4, runs to 25/6

Kit Harington is onstage only in tight white boxer shorts showing off his muscles and reveals his bare bottom to whoops of delight from this audience at this first preview.

  • Read on for all the gossip from the 1st preview of Doctor Faustus

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THEATRE REVIEW: People, Places and Things starring Denise Gough

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Wyndhams Theatre

WHEN: 11/4, runs to 18/6 Returns to Trafalgar Theatre 3 May through 10 August 2024 Tickets

Denise Gough’s electrifying performance as a recovering drug addict in this original production which debuted at the revitalised National Theatre deservedly won her a best actress Olivier Award this month.

  • Read on for reasons to catch Gough in this West End run

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THEATRE REVIEW: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom starring Sharon D. Clarke

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: National Theatre

WHEN: 16/4, runs to 18/5

A look of bemusement sweeps across our young waiter’s face as he asks us the title of the play we’ve just seen – and we tell him.

  • Read on for detail of how this Olivier Award-winning revival is still winning matinee standing ovations

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Sir Ian McKellen: Shakespeare on Stage, Screen & Elsewhere

WHERE?: BFI

WHEN: 6/4

Sir Ian McKellen is telling the BFI audience about his relationship with Shakespeare because the venue has put his Richard III at the heart of its celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the bard’s death later this month.

Read on for details of Sir Ian’s new app version of The Tempest out 23/4

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PREVIEW: 8 reasons why we can’t wait for May

  1. UK has a shot at Eurovision 

43 countries, two semis and a final: 14/5. The bookies have the UK’s Joe and Jake 27th as we write this but we’ve heard all the entries and think You’re Not Alone has a shot at winning particularly with an EU referendum 23/6. Our dark horse is Croatia’s Nina Kraljić (main picture and below) who’s channelling Hounds Of Love-era Kate Bush:

  • Read on for reasons including Cyndi Lauper, Aladdin and The Threepenny Opera

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THEATRE REVIEW: Henry V by Antic Disposition

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE: Middle Temple Hall

WHEN: 5/4, closes 6/4, tours UK throughout April

Middle Temple Hall is the London venue where Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was first performed 400 years ago.

  • Read on for a picture inside the historic venue and tour details

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Caretaker starring Timothy Spall, Daniel Mays & George MacKay

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Old Vic

WHEN: 2/4, runs to 14/5

It’s 19 years since star Timothy Spall last acted on stage and just over one since his tremendous grumbling titular turn in Mike Leigh’s biopic Mr Turner inexplicably failed to earn him a best actor Oscar nomination.

  • Read on for reasons why this is director Matthew Warchus’ first five-star Old Vic triumph

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THEATRE REVIEW: Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Coliseum

WHEN: 1/4, runs to 7/5

The home of the English National Opera bursts into a round of spontaneous applause as the biggest star in the West End takes to the stage.

  • Read on for more observations from the second row including Close’s co-star’s painted-on abs

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ALBUM REVIEW: Super by Pet Shop Boys

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: 1/4

TRACKLIST: Happiness; The Pop Kids; Twenty-Something; Groovy; The Dictator Decides; Pazzo!; Inner Sanctum; Undertow; Sad Robot World; Say It To Me; Burn; Into Thin Air.

30 years ago Pet Shop Boys’ debut hit (not their 1st single, actually) went to number 1 in the UK, US, Canada, Finland, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Israel, New Zealand and Norway.

  • Read on for details of the new Pet Shop Boys tour

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