Month: January 2020

THEATRE REVIEW: Endgame and Rough For Theatre II starring Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Cumming, Jane Horrocks & Karl Johnson

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Old Vic RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 28/1/20, press night 5/2, runs to 28/3/20

Samuel Beckett’s bleak Endgame is preceded here by the author’s lighter short Rough For Theatre II in an attempt to sugar the pill for fans of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe (pictured above right) who appears here.

  • Read on for reasons including more about the cast including Alan Cumming and Jane Horrocks

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PREDICTIONS: Heat 1 Melodifestivalen 2020 starring Felix Sandman, The Mamas and Robin Bengtsson

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 1/2/20

WHERE?: Linköping Saab Arena

Only a fool would predict the outcome of Saturday’s #GreatestShowOnEarth Melodifestivalen Heat 1 on the basis of the snippets available (see below) – but we’re going to have a go.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for next month’s final and Andra Chansen

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for February (2020) starring Pretty Woman: The Musical

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Pretty Woman: The Musical opens starring Aimie Atkinson and Danny Mac

Bryan Adams co-wrote this musical version of the beloved 1990 Julia Roberts/Richard Gere film which ran on Broadway starring Samantha Barks (performing in clip above) for a year until August. Atkinson has a Eurovision connection and we saw her in Six in the West End. Mac will be familiar to Strictly viewers. Opens at the Piccadilly Theatre 13/2, booking until 2/1/21. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Be More Chill, Melodifestivalen, Colin Morgan and La Cage Aux Folles

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Welkin starring Maxine Peake, Cecilia Noble, Haydn Gwynne and Ria Zmitrowicz

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Lyttelton Theatre, National RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 18/1/20, press night 22/1, runs to 23/5/20

We’re in rural Suffolk in 1759 where convicted murderer Sally Poppy claims to be pregnant and 12 women must assess whether she is, which would save her from execution.

  • Read on for reasons including how this cast has Olivier, BAFTA and Tony award nominations between them

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PREVIEW: Heat 3 Melodifestivalen 2020 starring Mohombi, Mariette, Anis don Demina & Faith Kakembo

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

Jörgen Elofsson has written songs for pop titans including Celine Dion, Agnetha Fältskog, Britney Spears and Geri Halliwell and this year his sole Melodifestivalen credit is for Faith Kakembo (pictured above).

  • Read on for reasons including Mariette, Mohombi and Anis Don Demina who also appear in this third heat

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THEATRE REVIEW: Uncle Vanya starring Richard Armitage & Toby Jones

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

STOP PRESS: Sonia Friedman Productions has announced that a specially-commissioned film of this production is to be released 27/10/20. Watch the trailer below

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

WHERE? Harold Pinter Theatre RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 14/1, press night 23/1 runs to 2/5/20

Six years after a brooding Olivier-nominated performance as John Proctor in the Old Vic’s production of The Crucible and Richard Armitage (pictured above in rehearsal) is back on the London stage in Conor McPherson’s re-imagining of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya

  • Read on for reasons including how Toby Jones is the comic highlight as Armitage goes topless

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THEATRE REVIEW: Amélie the musical at the Other Palace

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Other Palace RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 27/12, runs to 1/2/20 UPDATE: This productions opens at the Criterion Theatre 20/5/21, booking to 25/9/21 Tickets

We’re a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace and had forgotten that the Paris-set 2001 film on which this musical is based references the death of Princess Diana in that city quite so much.

  • Read on for reasons including which West End show the British actress who originated this Amélie opens in this autumn

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