- Pantoland At The Palladium starring Julian Clary
We’ve seen the Palladium’s annual pantomime in each of its 5 years and last year’s run was cruelly cut very short by Covid and so it is with some relief that we can report it is returning in 2021 with much of its now familiar variety-based cast but with Donny Osmond and The Tiller Girls added this Christmas. We’re big fans of Julian Clary and it’s a real treat to see him absolutely in his element. Last year we said: ‘Clary is a master of improvisation and the rest of the cast are clearly trying to stifle their own laughing often and, when Yarrow dries, Clary references Stemp in Mary Poppins saying ‘Charlie’s chimney’s never dry’.’ Runs 4 December 2021 through 9 January 2022. Tickets
- Read on for reasons including new musical Hex, Spring Awakening revival and world premieres of La Belle Sauvage and Force Majeure
2. Hex starring Rosalie Craig at the National
Craig (Company, Gielgud Theatre and City Of Angels, Garrick Theatre) is 1 of the West End’s leading ladies and here she returns to the National to front a new musical which promises to be ‘a vividly original retelling of Sleeping Beauty‘. Runs 4 December 2021 to 22 January 2022 with very limited tickets available so don’t delay if you’re toying with going. Original songs Probly and Sixteen have already dropped. Tickets
3. Spring Awakening revived at the Almeida
Glee‘s Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele starred in the original Broadway cast of this coming of age musical in 2015 which won 3 Tonys. Rupert Goold (Ink, Almeida, West End and Broadway) directs a cast here led by Laurie Kynaston (The Son and The Ferryman, West End). Runs 7 December to 22 January 2022. Tickets Review
4. The Book Of Dust – La Belle Sauvage world premiere at the Bridge
Philip Pulman set The Book Of Dust – La Belle Sauvage 12 years before His Dark Materials. 18 years after his groundbreaking production of the original book at the National, Nicholas Hytner returns to direct La Belle Sauvage. Runs 30 November to 26 February 2022. Tickets Review
5. Force Majeure starring Rory Kinnear at the Donmar
Originally an acclaimed film by Ruben Östlund, this is the story of a family falling apart on a skiing holiday starring 1 of this country’s finest actors in Kinnear (Young Marx, Bridge Theatre). Runs 10 December to 5 February 2022. Tickets
6. Kitty Scott-Claus and Cheryl Hole in Dick Whittington
Scott-Claus was great value in the recent season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and here stars with her Gals Aloud (Udderbelly Festival) bandmate Cheryl Hole, who was in the 1st season of the show. Rounding out the cast is Choriza May from season 3 and Holly Stars who wrote and starred in last year’s West End hit Death Drop at the Garrick. Runs at the large Phoenix Theatre each Sunday from 5 December through 9 January 2022. Tickets Review
7. Jessie Ware at 02 Brixton Academy
Ware was 1 of our lockdown finds and Please was a song of the month for us last year. Covid played havoc with her touring plans for most recent album What’s Your Pleasure?. She plays 2 nights at 02 Brixton Academy this month during a UK tour. Tickets
8. The Rhythmics starring Noel Sullivan at Southwark Playhouse
A single dad in a rut auditions mistakenly for an all-male rhythmic gymnastics troupe. This new British musical stars Hear’Say’s Noel Sullivan at this underrated venue. Runs 2 December to 8 January 2022. Tickets
9. Spielberg’s West Side Story
This remake of the classic film from 1961 which won 10 Oscars by Steven Spielberg was postponed because of Covid from its Christmas 2020 release. Stars Baby Driver’s Ansel Elgort and is out this month instead.
- Picture via Facebook courtesy Pantomime at the Palladium Tickets
- Have you heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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