By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN?: Friday 29 March 2024, runs through 20 April 2024 RUNTIME: 135 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
Film franchise The Naked Gun is probably the closest touchstone for this 80s, US-set musical co-written by Ben Adams (Eugenius, Turbine Theatre) from A1 and Subwoolfer.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
2016 X Factor winner Terry came out as gay this month and released this single which includes the hook: ‘I used to kiss him in the back of His Car, hiding from the world who we are, I’m sorry for every single lie.’
By Aline Mahrud
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHEN?: Wednesday 27 March 2024, runs through 12 May 2024 RUNTIME: 105 minutes (no interval)
The artwork (main picture) transforming the titular white sail with 2 eye holes into an image to strike fear into hearts isn’t the only subtlety in this play about an American university lecturer and boating enthusiast who invites a white nationalist to speak there.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Thursday 9 May 2024
WHERE?: Malmo Arena, Malmo
HOW DO I WATCH?: BBC1 8pm, eurovision.tv or SVT
It’s non-binary artist Nemo (pictured) who has the best song in this less competitive semi final that will need a big performance to do it justice live but inevitably it will be the appearance of Israel’s Eden Golan with a rewritten entry no longer called October Rain that will likely dominate headlines.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN?: Saturday 23 March and runs through 30 March 2024 RUNTIME: 215 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
‘Out, vile jelly!’ We’re in the front row at this intimate venue and Gloucester’s bloody, gouged-out eye rolls across the stage towards us in the 1st King Lear we’ve seen since Kenneth Branagh’s in the West End late last year.
By Aline Mahrud
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
UK release: 16 March 2024
This story of a pre-adolescent boy who may be being bullied at his Japanese school is told from 3 points of view – his mother’s, his teacher’s and his own.
By Aline Mahrud
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN?: Saturday 16 March 2024, runs through 23 March 2024 RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including a 20-minute interval) UPDATE: This production transfers to the Gillian Lynne Theatre 8 March through 2 November 2025 Tickets
The remaining week of performances for this Royal Shakespeare Company and Joe Hisaishi production of the 6 Olivier Award-winning stage version of the beloved 1988 Studio Ghibli film are sold out and we wouldn’t be surprised if it returns to London for another run soon.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHEN?: Saturday 16 March 2024 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (with a 20-minute interval) Update: Transfers to the Theatre Royal Haymarket 1 July through 27 September 2025 Tickets
‘I’m not leaving. I haven’t danced the Macarena yet,’ says the quite brilliant Olivier Awards-nominated Lorraine Ashbourne (main picture, right) playing drunken Auntie Carol who is being ushered towards a taxi from her niece’s wedding.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Tuesday 7 May 2024
WHERE?: Malmo Arena, Malmo, Sweden
HOW DO I WATCH?: BBC1 at 8pm in the UK or eurovision.tv or SVT
We think this is by far the tougher of the 2 semi finals and also that it will be much more difficult to lose 5 of these songs ahead of Saturday’s final rather than the 6 that will go home early in Semi 2.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHEN?: Monday 11 March 2024, opens 26 March and runs through 27 July 2024 RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
Hats off to Sheridan Smith (Shirley Valentine, Duke Of York’s Theatre) for fully embracing the role of the leading lady who turns up drunk for her opening night because that must feel uncomfortably close to home.
