1. Player Kings starring Sir Ian McKellen

Director Robert Icke (Oresteia and Hamlet, Almeida) combines Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and McKellen (Mother Goose, Duke Of York’s Theatre) plays Falstaff alongside Richard Coyle’s (Ink, Almeida) Henry and Toheeb Jimoh’s (Romeo and Juliet, Almeida) Hal. Runs at the Noel Coward Theatre 1 April through 22 June 2024. Tickets McKellen’s ‘performance of a lifetime’ Player Kings review

• Read on for reasons including new Pet Shop Boys album, Bananarama at the Palladium & Two Strangers

2. Pet Shop Boys album Nonetheless

Lead single Loneliness was the 1st taster of the Boys’ 15th studio album Nonetheless which boasts 10 tracks and was produced by James Ford. They return to record label Parlophone where they enjoyed their imperial phase with this collection and play a run of shows at London’s Royal Opera House this summer. The album is released 26 April. Tickets Dancing Star is song of the month for April Review

3. Glorious Bananarama at the Palladium

The ‘Rams play this iconic venue on the 3, 4 and 6 April to mark their more than 40 years in pop as well as the release of curated retrospective Glorious. We’ve seen the band a number of times in recent years including the monsta-winning Eventim Apollo show with Siobhan Fahey, at Omeara and Lafayette. Tickets Album of the month review London Palladium gig review

4. Two Strangers’ West End transfer

The winner of our monsta for 2023’s Best New Musical transfers from the Kiln Theatre to the West End’s Criterion with its stars Sam Tutty (Dear Evan Hansen) and Dujonna Gift. We said of its initial run: ‘Both Tutty and Gift are great singers but also beautifully engaging with a chemistry that will leave you with a warm glow as you reluctantly leave this hug of a show.’ Runs 4 April through 14 July 2024. Tickets Our Criterion preview review

5. Back To Black in cinemas

Back To Black stars Industry‘s Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse with Jack O’Connell (Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Apollo Theatre) as husband Blake Fielder-Civil, Eddie Marsan as father Mitch and Lesley Manville (Talking Heads, Bridge Theatre). The film opens 12 April 2024.

6. PJ Harvey’s London Tide at the National

Director Ian Rickson (Translations, National Theatre) marries original PJ Harvey songs to a Ben Power adaptation of Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend which plays at the National’s Lyttelton Theatre from 10 April through 22 June 2024. Tickets Our 1st preview review

7. Dagny’s European tour reaches London

Dagny Norvoll Sandvik’s last long player Strangers/Lovers was an album of the month for us in 2021 and we said of it. ‘Highlight is the penultimate Bye Bye Baby which is an uptempo banger on a par with With Every Heartbeat which Robyn would do well to release right now about determination to move on which offers: ‘Now I just wanna leave you behind’ on repeat.’ Heartbreak In The Making was a song of the month for us in 2023 and Same Again (For Love) a song of the week for us. Dagny tours Europe this year including the 02 Academy Islington on 3 April. Tickets 02 Academy Islington review

8. The Comeuppance at the Almeida

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins wrote the monsta-winning Appropriate (Donmar Warehouse) and here he turns his attentions to the story which asks whether we can ever actually break free from the people we used to be. Runs at the Almeida 6 April through 18 May 2024. Tickets

9. Ripley starring Andrew Scott on Netflix

We were surprised Scott wasn’t shortlisted for an Oscar for film All Of Us Strangers but he may yet win a Best Actor Olivier nomination for his Vanya on 12 March. He stars in this Netflix series based on the novel The Talented Mr Ripley opposite Johnny Flynn (The Motive And The Cue, National). The 8-part series drops 4 April 2024.

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy ATG Tickets
• Have you seen a Sir Ian McKellen show before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this preview? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook