Month: November 2025

AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best New Musical of 2025

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Weir starring Brendan Gleeson at the Harold Pinter Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? *****

WHEN? Tuesday 11 November, runs through 6 December 2025 RUNTIME: 100 minutes (no interval)

Conor McPherson (The Brightening Air, Old Vic) adapts The Hunger Games which opens this week in London and this won the Best New Play Olivier in 1999.

  • Read on for reasons including how Gleeson is spellbinding especially because he allows others to shine
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GIG REVIEW: ABC at Sheffield City Hall

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By Andrew Mosley

WHEN?: Friday 7 November, tour runs through 10 July 2026

It’s bouncing off the bumps of Yorkshire’s country roads in Richard Gostling’s VW Beatle while When Smokey Sings blasts from the cheap radio. It’s cringing in the pub as Phil Robinson quotes lyrics from the band’s songs as chat-up lines to what he sees as potential girlfriends.

  • Read on for reasons including the joys of being a New Romantic in a tough northern industrial city
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Producers starring Andy Nyman & Marc Antolin at the Garrick Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Saturday 18 October, runs through 19 September 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

We reviewed this revival of the Mel Brooks-written classic at the Menier Chocolate Factory last year and brought friends who’d never seen it to its West End transfer.

  • Read on for reasons including how Brooks virgins will be seduced by this marvellous musical comedy
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ALBUM OF THE WEEK: There’s Always More That I Could Say by Sigrid (week beginning Saturday 8 November 2025)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

TRACKLIST: I’ll Always Be Your Girl; Jellyfish; Do It Again; Kiss The Sky; Two Years; Hush Baby, Hurry Slowly; Fort Knox; There’s Always More That I Could Say; Have You Heard This Song Before?; Eternal Sunshine

Sigrid muses on change, friendship, keeping it all in and experimentation on her 3rd and most musically adventurous album which entered the UK chart at 12 this week, her 1st not to make the top 5.

  • Read on for reasons including how Sigrid’s lyrics are at their most interesting, her performance is front and centre and the pop songs show more musical depth
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GIG REVIEW: Adam Ant, Portsmouth Guildhall

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN? Saturday 1 November, tour runs through 25 November 2025

I’ve tried to work out how many times we’ve seen the Ant Man himself; maybe 10? These have all been in his recent tours since 2010, with The Good, The Mad and the Lovely Posse.

  • Read on for reasons including how ridicule is nothing to be scared of and this audience could’ve given more
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GIG REVIEW: Jamiroquai at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ****

WHEN? Thursday 6 November 2025, tour runs through 18 July 2026

Setlist: (Don’t) Give Hate A Chance; Little L; Space Cowboy; Dynamite; Feels Just Like It Should; Alright; Cloud 9; World That He Wants; Tallulah; Disco Stays The Same; Runaway; Travelling Without Moving; Shadow In The Night; Canned Heat; Queen Machine; Cosmic Girl; Love Foolosophy; Virtual Insanity

Jamiroquai debut 3 songs tonight from their new album out next year, they’re bangers in the same vein as the funk for which they are best known and in the marvellous Disco Stays The Same have a track they could top charts with as they did in their 90s heyday.

  • Read on for reasons including how there’s a new album due out in 2026
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best TV of 2025

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Here And Now starring Rebecca Lock, Blake Patrick Anderson, River Medway & Finty Williams at New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Tuesday 14 October, tour runs through 16 May 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

We catch this musical realisation of the Steps songbook shortly before the departure this week of its leading lady Rebecca Lock (Heathers, Other Palace) to musical Freaky Friday in Manchester.

  • Read on for reasons including how you’d be a deeper shade of blue if you missed out
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THEATRE REVIEW: Rocky Horror Show starring Jason Donovan at Teatre Coliseum, Barcelona

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Sunday 2 November 2025, European tour includes the UK and runs through 1 August 2026 RUNTIME: 120 minutes (with 20-minute interval)

It’s Halloween weekend and almost 2 years to the day after we last saw this musical at this very venue as we return to it with Jason Donovan (Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium) this time playing the lead.

  • Read on for reasons including how Donovan’s charismatic performance is the delightful showbiz bow on a gift of a show
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