By Carron Stacey
WHERE: Portsmouth Guildhall
WHEN: 12/10, tour runs to 5/11
Am I still holding a torch for him? After the disappointment of the gig cancellation where Marc was supporting Human League at Brighton Racecourse last month, this evening was even more anticipated than it would’ve been.
Dan Gillespie Sells is frontman of The Feeling and we gave his debut musical the full 5* when we saw it in Sheffield in February. It’s a real celebration of mothers and sons and transfers to the West End 6/11 booking to 21/4/18. Tickets. The soundtrack is an absolute treat but our favourite is cross-dressing musical-within-a-song The Legend Of Loco Chanel. Don’t. Miss.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
WHEN: 7/10, press night 11/10, runs until 4/11
Simon Stephens, who adapted this Chekhov classic, is an Artistic Associate at this venue and won an Olivier Award for his work on The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHERE: Vaudeville Theatre
WHEN: 6/10, press night 16/10, runs until 30/12
It was the casting of Eve Best which we were most excited by going into this show but it was the scene-stealing between act songs performed by Anne Reid (pictured above) which we came away from it talking about.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: Brighton Dome
WHEN: 5/10, world tour runs until 20/4/18
SETLIST: Hotter Than Hell; Dreams/No Lie; Lost In Your Light; Garden; Last Dance; IDGAF; Blow Your Mind (Mwah); Thinking ‘Bout You; New Love; Genesis; No Goodbyes; Scared To Be Lonely; Begging; Homesick; Be The One; New Rules
We arrive at the venue two-and-a-half hours before the doors open and are greeted by dozens of Dua Lipa fans already queueing to see their idol.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Garrick Theatre
WHEN: 30/9, press night 10/10, booking to 10/2/18
Creating a smash hit musical from a successful film is something which author Mel Brooks has much experience of.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Noel Coward Theatre
WHEN: 29/9, press night 3/10, booking to 2/12
It would be fair to say that author James Graham is on a bit of a roll, with not one but two plays running in the same street in the West End.
Lady Gaga would’ve been our number one but her Joanne world tour now arrives – fingers crossed – at The 02 for two dates early in 2018, rescheduled from this month. No matter. Heathers star Slater appears in this David Mamet play about cutthroat Chicago salesmen at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End from 26/10 through 3/2/18. Tickets
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Minerva Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre
WHEN: 23/9, press night 29/9, booking to 28/10
This is the third King Lear we’ve seen in recent years and is actually McKellen’s second stab at the role, describing it in the programme as ‘unfinished business’.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Trafalgar Studios 2
WHEN: 22/9, booking to 28/10
Writer Stephen Clark won an Olivier award for his lyrics for the re-worked version of Martin Guerre and the poetic nature of his writing is much in evidence here.
