WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 15/2/20
WHERE?: Coop Norbotten Arena, Luleå
Just when you thought Melodifestivalen was becoming super predictable and this hugely diverse selection can’t help but shake things up.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Other Palace RUNTIME: 135 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 12/2, press night 18/2 runs to 3/5/20 UPDATE: This production opens at Shaftesbury Theatre for 10 weeks from 30 June 2021 Tickets
Would you pop a pill to Be More Chill?
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: now
TRACKLIST: Will-o-the-Wisp; You Are The One; Happy People; Dreamland; Hoping For A Miracle; I Don’t Wanna; Monkey Business; Only The Dark; Burning The Heather; Wedding In Berlin
It seems a very Pet Shop Boys moment that, as the UK leaves the EU, the duo’s ‘Berlin album’ enters this country’s chart at number three.
WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 8/2/20
WHERE?: Linköping Saab Arena
Last week’s big shock was hot favourite Felix Sandman only making Andra Chansen and, if anything, this 2nd heat feels even more wide open than that one.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE? Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre RUNTIME: 100 minutes (no interval)
WHEN? 1/2, press night 6/2 runs to 7/3/20
‘I fell off the stage for the first time – this is really difficult,’ reflects Spall during his standing ovation at the climax of this 2nd preview of an eventful and demanding 100-minute monologue.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Old Vic RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 28/1/20, press night 5/2, runs to 28/3/20
Samuel Beckett’s bleak Endgame is preceded here by the author’s lighter short Rough For Theatre II in an attempt to sugar the pill for fans of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe (pictured above right) who appears here.
WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 1/2/20
WHERE?: Linköping Saab Arena
Only a fool would predict the outcome of Saturday’s #GreatestShowOnEarth Melodifestivalen Heat 1 on the basis of the snippets available (see below) – but we’re going to have a go.
Bryan Adams co-wrote this musical version of the beloved 1990 Julia Roberts/Richard Gere film which ran on Broadway starring Samantha Barks (performing in clip above) for a year until August. Atkinson has a Eurovision connection and we saw her in Six in the West End. Mac will be familiar to Strictly viewers. Opens at the Piccadilly Theatre 13/2, booking until 2/1/21. Tickets
Last year’s Melodifestivalen winner – John Lundvik – sang last in the final heat and here that honour goes to Hanna Ferm rather than MF royalty Nanne Grönvall.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
OUT: now
The 3rd single from album Hotspot (out on 24/1/20) is more uptempo than predecessor Burning The Heather and is a dancefloor blast that reminds of the 80s yet doesn’t sound out of place on 2020 radio.
