Author: mrmonstagigz

THEATRE REVIEW: Death Of A Salesman starring Sharon D. Clarke & Arinze Kene at the Young Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Young Vic RUNTIME: 185 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)

WHEN? 3/5, press night 9/5, runs to 29/6/19 (now extended to 13/7)

We were at the Royal Albert Hall last month for the Olivier Awards and the prize we were most pleased to see received was Sharon D. Clarke’s for Best Actress In A Musical and, as if to prove it, her performance of Lot’s Wife from Caroline, Or Change stole the show.

  • Read on for reasons including how this production emphasises the mental health element of the classic play

Read More

FILM REVIEW: Wild Rose starring Jessie Buckley, Julie Walters & Sophie Okonedo

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RUNTIME: 101 minutes

OUT?: 12/4/19

Lady Gaga won our Best TV/Film Actress monsta for A Star Is Born last year and her performance has been much compared with Jessie Buckley’s in this story of an aspiring country singer from Glasgow.

  • Read on for reasons including how the female characters at this film’s heart turn tradition on its head

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Rosmersholm starring Hayley Atwell, Tom Burke & Giles Terera

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHERE? Duke Of York’s RUNTIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes (with 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 29/4, opens 2/5 and runs until 20/7

It’s the night before the election and representatives of rival newspapers are visiting a grieving pastor whose story – and how it is told – they believe could influence the vote.

  • Read on for reasons including how now the subject matter of this 130-year-old play feels

Read More

PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May 2019

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Death Of A Salesman starring Sharon D.Clarke and Arinze Kene

D. Clarke (pictured 2nd from right, top) won our Best Actress monsta last year as well as the Olivier for Best Actress In A Musical for her star turn in Caroline, Or Change and is here directed by Marianne Elliott (pictured left in video, hot from Company) and appears alongside Arinze Kene (winner of our Best Actor monsta for Misty and far left in the picture). Their revival of the Arthur Miller classic runs 1/5 through 29/6 at the Young Vic. Review. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Madonna, Eurovision, Anne-Marie Duff, Faye Tozer and Oti Mabuse

Read More

Q&A: Josh O’Connor at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHERE? BFI & Radio Times Television Festival

WHEN? 13/4/19 The Durrells airs on ITV at 8pm on Sundays, finishing 12/5/19

Josh O’Connor plays Prince Charles in the next series of Netflix’s The Crown and if he met the royal he would want to compare ear stories.

  • Read on for reasons including what happened when O’Connor auditioned for the film version of Les Miserables

Read More

GIG REVIEW: An Evening With Bananarama at Omeara

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

58622791_10157491570611929_4722802349997817856_oWORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHERE? Omeara

WHEN? 27/4, tour runs until 2/5 (and then regular gigs continue until 25/8/19)

SETLIST: Love Don’t Live Here; I’m On Fire; Love In Stereo; Every Shade Of Blue; Summer Night City; Movin’ On; Dance Music; Feel For You; Tonight; Look On The Floor; On Your Own; Cruel Summer; Love Comes; Move In My Direction; Venus; Looking For Someone; Love In The First Degree; Stuff Like That

You can never have enough Bananarama in your life and, as if to prove it, the band take audience questions for 45 minutes in what would normally be the support slot before headlining for more than 80 minutes.

  • Read on for reasons including how the Q&A proves just how Ab Fab funny Keren and Sara are

Read More

PREDICTIONS: Eurovision Song Contest Final 2019 starring KEiiNO, Michael Rice, Miki & Hatari

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

Screen Shot 2019-05-17 at 18.46.46.pngWHEN?: 18/5/19 8pm (UK time. Watch live on BBC1)

WHERE?: Expo Tel Aviv, Pavilion 2, Israel

We’ve enjoyed both semi finals and this is starting to feel like the most open Eurovision in years with no clear winner.

  • Read on for reasons including how we think the UK’s Michael Rice will fare

Read More

Q&A: Line Of Duty featuring Jed Mercurio at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHERE? BFI IMAX

WHEN? 13/4/19, series 5 concludes on BBC1 5/5/19

monstagigz guarantee: There are no spoilers in the Q&A that follows if you’re up to date with the show

‘Do I know who ‘H’ is? Oh yes,’ says Line Of Duty creator and writer Jed Mercurio who is speaking at the 2nd annual BFI & Radio Times Television Festival at the BFI IMAX in London.

  • Read on for reasons including which character suggested her own demise in series 5

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: All My Sons starring Sally Field, Bill Pullman, Jenna Coleman & Colin Morgan

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE? Old Vic RUNTIME: 2 hours 35 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 18/4, opens 23/4 runs to 8/6/19

We’re at a pre-show Q&A with director Jeremy Herrin and he talks about the 1 in 10 theatre visits which are transcendental – and this is definitely one of those.

  • Read on for reasons including how double Oscar winner Sally Field captivates in her London theatre debut 

Read More

PREDICTIONS: Eurovision Song Contest Semi 2 starring KEiiNO, John Lundvik, Leonora & Sergey Lazarev

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

59474598_283547949200720_420659082769203200_o

WHERE?: Expo Tel Aviv, Pavilion 2, Israel

The UK votes in this semi, alongside fellow Big 5 members Germany and Italy, which sees many more of our favourites perform than semi 1.

  • Who’s through and who’s on the 1st plane out of Tel Aviv? Read on for our semi 2 predictions 

Read More