Author: mrmonstagigz

GIG REVIEW: Tears For Fears & Alison Moyet at The O2

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: The O2

WHEN?: 6/2/19, European tour continues until 21/7/19

SETLIST:  Everybody Wants to Rule the World; Secret World; Sowing the Seeds of Love; Falling Down; Pale Shelter; Break It Down Again; Everybody Loves a Happy Ending; Change; Mad World; Memories Fade; Suffer The Children; Woman In Chains;Advice For The Young At Heart; Badman’s Song; Head Over Heels/Broken;  Shout

Alison Moyet setlist: I Germinate; Nobody’s Diary; Do You Ever Wonder?; Beautiful Gun; All Cried Out; The Rarest Birds; The Sharpest Corner (Hollow); Situation; Only You; Love Resurrection; Don’t Go

Good things come to those who wait and, almost 36 years to the day after we bought Tears For Fears’ debut album The Hurting on cassette, we see them live for the 1st time.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was the debut bow of both acts at this prestigious venue

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Shy Manifesto starring Theo Ancient at Greenwich Theatre studio

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK? ****

WHERE?: Greenwich Theatre (studio) RUN TIME: 80 minutes (without interval)

WHEN?: 3/2, touring UK until 4/3/19 Details

Navigating the challenging terrain of social media is tough enough for adults but what must be it like for teenagers at a time when cyber bullying is rarely out of the headlines?

  • Read on for reasons including why you should grasp this chance to see Ancient in an intimate venue

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THEATRE REVIEW: Pinter at the Pinter starring Martin Freeman & Danny Dyer

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Harold Pinter Theatre RUN TIME: 120 minutes (including interval)

WHEN?: 1/2/19, press night 6/2/19, booking to 23/2/19

Danny Dyer might be familiar to you as father of Love Island‘s Dani, his Henry VIII connection, from EastEnders or because of a memorable ‘trotters up’ Brexit quote but you might not know he was twice directed by Harold Pinter, in 2000 and 2002.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is the most successful so far of the Pinter at the Pinter series

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TV PREVIEW: Eurovision: You Decide 2019

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: BBC2 8/2/19 7.30pm

WHERE: Media City, Salford

This year’s UK Eurovision selection has an interesting twist: 3 songs will each be performed by 2 different artists with the winner in each duel competing against each other in the final round.

  • Read on for reasons including how we think these six entries will fare in Eurovision 2019

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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen Heat 1 2019 starring Anna Bergendahl, Arja Saijonmaa, Nano & Wiktoria

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 2/2/19 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)

WHERE: Gothenburg

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.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for next month’s final and Andra Chansen

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THEATRE REVIEW: Time Is Love/Tiempo Es Amor starring Sheila Atim

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE?: Finborough Theatre RUN TIME: 90 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: Last night 26/1/19

In April Sheila Atim (pictured above) won the Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Olivier and tonight we’re in the front row at this 50-seater theatre above a pub to see her in a production of a new play she has also composed the music for.

  • Read on for reasons including why this production deserves a transfer to a larger London venue

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THEATRE REVIEW: Cost Of Living starring Adrian Lester at Hampstead Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Hampstead Theatre RUN TIME: 110 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: 25/1, press night 31/1, booking to 2/3/19

Author Martyna Majok is a Polish-American playwright familiar with homelessness, grief and working multiple jobs to pay her way and weaves those subjects seamlessly together here in her play which won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

  • Read on for reasons including why Hampstead Theatre is becoming the home of cutting edge new writing

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PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2019 Heat 4 starring Ann-Louise Hanson, Anton Hagman, Arvingarna & Lisa Ajax

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

Our 1st live Melodifestivalen experience was in Stockholm’s Globen 15 years ago when Ann-Louise Hanson joined Towa Carson and Siw Malmkvist to compete with earworm C’est La Vie (pictured right above and immediately below).

  • Read on for reasons including fellow contestants Anton Hagman, Arvingarna & Lisa Ajax

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THEATRE REVIEW: Leave To Remain starring Tyrone Huntley & Billy Cullum at Lyric Hammersmith

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith RUN TIME: 120 minutes (without interval)

WHEN?: 21/1, press night 24/1, booking to 16/2/19

Former pop stars have co-written our favourite new musicals of the last 2 years (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Eugenius) and so we approached this collaboration between Doctor Who writer Matt Jones and Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke with much excitement.

  • Read on for reasons including why we think this deserves a West End transfer

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