We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Funny Girl, Groundhog Day and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie are previous winners in this category.
We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Oddshaped Balls and The Ferryman are previous winners in this category.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Bridge Theatre
WHEN: 2/6, press night 6/6, runs to 24/6/18
RUN TIME: 90 minutes without interval
UPDATE: This show returns to The Bridge for 26 performances from January 2019
Laura Linney made her UK stage debut last night as the titular Lucy Barton with this monologue adapted from the 5th novel by Elizabeth Strout which was longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Lyttelton, National Theatre
WHEN: 1/6, press night 7/6, runs to 8/9/18
RUN TIME: 90 minutes without interval
Hopes are high for this August Strindberg adaptation not least because star Vanessa Kirby won a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA last month for her turn as Princess Margaret in Netflix’s much-admired The Crown.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Bush Theatre (Press review night ticket)
WHEN: Press night 31/5, runs to 30/6/18
RUN TIME: 2 hours and 10 minutes (including interval)
What was it like to have been born and raised in Jamaica in the last century and to move to the UK for a new life?
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Greenwich Picturehouse
WHEN: 29/5/18 (preview screening), UK release 15/6/18
RUN TIME: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Theatregoers will remember Rupert Everett’s Oscar Wilde from his marvellous Olivier Award-nominated turn in David Hare’s The Judas Kiss which transferred from Hampstead Theatre to the West End in 2013.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: BFI Southbank
WHEN: 27/5, UK release 1/6/18
RUN TIME: 1 hour 36 minutes
‘I wouldn’t be here if he was a prick,’ remarks Martin Freeman of Sir Ian McKellen who celebrated his 79th birthday this weekend with a star-studded launch of his autobiographical new film McKellen: Playing The Part.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: National Theatre (Olivier)
WHEN: 26/5, press night 30/5, runs to 11/8/18
RUN TIME: 2 hours 35 minutes (including interval)
Brian Friel’s 1980 masterpiece Translations is set in Ireland in 1833 and is about the power of language as the English seek to map the country so they can better tax its people.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Southwark Playhouse
WHEN: 25/5/18, press night 29/5, runs to 23/6/18
RUN TIME: 2 hours and 20 minutes (with interval)
Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera starred in the original Broadway production of this Kander and Ebb (Chicago and Cabaret) musical and we wonder whether they had as much fun with it as Caroline O’Connor and Gemma Sutton do here.
Catch the world premiere of the season 2 finale of HBO’s superior sci-fi series about a theme park peopled by robots who revolt starring Thandie Newton (pictured) and a Q&A with its creators at the BFI on London’s South Bank 19/6. Tickets
