Author: mrmonstagigz

GIG REVIEW: Sigrid at 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

WHEN: 14/3, UK tour runs to 24/8

SETLIST: Go To War; Plot Twist; Schedules; I Don’t Buy It; Raw; Savage In Our Blood; Doing You A Favour; Watch Me; Dynamite; In Vain; High Five; Fake Friends; Credit; Strangers; Don’t Kill My Vibe

We’re not here to kill 21-year-old Sigrid Raabe’s vibe but for her Scandipop bangers although it soon becomes clear that there’s much more to her than those.

  • Read on for reasons including why Sigrid shed a tear towards the end of this gig

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THEATRE REVIEW: Long Day’s Journey Into Night starring Jeremy Irons & Lesley Manville

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Wyndhams Theatre

WHEN: 10/3 runs to 7/4/18

Last Sunday Lesley Manville was pipped to a Best Actress Oscar for her role as a domineering sister to Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread and a day later she was shortlisted for the Oliviers for her role in this.

  • Read on for reasons including which Olivier Award-nominated actress was in the audience for this

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THEATRE REVIEW: Fanny and Alexander starring Penelope Wilton

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Old Vic

WHEN: 24/2, press night 1/3, runs to 14/4/18

We join director Max Webster and writer Stephen Beresford for a Q&A two nights before their production of Ingmar Bergman’s beloved children’s classic Fanny and Alexander opens.

  • Read on for reasons including how this version does not include Nazis and jazz

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TV PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2018: Final

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Saturday 10 March (7pm UK time) on SVT (link to watch below)

The quality of the songs in this year’s Melodifestivalen has attracted criticism but for us 2018 has been all about the Swedish public’s love of the novelty entry ahead of possible Eurovision winner Cry by Dotter.

  • Read on for our predictions for how we think the 12 finalists would fare at Eurovision

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THEATRE REVIEW: Summer and Smoke starring Patsy Ferran

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE: Almeida Theatre

WHEN: 3/3, press night 7/3, runs to 7/4/18

UPDATE: Summer And Smoke transfers to the Duke Of York’s 10/11/18 to 19/1/19 Tickets

Last year saw two acclaimed Tennessee Williams revivals in London (the Young Vic’s Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and The Glass Menagerie at the Duke Of York’s) and his Summer And Smoke is less well known for a reason.

  • Read on for reasons including why the supporting cast is strong and who is the one to watch

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TV PREVIEW: Norway Melodi Grand Prix 2018

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN? 7pm Saturday 10/3/18 on NRK (link at the bottom of the preview)

This year’s Norwegian selection includes a former Eurovision winner, a past entrant and the writer behind one of Scandinavia’s biggest groups of the 90s in its ranks.

  • Read on for our predictions for how these entries would do in Eurovision

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THEATRE REVIEW: Harold and Maude starring Sheila Hancock, Bill Milner and Rebecca Caine

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Charing Cross Theatre

WHEN: 24/2, press night 26/2, runs to 31/3/18

How have we never managed to see the 1971 film of this life-affirming Colin Higgins play about a death-obsessed teenager and his chance meeting with a bohemian woman approaching her 80th birthday?

  • Read on for reasons including how engaging Sheila Hancock is as Maude in this

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TV PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2018: Predictions for Andra Chansen

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: 7pm Saturday 3/3/18 on SVT (link to watch below)

WHERE?: Kristianstad

We’re very excited about the upcoming four duels that will see our eight-strong final become a dozen not least because some of our favourite songs compete again here.

  • Read on for our Andra Chansen predictions for Saturday and the best heat performances

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GIG REVIEW: Erasure at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: **

WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

WHEN: 23/2/18, tour runs to 26/8/18

SETLIST: Oh L’Amour; Ship Of Fools; Breathe; Mad As We Are; Just A Little Love; In My Arms; Chains Of Love; Sacred; Sweet Summer Loving; I Love Saturday; Victim Of Love; Phantom Bride; World Be Gone; Who Needs Love Like That; Take Me Out Of Myself; Blue Savannah; Atomic; Drama; Stop!; Love You To The Sky; Always; Here I Go Impossible Again; Sometimes; A Little Respect

We first saw Erasure at this very venue, then called the Hammersmith Odeon, more than 30 years ago.
  • Read on for reasons including why the Eventim Apollo atmosphere was so odd

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