WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: Bridge Theatre
WHEN?: 14/11, press night 18/7, runs to 29/11/18
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: Camden Roundhouse
WHEN?: 10/7/18 and touring to 7/2/19
SETLIST: Sanctify; Take Shelter; Shine; Eyes Shut; If You’re Over Me; Karma; Desire; Palo Santo; Rendezvous; Worship; Hallelujah; Real; All For You; Valentino (with MNEK); King
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: Regents Park Open Air Theatre
WHEN: 9/7/18, press night 11/7, runs to 28/7/18
We’re joined in the audience at this preview by director Max Webster and composer Charlie Fink, formerly frontman of band Noah And The Whale, who have collaborated on work we’ve loved recently including Cover My Tracks and The Lorax (both Old Vic).
OUT: now
TOURING: from now until 25/11/18
We were there for 2 gigs in summer 2014 when Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey returned to the live arena to play the songs that had made his band’s name in the 80s.
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. Sheridan Smith, Jade Anouka and Imelda Staunton are previous winners in this category.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: 6/7/18
TRACKLIST: Sanctify; Hallelujah: All For You; Karma; Hypnotised; Rendezvous; If You’re Over Me; Preacher; Lucky Escape; Palo Santo; Here; Howl; Don’t Panic; Up In Flames
It’s been no secret that Years & Years have been struggling to follow up their 2015 chart-topping album Communion and now it’s here Palo Santo sounds more like frontman Olly Alexander’s debut solo album.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Greenwich Music Time
WHEN: 5/7, touring to 20/7/18
SETLIST: Summer Of Love; Better The Devil You Know; 5,6,7,8; Say You’ll Be Mine; It’s The Way That You Make Me Feel; Chain Reaction; Heartbeat; Stomp; Glitter and Gold; No More Tears On The Dancefloor; Better Best Forgotten/Last Thing On My Mind; Neon Blue; Love U More / You”ll Be Sorry / After The Love Has Gone / Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart; Deeper Shade Of Blue; Scared Of The Dark; One For Sorrow; Tragedy
Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College sitting imperiously on the south bank of the Thames is a stunning outdoor venue and Steps are a fitting headline act for day 3 of the week-long Greenwich Music Time festival.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: 29/6/18
TRACKLIST: June; Hunger; South London Forever: Big God; Sky Full Of Song; Grace: Patricia; 100 Years; The End Of Love: No Choir
Third album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful was our favourite of 2015 and Florence And The Machine’s Glastonbury Festival set was our highlight of that year for us, so High As Hope has a lot to live up to.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Noel Coward Theatre
WHEN: 29/6, press night 4/7, runs to 8/9/18
RUN TIME: 110 minutes (including interval)
It’s already been quite the year for playwright Martin McDonagh who should’ve won bigger at the Oscars for Three Billboards and now sees Poldark heartthrob Aidan Turner reviving one of his best-known plays.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Young Vic
WHEN: 23/6, press night 27/6, runs to 1/9/18
RUN TIME: 100 minutes (no interval)
This first mainstream musical about a young lesbian won 5 Tonys and brings the curtain down on David Lan’s 18-year tenure as Artistic Director at this venue.
