Author: mrmonstagigz

GIG REVIEW: Hurts at O2 Brixton Academy: 7 December 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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

WHERE: O2 Brixton Academy

WHEN: 7/12, tour runs to 10/2/2018

SETLIST: Desire; Ready To Go; Some Kind Of Heaven; Sunday; People Like Us; Hold On To Me; Miracle; Rolling Stone; Better Than Love; Sandman; Lights; Walk Away; Something I Need To Know; Wonderful Life; Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us; Wings; Beautiful Ones; All I Want For Christmas Is New Year’s Day; Stay

Current critical opinion would have it that Hurts are somehow trying too hard.

  • Read on for reasons including which old song they played for the first time tonight

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: TV of the year: 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 13 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2017.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for TV of the year. 2016 winner: Stranger Things

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: Album of the year: 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 13 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2017.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for album of the year. 2016 winner: Joanne by Lady Gaga

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: New play of the year: 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 13 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2017.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for new play of the year. 2016 winner: Oddshaped Balls

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THEATRE REVIEW: A Christmas Carol starring Rhys Ifans, John Dagleish and Golda Rosheuvel

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Old Vic

WHEN: 28/11, press night 29/11, runs to 20/1/18

Providing family entertainment with a message has been the aim of Old Vic artistic director Matthew Warchus since succeeding Kevin Spacey in 2015.

  • Read on for reasons including how 54,000 free mince pies feature in this production

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THEATRE REVIEW: Barnum starring Marcus Brigstocke

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Menier Chocolate Factory

WHEN: 25/11, press night 5/12, runs to 3/3/18

We’re leafing through the programme, the morning after the first preview of this revival, and brightly-coloured ticker tape thrown by the cast keeps falling out.

  • Read on for reasons including how Marcus Brigstocke performs as the leading man

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THEATRE REVIEW: Cinderella

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Greenwich Theatre

WHEN: 18/11, press night 24/11, runs to 7/1/18

Our heart sank when we discovered that Andrew Pollard (writer of this, his 12th pantomime at this venue) wasn’t going to be its dame as usual.

  • Read on for reasons including how new dame Anthony Spargo (pictured) shapes up

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GIG REVIEW: Alison Moyet

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Palladium

WHEN: 15/11, tour runs to 20/12

SETLIST: April 10th; I Germinate; When I Was Your Girl; Wishing You Were Here; Nobody’s Diary; Ski; Beautiful Gun; Only You; The English U; Changeling; All Cried Out; The Man In The Wings; Other; The Rarest Birds; Alive; Situation; Love Resurrection; Whispering Your Name; Don’t Go

‘Here’s a song I wrote 40 years ago – when I was 16,’ Moyet is introducing Yazoo classic Nobody’s Diary during the most hits set we’ve ever seen her perform – and we’ve seen a few.

  • Read on for reasons including which TV star was in the front row of the Royal Circle in front of us

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GIG REVIEW: Martine McCutcheon

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Islington Assembly Hall

WHEN: 14/11, tour runs to 3/12

SETLIST: Rebellion; Say I’m Not Alone; Maybe I Should Run; Love Me; I’m Over You/If I Had You/Talking In My Sleep (medley); Archive; Stay With Me; Cry A Little; Paradise; On the Radio; Any Sign Of Life; Perfect Moment; Rosanna

Martine McCutcheon dissolves into tears as her biggest hit is received rapturously by her most ardent fans at the close of this come back show’s encore.

  • Read on for reasons including why this was the pivotal moment in McCutcheon’s music career

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Toxic Avenger

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Arts Theatre

WHEN: 12/11 (matinee), runs to 3/12

The first thing that strikes us about this rock musical is how lavish its set appears: the band are situated on a walkway, level with the tops of gigantic vats of industrial waste and there’s even a sci-fi set of double doors which could be straight out of Flash Gordon.

  • Read on for reasons including why The Toxic Avenger is the new Rocky Horror Show

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