WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: London Palladium
WHEN: 10/12 (matinee), press night 13/12, runs to 14/1/18
‘I woke up this morning and there was eight inches outside my back door,’ reflects Julian Clary as Spirit Of The Bells in the Palladium’s annual pantomime extravaganza after an especially snowy morning.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
WHEN: 9/12, US tour February 2018
SETLIST: Nathan Jones; Robert de Niro’s Waiting; Rough Justice; Aie a Mwana; Cruel Summer; Trick Of The Night; Shy Boy/Boy Trouble; Really Saying Something; Cheers Then; Stay; Preacher Man; I Heard A Rumour; More Than Physical; I Can’t Help It; I Want You Back; Venus; Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye; ‘T’aint What You Do; Love In The First Degree
We’re compiling our end-of-year best-of shortlists in various categories at the moment and this gig will be tough to beat in 2017.
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.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHERE: SWX, Bristol
WHEN: 8/12, tour runs to 10/12
SETLIST: Kiss And Make Up; Lose That Girl; Out Of My Mind; I’ve Got Your Music; Who Do You Think You Are; Hug My Soul; Magpie Eyes; Don’t Intend To Spend Christmas Alone; Like A Motorway; Dive; Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Tonight; Nothing Can Stop Us Now; Sylvie; He’s On the Phone; Driving Home For Christmas; Train Drivers In Eyeliner; I Was Born On Christmas Day
We’ve shortlisted new Saint Etienne album Home Counties for a monsta for album of the year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
