LIVE REVIEW: Marina & The Diamonds

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE: Palladium

WHEN? 6/12, tour returns to London in February, ticket details below

SETLIST: Mowgli’s Road; I Am Not A Robot; Oh No; Obsessions; Hollywood; Bubblegum Bitch; Teen Idle; How To Be A Heartbreaker; Primadonna; Lies; Froot; Savages; Can’t Pin Me Down; Gold; Forget; I’m Immortal; Happy; Blue

The queue to enter this venue snakes across the road from the theatre to Oxford Circus Tube station as the doors open at 7pm.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Barbarians

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Young Vic

WHEN: 5/12 (matinee), runs to 19/12

‘If you treat people like animals, they’ll behave like them.’ It’s an observation by protagonist Paul (rising star Brian Vernel, menacing and brilliant here) referring to football clubs’ treatment of their fans as he waits ticketless outside the only game he’ll miss this season, the 1976 FA Cup final, but it references much else here. Read More

AWARDS SHORTLIST: Gig of the year

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2015? Over the next fortnight we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 11 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2015. Read on for the nominees for the monsta for gig of the year.

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LIVE REVIEW: Madonna

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: The O2

WHEN: 1/12, European tour including 4 more UK shows runs to 20/12

SETLIST: Iconic; Bitch I’m Madonna; Burning Up; Holy Water; Vogue; Devil Pray; Body Shop; True Blue; Deeper and Deeper; Heartbreak City; Love Don’t Live Here Anymore; Like A Virgin; Living For Love; La Isla Bonita; Dress You Up/Into The Groove/Lucky Star medley; Who’s That Girl?; Rebel Heart; Music; Candy Shop; Material Girl; La vie en rose; Like A Prayer; Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend; Unapologetic Bitch; Holiday.

‘Nobody f*cks with the Queen.’ It’s the Queen of Pop’s 1st show of a two-night residency at the venue which last saw her defeated by a tied-too-tight cape at The Brits earlier this year and she’s taking no prisoners.

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INVESTIGATION: Should you join your favourite theatre as a member?

Would becoming a member of your favourite theatre make it easier for you to get the most in-demand tickets? We became a member of six of our favourite London venues to see what the value for money is.

Read on to find out what membership of the Almeida, Barbican, British Film Institute, Menier Chocolate Factory, National Theatre and Old Vic gets you.

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PANTO REVIEW: Red Riding Hood

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Greenwich Theatre

WHEN: press night 27/11, runs to 10/1/16

‘Have you ever been taken up the Alps?’ Yes, it’s panto season, we love a good one and we’re kicking ourselves for not checking out the rumour earlier that the UK’s best was right under our very noses a mere sprint across Greenwich Park from home.

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