WHERE: BFI
WHEN: 18/9
Writer/director John Waters is proud to be here while the BFI is staging a retrospective of all his films in September and October: ‘It’s like eavesdropping at my funeral.’
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Playhouse Theatre
WHEN: 16/9, runs to 26/9 before nationwide tour
monstagigz hadn’t seen a theatre production of the Rocky Horror Show for about 20 years but decided to go to this one because author Richard O’Brien was appearing for the first time as The Narrator.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Young Vic
WHEN?: 16/9 runs to 19/9
The Young Vic prides itself on its flexibility and so seat configurations are rarely the same but the cheapest £10 seats for this production are in the gallery.
WORTH A LOOK: ****1/2
WHERE: National Theatre
WHEN: 15/9 runs to 17/10
It was the involvement of former Catatonia frontwoman Cerys Matthews that encouraged monstagigz through the door for this and we were far from disappointed.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Palace Theatre
WHEN: 13/9, runs to 1/11, then tours nationwide
‘The Commitments are a good times band, perhaps even important, catch them before it’s too late’. Not the monstagigz review, we’d be even more enthusiastic than that, but one the band that shares its name with the musical receives during it.
WORTH A LISTEN?: ****1/2
TRACKLIST: Paper Gods; Last Night In The City; You Kill Me With Silence; Pressure Off; Face For Today; Danceophobia; What Are The Chances?; Sunset Garage; Change The Skyline; Butterfly Girls; Only In Dreams; The Universe Alone.
OUT: 11/9
What happens to pop pin-ups 30 years after their heyday? The fate of the iconic Duran cover art in the video for best track What Are The Chances? (YouTube clip above) gives some clues about the ideas behind the album’s title track.
WHERE: Noel Coward Theatre
WHEN: 9/9, previews to 14/9, runs until 21/11
‘Over 20,000 tickets at £10’ reads the poster above. monstagigz couldn’t get a same-day matinee seat online and so, in keeping with the theme of Photograph 51, decided to conduct an experiment of our own. What would happen if we pitched up two hours and 20 minutes before the play began?
7. My Insatiable One
We’re so excited about Suede’s 7th album, film and launch show plans that we’ve compiled our top 7 of their greatest pop moments. They’ve always been a band whose B sides and extra tracks are worth seeking out and, arguably, our favourite of them is My Insatiable One (YouTube clip above) which appeared on the 12″ of 1st single The Drowners with the almost as fantastic To The Birds.
Suede have released the 66-second trailer (above) for 7th studio album Night Thoughts as well as details of the two-night LP plus film launch at Camden Roundhouse.
5. X Factor debut
16 years old and singing a very personal song she wrote herself, the Lincolnshire chanteuse announced herself to the world in X Factor’s class of 2012. Missed would later appear on her 2014 chart-topping UK debut album. Even Cher tweeted her approval of Ella’s cover of her Believe in a later audition. That acoustic cover appears on the deluxe version of Chapter One.
