Author: mrmonstagigz

THEATRE REVIEW: To Kill A Mockingbird starring Rafe Spall & Pamela Nomvete at the Gielgud Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 12 March, opens 31 March, runs to 13 August 2022

RUNTIME: 180 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

‘We can’t go on like this,’ repeats Rafe Spall’s lawyer Atticus Finch during this hard-hitting rewriting of Harper Lee’s classic 1960 novel for the stage by Aaron (The West Wing) Sorkin.

  • Read on for reasons including how this 5th preview audience all rose to their feet at the show’s conclusion
Read More

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Everything I Didn’t Say by Ella Henderson (week beginning 11 March 2022)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

TRACKLIST: Emotions; What About Us; Ugly; Let’s Go Home Together; Brave; Out My Head; Thank You For The Hell; Sorry That I Miss You; Everything I Didn’t Say; Bad News; Cry On Me; Good Things Take Time; Northern Lights; Set In Stone; Body; Places

When we saw Henderson live in London in 2015 at the end of the tour promoting her Chapter One debut album boasting international hit Ghost we said that we expected her next album to be even more successful because she would have more life experience to draw on.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see Ella on tour in May, June and October
Read More

PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for April 2022 starring The 47th

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Mike Bartlett’s The 47th at the Old Vic starring Bertie Carvel

Dr Foster author Bartlett’s COCK was our pick of last month and in April he has 2 new plays opening (see also Scandaltown further down this list). The 47th stars Carvel (pictured, Ink, the Almeida, West End and Broadway) as Donald Trump, the 47th US President, and runs at the Old Vic 29 March through 28 May 2022. Tickets Review

  • Read on for reasons including Nicola Walker, Jodie Comer and an Oklahoma revival
Read More

SONG OF THE MONTH: Ciao Ciao by La Rappresantante di Lista (March 2022)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

We didn’t watch Italy’s San Remo Festival this year but were aware of the songs and gutted that our favourites could only manage 7th.

  • Read on for reasons including how Italy are shaping up to top Sweden as Eurovision’s most prolific country
Read More

(not a) THEATRE REVIEW: Cock starring Jonathan Bailey, Taron Egerton, Jade Anouka & Phil Daniels

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHERE?: Ambassadors Theatre, London

WHEN?: Saturday 5 March, booking to 4 June 2022 RUNTIME: Usually 105 minutes (no interval)

We’re at the 1st preview of this Mike Bartlett revival and 90 minutes in Egerton faints onstage, a doctor is called from the audience and the curtain goes down for 40 minutes.

  • Read on for reasons including how Egerton is due back onstage to perform this on Monday 7 March
Read More

GIG REVIEW: Melt Yourself Down at The Loft, Southampton

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

A last minute impulse buy and when the tickets arrived, we were numbers 30 and 31. Oh no, what if not many people turned up? No fear of that. Thanks in part to being heavily played on BBC 6Music of recent, it was packed. 

  • Read on for reasons including how singer Kushal Gaya spent time hugging everyone
Read More

PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen finalen 2022 starring Cornelia Jakobs, LIAMOO, Anders Bagge & Klara Hammarström 

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 12 March 2022 7pm UK/8pm CET Update: Covid means all shows will now be from Stockholm

WHERE DO I WATCH? SVT Play

This year’s Melodifestivalen is all set for an exciting conclusion because there is no clear winner and perhaps 4 strong songs – including 1 we think is a potential Eurovision winner – in contention.

  • Read on for reasons including where we think these 12 finalists would finish at the 2022 Eurovision
Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Wicked starring Lucie Jones at Apollo Victoria Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 19 February (matinee), booking to 27 November 2022

We’re here because Lucie Jones, 1 of the UK’s greatest musical theatre actresses and former Eurovision contestant, has been cast in a musical we haven’t seen since it opened in the West End way back when in 2006.

  • Read on for reasons including how grown-up, political and subversive Wicked is
Read More

PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen Semi Final starring Anna Bergendahl & Cazzi Opeia

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN/WHERE? Saturday 5 March 2022 7pm UK/8pm CET Update: Covid means all shows will now be from Stockholm

HOW DO I WATCH?  SVT Play

This year’s Andra Chansen becomes a semi final with 4 of the 8 competing entries qualifying for the finalen on 12 March.

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions how these songs would do at Eurovision 2022
Read More

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK starring Lawrence Chaney & Bimini Bon Boulash at the London Palladium

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Sunday 27 February, tour runs to 17 April 2022 RUNTIME: 135 minutes (including a 30-minute interval)

We weren’t entirely sure what to expect from this gig but we left wowed by season 2 runner-up Bimini Bon-Boulash (1st picture below).

  • Read on for reasons including how super group the Frock Destroyers including Baga Chipz made a surprise appearance
Read More