PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen 2018 starring Kikki Danielsson, Jessica Andersson & Mariette

Just eight of the 28 acts who take part in 2018’s Eurovision Song Contest selection show for Sweden – Melodifestivalen – have competed before, many less than in previous years.

  • Read on for reasons including details of this year’s returners and their past glories

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PREVIEW: 6 Broadway shows we would like to see in 2018

  1. Hello Dolly! at the Shubert Theatre

Star Bette Midler bids farewell to the Tony Award-winning revival on 14/1/18 leaving it in the capable hands of Bernadette Peters. Charlie Stemp (Half A Sixpence and Dick Whittington) joins the cast on 20/1/18. Does his arrival signal an imminent West End transfer? Booking through July. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Hangmen and Angels In America

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for January

  1. Lady Windermere’s Fan opens starring Jennifer Saunders

Kathy Burke (whose The Retreat at the Park Theatre earlier this year was lots of fun) directs Jennifer Saunders in this Oscar Wilde play for Dominic Dromgoole’s Classic Spring theatre company as a follow-up to his delightful A Woman Of No Importance. Runs 12/1 to 7/4 at the Vaudeville Theatre. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Ben Whishaw in Julius Caesar and both Julie Walters and Zawe Ashton at the Old Vic

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Q&A: The League Of Gentlemen featuring Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith and Jeremy Dyson

WHERE: BFI

WHEN: 12/12, show airs 18, 19 and 20/12

We’re sat behind Jack Whitehall for this chance to see two of three new League Of Gentlemen episodes and an opportunity to ask questions of the cast.

  • Read on for reasons including details of a new League Of Gentlemen tour

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for December

  1. Hamilton launches

The delays refurbishing the Victoria Palace Theatre have rather taken some of the shine off the opening of this Tony Award-winning musical which is now in previews from 6/12 with a 21/12 press night. We’ll be reviewing the Boxing Day show (if it’s opened by then). Still the hottest tickets in town

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November

  1. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in London (not Sheffield) this time

Dan Gillespie Sells is frontman of The Feeling and we gave his debut musical the full 5* when we saw it in Sheffield in February. It’s a real celebration of mothers and sons and transfers to the West End 6/11 booking to 21/4/18. Tickets. The soundtrack is an absolute treat but our favourite is cross-dressing musical-within-a-song The Legend Of Loco Chanel. Don’t. Miss.

  • Read on for reasons including Bananarama reunited, Cinderella in Greenwich and Steps on tour

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for October

  1. Christian Slater in Glengarry Glen Ross

Lady Gaga would’ve been our number one but her Joanne world tour now arrives – fingers crossed – at The 02 for two dates early in 2018, rescheduled from this month. No matter. Heathers star Slater appears in this David Mamet play about cutthroat Chicago salesmen at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End from 26/10 through 3/2/18. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Stranger Things, Dua Lipa and the Bridge Theatre opens

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PREVIEW: 5 reasons why we can’t wait for new Hurts album Desire

  1. They’re ever more LGBTQ friendly

Happiness. Exile. Surrender … and now Desire – all four of Hurts’ album titles have spoken to what it is to be an outsider. As their lyrics and music do. Their LGBTQ audience has never been more embraced than for the video for the first single of this campaign (still above, clip below) Beautiful OnesFans of recent BBC1 drama Rellik will be familiar with the story line playing out in reverse.

  • Read on for reasons including the video for their best new single for years

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for September

  1. Young Frankenstein re-animates the Garrick

The Garrick Theatre had some success earlier this year with Griff Rhys Jones/Lee Mack comedy The Miser and this musical re-working of the Mel Brooks classic looks like it will be puttin’ on the Ritz with a cast including Ross Noble (see above) and Lesley Joseph. Runs 28/9 to February 2018. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sir Ian McKellen, new Hurts and Strictly Comes Dancing does Annie

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best TV and film of 2017 so far

We awarded 12 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2016 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2017 so far and what’s to come. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonas Nay, Stranger Things and The Bridge are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for reasons including our favourite TV and film of 2017 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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