THEATRE REVIEW

THEATRE REVIEW: Spring Awakening starring Laurie Kynaston and Amara Okereke at the Almeida Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Tuesday 7 December, opens 17 December, booking until 22 January 2022 UPDATE: now extended to 29 January 2022

This production is so powerful that at 1 point a woman in the audience bursts into tears and has to leave while at another a young man is audibly sobbing behind our front row seat.

  • Read on for reasons including how we forecast both West End and Broadway transfers for this angry production
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THEATRE REVIEW: Dick Whittington starring Cheryl Hole, Kitty Scott-Claus, Choriza May and Elektra Fence at the Phoenix Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Sunday 5 December 2021, booking until 9 January 2022

RUNTIME: 125 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

‘I think you know the story of Dick Whittington better than we do,’ says RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 1 star Cheryl Hole, lead in this adult pantomime, to the audience at its finale and it would be difficult to disagree.

  • Read on for reasons including how Drag Race UK‘s Elektra Fence was the unexpected surprise of the night
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THEATRE REVIEW: Philip Pullman’s The Book Of Dust – La Belle Sauvage at Bridge Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Thursday 2 December 2021, opens 7 December booking until 26 February 2022

RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

The best thing about this prequel to His Dark Materials based on the 2017 book is the theatre debut of Samuel Creasey (pictured above right) who reminds of a young James Corden in the leading role as 12-year-old Malcolm Polstead.

  • Read on for reasons including how climate change fears and Storm Arwen make the setting very now
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THEATRE REVIEW: Cabaret starring Eddie Redmayne, Jessie Buckley & Omari Douglas

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK? *****

WHEN?: Monday 15 November, opens 10 December 2021 booking to 14 May 2022 RUNTIME: 155 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

We’ve followed Buckley’s career from BBC1 casting show I’d Do Anything, through West End and films including Romeo and Juliet and predict this will be the role that will catapault her to superstardom.

  • Read on for reasons including how good Redmayne and Douglas are and how we’ve never heard an audience reaction like it
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Bolds by Julian Clary at Unicorn Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK? ****1/2

WHEN?: Sunday 14 November 2021 (matinee), opens 25 November runs to 31 December 2021 RUNTIME: 120 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

2 of the older male characters are duetting at the tail end of this show: ‘Perhaps we could be friends,’ sings 1, as they alternate the next 3 lines. ‘That suits me very well.’ ‘I love your furry snout.’ ‘I love your musky smell.’

  • Read on for reasons including how you hear Clary’s voice in this production without ever seeing him
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THEATRE REVIEW: Boy Out The City by and starring Declan Bennett at Turbine Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 13 November 2021 (matinee), runs to 13 November RUNTIME: 60 minutes (no interval)

Time spent alone in the country writing during lockdown has been well spent by West End musical theatre and TV star Bennett who has written this 60-minute monologue.

  • Read on for reasons including how we spotted actors Fra Fee and Simon Callow
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Drifters Girl starring Beverley Knight, Adam J Bernard & Matt Henry at the Garrick Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHEN?: Saturday 6 November 2021 (matinee), opening 25 November and booking to 26 March 2022

RUNTIME: 135 minutes (includes a 20-minute interval)

There are 2 Beverley Knight solos just before the interval of this jukebox musical when she sings I Don’t Want To Go On Without You into Stand By Me at a particularly emotional moment when you remember that she may just be theatre’s greatest current vocalist.

  • Read on for reasons including how Knight is surrounded by 4 top-notch male performers who make this show come alive
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Dresser starring Matthew Kelly & Julian Clary at Richmond Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 30 October (matinee), back on tour from 18 January 2022 until 12 February 2022

The couple behind us are singing ‘Hitler, has only got 1 ball’ to the music evoking World War Two setting the scene for this 1942-set piece about the relationship of a lead Shakespearean actor and his camp dresser.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Clary and a production of his children’s book series The Bolds before the end of the year
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THEATRE REVIEW: 2:22 A Ghost Story starring Lily Allen & Hadley Fraser at the Noel Coward Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Wednesday 6 October (matinee), production opens with new cast 4 December running to 12 February 2022 RUNTIME: 125 minutes with a 20-minute interval

This is a review we never expected to write but this production of an outstanding and truly spine-tingling new play is re-opening in London’s West End this winter.

  • Read on for reasons including how good pop star Lily Allen was in her debut West End role
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THEATRE REVIEW: What If If Only starring John Heffernan & Linda Bassett at the Royal Court

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Wednesday 6 October (matinee), runs to 23 October 2021 RUNTIME: 20 minutes

Bassett is 1 of our favourite actresses and we last saw her onstage in author Caryl Churchill’s considerably longer Escaped Alone at this very venue 5 years ago.

  • Read on for reasons including how we combined this play with another new piece of supernatural writing to make more of a day of our theatre experience
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