ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Discovery (Live In Rio 1994) by Pet Shop Boys (May 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

RELEASED: Friday 30 April 2021

TRACKLIST: Tonight Is Forever; I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing; Always On My Mind; Domino Dancing; To Speak Is A Sin; One In A Million/Mr Vain; Paninaro; Rent; Suburbia; King’s Cross; So Hard; Left To My Own Devices/Rhythm Of The Night; Absolutely Fabulous; Liberation; West End Girls; Can You Forgive Her?; Girls And Boys; It’s A Sin/I Will Survive; Go West; Being Boring

This tour of Australia and South America was Pet Shop Boys’ 1st not to arrive in the UK which is a shame because despite being less of a spectacle than their previous 2 productions it’s far more fun.

  • Read on for reasons including what Pet Shop Boys are working on next
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Daniel by Will Young (week beginning 8 May 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RELEASED: 30 April 2021

The idea behind Young’s 8th album Crying On The Bathroom Floor out this August is that it will consist of covers of songs made famous by women.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see Young at venues across the UK in September
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Purge The Poison by MARINA (week beginning 4 May 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RELEASED: 12 April 2021

MARINA’s trademark operatic vocals are much in evidence here as she imagines what Mother Nature might make of Covid-19: ‘Virus come, fires burn until human beings learn from every disaster, you are not my master’.

  • Read on for reasons including everything we know about June album Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land
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THEATRE REVIEW: Eurobeat starring Tia Kofi, Joanne Clifton, Scott Paige & Harriet Thorpe

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WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE?: Stream Theatre

WHEN?: Runs 30 April to 10 May 2021 RUNTIME: 75 minutes

The best reason to stream this star-studded version of a hit West End musical from yesteryear is that it will get you in the mood for this month’s Eurovision Song Contest.

  • Read on for reasons including how Kofi, Clifton, Paige and Thorpe all feature here
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SONG OF THE WEEK: I’ll Stay by Blas Cantó (week beginning 1 May 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

RELEASED: 23 April 2021

As we write this, the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest final in which this song competes in its original Spanish language version will take place 3 weeks today.

  • Read on for reasons including a chance to hear the English language version of Spanish Eurovision entry Voy a quedarme (I will stay)
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May 2021 starring Eurovision

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Eurovision Song Contest returns

Covid-19 caused its cancellation for the 1st time in its 66-year history in 2020 and this year it comes live from the Ahoy in Rotterdam on Saturday 22 May 2021. We’ve previewed semi 1, semi 2 and the pre-qualified finalists. Our pick to win is Iceland’s Daði Freyr (pictured) with hits group Gagnamagnið and entry 10 Years, a song of the week for us in March.

  • Read on for reasons including the return of the West End featuring Drag Race UK stars, the Southwark Playhouse and Glastonbury
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Importance Of Being Earnest starring Gurjeet Singh, Mina Anwar & Divina de Campo

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

WHERE?: Online and available from 19 April to 4 May 2021

WHEN?: 24 April 2021

HOW?: Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield and Dukes Theatre, Lancaster production

RUNTIME: 73 minutes

Gurjeet Singh (pictured above) may be familiar from Channel 4’s school drama Ackley Bridge and here he plays struggling actor and vlogger Ernest/Jamil who is desperate to break into the world of acting success.

  • Read on for reasons including the connection between this and award-winning musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Starstruck by Years & Years (week beginning 24 April 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: 8 April 2021

Starstruck is the 1st single to be taken from the 3rd album by Years & Years and the first where the band is officially the solo project of Olly Alexander who starred with great effect in Channel 4’s drama It’s A Sin earlier this year.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see fellow It’s A Sin star Omari Douglas in the West End this summer
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THEATRE REVIEW: Cruise starring Jack Holden

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

HOW TO WATCH: Stream Theatre 15-25 April 2021

RUNTIME: 90 minutes

The dearth of British writing about gay London life in the 80s when HIV and AIDS were so predominant was corrected by Channel 4’s magnificent It’s A Sin and is again addressed here in this 90-minute monologue with original music and songs.

  • Read on for reasons including how and where to see this in the West End from May 2021
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FILM REVIEW: Steelers – the world’s first gay rugby club

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

RELEASED: Friday 16 April 2021

AVAILABLE: on Amazon Prime

RUNTIME: 80 minutes

There’s a universality about Australian journalist Eammon Ashton-Atkinson’s documentary film which he best expresses as being about finding happiness where you least expect it.

  • Read on for reasons including how sport can improve mental health and cross gender boundaries
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