WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Park Theatre RUNTIME: 140 minutes (with a 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 2/11, press night 5/11, runs to 30/11/19
Star Miriam Margolyes may be playing a woman who is housebound and sits predominantly in a wheelchair here but she has a hugely expressive face which leaves us in no doubt about what she is thinking.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? The O2
WHEN? 1/11, tour runs to 22/11/19
SETLIST: Salute; Power; Woman Like Me; Wasabi; Bounce Back; Only You; Black Magic; Strip; Told You So; Secret Love Song Pt II; The Cure; Joan Of Arc; Wings; Shout Out To My Ex; Woman’s World; Reggaeton; No More Sad Songs; Think About Us; Heartbeat; More Than Words; Touch
There’s a beautiful moment during this arena gig with an audience heavy on parents and young children where Little Mix celebrate their LGBT fans and have some words of hope and encouragement for those with mental health worries.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? O2 Brixton Academy
WHEN? 31/10, tour runs to 28/11/19
SETLIST: Next Level Charli; Click; I Don’t Wanna Know; Vroom Vroom; Gone; Cross You Out; Warm; February 2017; Thoughts; White Mercedes; Official; Shake It; I Got It; Blame It On Your Love; Silver Cross; 2099; Unlock It; I Love It; Boys; 1999
It’s the encore of this sell-out show and its star (pictured above) is in tears reflecting on the success of her biggest London gig to date and making the transition from writing radio hits to songs she fronts that better represent her.
McAvoy won our inaugural Best Theatre Actor monsta in 2015 for The Ruling Class and reunites with director Jamie Lloyd for this take on Cyrano de Bergerac running at the Playhouse 27/11 through 29/2/20. Tickets McAvoy also stars in BBC1’s His Dark Materials from 3/11/19 and you can read our Q&A with cast and author.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: now
It would be fair to say we were surprised that sophomore Years & Years album Palo Santo was released last year without this track.
WORTH A LOOK?: **1/2
WHERE? Dorfman Theatre, National RUNTIME: 110 minutes without interval
WHEN? 26/10 (matinee), press night 30/10, runs to 23/11/19
We’re at this preview of Annie Baker’s new play set in what appears to be a present-day US writers’ room because it has a mouthwatering ensemble cast.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Royal Court Theatre RUNTIME: 85 minutes (no interval)
WHEN? 26/10, press night 28/10, runs to 23/11/19
Owners John Daniel and Noni are not leaving their isolated shop on Bear Ridge despite the lack of custom and instead are reminiscing about the times when people were not divided and used the old language.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHERE? Prince Edward Theatre RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 23/10, press night 13/11, runs to 29/3/20
This production is a revival of the show which ran at this very venue for more than three years and closed in January 2008 after winning a Tony and two Oliviers including Best Actress for then-titular star Laura Michelle Kelly.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? The 02
WHEN? 20/10, tour runs to 19/12/19
SETLIST: Woman’s World; Strong Enough; Gayatri Mantra; All Or Nothing; All I Ever Need Is You; The Beat Goes On; I Got You Babe; You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me; Welcome To Burlesque; Lie To Me; Waterloo; SOS; Fernando; After All; Heartbreak Hotel; Walking In Memphis; The Shoop Shoop Song; Bang Bang; I Found Someone; If I Could Turn Back Time; Believe
‘What’s your grandmother doing tonight?’ asks the 73-year-old superstar who appears much younger than her years during this high-energy extravaganza.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Eventim Apollo
WHEN? 17/10, tour runs to 9/11/19
SETLIST: Europop; Queuejumper; Generation Sex; Commuter Love; Office Politics; Norman and Norma; Come Home Billy Bird; The Synthesizer Service Centre Super Summer Sale; Infernal Machines; You’ll Never Work In This Town Again; I’m A Stranger Here; At The Indie Disco; I Like; National Express; The Life And Soul Of The Party; A Feather In Your Cap; A Lady Of A Certain Age; Absent Friends; When The Working Day Is Done; Something For The Weekend; Philip And Steve’s Furniture Removal Company; Your Daddy’s Car; Songs Of Love; Tonight We Fly
‘Sometimes I get a little nervous about London. I make myself less nervous by basically assuming that you’re … Nottingham,’ says Divine Comedy frontman Neil Hannon endearingly to audience cheers. ‘Excellent playing along.’
