By Carron Stacey
WHERE?: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith
WHEN?: 30/6/19
It’s been a week since we saw them and my opinion is still the same – one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. Here’s why.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including 20-minute interval) (press ticket)
WHEN? 4/7 (matinee) runs to 3/8/19
Sirtis is best known for appearing as Counselor Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation until 2002 and so her starring role here, as a former sci-fi actress tracked down by a fan, is a casting triumph as well as being a brave role for her to play.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? National Theatre RUNTIME: 215 minutes (including 2 intervals)
WHEN? 3/7, opens 9/7 and runs to 8/10/19
Peter Gynt is David Hare’s Scottish update of Henrik Ibsen’s 1867 play Peer Gynt which draws on a Norwegian fairy tale to examine the value of his hero’s life as we join him on his journey through it.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE? SSE Wembley Arena
WHEN? 2/7/19
SETLIST: Dirty Computer; Crazy, Classic Life; Take A Byte; Screwed; Django Jane; QUEEN; Electric Lady; Prime Time; Pynk; Yoga; I Like That; Don’t Judge Me; Make Me Feel; I Got The Juice; Cold War; Tightrope; Come Alive
We are standing towards the back of this 12,500-capacity venue by the mixing desk when we see Lupita Nyong’o wearing sunglasses flanked by security guards rush by.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? London Coliseum RUNTIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes (with 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 27/6/19 (matinee), opened 27/6, booking to 31/8/2019
Summer is most definitely with us and this musical of the lives of Gloria and Emilio Estefan featuring their Miami Sound Machine hits might struggle in any other climate.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Wembley Stadium
WHEN? 30/6, tour runs to 2/11/19
SETLIST: Get The Party Started; Beautiful Trauma; Just Like A Pill; Who Knew; Funhouse; Hustle; Secrets; Forest; Try; Just Give Me A Reason; River; Just Like A Fire; What About Us; For Now; 90 Days; Time After Time; Walk Me Home: I Am Here; F**kin’ Perfect; Raise Your Glass; Blow Me (One Last Kiss); Can We Pretend; So What; Glitter In The Air
We marvelled at the acrobatics of the cast in the Bridge Theatre’s production of `A Midsummer Night’s Dream recently but US pop star P!nk takes those skills to the next level here (see picture above).
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? London Palladium RUNTIME: 120 minutes (including 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 29/6, opens 11/7, booking to 8/9/19
We know we’re in safe hands when the always reliable Sheridan Smith channels Eric Morecambe from behind a fake moustache, confiding to the audience: ‘It’s still me.’
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Oslo, Hackney
WHEN? 28/6/19
SETLIST: 10,000 Nights; Fantastic Six; Vacation; Love Sea; Always Up; Boyfriend; What’s Happening; Goldmine; Shadows; Go Go; The Spell; DJ; TMTU; Sing A Song; Heat Wave; Fascination
The afternoon on the day before this gig we discover that its venue has changed from the Borderline in Soho to this upstairs venue at a Scandinavian-named site miles across town in east London.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE? RUNTIME: 110 minutes (no interval)
WHEN? 27/6, opens 3/7 runs to 10/8/19
Playwright Jack Thorne won an Olivier for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child but is probably better known for his BAFTA-winning Channel 4 dramas including This Is England and National Treasure.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Adelphi Theatre RUNTIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes (including 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 26/6/19 (matinee), booking until 7/12/19
This Tony-nominated musical opened in the West End in February, recently refreshed 2 of its 3 leads and so we decided to check whether it was to our taste.
