We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Sheridan Smith, Jade Anouka and Imelda Staunton are previous winners in this category.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: 6/7/18
TRACKLIST: Sanctify; Hallelujah: All For You; Karma; Hypnotised; Rendezvous; If You’re Over Me; Preacher; Lucky Escape; Palo Santo; Here; Howl; Don’t Panic; Up In Flames
It’s been no secret that Years & Years have been struggling to follow up their 2015 chart-topping album Communion and now it’s here Palo Santo sounds more like frontman Olly Alexander’s debut solo album.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Greenwich Music Time
WHEN: 5/7, touring to 20/7/18
SETLIST: Summer Of Love; Better The Devil You Know; 5,6,7,8; Say You’ll Be Mine; It’s The Way That You Make Me Feel; Chain Reaction; Heartbeat; Stomp; Glitter and Gold; No More Tears On The Dancefloor; Better Best Forgotten/Last Thing On My Mind; Neon Blue; Love U More / You”ll Be Sorry / After The Love Has Gone / Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart; Deeper Shade Of Blue; Scared Of The Dark; One For Sorrow; Tragedy
Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College sitting imperiously on the south bank of the Thames is a stunning outdoor venue and Steps are a fitting headline act for day 3 of the week-long Greenwich Music Time festival.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: 29/6/18
TRACKLIST: June; Hunger; South London Forever: Big God; Sky Full Of Song; Grace: Patricia; 100 Years; The End Of Love: No Choir
Third album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful was our favourite of 2015 and Florence And The Machine’s Glastonbury Festival set was our highlight of that year for us, so High As Hope has a lot to live up to.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Noel Coward Theatre
WHEN: 29/6, press night 4/7, runs to 8/9/18
RUN TIME: 110 minutes (including interval)
It’s already been quite the year for playwright Martin McDonagh who should’ve won bigger at the Oscars for Three Billboards and now sees Poldark heartthrob Aidan Turner reviving one of his best-known plays.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Young Vic
WHEN: 23/6, press night 27/6, runs to 1/9/18
RUN TIME: 100 minutes (no interval)
This first mainstream musical about a young lesbian won 5 Tonys and brings the curtain down on David Lan’s 18-year tenure as Artistic Director at this venue.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Soho Theatre
WHEN: 22/6, runs to 30/6/18
SETLIST: Phantom Of The Opera; Suddenly Seymour; Life Is A Cabaret; At The End Of The Day; I Dreamed A Dream; I Know Him So Well; Mein Herr; Let It Go; Beauty And The Beast; medleys of songs from Gypsy, Follies, Rent, The Lion King and Grease
RUN TIME: 75 minutes
Today is Le Gateau Chocolat’s birthday which is fitting perhaps because his drag queen show with Jonny Woo is the most fun celebration of musicals running in London at the moment.
We’ve lived in Blackheath for 18 years and this festival has a fun, family atmosphere and this year takes place on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September. We 1st saw Paloma Faith outdoors at Lovebox in east London in 2010. She’s always had a way with a crowd, particularly in her home city, and her back catalogue’s stronger than ever.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 21/6, runs to 30/6/18
RUN TIME: 30 minutes
Andrew Scott won our 2017 Best Theatre Actor monsta for his lead role in Hamlet (Almedia and Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End) and follows it up with a revival of this Simon Stephens monologue at the Old Vic.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: BFI
WHEN: 19/6, UK air date 25/6
We’ve just seen the world premiere of the final episode in season 2 of award-winning HBO series Westworld and are joined by its creators, husband and wife Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.
