GIG REVIEW: Sheridan Smith at the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Royal Albert Hall

WHEN: 24/4, tour runs to 29/4/18

SETLIST: Don’t Rain On My Parade; Crazy; I Smell A Rat; Addicted To Love; Dinner At Eight; Mad about The Boy; Superstar; City Of Stars; Hey Big Spender; Anyone Who Had A Heart; Take Another Piece of My Heart; Talking In Your Sleep; My Man; 9 to 5; This Is Me; And I Am Telling You; I Will Survive/Happy

Sheridan Smith takes a sip of what she assures us is water (not vodka), belches and observes: ‘I should have left that one back in Wolverhampton.’

  • Read on for reasons including why we think a second album’s on the cards

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THEATRE REVIEW: Finding My Voice starring Kathleen Turner at The Other Palace

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Other Palace

WHEN: 21/4 runs to 6/5/18

‘I was nude on Broadway at 48,’ remembers this screen legend during a two-hour-plus show of songs and stories which reveal what an interesting character Kathleen Turner is

  • Read on for reasons including why women’s health and meals on wheels is so important to Turner

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THEATRE REVIEW: An Ideal Husband starring Frances Barber, Freddie Fox & Edward Fox

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

WHERE: Vaudeville Theatre

WHEN: 20/4, press night 3/5, runs to 14/7/18

There are 3 compelling reasons to see this production: Frances Barber, Freddie Fox (pictured above) and Oscar Wilde.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is the best of Classic Spring’s Wilde season so far

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Q&A: The Bridge series 4 starring Sofia Helin and Thure Lindhardt

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHERE: BFI

WHEN: 17/4/18, final series begins on BBC2 in May

‘Every Saga ends’ reads the promo line for the 4th and final series of The Bridge which airs on BBC2 in May – but it might all have finished much earlier.

  • Read on for reasons including how Saga Norén was originally due to die in season 1

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TV PREVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest Final 2018 starring Saara Aalto

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN: 12/5/18

WHERE: Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal

The 63rd Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Portugal for the 1st time ever and we’re predicting the tightest voting for many years with at least half a dozen songs in contention.

  • Read on for our final predictions including the reveal of our 5 potential winners Read More

GIG REVIEW: John Barrowman with Seth Rudetsky as pianist and host

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE: Leicester Square Theatre

WHEN: 13/4, runs to 14/4/18

We’ve always been big fans of John Barrowman but why have we never heard of the wise-cracking pianist and interviewer Seth Rudetsky who brings out the very best of the Torchwood star here?

  • Read on for reasons including how Barrowman’s first audition was his big break 

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THEATRE REVIEW: Instructions For Correct Assembly starring Jane Horrocks, Mark Bonnar & Brian Vernel

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Royal Court Theatre

WHEN: 9/4, press night 13/4 runs to 19/5/18

Hari and Max are mourning the loss of their son but have found a novel coping mechanism, they are going to build a flat-pack replacement of him.

  • Read on for reasons including how illusions are used to great effect here

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TV PREVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest 2018 semi final 2 starring Jessica Mauboy

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: 10/5/18

WHERE?: Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal

Semi 1 is the appetiser for a much stronger semi 2 where we find the first three of four potential winners.

  • Who’s through and who’s on the 1st plane out of Lisbon? Read on for our semi 2 predictions

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THEATRE REVIEW: Bat Out Of Hell starring Andrew Polec

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Dominion Theatre

WHEN: 6/4, press night 19/4, runs to 28/7/18

We’d do anything for our love of musical theatre but, given we’re no great fans of Meatloaf, would we do that – and enjoy new Jim Steinman musical Bat Out Of Hell?

  • Read on for reasons including how bats fly over the audience in this new musical

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Sheila Atim headlines Old Vic 200th birthday

Our favourite venue marks its bicentenary with events around the 11/5/18 weekend including an open house, street party, variety night headlined by the Olivier Award-nominated Atim, who starred in Girl From The North Country here last year, and ball. We shortlisted Atim for our 2016 monsta for Best Theatre Actress for her star turn in the all-women Shakespeare Trilogy and she won our 2017 Best Performance Of A Song (see below). We’ve loved how Matthew Warchus has transformed the OV with an emphasis on gig theatre, family entertainment and work with messages. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Eurovision, Tears For Fears, Sir Ian McKellen  and Girls Aloud

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