FILM REVIEW: La La Land
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
Writer/director Damien Chazelle’s last film Whiplash, the story of a jazz drummer and his abusive instructor, won three Oscars.
- Read on for reasons including our pick of the songs in this musical
9 reasons why we can’t wait for February
- Charlotte Perrelli returns to Melodifestivalen
Europe’s premiere Eurovision selection show launches on 4/2 at 7pm English time with the return of 1999 winner Charlotte Perrelli, who also won Melodifestivalen in 2008, MF favourites Ace Wilder, Dinah Nah and Boris Rene. 2012 Eurovision winner Loreen also competes in heat 4 25/2. Prime-time Saturday nights in February sorted. Picture via YouTube from the Take Me To Your Heaven performance in 1999’s Eurovision.
- Read on for reasons including what Imelda Staunton did next, Sherlock goes Hamlet and the pick of the awards season
LIVE REVIEW: Sara Pascoe, Simon Amstell, Tim Key, Daniel Kitson & John Kearns
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 10/1
The Old Vic is not a venue renowned for its late-night stand-up comedy but on the evidence of this sold-out fundraiser perhaps it won’t be long before it is.
- Read on for reasons including who was the star of Stand up for Cystic Fibrosis
THEATRE REVIEW: Beautiful – The Carole King Musical
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Aldwych Theatre
WHEN: 7/1 (matinee), runs to 22/7
Carole King can lay claim to the title of the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century with more than 100 US hits to her name between 1955 and 1999.
- Read on for reasons including the London trailer of this jukebox musical
9 reasons why we can’t wait for January
- Magnus Carlsson plays the RVT
This solo star and former member of bands Alcazar and Barbados has tried, and failed, to represent Sweden eight times in the Eurovision Song Contest. The Eurofest club night at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern has boasted Melodifestivalen stars including Linda Bengtzing and Shirley Clamp. On 13/1 it throws open its doors to Carlsson. Tickets
- Picture via Live Forever video. Read on for reasons including Eurovision: Your Decision, Alison Steadman & The Glass Menagerie
Alison’s Party: Q&A: Alison Steadman: Alison Steadman’s Top 5 TV characters
WHERE: BFI
WHEN: 5/1
It’s 40 years since Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party pricked a nation’s consciousness through a cheesy-pineapple skewer, we’re here with the Oscar-nominated director and much of the cast to celebrate the TV career of its star, Alison Steadman.
- Read on for reasons including Alison Steadman’s top 5 of her TV characters and TV’s 1st lesbian kiss
THEATRE REVIEW: Saint Joan starring Gemma Arterton & Fisayo Akinade
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Donmar
WHEN: 31/12 (matinee), runs to 18/2/17
We almost saw lead Gemma Arterton in Nell Gwynn, her film 100 Streets was one of our favourites of 2016 and so we pulled out as many stops as possible to see her star in Josie Rourke’s Saint Joan at the Donmar.
- Read on for reasons including how our standing tickets were upgraded
TOP 5: Best read monstagigz content of 2016
- When Sir Ian McKellen shared our Q&A with him on his Facebook page
Sir Ian has long been one of our favourite actors and when he shared our BFI Shakespeare Q&A with him on his Facebook page in April our traffic went into meltdown. Pictorial evidence above.
- Read on for the preview when Kit Harington got naked and Sheridan Smith Twitter banter
AWARDS: Winners of the 2016 monstas are …
2016’s Best Musical
- Groundhog Day at the Old Vic. Broadway tickets. Picture above via Facebook courtesy Old Vic by Manuel Harlan
- Read on for the remaining 11 pop, theatre, TV and film winners
LIVE REVIEW: Go West and Nik Kershaw
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Indigo2
WHEN: 23/12
SETLIST: Everybody Wants To Rule The World; Wide Boy; Don Quixote; Wings; Call Me; Faithful; The One and Only; Crazy; Dancing Girls; When a Heart Beats; The Riddle; I Want to Hear It From You; Don’t Look Down; Black and Gold; Would I Lie To You?; Wouldn’t It Be Good; We Close Our Eyes; I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me; King of Wishful Thinking; Sex On Fire.
We email the Indigo2 in advance of this gig to find out when the support act’s on because we don’t want to miss them, whether they’re Go West or Nik Kershaw.
- Read on for reasons including why George Michael’s death means we should cherish our 80s icons
