LIVE REVIEW: Morrissey
By Andrew Mosley
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
Where: Hull Ice Arena
When: 18/9
The world won’t listen if it isn’t given the chance and Morrissey has issued his warning.
THEATRE REVIEW: Farinelli and the King
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Duke of York’s Theatre
WHEN: 19/9, press night 29/9 runs to 5 December
Transferring from the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Claire van Kampen’s study of Spanish king Philippe V asks whether music could heal his depression bordering on insanity.
PREVIEW: Downton Abbey and Q&A with Penelope Wilton and Laura Carmichael
WHERE: BFI
WHEN: 17/9
We are about to watch the opening episode in the 6th and final season of Downton Abbey when ITV director of television Peter Fincham leaps on stage unexpectedly to tell us this is the beginning rather than the end.
Q&A: John Waters on films including Pink Flamingoes, Hairspray and Cry Baby
WHERE: BFI
WHEN: 18/9
Writer/director John Waters is proud to be here while the BFI is staging a retrospective of all his films in September and October: ‘It’s like eavesdropping at my funeral.’
THEATRE REVIEW: Rocky Horror Show
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Playhouse Theatre
WHEN: 16/9, runs to 26/9 before nationwide tour
monstagigz hadn’t seen a theatre production of the Rocky Horror Show for about 20 years but decided to go to this one because author Richard O’Brien was appearing for the first time as The Narrator.
HOW TO SEE Song From Far Away for £10
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Young Vic
WHEN?: 16/9 runs to 19/9
The Young Vic prides itself on its flexibility and so seat configurations are rarely the same but the cheapest £10 seats for this production are in the gallery.
THEATRE REVIEW: Our Country’s Good with music by Cerys Matthews
WORTH A LOOK: ****1/2
WHERE: National Theatre
WHEN: 15/9 runs to 17/10
It was the involvement of former Catatonia frontwoman Cerys Matthews that encouraged monstagigz through the door for this and we were far from disappointed.
THEATRE REVIEW: The Commitments
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Palace Theatre
WHEN: 13/9, runs to 1/11, then tours nationwide
‘The Commitments are a good times band, perhaps even important, catch them before it’s too late’. Not the monstagigz review, we’d be even more enthusiastic than that, but one the band that shares its name with the musical receives during it.
ALBUM REVIEW: Paper Gods by Duran Duran
WORTH A LISTEN?: ****1/2
TRACKLIST: Paper Gods; Last Night In The City; You Kill Me With Silence; Pressure Off; Face For Today; Danceophobia; What Are The Chances?; Sunset Garage; Change The Skyline; Butterfly Girls; Only In Dreams; The Universe Alone.
OUT: 11/9
What happens to pop pin-ups 30 years after their heyday? The fate of the iconic Duran cover art in the video for best track What Are The Chances? (YouTube clip above) gives some clues about the ideas behind the album’s title track.
HOW TO SEE Nicole Kidman in Photograph 51 for £10
WHERE: Noel Coward Theatre
WHEN: 9/9, previews to 14/9, runs until 21/11
‘Over 20,000 tickets at £10’ reads the poster above. monstagigz couldn’t get a same-day matinee seat online and so, in keeping with the theme of Photograph 51, decided to conduct an experiment of our own. What would happen if we pitched up two hours and 20 minutes before the play began?
