THEATRE REVIEW: Here And Now starring Rebecca Lock, Sharlene Hector & Blake Patrick Anderson at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 24 November (matinee) and runs through 30 November 2024 Tours UK and Ireland in 2025 and 2026 Tickets RUNTIME: 155 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

A Steps musical needs a vocalist with the power of the band’s Claire Richards and, luckily for Here And Now, it has 3.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is moving, a lot of fun and a knowing budget Mamma Mia
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GIG REVIEW: Shiiine On Weekender at Butlin’s Minehead Arena

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By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 15 to Monday 18 November 2024

It’s been a week since the festival so it’s around this time that we have fully recovered and start to lament “this time last week…” As I write, this time last week, I was Day Raving at Bentley Rhythm Ace.

  • Read on for reasons including Bentley Rhythm Ace, Kula Shaker and Lightning Seeds
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Importance Of Being Earnest starring Ncuti Gatwa at National Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Friday 22 November 2024, opens 28 November and runs through 25 January 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Oscar Wilde described this – his final and best loved play – as ‘exquisitely trivial’ and this production is exquisitely cast, perfectly judged and executed with both swagger and flamboyance.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is currently London’s funniest comedy
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2024 starring Sigourney Weaver

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  1. Sigourney Weaver’s West End debut in Jamie Lloyd’s The Tempest

Weaver who starred in the original Alien movies but not this year’s fine newcomer to the franchise Alien: Romulus makes her West End debut as Prospero in this Jamie Lloyd (Romeo and Juliet, Duke Of York’s Theatre) version of The Tempest which we’ve previously seen starring Simon Russell Beale at the Barbican in 2017. Will it be ‘such stuff as dreams are made?’ Runs at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 7 December through 1 February 2025. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including the Palladium pantomime, Welly’s biggest London show and Oliver!
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Big In The Suburbs by Welly (week beginning Saturday 16 November 2024)

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

‘Don’t spend a lifetime looking for heaven when you can find it on the A27.’ Five-piece band Welly should know because they’re from Southampton and Brighton which are linked by that major road.

  • Read on for reasons including where to see Welly on tour in 2024 and 2025
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Song of 2024

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It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or 10th annual monstas if you will, of 2024.

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GIG REVIEW: Bryan Adams at Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Tuesday 12 November 2024, tour travels to India, New Zealand, Australia, US, UK, Europe and runs through 5 July 2025

SETLIST: Kick Ass; Can’t Stop This Thing We Started; Somebody; 18 ’til I Die; Please Forgive Me; One Night Love Affair; Shine A Light; Take Me Back; Kids Wanna Rock; Heaven; Go Down Rockin’; It’s Only Love; You Belong To Me; Cloud Number 9; Rock’n’Roll Hell; The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You; Here I Am; I Will Always Return; When The Night Comes; When You’re Gone; Always Have (Always Will); Everything I Do (I Do It For You); Back To You; So Happy It Hurts; Run To You; Summer Of ’69; Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?; Cuts Like A Knife; Straight From the Heart; Hey Baby; All For Love;

You can tell Adams is a photographer because this is the most beautifully visualised arena show we think we’ve ever seen.

  • Read on for reasons including where else in the world you can catch this tour
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Tension II by Kylie Minogue (November 2024)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

TRACKLIST: Lights Camera Action; Taboo; Someone For Me; Good As Gone; Kiss Bang Bang; Diamonds; Hello; Dance To The Music; Should’ve Left Ya; Edge Of Saturday Night; My Oh My; Midnight Ride; Dance Alone

Minogue’s purple patch continues with this 17th album a mere 12 months after its predecessor perpetuating the Tension-era vibe of electronic dance music with a very commercial edge.

  • Read on for reasons including how and where to see Kylie on tour in 2025
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THEATRE REVIEW: Priscilla, Reina del Desierto at Teatro Tivoli, Barcelona starring Sharonne

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By Neil Durham

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

WHEN?: Sunday 10 November and runs through 4 January 2025 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (with 20-minute interval)

We last saw Jason Donovan (Joseph, Palladium) in 2009 in the West End production of this 1994 Oscar-winning musical and here Drag Race Espana winner Sharonne (Benidorm Fest 2023) takes the lead.

  • Read on for reasons including why we we join the standing ovation at this absolutely joyous show’s close
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Warning Signs by Loreen (November 2024)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

The artist known in full as Lorine Zeineb Nora Talhaoui is the only woman to have won Eurovision twice and here releases an uptempo 3rd follow up to 2023 winner Tattoo and we hope there’s an album coming soon.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Loreen on tour in 2025
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