ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Tension by Kylie (September 2023)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

TRACKLIST: Padam Padam; Hold On To Now; Things We Do For Love; Tension; One More Time; You Still Get Me High; Hands; Green Light; Vegas High; 10 Out Of 10; Story

There were 18 months between the 1st time we saw Kylie live on the Enjoy Yourself tour at the now-no-more London Arena in Docklands in 1990 and the 2nd on the Let’s Get To It tour at the old Wembley Arena.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is 1 of the most thrilling points of Kylie’s musical career
Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends starring Bernadette Peters & Lea Salonga at the Gielgud Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 23 September (matinee), opens 3 October runs through 6 January 2024 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval) UPDATE: Transfers to the Samuel J Friedman Theatre on Broadway from 25 March 2025

We’re sitting on the end of the 3rd row for the 3rd preview at this sold out 986-capacity venue and watch a single tear slide down the cheek of Bernadette Peters during a very moving Send In The Clowns.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is more fun than the BBC spectacular on which it is based
Read More

SONG OF THE WEEK: The Hype by Sigrid (week beginning 22 September 2023)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

There’s something extraordinarily self aware about the winner of the BBC Music’s Sound of 2018 title penning a tune asking: ‘Honestly, did I live up to the hype?’

  • Read on for reasons including why it’s live where Sigrid outshines any hype
Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Gals Aloud at the Lyric Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Saturday 16 September 2023

It’s almost 4 years to the day since we first saw drag Girls Aloud tribute act, named Gals Aloud, at the Underbelly Festival shortly before the Gals leader Cheryl Hole was due to appear on the 1st season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

  • Read on for reasons including why the Gals deserve a longer West End run or regional tour
Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Pygmalion starring Patsy Ferran & Bertie Carvel at the Old Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 16 September (matinee), opens 19 September runs through 28 October 2023 RUNTIME: 135 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Ferran and Carvel are 2 of this country’s finest actors and here they combine in a very familiar, London-set production of this classic without songs to produce something quite unexpected.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is the funniest and sharpest Pygmalion we’ve ever seen
Read More

9 reasons why we can’t wait for October 2023 starring Kenneth Branagh as King Lear

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Kenneth Branagh’s King Lear reigns in the West End

We haven’t seen Branagh in the West End since The Kenneth Branagh Company’s year-long run of six plays at the Garrick Theatre closed in 2016 on its highest high with its star taking the lead in The Entertainer. Branagh also directs at the Wyndham’s Theatre 21 October through 9 December. Tickets Our recent Lears have included Sir Ian McKellen and the late Glenda Jackson. 1st preview review

  • Read on for reasons including Madonna, S Club reunion, Dear England‘s West End transfer and new Agnetha ABBA
Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Tootsie starring Nicolás Vázquez at Teatro Lola Membrives, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Sunday 10 September (150 minutes no interval), booking through 8 October 2023

The theatrical version of beloved 1982 film Tootsie won Tonys for Best Book and Best Leading Actor In A Musical in 2019 and has long been rumoured for a West End transfer but would it be vamos Tootsie vamos?

  • Read on for reasons including how Tootsie would need work if it is to transfer to London
Read More

AWARDS LONGLIST: MONSTAS Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film & Podcasts of 2023 so far (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

You, dear reader, are given the chance to vote in 16 categories from late November this year to tell us your favourite theatre, music, TV, film and podcast of 2023.

  • Read on for reasons including 8 of 16 categories of our Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film and Podcasts of 2023 so far
Read More

Fatboy Slim greet’n’meet – Lookup Portsmouth 9-10 September 2023

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

Monstagigz’s Ms Humdrum was selected as a local artist to produce a street art piece as part of this year’s Look Up Portsmouth, a city-wide celebration of worldwide street artists, including our very own My Dog Sighs, The London Police and many more.

  • Read on for reasons including more about Be Your Own Bee meets Fatboy Slim
Read More

SONG OF THE WEEK: Intacto by Agoney (week beginning 8 September 2023)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

We’re in South America as we write and there’s 1 Spanish-speaking song we hear everywhere and it’s this 1 with its reflection on a difficult relationship and determination to put an end to it to a moody, dancefloor-friendly bop.

  • Read on for reasons including why we need Agoney to win Benidorm Festival in 2024
Read More