PREDICTIONS: Heat 4 Melodifestivalen 2022 starring Anna Bergendahl and Klara Hammarström

WHEN?: Saturday 26 February 2022 7pm UK/8pm CET Update: Covid means all shows will now be from Stockholm

WHERE DO I WATCH? SVT Play

The 2 big hitters in this final heat appear to be serving up songs slightly different to those they are best known for from the clips and so this might be a result that surprises.

  • Read on for reasons including who we think will go to next week’s Andra Chansen as well as who is DTF
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THEATRE REVIEW: Red Pitch starring Kedar Williams-Stirling, Emeka Sesay & Francis Lovehall at Bush Theatre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: **** RUNTIME: 90 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: Opening night Tuesday 22 February 2022 (press ticket), runs to 26 March 2022 Update: transfers to @SohoPlace in London’s West End 15 March through 4 May 2024 Tickets Update: returns to Bush Theatre and runs 12 to 30 September 2023 Tickets

Williams-Stirling plays Jackson Marchetti, a head boy and swimming champion in Netflix’s TV series Sex Education and it’s a role light years from his part in this coming of age story set on a football pitch not far from this west London venue.

  • Read on for reasons including how there’s a truthfulness in the friendship represented here
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for March starring Jonathan Bailey, Taron Egerton & Jade Anouka in Cock

  1. Jonathan Bailey, Taron Egerton and Jade Anouka in Cock

Bridgerton star Bailey won our Best Performance Of A Song monsta in 2018 under Marianne Elliott’s direction in Sondheim’s Company, currently running on Broadway. Elliott returns to direct here. Anouka won a monsta too in 2016 for Best Theatre Actress in the Shakespeare Trilogy. Both star with Egerton (Rocketman) and Phil Daniels (Les Miserables). Mike Bartlett’s 2009 (Snowflake) play about a gay male couple threatened from an unlikely source originally starred Ben Whishaw, Andrew Scott and Katherine Parkinson. Runs 5 March through 4 June 2022 at the Ambassadors Theatre. Tickets The view from the audience as Egerton fainted at the 1st preview

  • Read on for reasons including To Kill A Mockingbird in the West End and the return of Bridgerton
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PREVIEW: Australia Decides 2022, Australia’s Eurovision selection show starring Jaguar Jonze, Paulini & Charley

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN/WHERE?: Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast Saturday 26 February 2022

HOW DO I WATCH?: Watch on SBS

Australia should be proud that 2022’s 11-song Eurovision selection show Australia Decides boasts 1 of the strongest line ups in any such process this year.

  • Read on for reasons including where our 12 points are going and our views on the entries
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2022 Heat 3 starring Cazzi Opeia, Anders Bagge & Linda Bengtzing

WHEN? 7pm UK time Saturday 19 February 2022

WHERE? Avicii Arena, Stockholm

WHERE DO I WATCH? SVT Play 

Last week’s direct finalists were both previous Melodifestivalen competitors but this week we predict 2 new artists will go direkt till finalen.

  • Read on for reasons including our finalen and Andra Chansen predictions
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Impossible by Röyksopp and Alison Goldfrapp (week beginning 15 February 2022)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Goldfrapp’s last album was 2017’s Silver Eye and so singer Alison Goldfrapp’s feature on this new single by Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp is more than welcome.

  • Read on for reasons including everything we know about Röyksopp and Goldfrapp’s 2022 gigs
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PREVIEW: Melodi Grand Prix 2022, Norway Eurovision selection show starring Subwoolfer, Anna-Lisa Kumoji & Christian Ingebrigtsen

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN/WHERE?: Saturday 19 February 2022, H3 Arena, Fornebu

HOW DO I WATCH?: NRK

Last year’s Melodi Grand Prix was very much a 2-horse race between TIX and KEIINO but 2022’s line-up is much more open with any number of possible winners.

  • Read on for reasons including who our favourite is and why we don’t want Subwoolfer to win
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THEATRE REVIEW: STEVE starring Jenna Russell, David Ames & Joe Aaron Reid at Seven Dials Playhouse

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Saturday 12 February (matinee), runs to 19 March 2022

It’s Steven’s birthday, he’s in a restaurant with his partner and their best friends – and a secret is uncovered.

  • Read on for reasons including how Holby City star David Ames is the revelation here
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen 2022 Heat 2 starring John Lundvik, LIAMOO and Browsing Collection

WHEN? 7pm UK time Saturday 12 February 2022

WHERE? Avicii Arena, Stockholm

WHERE DO I WATCH? SVT Play 

Last week Robin Bengtsson went direkt till finalen but we predicted little else right with the 3 eliminated acts all having MF history and the newcomers doing well at their expense.

  • Read on for reasons including finalen and Andra Chansen predictions
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Beg For You by Charli XCX ft Rina Sawayama (week beginning 8 February 2022)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

We last saw Charli XCX live at the 02 Brixton Academy when she was supported by Rina Sawayama and so this collaboration feels more organic than some duets sometimes do.

  • Read on for reasons including everything we know about Charli’s new LP and UK tour
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