THEATRE REVIEW: What If If Only starring John Heffernan & Linda Bassett at the Royal Court

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WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Wednesday 6 October (matinee), runs to 23 October 2021 RUNTIME: 20 minutes

Bassett is 1 of our favourite actresses and we last saw her onstage in author Caryl Churchill’s considerably longer Escaped Alone at this very venue 5 years ago.

  • Read on for reasons including how we combined this play with another new piece of supernatural writing to make more of a day of our theatre experience
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SONG OF THE WEEK: The Wrecking Crew by EYJAA (week beginning 11 October 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Danish/Icelandic duo EYJAA – Sara and Brynja – aren’t happy but have produced a chorus that is to die for: ”5am hurt is a habit, too late for happy thoughts, feeling a day’s worth of damage and here comes The Wrecking Crew. F*ck trying to make sense of sadness before it makes sense of me, love is as simple as madness and here comes The Wrecking Crew.’

  • Read on for reasons including how to hear more of EYJAA
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GIG REVIEW: The Blow Monkeys at 229

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Friday 9 October, touring until 27 August 2022

SETLIST: Celebrate (The Day After You); OK Have It Your Way; One More Time; Crying For The Moon; More Than A Miracle; It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way; Choice; It Pays To Belong; Out With Her; Dust At Her Feet; Said Too Much; Time Storm; Digging Your Scene; Wait; The Wild River; Earthbound; Touching Distance; Superfly; Man From Russia; You Don’t Own Me

‘It doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t make it sing,’ observed the dearly departed Curtis Mayfield on tonight’s opening song and, while we’re massively missing his input, as well as Sylvia Tella’s vocals on her hit duet with the band and some of the sharpest backing vocals of the 80s, this is still a joy of a gig to behold.

  • Read on for reasons including how we would have loved the band’s iconic saxophone to have been louder tonight
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THEATRE REVIEW: Foxes starring Michael Fatogun, Anyebe Godwin and Doreene Blackstock at Theatre503

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WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Tuesday 5 October, runs to 23 October 2021 RUNTIME: 85 minutes (no interval)

We are at the home of new writers and author Dexter Flanders gives us Daniel played by Michael Fatogun (pictured below) whose girlfriend is pregnant with their child while he is confused by his relationship with friend Leon.

  • Read on for reasons including which actor from Netflix’s Sex Education appears here
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Here Comes The Night by Agnes (October 2021)

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

It begins like Destiny’s Child sampling Stevie Nicks on Bootylicious and builds with, we’re guessing, a list of qualities wanted from a new lover: ‘Faith. Love. Spirit. Heart.’

  • Read on for reasons including how this is the 3rd in a classic run of singles ahead of a new album
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Tragedy Of Macbeth starring James McArdle & Saoirse Ronan at Almeida Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Monday 4 October, runs to 20 November 2021 extended to 27 November 2021 with livestream option

RUNTIME: 190 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Prolonged handwashing is forthright in our consciousness post-Covid and perhaps, like Chekhov’s gun, it should have come as little surprise that the onstage tap in this dreamlike, almost modern-day production should play such a pivotal role.

  • Read on for reasons including how good Ronan is in her UK stage debut but how it will be McArdle’s brutish Macbeth that will be remembered
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THEATRE REVIEW: Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical starring Arinze Kene at the Lyric Theatre

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

WHEN?: Sunday 3 October 2021, opens 20 October, booking to 3 April 2022 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval) UPDATE: now booking to 18 September 2022

The biggest compliment we can pay this jukebox musical is that it worked its audience up at only this 3rd preview into such a frenzy that 2 songs before the finish everyone was up on their feet, dancing and singing along.

  • Read on for reasons including how Kene is 1 of this country’s finest performers but here the whole ensemble shines
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GIG REVIEW: Scritti Politti at 02 Shepherds Bush Empire

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

WHEN?: Saturday 2 October 2021

SETLIST: The Sweetest Girl; Day Late And A Dollar Short; The Boom Boom Bap; Oh Patti; Skank Bloc Bologna; Trentavious White; The Word Girl; Small Talk; Absolute; A Little Knowledge; Don’t Work That Hard; Perfect Way; Lover To Fall; Wood Beez; Hypnotize; At Last I Am Free

Good things come to those who wait and so it is with Scritti Politti frontman Green Gartside who explains during this show that panic attacks meant he couldn’t take to a stage for 20 years.

  • Read on for reasons including how Hot Chip frontman and support act Alexis Taylor joins the band for a concluding Chic cover
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THEATRE REVIEW: & Juliet starring Miriam Teak-Lee, Cassidy Janson, David Bedella, Oliver Tompsett & Alex Thomas-Smith

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Friday 1 October 2021 at Shaftesbury Theatre RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including 20-minute interval) Booking to 25 June 2022

We 1st caught this musical in previews at this West End venue almost 2 years ago and we’re back because it has re-opened after multiple lockdowns with a new cast member as May, Alex Thomas-Smith (pictured above).

  • Read on for reasons including how the audience’s loudest screams were for the reformed boy band in this jukebox musical
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Silver Balloons by Little Boots (week beginning 1 October 2021)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

English electropop singer-songwriter and DJ Victoria Hesketh is preparing to release her 1st album since 2015’s Working Girl and this is the lead single from it.

  • Read on for reasons including how to see Little Boots on tour in October
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