It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2021? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 15 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2021.
The West End’s Playhouse Theatre is being repurposed as the Kit Kat Club to stage director Rebecca Frecknall’s (Summer And Smoke, Almeida and West End) vision of this musical and movie classic with film stars Redmayne and Buckley (Romeo and Juliet, Sky Arts). Runs from 15 November 2021 and is currently booking to 16 April 2022. Tickets 1st preview review
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.
This revival of Larry Kramer’s play about the American AIDS crisis is timed beautifully after the National’s unforgettable Angels In America in 2017 and Channel 4’s It’s A Sin earlier this year. Starring Ben Daniels we’re excited for the return of monsta winner Daniel Monks (Teenage Dick, Donmar), director Dominic Cooke (Follies, National) and Dino Fetscher (Torch Song, Turbine Theatre). Runs 23 September to 6 November 2021. Tickets
The Old Vic was the second winner of our Best Theatre Venue monsta last year and in part two are details of what you can expect from patron membership which for us meant sharing a rehearsal room with actors including Fleabag‘s Andrew Scott (pictured above).
It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2019? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2019.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE? Almeida RUNTIME: 175 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)
WHEN? 2/12, press night 10/12, runs to 25/1/20
The Duchess of Malfi is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written in the 17th century by English dramatist John Webster that is unusual for having a female protagonist.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Almeida Theatre RUNTIME: 170 minutes (with 20-minute interval)
WHEN? 12/8, opens 20/8 and runs to 28/9/19
STOP PRESS: The Doctor transfers to the Duke Of Yorks in the West End from April 2020 Tickets
Welcome to writer/director Robert Icke’s final production as Associate Director at this venue in a remarkable run which has seen 3 West End transfers at 5 attempts.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Almeida Theatre RUNTIME: 2 hours and 55 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)
WHEN? 13/4, opens 16/4, runs to 1/6/19
We were in the audience on Sunday night at the Royal Albert Hall when Patsy Ferran (pictured left above) deservedly won the Best Actress Olivier Award for Summer And Smoke.
When we raved about film There’s Nothing Like A Dame we never thought we’d see Dame Maggie tread the boards again but she returns to London for the 1st time in 12 years in a new one-woman play called A German Life based on the actual testimony of Brunhilde Pomsel, who once worked for Joseph Goebbels. Runs 6/4 to 11/5/19. Tickets The Downton Abbey film is expected to be released in September.
