Andrew Pollard

THEATRE REVIEW: Jack and the Beanstalk starring Victoria Scone at the King’s Head Theatre, Islington

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ***1/2

WHEN? Sunday 14 December (matinee), runs through 4 January 2026

This pantomime penned by the genius that is Andrew Pollard offers an ‘adults only’ option and we’re clearly at the wrong showing but there’s so much potential here that we can’t wait to return.

  • Read on for reasons including how author Pollard continues to show what 1 can achieve with a heart bigger than a budget
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November 2025 starring All My Sons

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  1. All My Sons starring Paapa Essiedu, Bryan Cranston & Marianne Jean-Baptiste 

We last saw Sally Field in this Arthur Miller play at the Old Vic in 2019. Ivo Van Hove (Opening Night, Gielgud Theatre) is at the helm of this version at the Wyndham’s Theatre starring Paapa Essiedu, who won last year’s Best Theatre Actor monsta, Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Runs 14 November through 7 March 2026. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Wicked 2, Everything But The Girl hits album and Noel Coward at the Menier
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for November 2022 starring Best Of Enemies

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  1. West End debut of Zachary Quinto in Best Of Enemies

Quinto (The Boys In The Band) is probably best known for his role as Spock in the rebooted Star Trek franchise and here plays Gore Vidal in the Young Vic production of this James (Ink, Almeida) Graham play opposite David Harewood as William F Buckley about the 1968 ATV TV debates. Runs at the Noel Coward Theatre 14 November through 18 February 2023. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Florence and the Machine, The Crown and My Policeman
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THEATRE REVIEW: Tom, Dick and Harry starring and co-written by Andrew Pollard at the Alexandra Palace Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 6 August (evening), booking until 28 August 2022 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

The authors of Tom, Dick and Harry visited the National Archives in London to find the documentation surrounding the World War Two escape from Stalag Luft III best known perhaps as 1963 film The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough.

  • Read on for reasons including how your reviewer lent a hand and had a ball with several elements of audience participation
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for August 2022 starring Divine Comedy

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. The Divine Comedy at the Barbican

Frontman Neil Hannon celebrates 30 years of his band by performing 10 of his albums in full across this 5-night residency in the Barbican in central London. The run begins on 31 August and continues on successive nights until Sunday 4 September. We last saw the band at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith in 2019 at a show which won our Best Gig monsta that year. Barbican residency review Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Victorious Festival, a new play by Andrew Pollard and Bananarama gigs
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Queen Of Hearts starring and written by Andrew Pollard at Greenwich Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 20 November, opens Friday 26 November and booking to 2 January 2022

RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

The best bit of so many highlights in this hilarious, family-friendly pantomime is when 1 character movingly and delicately rebuffs the romantic advances of another to Dionne Warwick’s That’s What Friends Are For and, in a moment worthy of the very best of Morecambe and Wise, Pollard’s Queen Of Hearts breaks the spell with an atrocious harmonica solo in the instrumental break.

  • Read on for reasons including how Pollard and the villain played by Anthony Spargo have great chemistry
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for November includes Cabaret starring Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Cabaret starring Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne

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

  • Read on for reasons including new ABBA album, Dadi Freyr tour, Beverley Knight musical and Rina Sawayama gig
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PANTOMIME REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty starring Andrew Pollard and Anthony Spargo at the Greenwich Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE? Greenwich Theatre RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

WHEN? 29/11 (press night), runs to 12/1/20

Welcome to a show worthy of the West End but at a fraction of the ticket price that speaks to what it is like to live in this beautiful nook of south-east London.

  • Read on for reasons including what writer/dame/director Andrew Pollard thinks of this show stopping panto

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INTERVIEW: Andrew Pollard, writer/director/star of Greenwich Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty

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WHERE? Greenwich Theatre

WHEN? opens 22/11, press night 29/11, runs to 12/1/20

Greenwich Theatre’s annual pantomime is always one of the highlights of our festive season and so we quizzed writer/director/star Andrew Pollard (pictured above) to find out more about this year’s show which is in previews from Friday (22/11/19)

  • Read on for reasons including how comedy heroes from Eric Morecambe to Beryl Reid are channelled

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THEATRE REVIEW: Robinson Crusoe (written by &) starring Andrew Pollard at Greenwich Theatre

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WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE? Greenwich Theatre RUN TIME: 2 hours 15 minutes (including interval)

WHEN?: 30/11 (press ticket) runs to 13/1/19

Broadway said an enthusiastic ‘Hello Dolly’ to Bette Midler this year and we feel exactly the same about Andrew Pollard who returns to the Greenwich Theatre pantomime in 2018 as Delores ‘Dolly’ Crusoe (centre above), mother of the titular hero.

  • Read on for reasons including how Alice Cooper brought the house down at this press night

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