AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best TV/Film Actor of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for April 2024 starring Sir Ian McKellen in Player Kings

  1. Player Kings starring Sir Ian McKellen

Director Robert Icke (Oresteia and Hamlet, Almeida) combines Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and McKellen (Mother Goose, Duke Of York’s Theatre) plays Falstaff alongside Richard Coyle’s (Ink, Almeida) Henry and Toheeb Jimoh’s (Romeo and Juliet, Almeida) Hal. Runs at the Noel Coward Theatre 1 April through 22 June 2024. Tickets McKellen’s ‘performance of a lifetime’ Player Kings review

  • Read on for reasons including new Pet Shop Boys album, Bananarama at the Palladium & Two Strangers
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FILM REVIEW: All Of Us Strangers starring Andrew Scott & Paul Mescal

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

Growing up gay in the 80s wasn’t much fun with its AIDS and Clause 28 and Andrew Scott’s (Vanya, Duke Of York’s Theatre) screenwriter Adam is struggling with writer’s block, watching old episodes of Top Of The Pops and living alone in a high-rise London tower block which is sparsely populated.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is beautiful, haunting and likely to stay with you long after the end credits
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for January 2024 starring Plaza Suite

  1. Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre

Sarah Jessica Parker makes her West End debut in Neil Simon’s comedy about marriage Plaza Suite opposite her husband Matthew Broderick at the Savoy Theatre 17 January through 30 March 2024. Tickets Broderick is the winner of 2 Tonys and Parker 2 Emmys. Our review

  • Read on for reasons including film All Of Us Strangers, Depeche Mode live and The Hills Of California
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THEATRE REVIEW: Vanya starring Andrew Scott at the Duke Of York’s Theatre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2 RUNTIME: 110 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: Saturday 30 September, booking through 21 October 2023

Andrew Scott (Present Laughter, Old Vic) is 1 of this country’s finest actors but this intricate, multi-character Chekhov drama is ill-suited to a 1-man show.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was a valiant effort but not our favourite Vanya
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2023 starring Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

  1. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga

Last year’s televised show celebrating the work of the late great Sondheim was a real thrill and this month stars including Peters and Salonga perform some of the composer’s best-loved songs alongside Haydn Gwynne (The Welkin, National Theatre), Janie Dee (Follies, National Theatre) and Jac Yarrow (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, London Palladium). Runs at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre 16 September through 6 January 2024. Tickets Update: Performances now begin 21 September without Gwynne. Review

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9 reasons why we can’t wait for March 2021 starring Daði Freyr

  1. Daði Freyr Eurovision entry drops

2020 was the Eurovision-that-never-was and Freyr’s Think About Things was judged by many to be the song most likely to have won if Covid-19 hadn’t caused its cancellation. Like many other competitors Freyr has been selected to compete in 2021 and his song 10 Years drops 13/3/21. Freyr’s last single Feel The Love was a song of the month for us in January.

  • Read on for reasons including Treason, new Zara Larsson album and the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix
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TOP 10: Best read monstagigz content of 2020 starring Richard Armitage

  1. When Richard Armitage went topless in Uncle Vanya

We were at the 1st preview of this Chekhov adaptation by Conor McPherson and were blissfully unaware it would be closed by COVID-19 in March and be on cinema screens later in the year. The production is shortlisted for 4 monstas awarded 30/12/20.

  • Read on for reasons including the rise of Michael Balogun, the Death of England and Madonna in the West End
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OPENING NIGHT THEATRE REVIEW/Q&A: Three Kings starring Andrew Scott at the Old Vic

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHERE? Old Vic RUNTIME: 60 minutes (no interval)

WHEN? 3/9, closes 5/9

This monologue was written for Scott by author Stephen Beresford and marks a return to working with director Matthew Warchus for the first time we think since the trio combined to devastating effect on quite possibly our favourite ever film, 2014’s comedy and emotional masterpiece Pride (watch clip below)

  • Read on for reasons including gems friend Dermot O’Leary teased out of Scott in the Q&A

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2020 starring Talking Heads

  1. Talking Heads at the Bridge starring Monica Dolan and Imelda Staunton

Alan Bennett’s original series of monologues aired on BBC1 in 1988 to much acclaim with a second season debuting on the same channel a decade later. Two new scripts were written for a third BBC1 series in 2020 during which 10 of the originals were remade. To celebrate, the Bridge Theatre stages eight of the latest 12 in four pairs beginning 7/9 and running to 31/10 starring two winners of our Best Theatre Actress monsta Monica Dolan and Imelda Staunton. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sara Pascoe at the Greenwich Comedy Festival, Andrew Scott and new Hurts 

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