WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 28/7, runs to 31/7
Queers is a series of eight monologues which marks 50 years since the Sexual Offences Act of 1967 began the decriminalisation process for homosexuality between men and celebrates the British gay experience over the last century.
Imelda Staunton made our Best Theatre Actress of 2017 shortlist so far for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf and stars here at the National with Tracie Bennett and Janie Dee in the Sondheim classic (which features Losing My Mind, see below). Runs 22/8 through 3/1/18. Picture courtesy National Theatre. Tickets
27/7 will mark the 50th anniversary of the repeal of the law against homosexuality and BBC4 has commissioned the filming of eight monologues curated by Mark Gatiss and featuring authors including Jackie Clune performed by stars such as Ben Whishaw (pictured above), Russell Tovey and Alan Cumming. UPDATE: 4/7: No sign of Whishaw or Cumming in the Old Vic casting announced today but it does include Tovey, Gemma Whelan, Sarah Crowe, Ian Gelder, Mark Bonnar & Kadiff Kirwan. Tickets
We awarded 12 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2016 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2017 so far and what’s to come. James McAvoy and George Mackay are previous winners in this category.
The final of the 62nd contest takes place in Kiev, Ukraine, on 13/5 at 8pm on BBC1 and the pre-contest publicity has been dominated by the host country’s banning of Russia’s entry. Check out the search box for our predictions for this year which include the contest’s most surefire winner: Occidentali’s Karma by Francesco Gabbani (pictured above).
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: BFI
WHEN: 29/3, screens April
The BFI audience has just seen the first episode of the new BBC Hollow Crown trilogy and there are clear Game Of Thrones comparisons although star Tom Sturridge (who plays Henry VI) is having none of it.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
OUT: 1/1/16
British director Tom Hooper’s last two films – The King’s Speech and Les Miserables – won seven Oscars between them and so hopes are high for this, the story of one of the first recipients of sex reassignment surgery.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Almeida Theatre
WHEN: 15/8 runs to 19/9
‘Another night at the Almeida – and still no set,’ observes a neighbouring theatregoer to a friend as the (metaphorical) curtain is about to rise.
UPDATE: Oresteia transfers to the Trafalgar Studios and runs 22 August to 7 November
Worth a look?: ****
Where: Almeida Theatre
When: 4/7/15 and runs until 18/7/15
Ben Whishaw, star of the next production in the Almeida’s Greek season, is sitting in the venue’s cafe and bar going largely unnoticed as the audience prepares itself for the three-hour-and-40-minute opener Oresteia. Read More
