AWARDS: Winners of the 2021 monstas are …
monstagigz readers have been voting throughout December for their favourite pop, theatre, TV, film and podcasts of 2021 from our shortlists. Read on for details of our 2021 monstas winners …
Read MoreCinderella
AWARDS SHORTLIST: Best New Musical of 2021
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.
- Read on for the nominees for the monsta for Best New Musical of 2021 2020 winner: Sleepless: The musical; 2019: Vulvarine; 2018: Eugenius; 2017: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Venue of 2021
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.
- Read on for the nominees for the monsta for Best Venue of 2021 Previous winners in this category have included 2020: Bridge Theatre, 2019: Old Vic, 2018: Bush Theatre
THEATRE REVIEW: Cinderella starring Carrie Hope Fletcher at Gillian Lynne Theatre
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN?: Matinee Sunday 22 August 2021, opening Wednesday 25 August, booking to 29 May 2022 UPDATE: We had the pleasure of catching understudy Georgina Onuorah’s Cinderella at the matinee on Sunday 29 August. Her Cinderella may not have Hope Fletcher’s star power yet but it was an individual, thrilling performance very much in keeping with the part. A 5* debut in a 5* show.
The absolute triumph of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella is allowing Oscar winner Emerald Fennell to run riot with the story and the casting of Carrie Hope Fletcher in the titular role.
- * Read on for reasons including how to see Cinderella now the show has extended its run to May 2022
PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for August 2021 starring Culture Club
- Culture Club and Bananarama play Kenwood House
This is shaping up to be 1 of our 1st gigs proper since Madonna at the Palladium pre-lockdowns in February 2020 and we couldn’t be more thrilled. The occasion is Heritage Live and the setting is north London’s beautiful Kenwood House. We’ve seen Rufus Wainwright here before and we know we’re in for something special because Culture Club and Bananarama always deliver live. Tickets
- Read on for reasons including new albums from Lorde and Will Young and the Victorious festival
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella (Original Album Cast Recording) starring Carrie Hope Fletcher (July 2021)
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
TRACKLIST: Buns ‘N’ Roses; It Has To Be Her; Bad Cinderella; So Long; Unfair; Unbreakable; Hunks’ Song; Man’s Man; So Long (Reprise); Only you, Lonely You; The Queen’s Boudoir; I Know You; I Know You (Reprise); The Village Square; Unfair (Reprise); The Godmother’s Shop; Beauty Has A Price; Fanfare; The Cinderella Waltz; The Ball; I Know I Have A Heart; Act 2 Scene 2; I Am No Longer Me; Moment Of Triumph; What Were You Thinking?; Far Too Late; Ego Has A Price (Reprise); The Wedding Fanfare; The Wedding March; The Ceremony; The Vanquishing; Man’s Man (Reprise); Cinderella’s Solilioquy; The Wedding Party; Finale; Marry For Love; Only You, Lonely You
With former Killing Eve showrunner Emerald Fennell at the helm in the year she won an Oscar for Promising Young Woman this Cinderella was always likely to be a radical reinterpretation of the beloved fairy tale – and so it proves.
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for June 2021 starring Constellations
- Constellations starring Sheila Atim
We saw the original production of Nick Payne’s awards-garlanded two-hander in the West End starring Rafe Spall and Sally Hawkins in 2012. It was little surprise that this tale of a couple meeting with repeat scenes and meditations on multiple universes should also find Broadway acclaim with Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson and now it is ripe for return with original director Michael Longhurst. Opening on 18 June 2021 at the Vaudeville Theatre with Atim (Othello, Globe)) and Ivanno Jeremiah, couples will also include Russell Tovey (Angels In America, National Theatre) and Omari Douglas (Channel 4’s It’s A Sin). Tickets
- Read on for reasons including In The Heights, Hairspray, Cinderella and Be More Chill
9 reasons why we can’t wait for April 2021 starring the return of the Blow Monkeys
- Blow Monkeys release More Than A Miracle
It’s not easy being a band with a 40-year history that wants to write new material when the fans are familiar with hits as glorious as Digging Your Scene, It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way and Wait. The trick is to write material as memorable as the songs that broke you and the Blow Monkeys played a blinder with Time Storm, a song of the week for us last year. The follow-up More Than A Miracle out 16/4/21 is in a similar vein, doesn’t disappoint and sits well with the best of the band’s back catalogue. Album Journey To You follows in September. Tickets are on sale for UK dates in October including a London gig at 229. Read our interview with Dr Robert on this site in April.
- Read on for reasons including Romeo And Juliet starring Josh O’Connor and Jessie Buckley
THEATRE REVIEW: Cinderella starring Rufus Hound at Turbine Theatre
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHEN?: 6/12/20, runs to 23/12/20 RUNTIME: 75 minutes
WHERE?: Turbine Theatre UPDATE: Lockdown means this production closed early with its last performance 15/12/20. However a recorded version is available to pay to view until 1/1/21. Details
Our go-to Christmas pantomime is Greenwich Theatre‘s but this year COVID-19 has forced its postponement until Easter.
- Read on for reasons including why the audience was urged to shout ‘F*ck the Tories’
PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2020 starring Palladium pantomime
- Palladium pantomime starring Julian Clary and Beverley Knight
Pantomime at Christmas looked for a while like it might not happen but this seasonal showstopper returns with a familiar cast including star Julian Clary 12/12/20 to 3/1/21 Tickets We’ve seen it ever since it started in 2016 and it’s essentially a variety show with something for everyone. Here’s what we said in 2017, 2018 and last year.
- Read on for reasons including Death Drop, Cinderella by Jodie Prenger and Ma Rainey
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