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.
You, dear reader, are given the chance to vote in 17 categories from October this year to tell us your favourite theatre, music, TV, film and podcast of 2024.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN?: Saturday 1 June 2024, closes 30 June 2024 RUNTIME: 135 minutes (including a 15-minute interval) Update: now extended through 27 July 2024
We 1st saw this Pet Shop Boys musical on its debut at the intimate Arts Theatre in London’s West End in 2001 and then on its revival at Above The Stag in Vauxhall in 2019 and said: ‘If you’re a Pet Shop Boys fan you’ll marvel at just how good these songs are but also why being so ahead of its time can be the only reason why it wasn’t a bigger hit’.
Transferring from Bath’s Theatre Royal, this Lindsay Posner production stars Dominic West (TV’s The Crown), Kate Fleetwood (Ugly Lies The Bone, National Theatre) and Callum Scott Howells (Cabaret, Kit Kat Club) in this Arthur Miller play about 1 man’s place in the close-knit American-Italian community of 1950s New York. Runs 23 May through 3 August 2024 at Theatre Royal Haymarket. Tickets Our preview review
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHEN?: 25/7/20
WHERE?: via internet
SETLIST: Reach; Creep: To You; Waiting For You; Take On Me; Yesterday; My Heart; She Used To Be Mine; Stay; Break My Heart Again; I Wish I Had A River; For All Of Us; A Song For Our Time
Blake Patrick Anderson is one of our favourite musical theatre performers and so it has come as a pleasant surprise during lockdown to discover that he’s also a talented singer/songwriter.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
OUT: now
This is the stand-out tune from the 6-song cabaret MUSIK starring character Billie Trix played by Frances Barber from 2001 Pet Shop Boys musical Closer To Heaven.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE? Above The Stag RUNTIME: 130 minutes (with 20 minute interval)
WHEN? 7/7, opens 10/7 runs to 31/8/19
STOP PRESS: Tickets for MUSIK’s London run in September go on sale at 10am 29/7/19 here.
We saw the original production of this musical in 2001 and authors Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys have written a follow up of sorts featuring lead character Billie Trix which premieres at this summer’s Edinburgh Fringe.
Olivier winners D. Clarke and Clive Rowe take part in this compilation of 26 hot and torchy blues numbers that frame the lives and loves of four residents of a downtown hotel. Runs 18/7 to 7/9/19 at the Kiln Theatre. Tickets
