AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best new musical of 2018 so far

We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Funny Girl, Groundhog Day and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best musicals of 2018 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best new play of 2018 so far

We awarded 13 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2017 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2018 so far and what’s to come. Oddshaped Balls and The Ferryman are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 6 best new plays of 2018 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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THEATRE REVIEW: Caroline, Or Change starring Sharon D. Clarke

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHERE: Hampstead Theatre

WHEN: 16/3, press night 19/3 runs to 21/4/18

UPDATE: Transfers to the Playhouse 20/11 to 6/4/19. Tickets

The original UK production of this Broadway hit won a Best New Musical Olivier Award and this revival transfers from Chichester where it earned much acclaim last year.

  • Read on for reasons including details of how to buy tickets for its West End transfer

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for March

  1. Caroline, or Change at the Hampstead Theatre

Two highlights for us of last year were the National Theatre’s production of Angels In America by Tony Kushner and Sharon D. Clarke in musical The Life at Southwark Playhouse. This year D. Clarke is in Kushner’s musical Caroline, Or Change set in Louisiana in 1963 which runs 12/3 to 21/4 at Hampstead Theatre. Transferred from Chichester’s Festival Theatre. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Will Young, Strictly Ballroom, Sigrid and Vanessa Redgrave

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: New play of the year: 2017

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 13 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2017.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for new play of the year. 2016 winner: Oddshaped Balls

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THEATRE REVIEW: Labyrinth starring Tom Weston-Jones

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHERE: Hampstead Theatre

WHEN: 3/10, runs to 8/10

The Latin American debt crisis of the 80s might not sound like the most riveting subject for a play but its parallels with Grexit resonate.

  • Read on for which West End star was in the theatre bar on our Monday night visit

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9 reasons why we can’t wait for October

  1. Lazarus rises

This 18-song David Bowie musical ran off Broadway for three months from November 2015 and features hits including Life On Mars?, Heroes and Absolute Beginners. It was written by Bowie with Once author Enda Walsh. Starring Dexter’s Michael C. Hall and directed by Ivo van Hove, it runs 25/10 – 22/1 at the King’s Cross Theatre and seems a fitting salute to the star who died 10 days before curtain down on the US show. Tickets.

  • Read on for reasons including Star Trek, Anne-Marie Duff and Glenda Jackson’s return

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THEATRE REVIEW: Mr Foote’s Other Leg starring Simon Russell Beale & Dervla Kirwan

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Theatre Royal Haymarket

WHEN: 31/10 (matinee), runs to 23/1/16

Samuel Foote was an 18th century theatre manager/actor who may have won royal status for the venue in which this play is being staged yet also lost a leg in an accident but continued to tread the boards.

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