Harold Pinter Theatre

AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre Actor 2025

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next week we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.

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THEATRE REVIEW: High Noon starring Billy Crudup & Denise Gough at Harold Pinter Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ***1/2

WHEN? Friday 19 December, opens 9 January and runs through 7 March 2026 RUNTIME 100 minutes without interval

There’s a clock above the stage ticking forward in real time to the titular High Noon as Billy Crudup’s marshal Will Kane prepares to meet his fate.

  • Read on for reasons including how Gough and Crudup make for a couple the audience can root for
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Weir starring Brendan Gleeson at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? *****

WHEN? Tuesday 11 November, runs through 6 December 2025 RUNTIME: 100 minutes (no interval)

Conor McPherson (The Brightening Air, Old Vic) adapts The Hunger Games which opens this week in London and this won the Best New Play Olivier in 1999.

  • Read on for reasons including how Gleeson is spellbinding especially because he allows others to shine
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November 2025 starring All My Sons

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. All My Sons starring Paapa Essiedu, Bryan Cranston & Marianne Jean-Baptiste 

We last saw Sally Field in this Arthur Miller play at the Old Vic in 2019. Ivo Van Hove (Opening Night, Gielgud Theatre) is at the helm of this version at the Wyndham’s Theatre starring Paapa Essiedu, who won last year’s Best Theatre Actor monsta, Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Runs 14 November through 7 March 2026. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Wicked 2, Everything But The Girl hits album and Noel Coward at the Menier
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best New Play of 2024

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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AWARDS LONGLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film & Podcasts of 2024 so far (part 1 of 2)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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.

  • Read on for reasons including 9 of 17 categories of our Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film and Podcasts of 2024 so far
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THEATRE REVIEW: Your Lie In April starring Zheng Xi Yong & Mia Kobayashi at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 30 June 2024, booking until 21 September 2024 RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including a 20-minute interval) Update: Now closing 11 August 2024

Grieving piano prodigy Kosei can no longer hear music after the death of his mentor mother until mysterious violinist Kaori arrives as the school’s new girl and turns his world upside down.

  • Read on for reasons including how this has international appeal and makes for a classy addition to the West End
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for June 2024 starring Kiss Me Kate

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Kiss Me Kate at the Barbican

It’s the young leads of this classic musical we’re most excited to see. Charlie Stemp won our Best Theatre Actor monsta last year (Crazy For You, Gillian Lynne Theatre) and we saw Georgina Onuorah in Cinderella at the same venue. Stephanie J. Block and Adrian Dunbar are the main leads here at the Barbican 4 June through 14 September 2024. Tickets Our preview review

  • Read on for reasons including Slave Play, Tom Holland as Romeo, The Constituent and Alma Mater
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Hills Of California at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 3 February, runs through 15 June 2024 RUNTIME: 180 minutes (including a 15-minute interval and a brief pause)

It’s the long hot summer of 1976 and 3 sisters reunite in the front room of their mother’s Blackpool guesthouse as she lays dying upstairs.

  • Read on for reasons including why despite the inevitable air of melancholy this is occasionally laugh-out-loud funny
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Best read monstagigz content of 2023 starring Lemons, Lemons, Lemons

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Lemons, Lemons, Lemons starring Aidan Turner and Jenna Coleman

Our most read content of 2023 was this preview review of a play by Sam Steiner about a society where spoken words were rationed to 140 a day in a two-hander starring Aidan Turner (The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Noel Coward Theatre) and Jenna Coleman (All My Sons, Old Vic). Our review also caught the attention of Mail Online (see below).

  • Read on for reasons including Cabaret starring Jake Shears and Self Esteem, Guys And Dolls and The Motive And The Cue
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