Janie Dee

THEATRE REVIEW: Fallen Angels starring Janie Dee at the Menier Chocolate Factory

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ****

WHEN? Saturday 22 November (matinee), opens 2 December and runs through 21 February 2026 RUNTIME 120 minutes (including interval)

This Noel Coward comedy about 2 married women admitting to premarital sex and contemplating adultery was 1st performed in London 100 years ago with the theatre censor initially recommending it shouldn’t be staged because the morals of the female leads ‘would cause too great a scandal’.

  • Read on for reasons including how this production is as frivolous, light and intoxicating as the champagne bubbles that its leading ladies savour so enthusiastically here
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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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9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2023 starring Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga

Last year’s televised show celebrating the work of the late great Sondheim was a real thrill and this month stars including Peters and Salonga perform some of the composer’s best-loved songs alongside Haydn Gwynne (The Welkin, National Theatre), Janie Dee (Follies, National Theatre) and Jac Yarrow (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, London Palladium). Runs at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre 16 September through 6 January 2024. Tickets Update: Performances now begin 21 September without Gwynne. Review

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THEATRE REVIEW: The Motive And The Cue starring Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss & Tuppence Middleton at the National Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 22 April, opens 2 May running to 15 July 2023 RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including a 20-minute interval) UPDATE: This productions transfers to the West End 9 December 2023 through 23 March 2024 at the Noel Coward Theatre Tickets

Mark Gatiss (ITVX’s Nolly) is 1 of our finest character actors and here plays Sir John Gielgud directing Richard Burton in Hamlet in 1964 on Broadway.

  • Read on for reasons including how The Motive should be more confident of its worth and rely less heavily on Shakespeare’s greatest hits
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Boy Friend starring Amara Okereke, Janie Dee, Adrian Edmondson and Issy Van Randwyck at the Menier

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Menier Chocolate Factory RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including two intervals)

WHEN? 22/11, press night 3/12, runs to 7/3/20

Julie Andrews made her American stage debut in this 1954 British musical in a role played here by Amara Okereke who won a Stage Debut award for Best Actress in a Musical

  • Read on for reasons including how this impressive cast includes comedian Adrian Edmondson

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THEATRE REVIEW: Pinter Four, Pinter At The Pinter, at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE? Harold Pinter Theatre RUN TIME: 2 hours and 40 minutes (including a 30-minute interval)

WHEN?: 9/11, runs to 8/12/18

We’re halfway through the Pinter At The Pinter season in the West End and there’s a real gem of 1 of his less well-known 1-act plays after the interval here.

  • Read on for reasons including how Follies star Janie Dee transforms herself (see below) in Les Dawson fashion

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THEATRE REVIEW: Monogamy starring Janie Dee at the Park Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE: Park Theatre

WHEN: 9/6, press night 11/6, runs to 7/7/18

RUN TIME: 2 hours 10 minutes (with 20 minute interval)

Janie Dee starred in our favourite revival of last year, Follies, which also saw her shortlisted for monstas for Best Actress and Performance Of A Song and she returns to it at the National Theatre early next year.

  • Read on for reasons including why Dee is one of our finest actresses

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

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Westworld BFI Q&A and finale premiere

Catch the world premiere of the season 2 finale of HBO’s superior sci-fi series about a theme park peopled by robots who revolt starring Thandie Newton (pictured) and a Q&A with its creators at the BFI on London’s South Bank 19/6. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Florence, Laura Linney, Lia Williams & BAFTA winner Vanessa Kirby

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: Theatre actress of the year: 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next few days 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 Theatre actress of the year: 2017 2016 winner: Jade Anouka (Shakespeare Trilogy, Donmar)

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MONSTAS SHORTLIST: Best performance of a song from a musical: 2017

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next few days 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 Best performance of a song from a musical

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