King Lear

THEATRE REVIEW: King Lear starring Danny Sapani & Clarke Peters at the Almeida

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 23 March and runs through 30 March 2024 RUNTIME: 215 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

‘Out, vile jelly!’ We’re in the front row at this intimate venue and Gloucester’s bloody, gouged-out eye rolls across the stage towards us in the 1st King Lear we’ve seen since Kenneth Branagh’s in the West End late last year.

  • Read on for reasons including how it is Lear’s interaction with his Fool which is most insightful here
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for February 2024 starring Matt Smith

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Matt Smith in An Enemy Of The People

Former Dr Who Smith (Lungs, Old Vic) who recently led TV’s House Of The Dragon stars in this Ibsen play about truth in a society driven by power and money. The supporting cast includes Jessica Brown Findlay (Uncle Vanya, Almeida) and Paul Hilton (The Glass Menagerie, Duke Of York’s Theatre) at the Duke Of York’s Theatre. Runs 6 February through 6 April 2024. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including a Live Aid musical, Wicked Little Letters & Nye
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Best read monstagigz content of 2023 starring Lemons, Lemons, Lemons

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  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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THEATRE REVIEW: King Lear starring Kenneth Branagh at Wyndham’s Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Saturday 21 October, opens 31 October and runs through 9 December 2023 RUNTIME: 120 minutes without interval

At 62 years old director Branagh is considerably younger than the last 2 actors we’ve seen take on the role of Shakespeare’s King Lear – Sir Ian McKellen who was 78 in 2017 and the late Glenda Jackson 80 in 2016.

  • Read on for reasons including how Branagh’s casting is less A Haunting In Venice and more a vanity in London
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for October 2023 starring Kenneth Branagh as King Lear

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Kenneth Branagh’s King Lear reigns in the West End

We haven’t seen Branagh in the West End since The Kenneth Branagh Company’s year-long run of six plays at the Garrick Theatre closed in 2016 on its highest high with its star taking the lead in The Entertainer. Branagh also directs at the Wyndham’s Theatre 21 October through 9 December. Tickets Our recent Lears have included Sir Ian McKellen and the late Glenda Jackson. 1st preview review

  • Read on for reasons including Madonna, S Club reunion, Dear England‘s West End transfer and new Agnetha ABBA
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THEATRE REVIEW: Frozen starring Suranne Jones, Nina Sosanya & Jason Watkins

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHERE: Theatre Royal Haymarket

WHEN: 9/2, press night 20/2, runs to 5/5/18

We’re imagining that most of the packed audience at this venue are here for Doctor Foster star Suranne Jones and it’s her name we hear in occasional murmurings from our fellow guests ahead of this first preview.

  • Read on for reasons including why it’s Jason Watkins who you’ll remember about this

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

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Young Frankenstein re-animates the Garrick

The Garrick Theatre had some success earlier this year with Griff Rhys Jones/Lee Mack comedy The Miser and this musical re-working of the Mel Brooks classic looks like it will be puttin’ on the Ritz with a cast including Ross Noble (see above) and Lesley Joseph. Runs 28/9 to February 2018. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sir Ian McKellen, new Hurts and Strictly Comes Dancing does Annie

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best theatre revival of 2017 so far

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We awarded 12 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2016 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2017 so far and what’s to come. The Shakespeare Trilogy, by the Donmar at King’s Cross Theatre, was the previous winner in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best theatre revivals of 2017 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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TOP 5: Best read monstagigz content of 2016

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  1. When Sir Ian McKellen shared our Q&A with him on his Facebook page

Sir Ian has long been one of our favourite actors and when he shared our BFI Shakespeare Q&A with him on his Facebook page in April our traffic went into meltdown. Pictorial evidence above.

  • Read on for the preview when Kit Harington got naked and Sheridan Smith Twitter banter

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THEATRE REVIEW: King Lear starring Glenda Jackson

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Old Vic

WHEN: 28/10, runs to 3/12

How long is too long in the theatre? It’s a question which crosses our mind during this three-hour-and-45-minute production with one 15-minute interval.

  • Read on for reasons including 80-year-old Glenda Jackson’s gender-blind casting triumph

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