WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo presents this very Top Of The Pops-styled video by Jonas Åkerlund with Nile Rodgers (BST Hyde Park).
Platt (The Last Five Years, London Palladium) stars in this story about Trevor Copeland and Arthur Brightman who perform love songs in 1965 New York at a time when their love is against the law. Runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory 11 July through 12 September 2026. Tickets
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
Madonna (Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona) chooses not to ape Hung Up, the all-conquering, chart-topping, ABBA-sampling banger that launched album Confessions On A Dancefloor 21 years ago.
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 2025.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
We’re writing this from a holiday in Iceland where we’re planning a visit to Norway to see the Northern Lights and this 1st track written for Alison Goldfrapp’s 2nd album Flux couldn’t be more pertinent.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
Tracklist: I Do And I Don’t Care; Focus Is Power; Mother; The Curse; Logic, Bitch; Cheers To Me; If Not Now, It’s Soon; In Plain Sight; Lies; 69; What Now; The Deep Blue Okay
There’s a thematic through-line to this album with the final track’s title being referenced in its opening song as Self Esteem sings: ‘We’re not chasing happiness anymore, girls. We’re chasing nothing, the great big still, the deep blue okay – and we’re okay today.’
It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2023? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 16 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2023.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***** RUNTIME: 120 minutes without interval
WHEN?: Thursday 2 November, tour runs through 24 April 2024
SETLIST: Nothing Really Matters; Everybody; Into The Groove; Burning Up; Open Your Heart; Holiday; Live To Tell; Like A Prayer; Erotica; Justify Your Love; Hung Up; Bad Girl; Vogue; Human Nature; Crazy For You; Die Another Day; Don’t Tell Me; Mother And Father; I Will Survive; La Isla Bonita; Don’t Cry For Me Argentina; Bedtime Story; Ray Of Light; Rain; Like A Virgin; Bitch I’m Madonna; Celebration
Madonna brings her director’s eye, her actress’s understanding of drama and her musician’s intimacy with her 40-year treasure trove of hits and deep cuts to tell the story of her life – and it’s everything we’ve always wanted from her and the best gig we’ve ever seen.
The 80s-set Netflix sci-fi series of the same name won our 2016 Best TV monsta and so we’re very much looking forward to its theatrical counterpart promising to turn back the clock to Hawkins in 1959 ‘before the world turned upside down’. Stranger Things: The First Shadow invites us to explore the history of Hawkins and the origins of some key characters. Runs at the Phoenix Theatre 17 November through 25 August 2024. Tickets Preview review
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
