AWARDS: Winners of the 2016 monstas are …
2016’s Best Musical
- Groundhog Day at the Old Vic. Broadway tickets. Picture above via Facebook courtesy Old Vic by Manuel Harlan
- Read on for the remaining 11 pop, theatre, TV and film winners
Matthew Warchus
THEATRE REVIEW: Art starring Rufus Sewell, Paul Ritter & Tim Key
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 12/12, runs to 18/2/17
Art is the story of three middle class men whose friendship is tested when one, Serge played by Rufus Sewell, buys a modern piece of art for 100,000 Euros.
- Read on for reasons including why performance poet Tim Key is a name to look out for
THEATRE REVIEW: Groundhog Day starring Andy Karl & Carlyss Peer
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 17/9, runs to 19/9
64 days ago we went to the final rehearsal of this Tim Minchin musical and were invited by director Matthew Warchus to pay for tickets if we enjoyed that free show.
- Read on for what happens next for Groundhog Day when it closes 19/9
INVESTIGATION: Should you join your favourite theatre as a member?
Would becoming a member of your favourite theatre make it easier for you to get the most in-demand tickets? We became a member of five of our favourite London venues to see what the value for money is.
- Read on to find out what membership of the Almeida, British Film Institute, Menier Chocolate Factory, National Theatre and Old Vic gets you.
THEATRE REVIEW: Groundhog Day
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 1st preview 15/7, press night 16/8, runs to 17/9
24 hours before we are due to attend this 1st preview we receive an email from the venue saying the show’s not quite ready, designating it the final dress rehearsal, offering us full refunds and saying our tickets are still valid.
- Read on for details of this production’s Broadway run
PREVIEW: 11 reasons why we can’t wait for July
- Pet Shop Boys play the Royal Opera House
Super is our album of the year so far and the Boys’ only 2016 UK dates are during their four-date Inner Sanctum residency at the Royal Opera House. We saw Rufus Wainwright there a while back and it’s a venue Neil and Chris were born to play. Tickets have sold out but we’d check here for returns.
- Read on for reasons including Looking: The Movie, Shura, Ab Fab & Groundhog Day premiere
THEATRE REVIEW: The Caretaker starring Timothy Spall, Daniel Mays & George MacKay
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 2/4, runs to 14/5
It’s 19 years since star Timothy Spall last acted on stage and just over one since his tremendous grumbling titular turn in Mike Leigh’s biopic Mr Turner inexplicably failed to earn him a best actor Oscar nomination.
- Read on for reasons why this is director Matthew Warchus’ first five-star Old Vic triumph
THEATRE REVIEW: The Master Builder
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 29/1, runs to 19/3
Paranoid and egotistical master builder Halvard Solness (Ralph Fiennes) is going through a midlife crisis: he fears the young are seeking to do him out of a job yet is infatuated by a woman many years his junior.
THEATRE REVIEW: Matilda the Musical
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Cambridge Theatre
WHEN: 28/1 booking to 29/5
Our £40 tickets for this were bought via the Society of London Theatre’s Get Into London Theatre promotion which runs to 12 February, meaning we received £16 off each.
THEATRE REVIEW: The Lorax
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 17/12 runs to 16/1
We’ve been quite critical of Matthew Warchus’ tenure as Old Vic artistic director but this is his debut season’s first real success and it draws on much of which made his Matilda such a must-see.
