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THEATRE REVIEW: Choir Boy starring Terique Jarrett at Stratford East

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN? Saturday 28 March, opens 31 March and runs through 25 April 2026 RUNTIME: 140 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Author Tarell Alvin McCraney won the 2017 Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Moonlight and like that film Choir Boy is the story of a young black man struggling with his sexuality.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is exactly the sort of work we’ve longed to see at this venue
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THEATRE REVIEW: John Proctor Is The Villain at the Royal Court Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Saturday 21 March, opens 26 March and runs through 25 April 2026 RUNTIME: 105 minutes (no interval)

‘Well those rumours, they have big teeth, hope they bite you. Thought you said that you would always be in love but you’re not in love no more,’ sings Lorde on Green Light as modern day female high school students lip synch to it in an attempt to make sense of the situation they’re in.

  • Read on for reasons including how this will spark many talking points without necessarily providing the theatrical heft to settle any of them
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THEATRE REVIEW: Teeth ‘n’ Smiles starring Rebecca Lucy Taylor – Self Esteem – and Phil Daniels at Duke Of York’s Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 14 March, opens 25 March and runs through 6 June 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Three-quarters of the way through this revival of a David Hare play with music which originally starred Helen Mirren its new star Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known as Self Esteem, sits on the steps leading up to the stage and plays a new song she has written herself solo on the guitar as her character finds her voice.

  • Read on for reasons including how Self Esteem updates this work with new material that brings real soul and authenticity to it
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PREVIEW/PREDICTIONS: Eurovision Song Contest pre-qualified finalists 2026 starring Look Mum No Computer

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN? 16 May 2026 HOW TO WATCH? BBC1 in the UK at 8pm

WHERE? Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna

No Spain this year which is 1 of 5 countries to boycott 2026 because of Israel’s participation and it’s the UK’s Look Mum No Computer (pictured) which is giving us the most interesting entry of the pre-qualified finalists.

  • Read on for reasons including the UK’s Look Mum No Computer
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GIG REVIEW: The Divine Comedy at Sala Apolo, Barcelona

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Thursday 5 March 2026, tour runs through 22 August 2026

SETLIST: Achilles; The Last Time I Saw The Old Man; Rainy Sunday Afternoon; Norman and Norma; Your Daddy’s Car; Bang Goes The Knighthood; I Want You; A Lady Of A Certain Age; Songs Of Love; At The Indie Disco; Neapolitan Girl; Mar-a-Lago By The Sea; Bad Ambassador; I Like; The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter; Absent Friends; Becoming More Like Alfie; Generation Sex; National Express; Our Mutual Friend; Invisible Thread; Tonight We Fly

Rainy Sunday Afternoon is the title of the latest album by The Divine Comedy and it’s a thundery Thursday evening in Barcelona.

  • Read on for reasons including how this was a a very European expression of musical joy
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GIG REVIEW: Youth Sector at Edge Of The Wedge, Portsmouth

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN? Friday 20 February through 3 May 2026

What better to blow away the wet cobwebs of this dingy start to the year than to experience Youth Sector?

  • Read on for reasons including why A Humdrum Mum can’t wait to see what the future holds for Youth Sector
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PREDICTIONS/PREVIEW: Melodifestivalen Final 2026 starring A-Teens, FELICIA, Greczula & Sanna Nielsen

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Saturday 7 March 2025 7pm UK time WHERE TO WATCH? SVT

WHERE?: Strawberry Arena, Stockholm

Melodifestivalen cements its position as Eurovision’s greatest selection show with this 66th final that includes the return of 2 former winners, a boy/girl group reunited after more than 20 years apart, a novelty TV character and 1 song capable of winning in Vienna in May.

  • Read on for reasons including A-Teens, FELICIA, Greczula & Sanna Nielsen
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for March 2026 starring Aidan Turner in Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Aidan Turner and Lesley Manville in Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Turner (Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Harold Pinter Theatre) and Manville (Oedipus, Wyndham’s Theatre) star in Marianne Elliott’s (COCK, Ambassadors Theatre) take on Christopher Hampton’s sexy adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos’ classic novel. Runs at the National’s Lyttelton Theatre 21 March through 6 June 2026. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Rachel Zegler live, Self Esteem and Sadie Sink in the West End
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen Heat 5 2026 starring Sanna Nielsen, Vilhelm Buchaus and AleXa

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Saturday 28 February March 2025 7pm UK time WHERE TO WATCH? SVT

WHERE?: Gärdehov Arena, Sundsval

The final heat of Melfest 2026 is its most competitive with the return of a former winner and the arrival of the sole American Song Contest victor.

  • Read on for reasons including Bladë, Juliett and Lilla Al-Fadji 
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PREDICTIONS: Melodifestivalen Heat 2 2026 starring FELICIA

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN? Saturday 7 February 2026 WHERE TO WATCH? SVT

WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg

We predicted last weekend’s Heat 1 100 per cent correctly but think Heat 2 covers such a vast array of different musical styles it’s far less easy to call.

  • Read on for reasons including Arwin, Laila Adèle, Robin Bengtsson and Brandsta City Släckers
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