REVIEW

AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Performance Of A Song 2025

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It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next week we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Woman In Mind starring Sheridan Smith & Romesh Ranganathan at Duke Of York’s Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ***1/2

WHEN? Friday 12 December, opens 6 January and runs through 28 February 2026 and then to Sunderland Empire and Glasgow Theatre Royal RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Patsy Cline’s Crazy and Jamiroquai‘s Virtual Insanity play immediately before curtain up to establish the mood as we enter the mind of Susan played by national treasure Sheridan Smith (Opening Night, Gielgud Theatre).

  • Read on for reasons including how Smith brings the warmth and humanity she is renowned for to some still topical material
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THEATRE REVIEW: When We Are Married starring Siobhan Finneran, Samantha Spiro & Sophie Thompson at the Donmar

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ****

WHEN? Wednesday 10 December, opens 17 December and runs through 7 February 2026

What would you do if you found out on your silver wedding anniversary that you weren’t actually legally married 25 years ago?

  • Read on for reasons including how this reminds of the best of Victoria Wood and Alan Bennett and was an unexpected riot of a comedy
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THEATRE REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty starring Catherine Tate & Julian Clary at the London Palladium

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? *****

WHEN? Sunday 7 December, opens 11 December and runs through 11 January 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Bovvered? Christmas is a time of tradition and this year marks the 10th since the return of the pantomime to the boards of the London Palladium.

  • Read on for reasons including why there’s simply no other pantomime in any other venue across the land that can top it for spectacle and laughs
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2025 starring Oh, Mary!

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  1. Oh Mary! at Trafalgar Theatre

This winner of 2 Tony Awards is a comedy play written by American comedian Cole Escola spoofing the lives of former US President Abraham Lincoln and wife Mary in the days leading up to his assassination where she might be an alcoholic while he is deeply closeted. Stars Mason Alexander Park (The Tempest, Theatre Royal Drury Lane). Runs 3 December through 25 April at Trafalgar Theatre. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Into The Woods, Nicola Coughlan and Sheridan Smith
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Weir starring Brendan Gleeson at the Harold Pinter Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? *****

WHEN? Tuesday 11 November, runs through 6 December 2025 RUNTIME: 100 minutes (no interval)

Conor McPherson (The Brightening Air, Old Vic) adapts The Hunger Games which opens this week in London and this won the Best New Play Olivier in 1999.

  • Read on for reasons including how Gleeson is spellbinding especially because he allows others to shine
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THEATRE REVIEW: Here And Now starring Rebecca Lock, Blake Patrick Anderson, River Medway & Finty Williams at New Victoria Theatre, Woking

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Tuesday 14 October, tour runs through 16 May 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

We catch this musical realisation of the Steps songbook shortly before the departure this week of its leading lady Rebecca Lock (Heathers, Other Palace) to musical Freaky Friday in Manchester.

  • Read on for reasons including how you’d be a deeper shade of blue if you missed out
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Importance Of Being Earnest starring Stephen Fry & Olly Alexander at the Noel Coward Theatre

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Saturday 28 September 2025, runs through 10 January 2026 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Stephen Fry returns to the West End stage as Lady Bracknell for the 1st time since being nominated for a Tony for his Malvolio in 2012’s Twelfth Night and appearing as The Narrator in the Rocky Horror Show in 2015.

  • Read on for reasons including how if you’re having half as much fun as they are onstage, you’ll be having 1 of the best nights of your life
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THEATRE REVIEW: Juniper Blood at Donmar Warehouse by Mike Bartlett

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Tuesday 19 August, opens 26 August and runs through 4 October 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including 2 intervals)

What do you get if you cross the desire for self-sufficiency of TV’s The Good Life with the farming techniques of wilding and regeneration seen in Clarkson’s Farm?

  • Read on for reasons including how this is 1 of the most interesting plays 1 of this country’s most celebrated writers has yet penned
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Little Dreaming by Cian Ducrot (August 2025)

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WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

Tracklist: It’s Cian Bitch; Who’s Making You Feel It?; Little Dreaming; Unfair; What About Love?; Shalalala; Rock Bottom; Kiss And Tell; The Book Of Love; Hallelujah; Break My Heart; No Way To Live; God Only Knows; My Best Friend; Your Eyes; See It To Believe It

Authenticity is the key to Ducrot’s success and while we’ve enjoyed the radio friendliness of the singles released ahead of this 2nd album it’s the rawness of the emotion exposed within this long player that continues to fascinate us about his work.

  • Read on for reasons including the part Hurts frontman Theo Hutchcraft played in creating this album
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