reviews

THEATRE REVIEW: Rocky Horror Show starring Jason Donovan at Teatre Coliseum, Barcelona

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Sunday 2 November 2025, European tour includes the UK and runs through 1 August 2026 RUNTIME: 120 minutes (with 20-minute interval)

It’s Halloween weekend and almost 2 years to the day after we last saw this musical at this very venue as we return to it with Jason Donovan (Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium) this time playing the lead.

  • Read on for reasons including how Donovan’s charismatic performance is the delightful showbiz bow on a gift of a show
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Importance Of Being Earnest starring Stephen Fry & Olly Alexander at the Noel Coward Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Little Dreaming by Cian Ducrot (August 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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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THEATRE REVIEW: Brigadoon starring Louis Gaunt at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Monday 4 August, opens 11 August and runs through 20 September 2025 RUNTIME: 135 minutes (with a 20-minute interval)

This outdoor setting is the perfect venue for this updated musical of 2 crashed World War Two airmen who stumble across a Scottish Highlands village seemingly suspended in time and not on any map.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is a thoughtful re-imagination of a classic which deserves to be seen in this glorious outdoor venue
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INTERVIEW: Wendy James formerly of Transvision Vamp on The Shape Of History

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

Wendy James tours her 10th album The Shape Of History across the UK later this year and took some time out to tell us about what to expect from those gigs, life after Transvision Vamp and its Australian return.

  • Read on for reasons including what to expect from Wendy James’ solo tour this autumn
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SONG OF THE WEEK: Don’t Cry For Me Argentina by Rachel Zegler (week beginning Friday 11 July 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

It’s by no means la Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires but the London Palladium balcony performance given by Rachel Zegler at 9pm on show nights and 4pm on matinees to the hundreds of passers-by in the capital has, quite rightly, earned itself a single release.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is London’s must-see musical of the moment
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Virgin by Lorde (July 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

Tracklist: Hammer; What Was That?; Shapeshifter; Man Of The Year; Favourite Daughter; Current Affairs; Clearblue; GRWM; Broken Glass; If She Could See Me …; David

Lorde debuted this new album in its entirety – in tracklist order – on the Woodsies stage as a surprise opening to this year’s Glastonbury Festival and that confidence is reflected in the material.

  • Read on for reasons including why Virgin represents a right turn towards a welcome songwriting maturity and honesty
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THEATRE REVIEW: Jamie Lloyd’s Evita starring Rachel Zegler at the London Palladium

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Saturday 14 June, opens 27 June and runs through 6 September 2025 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (with a 20-minute interval)

Zegler may be best known currently as a film star (West Side Story and more recently Snow White) but that is all about to change as she is absolutely sensational in this debut London stage role.

  • Read on for reasons including why this is London’s must-see musical of the moment
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ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Princess Of Power by Marina (week beginning Tuesday 10 June 2025)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

Tracklist: Princess Of Power; Butterfly; Cuntissimo; Rollercoaster; Cupid’s Girl; Metallic Stallion; Je Ne Sais Quoi; Digital Fantasy; Everybody Knows I’m Sad; Hello Kitty; I >3 You; Adult Girl; Final Boss

How To Be A Heartbreaker is 1 of Marina’s (formerly of And The Diamonds fame) best known hits and now she appears to have come full circle and released a break-up album.

  • Read on for reasons including how there’s plenty of the camp melodrama here that made Marina so popular with a gay audience
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