THEATRE REVIEW: Cry-Baby the musical starring Adam Davidson at the Arcola Theatre

By Neil Durham

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

WHEN? Saturday 12 April 2025 (matinee, last night)

Based on the 1990 John Waters film (BFI Q&A), this new musical with book by the writer of Hairspray which ran on Broadway in 2008 is brought spectacularly to life in the best production we’ve yet seen at this east London studio venue.

  • Read on for reasons including why this production should transfer into the West End
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GIG REVIEW: Welly at Rough Trade East, London

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Sunday 23 March, tour runs through August 2025 Tickets

Setlist: Big In The Suburbs; Knock And Run; Soak Up The Culture; Shopping; Country Cousins; Life Is A Motorway; It’s Not Like This In France; Me And Your Mates

Debut album Big In The Suburbs has been in the world for less than 72 hours and we hear 3 songs from it tonight that we’ve not heard Welly play live before.

  • Read on for reasons including how things are just beginning for this band
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GIG REVIEW: Welly at Heartbreakers, Southampton

By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Thursday 13 February, tour runs through 3 August 2025 with dates being added Tickets

I’ve reviewed these guys so many times, I don’t know how else to say “Go and see them!”

  • Read on for reasons including how Welly will sound Girls Aloud next album
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THEATRE REVIEW: Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet and Yew starring Omari Douglas at Bush Theatre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 8 February, opens 13 February and runs through 22 March 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Bush Emerging Writers’ Group alumni Coral Wylie (pictured above right) writes and stars as 19-year-old Pip who identifies as non-binary, has dropped out of education and feels misunderstood by their parents.

  • Read on for reasons including how there’s a big heart at the root of the show that deserves nourishing
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for January 2025 starring Inside No 9

  1. Inside No 9 transfers to the West End from TV

You can vote for Steve Pemberton (The Pillowman, Duke Of York’s Theatre) and Reece Shearsmith’s (The Unfriend, Criterion Theatre) genius 9th and final TV series of Inside No 9 to win Best TV of 2024. The anthology show’s theatre incarnation Inside No 9 Stage/Fright arrives at the Wyndhams Theatre for a run 18 January through 5 April 2025. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Rami Malek in Oedipus, Brie Larson in Elektra and new Severance
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre Actress of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre Actor of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Revival of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Supporting Theatre Actress of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

  • Read on for the nominees for the monsta for the Best Supporting Theatre Actress of 2024 2023 winner: Katy SecombeGuys and Dolls, Bridge Theatre Review Tickets
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Performance Of A Song 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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