WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
The UK returns to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest after a 16-year absence this month and we’re back with a banger because 13-year-old Freya Skye’s song is an absolute bop.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHEN?: Tuesday 8 November, tour runs until 4 April 2023
SETLIST: Tiny Riot; Whirlwind; Somebody; Put A Light On Me; Deep Blue Doubt; You’re The Voice; All The Way Over; More; Everybody Wants To Rule The World/I Want To Break Free/September/The Way You Make Me Feel; SPACE MAN
Before this show we thank Ryder for turning around the UK’s Eurovision fortunes and ask him whether he will be playing a part in the 2023 event in Liverpool next May and he doesn’t yet know.
Quinto (The Boys In The Band) is probably best known for his role as Spock in the rebooted Star Trek franchise and here plays Gore Vidal in the Young Vic production of this James (Ink, Almeida) Graham play opposite David Harewood as William F Buckley about the 1968 ATV TV debates. Runs at the Noel Coward Theatre 14 November through 18 February 2023. Tickets
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHEN?: Sunday 28 August 2022
Lean, mean and urging the audience to join in, Suede frontman Brett Anderson seems absolutely on fire during this main Common Stage slot as the sun sinks on a gorgeous day on Southsea seafront.
By Aline Mahrud and Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 14 May 2022
WHERE?: PalaOlimpico, Turin, Italy
HOW DO I WATCH?: BBC1 8pm (UK time)
Rousing anti-ballad Hold Me Closer by Sweden’s Cornelia Jakobs (pictured) is our pick to take home the 66th Eurovision Song Contest crown on Saturday.
We saw lead Okereke in both The Boy Friend (Menier) and Spring Awakening (Almeida) and so know how deserved this casting is. We last saw Martine McCutcheon’s triumphant take on this Lerner and Loewe classic in 2001 and it returns to the West End at the Coliseum 7 May through 27 August 2022. Tickets 1st preview review
By Aline Mahrud and Neil Durham
WHEN? Saturday 14 May 2022
WHERE? PalaOlimpico, Turin, Italy
HOW DO I WATCH? BBC1 8pm (UK time)
This is the strongest batch of pre-qualified finalists for a Eurovision we can ever remember and we think there are 2 potential winners in this batch.
