AWARDS: winners of the 2020 monstas are …

monstagigz readers have been voting throughout December for their favourite pop, theatre, TV and film of 2020 from our shortlists. Read on for details of our 2020 monstas winners …

2020’s Best Theatre Actor

  • Michael Balogun (Death of England: Delroy, The Olivier, National Theatre, pictured above) Review National tickets
  • Thank you to everyone who voted. Picture via Facebook courtesy National Theatre
  • Read on for reasons including the remaining 13 theatre, pop, film & TV winners
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Revival of 2020

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2020? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2020.

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre Actress of 2020

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2020? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2020.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Talking Heads starring Maxine Peake and Tamsin Greig at Bridge Theatre

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

WHERE?: Bridge Theatre

WHEN?: 1/10/20, season runs to 24/10/20. (Maxine Peake transfers with Imelda Staunton to Sheffield Theatres 9-11/11/20 and Leeds Playhouse 12-14/11/20)

Miss Fozzard is the funniest of the 2nd run of Talking Heads premiered on BBC1 in 1998 and here Peake makes the most of every line.

  • Read on for reasons including how Greig’s character is another of Bennett’s thwarted women

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THEATRE REVIEW: Talking Heads starring Imelda Staunton and Lucian Msamati at the Bridge Theatre

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Bridge Theatre

WHEN?: 1/10/20 (matinee), season runs to 31/10/20 (Imelda Staunton transfers with Maxine Peake to Sheffield Theatres 9-11/11 and Leeds Playhouse 12-14)

The indomitable Patricia Routledge played Irene Ruddock in the original A Lady Of Letters and Staunton’s is quieter but no less successful. 

  • Read on for reasons including how this role underlines Staunton’s versatility

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THEATRE REVIEW: Talking Heads starring Monica Dolan and Lesley Manville at the Bridge Theatre

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE?: Bridge Theatre RUNTIME: 75 minutes (no interval)

WHEN?: 12/9 (matinee) runs to 22/9, season runs to 31/10/10

We’re inside a theatre and watching a production for the first time in 182 days and, although we’re wearing a mask, it’s exhilarating to be enjoying such a shared experience again albeit socially distanced in an audience of 250 where there would normally have been 900.

  • Read on for reasons including why a COVID-19 consolation is that we have two new Talking Heads and this season

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for September 2020 starring Talking Heads

  1. Talking Heads at the Bridge starring Monica Dolan and Imelda Staunton

Alan Bennett’s original series of monologues aired on BBC1 in 1988 to much acclaim with a second season debuting on the same channel a decade later. Two new scripts were written for a third BBC1 series in 2020 during which 10 of the originals were remade. To celebrate, the Bridge Theatre stages eight of the latest 12 in four pairs beginning 7/9 and running to 31/10 starring two winners of our Best Theatre Actress monsta Monica Dolan and Imelda Staunton. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sara Pascoe at the Greenwich Comedy Festival, Andrew Scott and new Hurts 

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