theatre

THEATRE REVIEW: The Importance Of Being Earnest starring Ncuti Gatwa at National Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Friday 22 November 2024, opens 28 November and runs through 25 January 2025 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Oscar Wilde described this – his final and best loved play – as ‘exquisitely trivial’ and this production is exquisitely cast, perfectly judged and executed with both swagger and flamboyance.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is currently London’s funniest comedy
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2024 starring Sigourney Weaver

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Sigourney Weaver’s West End debut in Jamie Lloyd’s The Tempest

Weaver who starred in the original Alien movies but not this year’s fine newcomer to the franchise Alien: Romulus makes her West End debut as Prospero in this Jamie Lloyd (Romeo and Juliet, Duke Of York’s Theatre) version of The Tempest which we’ve previously seen starring Simon Russell Beale at the Barbican in 2017. Will it be ‘such stuff as dreams are made?’ Runs at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 7 December through 1 February 2025. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including the Palladium pantomime, Welly’s biggest London show and Oliver!
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THEATRE REVIEW: Fly More Than You Fall starring Keala Settle at Southwark Playhouse (Elephant)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Saturday 2 November (matinee), runs through 23 November 2024 RUNTIME: 130 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Settle (& Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre) plays Miss Coddle, a new character created for the film Wicked released later this month and she’s by some distance the best reason to catch this new musical at this 300-seater venue.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is worth seeing for Settle but manages to be both big-hearted and yet heavy-handed
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best New Play of 2024

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November 2024 starring Ncuti Gatwa

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Ncuti Gatwa stars in The Importance Of Being Earnest

‘A handbag …?’ New Doctor Who Gatwa stars alongside Best Theatre Actress monsta winner Sharon D Clarke (Caroline, Or Change?, Hampstead Theatre and TV’s Lost Boys and Fairies) and Hugh Skinner (The Trial, Young Vic and film Wicked Little Letters) in Max Webster’s (Minority Report, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith) production of the Oscar Wilde classic comedy at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre 20 November through 25 January 2025. Tickets Vote for Doctor Who to win Best TV of 2024. Our Earnest review

  • Read on for reasons including the Greenwich pantomime, The Producers and the Steps musical
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Buddha Of Suburbia starring Dee Ahluwalia at the Barbican

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 26 October 2024, running through 16 November 2024 RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Ahluwalia gives a truly rock star performance as 17-year-old Karim growing up in south London’s suburbs in 1976 and lusting after a male classmate.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is a a brilliantly fun night out with a compelling story of injustice at its heart
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Real Ones starring Nathaniel Curtis & Mariam Haque at Bush Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Thursday 10 October, runs through 26 October 2024 RUNTIME: 115 minutes (no interval)

Waleed Akhtar won an Olivier for his last play The P Word and follows it with the story of the friendship of 2 British Pakistanis across 20 years who work as cinema ushers but dream of becoming playwrights.

  • Read on for reasons including why the real ones might not necessarily be the ones you want to know more about
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Venue of 2024

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

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 3 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

Read More

THEATRE REVIEW: Waiting For Godot starring Ben Whishaw & Lucian Msamati at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

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

WHEN?: Saturday 28 September (matinee), runs through 21 December 2024 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot and, apart from that, it’s possible to read any number of interpretations into what Samuel Beckett’s classic 1948/49 play is actually about.

  • Read on for reasons including how this production warmed our heart in a way we weren’t expecting
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THEATRE REVIEW: Giant starring John Lithgow & Romola Garai at the Royal Court Theatre

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 28 September, runs through 16 November 2024 RUNTIME: 140 minutes (with a 20-minute interval) Update: Transfers to Harold Pinter Theatre 26 April through 2 August 2025

Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony award winner John Lithgow plays author Roald Dahl here under fire for an antisemetic article he had written on the eve of the launch of his 1983 book The Witches.

  • Read on for reasons including how it’s the central performance of Lithgow’s which will both shock and enthral you
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