THEATRE REVIEW: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at the Ambassadors Theatre

By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Friday 3 January, runs through 15 March 2025 Update: Extended through 31 May 2025 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Relocating F Scott Fitzgerald’s short story of a baby born as an elderly man and living his life backwards – best known as a 2008 film starring Brad Pitt – to the North Cornwall coast brings a community feel reminiscent of fellow musical Come From Away to this warm hug of a show.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is a heartwarming little gem of a show well worth seeking out if you can
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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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Best read monstagigz content of 2024 starring Sigourney Weaver in The Tempest

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

Our most read content of 2024 was this preview review of the West End debut of Alien star Weaver in Jamie Lloyd’s take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest which runs at Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 1 February 2025. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Sheridan Smith, Steve Coogan’s Dr Strangelove and Michael Sheen’s Nye
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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 Theatre Supporting 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.

  • Read on for the nominees for the monsta for the Best Theatre Supporting Actor of 2024 Previous winner 2023: Katy Secombe (Guys And Dolls, Bridge Thetare)
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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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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best New Musical 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 Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Here And Now starring Rebecca Lock, Sharlene Hector & Blake Patrick Anderson at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Sunday 24 November (matinee) and runs through 30 November 2024 Tours UK and Ireland in 2025 and 2026 Tickets RUNTIME: 155 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

A Steps musical needs a vocalist with the power of the band’s Claire Richards and, luckily for Here And Now, it has 3.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is moving, a lot of fun and a knowing budget Mamma Mia
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2024 starring Sigourney Weaver

  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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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Key by Alison Moyet (October 2024)

WORTH A LOOK: ****

Tracklist: Where Hides Sleep; All Cried Out; Such Small Ale; All Signs Of Life; Can’t Say It Like I Mean It; Fire; Filigree; The Impervious Me; More; Is This Love?; Tongue Tied; My Right A.R.M; So Am I; My Best Day; World Without End; This House; Love Resurrection; You Don’t Have To Go

The bluesy voice, the unforgettable way with an uplifting pop melody, the idiosyncratic lyrics or occasional appearance by French and Saunders in a video – there were always a multitude of reasons to love Alison Moyet across her 40-year solo career.

  • Read on for reasons including how Key unlocks a remarkable songbook that balances nostalgia with modern pop sensibilities
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