Imelda Staunton made our Best Theatre Actress of 2017 shortlist so far for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf and stars here at the National with Tracie Bennett and Janie Dee in the Sondheim classic (which features Losing My Mind, see below). Runs 22/8 through 3/1/18. Picture courtesy National Theatre. Tickets
It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2015? Over the next fortnight we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 11 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2015. Read on for the nominees for the monsta for single of the year.
Hurts’ third album Surrender is out 9/10 and includes singles Lights (YouTube clip above, and Hurts’ best single since Wonderful Life) and Some Kind Of Heaven. We’ve also heard tracks Rolling Stone, Slow, Nothing Will Be Bigger Than Us, Weight Of The World and the title track and saw the band for the tenth time at their last UK gig at the Scala in June. We’d imagine this album would be their best because it’s the most pop. They play Brixton Academy in February. Tickets here.
WORTH A LOOK: ****
OUT: 7/8
Tracklist: Lose Control; Love Is Free; Got To Work It Out; Set Me Free; Tell You (Today)
In pop’s holy trinity of 2015 singles we’d place Robyn’s Love Is Free between current favourite King by Years and Years and Little Mix’s Black Magic.
5pm Saturday on the John Peel Stage and Y&Y lead singer Olly Alexander is sporting a glittery rainbow top to mark London’s Pride celebrations. A triumphant 12-song set saves the best ’til last with King (monstagigz single of 2015 so far). We’d predict debut album Communion (out 11/7) is more r’n’b than Depeche Mode. Ones to watch. New single Shine available 5/7.
