Young Vic

THEATRE REVIEW: Passing Strange starring Giles Terera at the Young Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Wednesday 15 May, opens 21 May and running through 6 July 2024 RUNTIME: 155 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Spring into summer feels like the perfect time for this coming-of-age musical with a sting in its tail to debut in London about an African American youngster – the Youth – who flees to Europe to find himself through sex, drugs and protest art.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is entertaining and thought-provoking and well worth your time
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LAST NIGHT THEATRE REVIEW: Nachtland starring Jane Horrocks & John Heffernan at the Young Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2

WHEN?: Saturday 20 April (matinee) and runs through 20 April 2024

What would you do if you found a painting apparently by Hitler in the attic of your dead father-in-law’s home while clearing it?

  • Read on for reasons including how Nachtland poses lots of difficult questions with answers ranging from the unpalatable to the freakishly bizarre
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May 2024 starring Dominic West in A View From The Bridge

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. A View From The Bridge in the West End

Transferring from Bath’s Theatre Royal, this Lindsay Posner production stars Dominic West (TV’s The Crown), Kate Fleetwood (Ugly Lies The Bone, National Theatre) and Callum Scott Howells (Cabaret, Kit Kat Club) in this Arthur Miller play about 1 man’s place in the close-knit American-Italian community of 1950s New York. Runs 23 May through 3 August 2024 at Theatre Royal Haymarket. Tickets Our preview review

  • Read on for reasons including Olly Alexander, Boys From The Blackstuff and Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2023 starring Jennifer Saunders in Peter Pan

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Jennifer Saunders and Julian Clary in the Palladium pantomime

7 years ago Julian Clary starred opposite Paul O’Grady in pantomime Cinderella at this venue in a production that marked a return of the form to a theatre previously renowned for it. We’ve loved the shows that have followed, Dick Whittington, Snow White, Goldilocks, and Pantoland at the Palladium, in both 2020 and 2021, and Jack And The Beanstalk starring Dawn French in 2022. French’s comedy partner Jennifer Saunders stars here alongside Clary and My Son’s A Queer‘s Rob Madge. Runs 9 December through 14 January 2024. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including David Tennant’s Macbeth, Joe Cole’s Homecoming and new musical Cold War
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Revival of 2022

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 2022? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 16 categories for our 8th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2022.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Oklahoma! starring Anoushka Lucas, Arthur Darvill, Marisha Wallace & Liza Sadovy at the Young Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday 30 April, booking to 25 June 2022 RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including 1 20-minute interval)

We’re sat onstage behind a trestle table on which sits a six-pack of Bud Light and a cooking pot of chilli as male lead Curly McLain, played by Arthur Darvill, arrives playing guitar and singing Oh What A Beautiful Mornin’ and sits opposite us.

  • Read on for reasons including how the source material has been tweaked to make the story more unsettling
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for April 2022 starring The 47th

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Mike Bartlett’s The 47th at the Old Vic starring Bertie Carvel

Dr Foster author Bartlett’s COCK was our pick of last month and in April he has 2 new plays opening (see also Scandaltown further down this list). The 47th stars Carvel (pictured, Ink, the Almeida, West End and Broadway) as Donald Trump, the 47th US President, and runs at the Old Vic 29 March through 28 May 2022. Tickets Review

  • Read on for reasons including Nicola Walker, Jodie Comer and an Oklahoma revival
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INVESTIGATION: Should you join your favourite theatre as a member? (2020 update part two)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

The Old Vic was the second winner of our Best Theatre Venue monsta last year and below are details of what you can expect from patron membership which for us meant sharing a rehearsal room with actors including Sally Field and Jenna Coleman (pictured).

  • Read on to find out what membership of Hampstead Theatre, National Theatre, Old Vic, Other Palace, Royal Court and Young Vic gets you

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AWARDS MONSTAS: Our Best Theatre Actor of 2019 so far

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We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2018 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2019 so far and what’s to come. Arinze Kene, Andrew Scott, George Mackay and James McAvoy are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best theatre actors of 2019 so far and our hopes for the next half year

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THEATRE REVIEW: Death Of A Salesman starring Sharon D. Clarke & Arinze Kene at the Young Vic

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Young Vic RUNTIME: 185 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)

WHEN? 3/5, press night 9/5, runs to 29/6/19 (now extended to 13/7)

We were at the Royal Albert Hall last month for the Olivier Awards and the prize we were most pleased to see received was Sharon D. Clarke’s for Best Actress In A Musical and, as if to prove it, her performance of Lot’s Wife from Caroline, Or Change stole the show.

  • Read on for reasons including how this production emphasises the mental health element of the classic play

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