Hairspray, London Coliseum review - brighter and more welcome than ever

★★★★★ HAIRSPRAY, LONDON COLISEUM Popular London and Broadway musical soars anew

Popular London and Broadway musical soars anew

A revival of a multi-award winning musical, with a big star or two, may look like a safe choice to re-open London’s largest theatre, the Coliseum, but there was a tingle of jeopardy in the air, exemplified when the show catches you by surprise, the curtain rising when (surely) people remain in the bar?

In the Heights review - to life, Lin-Manuel Miranda-style

★★★★ IN THE HEIGHTS To life, Lin-Manuel Miranda-style

2008 Tony winning musical transfers joyously to the screen

The general uptick of late in film versions of stage musical hits continues apace with In the Heights, which, to my mind anyway, is far more emotionally satisfying and visually robust onscreen than it was on Broadway, where it won the 2008 Tony for Best Musical.

Album: Lambchop - Showtunes

★★★ LAMBCHOP - SHOWTUNES The always mordan Kurt Wagner reaches new levels of gloom

The always mordant Kurt Wagner reaches new levels of gloom

Lambchop leader Kurt Wagner has suggested that the title of this album is semi literal: that he wanted to write “something akin” to classic, Great American Songbook show tunes, rather than his usual country-tinged style. If so, it’s for a rather gloomy sort of a show.

Music review - a few music videos cobbled together

★ MUSIC Sia's film debut uses autism as a prop for shallow song and dance routines

Musician Sia’s film debut uses autism as a prop for shallow song and dance routines

What did Sia want to achieve with Music, her deeply confused first stumble into filmmaking? The reclusive Australian has enjoyed years of global fame for a successful music career. Was it never enough?

Album: Sia - Music

★★ SIA - MUSIC Between pop and musical theatre, star's movie tie-in misses the mark

Pop star's movie tie-in misses the mark

It’s difficult to know where to start with Sia’s Music. The album is billed as a collection of songs “from and inspired by” the film of the same name – so not a soundtrack, except for when it is.

One Enchanted Evening, Glastonbury Abbey review - concert of West End show tunes

ONE ENCHANTED EVENING, GLASTONBURY West End show tunes at the Abbey

Magnificent backdrop of ruins for fundraiser

On a normal bank holiday weekend there would be festival events held in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey. But in this anything-but-normal year, choreographer and director Andrew Wright instead gathered together a group of people who live in or who have an association with Somerset to donate their talents for free to put on a musical fundraiser. 

A Little Night Music, Opera Holland Park review - wasn't it bliss?

★★★★ A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, OPERA HOLLAND PARK For one night, we were part of a full-on theatrical experience once again

For one night, we were part of a full-on theatrical experience once again

A lot of rain and untold bliss: those were the takeaways from Saturday night’s alfresco Opera Holland Park concert performance of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s eternally glorious 1973 musical, A Little Night Music.