When I previously worked as a freelance music journalist and then as an in-house content writer and editor, I had lots of opportunities to reflect on experiences I’d had during the years. ‘Best of’ roundups were par for the course, and throughout each year, I’d spend time writing reviews, guides, Top 10s and the like.
Writing about things I love and enjoy was a genuine delight, and a major upside to Substack is there’s nobody telling you what you can or should write about. So, I’m going to make the most of that and make sure my love of entertainment, dining and travel gets a fair share of coverage here too.
Being a parent doesn’t mean you can’t find the time for all of these things of course, but it does change the experience and it can be far harder to coordinate. Having the freedom to do these things often, and sometimes on a whim, is something I value very much. These are the things that excite me and get me fired up, they are long-standing passions, and I think I would genuinely struggle without them.
For other people, sometimes it’s things like playing sports that gives them a release of stress, or fuels them for a challenge they’re facing; but for me it’s getting lost in a story at the theatre, closing my eyes to give myself over to a beautiful song at a concert, or the promise of a long-awaited meal at a restaurant I’ve had my eye on for months.
I’m thinking to make these roundups monthly but to kick off, I’ve compiled some of my favourites from 2023. I’m splitting it into two parts to avoid it getting too long, so part two will follow tomorrow.
I’d love to hear your cultural highlights of the past year – I’m always keen to discover new things. I hope you find something new here too.
To read any of the books or scripts of films and theatre shows mentioned here, visit my online bookshop here. (I receive a small commission on each sale)
Erin
P.S. These lists are in no particular preference order.
Music
Music used to be my main source of live entertainment but over the last decade or so, that’s swung more towards theatre. Nonetheless, I saw some great concerts last year.
1. Nickel Creek – I know I said these lists weren’t in order of preference but this is the exception to that rule. This trio have been my favourite band since I fell in love with them 22 years ago. They hadn’t played shows in the UK since 2006, and although I hoped to see them again one day, I wasn’t holding out much hope. So, getting to see them twice last year was pretty incredible! There were tears at the first show in January, at Union Chapel, which is also the venue that I very first saw them play at back when I was 17. They did not disappoint me and are as fantastic live as they always have been.
2. Shania Twain – The last time I saw Shania was at the O2, many years ago. Last year I was lucky enough to see her play a tiny, local (to me) venue called Prism, in Kingston (south London), thanks to Banquet Records, who always attract great names. Banquet and Prism (although its name has changed over the years) have both been going since I was at school, so there was definitely added nostalgia factor with this one.
3. Gaby Moreno – I don’t really know what to say about Gaby other than, WOW! She was the support act when I saw Nickel Creek at the Barbican in September and she was fantastic. Her voice is stunning, her song-writing is beautiful and she’s a great guitarist. She’s also part of a trio called The Songbirds, who I have listened to since and they too are brilliant.
4. Elton John – This one was five years in the making! I’d booked waaaay in advance for a show that was meant to be in 2020. Of course, that got postponed due to Covid, and then the postponed show got postponed due to Elton needing a hip operation. When my mum and I finally got to see him, it was a bit surreal but a lot of fun. The setlist was essentially a greatest hits, full of fan favourites, and it was a good show in terms of staging and visuals too.
Concerts I’m looking forward to in 2024:
Béla Fleck, Teddy Thompson, Rhiannon Giddens, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift.
Theatre
I saw quite a lot of shows last year but these were the ones that really stood out for me.
1. Sunset Boulevard – I’ll be honest, I was a bit dubious about Nicole Scherzinger but my goodness was I wrong. She was, quite frankly, outstanding! This whole show was impressive but Jamie Lloyd’s direction (as always) was amazing. The use of film, and black and white was included just enough to add interest and depth but never over-done. It was beautiful. I’m not at all surprised that it’s transferring to Broadway. I wish I could go and see it again.
2. Crazy for You – As long-standing fans of Charlie Stemp, my husband and I will always go to see him in whatever he does (although not panto) but this show was such a delight overall. The Gershwin music was irresistible, the costumes were gorgeous, the pairing of Charlie Stemp with Tom Edden was perfect, and watching Charlie dance was glorious. We first saw it last year at Chichester Festival Theatre (twice) and then went three more times when it transferred to London. We rounded off 2023 by heading into town on Dec 31st to see the final performance and it was the perfect end to the year.
3. Old Friends – The passing of Stephen Sondheim back in 2021 was a huge loss for theatre and this emotional and beautiful show featuring so much of his best-loved work was wonderful. I was lucky enough to see it twice, which meant I also got to see the mind-blowing cast twice – Lea Salonga, Bernadette Peters, Bonnie Langford, Gavin Lee, Janie Dee… the entire cast was unbelievable!
4. Othello – Similarly to Charlie Stemp, if Giles Terera’s name appears on a cast list, you can pretty much guarantee I’ll be booking tickets. I first saw him as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, when he was totally captivating, so seeing him play such an iconic Shakespearean role was an absolute must. He was as compelling as ever. If you have a National Theatre at Home subscription, it’s available now to stream.
5. The Crucible – Despite it being an Arthur Miller classic, I’d never seen this play before and didn’t know very much about it. I’m actually really glad I didn’t know much of the plot, other than it being based around the Salem witch trials, because it made it even more enthralling. I’ll not say more, as I don’t want to spoil it, but I would absolutely recommend seeing it when it’s next performed. This is also available to stream via National Theatre at Home.
6. Ocean at the End of the Lane – I went along to this with my husband, as he knows someone in the cast, who had invited him to come along. It’s not something I would ever have booked to see, as fantasy-based things aren’t usually my thing, but I’m always open to giving something new a try. At the interval, I was impressed by the staging and special effects but wasn’t truly engrossed. By the end of act two, I was crying, in a good way. Needless to say, I’m glad I took the chance.
7. Cabaret – It’s easy to understand why this has been one of the hottest tickets in London over the last year. The whole experience is fantastic – immersive without over-egging it, it’s very classy, and the theatre looks great after it’s refurb for this show. A moving story, with a twist that resulted in an audible gasp from the audience the night we went. Our leads were John McCrea and Aimee Lou Woods, and they had the audience captivated. I’m quite keen to go again now to see Jake Shears as Emcee before his run ends in March.
Shows I’m looking forward to seeing in 2024:
Hello Dolly, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, The Barber of Seville, and a rumoured transfer from Broadway of Sweeney Todd (fingers crossed Josh Groban comes with it).
Film
Before I met my husband, my film viewing had been… limited. I’d seen a lot of rom-coms and Disney but honestly, not a lot else, other than a few I saw as part of Film Studies A-level at school. Ross is very much into film and has certainly broadened my horizons; it’s been a really nice thing to share over the years. I didn’t watch many films this year but these are the ones that stood out for me.
1. Marriage Story – It seems odd to say I really enjoyed this because it’s actually quite a sad story but I liked it very much. It also includes what I think might be the most effective and perfectly chosen use of music I’ve ever experienced in a film.
2. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – My first foray into John Le Carré’s work was the TV adaptation of The Night Manager, which I loved. My cousin is also a fan of Le Carré and when I was visiting him, insisted that we watch this film together, as it’s one of his favourites. It’s a lot to keep track of but it’s an excellent story.
3. Supernova – Another sad one but beautiful too. Also, the leads are Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth, so you’re in safe hands.
4. Captain America: The Winter Solider – My journey through the MCU is continuing, albeit a little slower than my husband would like! It also hasn’t always been entirely congruent to the MCU timeline but so far that doesn’t seem to have hindered me too much. No spoilers please!
5. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – The only film I actually saw at the cinema last year. Tackling death in a children’s film is no mean feat and this one does it with finesse and relatability, despite it being about a cocky cat (who I can never resist watching). Also, Gaby Moreno, who I mentioned in the music section of this roundup, wrote and performed one of the songs for it.
Films I want to see in 2024:
Paddington in Peru (due in November), Shawshank Redemption, The Graduate, The Green Mile and Everything Everywhere All at Once.
What music, theatre and film would be on your roundup for last year? Let me know in the comments and keep an eye on your inbox tomorrow for part two - TV, books, food and experiences.