Marvellous, Magical and Truly Memorable (From Daily Echo)

Marvellous, Magical and Truly Memorable

9:36am Friday 30th December 2011

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NOT a classic year in the world of showbiz in the South, but still plenty to keep a Daily Echo entertainments editor busy.

Musicals, movies and countless great gig offerings from the world of music. Festivals, fun and frolics.

2011 had it all.

Here’s my guide to the best — and worst — in entertainments this year.

Best Show: I’m not even a fan of Queen, but I was seriously wowed by We Will Rock You. Marvellous, magical and truly memorable. The spectacular cast deserved every second of the lengthiest standing ovation I have seen anywhere in a very long while.

Worst Show: The Mayflower also scoops this dubious honour — and just days after the curtain came down on the superb Queen musical. I have nothing against Britain’s most popular soap, but Corrie the Musical was not for me. Weird, but not wonderful I’m afraid.

Best Gig: She’s the undoubted musical star of 2011 and she was in spectacular form on her latest visit to Southampton. Whoever said the Guildhall acoustics were not spot on, Adele’s vocals were utterly spinetingling.

Big up the girls in 2011 as Katy Perry at the BIC comes a very close second on my list.

Worst Gig: Björk and Bestival seemed a bonkers match made in heaven. The Icelandic songstress promised so much, but delivered so little when she proved too wacky even for this off the wall festival. Her set of a selection of new songs was more background music than the rousing finale the festival deserved.

Best Film: It has to be the final chapter of JK Rowling’s boy wizard series, which has cast its spell over me for more than a decade. It was a tearful farewell from me to Harry, Ron and Hermione and the magical world of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part Two.

Worst Film: The Hangover 2 was a dreadful sequel to a riotous original.

For belly laughs this year, Bridesmaids proved that a gaggle of boozy girls on a hen do can do it far better!

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