2024 Round-up

As 2024 comes to a close, Crowd Pleasers, like many others, is taking a moment to reflect on the incredible entertainment that has shaped the industry this year. Despite it being the first few months, the talent and entertainment that I've had the chance to review has been such a joy. But there's so much more from the early part of the year that's also worthy of recognition. Consider this the Crowd Pleasers Awards, highlighting the year's personal highlights - from premieres and releases to standout publications.

THEATRE 2024

2024 was an incredible year for theatre, offering a wealth of exciting new productions both in London and regionally, with even more promising prospects on the horizon for 2025. I had the opportunity to tick off some bucket-list shows, including Rob Madge’s My Son’s a Queer and Guys and Dolls (Bridge Theatre), while also diving into a year of fresh, innovative writing.

But the results are in!...

Favourite Musical - Hadestown (Lyric Theatre, London)

Simply blew me away and exceeded all expectations. A poetic and moving production with the finest detail in all creative and technical aspects of the show. While I choose not to give star rankings, this is certainly a 5 star production. If only tickets were still available for the return of the original Broadway cast!

Favourite Play - A Taste of Honey (Royal Exchange Theatre)

Explicitly biting and implicitly humorous. Performed just 20 minutes down the road from the plays setting, A Taste of Honey, has left a strong lasting impression. Surprisingly, a text unfamiliar to me at the start of the year but one I would certainly return too. Excellent performances and an undertone of knowing relevance made this production all the more poignant.

Best New Show - 42 Balloons (The Lowry)

42 Balloons was certainly another immediate production that sprung to mind when thinking of the years theatrical highlights. Hoping to hear of a soaring future for this production, a few tweaks could tighten the show but overall seriously well put together and extremely enjoyable.

I wish I hadn't missed - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

I was absolutely gutted that this production fell into a category with several others that I was unable to get into London to see this year. This soundtrack has been right up there in my Musical Theatre listening's and my parents managed to catch it and frequently remind me how much I would have loved it (just to put salt in the wound!). I know it would be right up my street and I frequently find myself annoyed that I missed this great casting in a show that I will be sure not to miss out on should it return.

FILM & TV 2024

2024 has been a huge year cinematically with some exceptional box office hits as well as some famous flops. Many film fans, including myself, have been continuously treated to long anticipated sequels and adaptations and I'm sure my decisions on the best of the year aren't too surprising. As for television, starting this page encouraged me to try more series this year as someone who is a repeat binger of my favourite sitcoms. It has particularly been the year of the documentary for me this year, as well as enjoying new series of some long term favourites.

Favourite Film - Wicked (Part 1)

Need I really say more? Like most theatre fans, this film adaptation really felt like a love letter and much more, with stellar casting, beautiful direction and mind- blowing creative elements creating a perfect jigsaw. The press tour for this masterpiece also was really the gift that kept on giving. Needless to say that I will be holding space for Wicked: For Good as one of my most highly anticipated releases for 2025.

Favourite Series - Mr Bates Vs. The Post Office

The standard for dramatisations this year was set high right from the offset with this series airing on January 1st. The impact from this series is still rippling a year later within the UK, with an almost unbelievable story shocking the nation. Whilst maybe not critically a smash hit, with restricted appeal, the message of persistence and camaraderie in the face of adversity in this David vs Goliath story really drove this dramas success. This series clearly really resonated with viewers and created an admirable amount of conversation & action securing its top spot.

Best Animated Feature- Inside Out 2

As a huge animation fan, it may be controversial to know that this is in fact my most disappointing category of the year and it wasn't difficult to identify a winner. Inside Out 2 was a clear favourite but still didn't leave me as impressed as many others seemed to find it. Undoubtedly clever and convincingly done with the addition of more complex emotions & a nice nod to the original, but like many Disney & Disney Pixar sequels, not one that I will be revisiting often.

Most unexpected - The Iron Claw

I will shamelessly admit that I went into this with very minimal knowledge of the film and Zac Efron's casting practically led to the ticket selling itself. But with minimal expectations, this film quickly rose to my top 3 of the year. Profoundly sad, the Von Erich's story was portrayed sensitively without leaving out any dark details.

BOOKS 2024

2024 has been the year I joined the Kindle club and unsurprisingly has turned me into a little bookworm. I try to be eclectic in my genre choices and 'booktok' often does heavily influence my ever growing reading wish list. However, the majority of my reading this year was consumed by (finally!) reading the Harry Potter series. I hope to continue trying more genres in 2025 and beating my record this year of 22 books throughout the year.

Favourite Book- The Housemaid's Secret

Unlike many series, Freida McFadden, doubled down on gripping tales in the first two instalments of The Housemaid series. Impressed by the first, I wanted to jump straight into this sequel and was hooked! Secretly reading under the desk at work, turning pages over every meal, I devoured this in 3 days. This also definitely wins the award for biggest plot twist - but no spoilers here!

Favourite series- Harry Potter

I can now call myself a proper fan and am absolutely not going to argue the fact that this is a series that deserves every bit of success it has garnered in the last 25 years. The world building in this series is like few other books and a joy to immerse yourself in as the reader. I finally was able to enjoy the characters and parts of this series that were cut in the cinematic adaptations & saw new sides to characters that didn't translate quite as well in the films (looking at you Ginny). Definitely a bit of a marathon at times, but absolutely worth it.

Favourite Author- Freida Mcfadden

My new favourite author for the year that I hadn't previously tried. As discussed above, The Housemaid series definitely was a highlight of the year, even if the 2024 addition to the series did disappoint in comparison to the first two. The intensity that she injects into each chapter of these thrillers was something I found addictive and I am sure that I will return for more of her books this year.

Best Story- The tattooist of Auschwitz

I couldn't round up my year of reading without mention of this very successful book inspired by an incredible true story. A touching and heart-wrenching story of love and survival against all odds highlighting the fragility of life and the strength of human connection. Not necessarily the most well written book in my opinion but an amazing story nevertheless.

What a line up, hey! I hope for more of the same in the next 12 months, many tickets booked and cinema trips lined up so many more reviews to come. Lots in store for Crowd Pleasers in 2025, and an excellent round up to the beginning of this little venture. To anybody who has read or supported a big thank you and to conclude, here are my summaries of 2024:

Theatre 2024:

• A Brief Encounter (Royal Exchange Theatre)

• Hamilton (Palace Theatre Manchester)

• Gypsy - The Musical in Concert (Hope Mill Theatre at the Palace Theatre)

• Shed: An Exploded View (Royal Exchange Theatre)

• Sister Act UK Tour (Bord Gais Energy Theatre)

• Guys & Dolls (The Bridge Theatre)

• A Taste of Honey (Royal Exchange Theatre)

• Hadestown (The Lyric Theatre)

• 42 Balloons (The Lowry)

• Aladdin UK Tour (The Palace Theatre Manchester)

• Sweat (Royal Exchange Theatre)

• My Sons A Queer (HOME Manchester)

• The Book of Mormon UK Tour (The Palace Theatre Manchester)

• The Importance of Being Earnest

  (Royal Exchange Theatre)

• Lizzie (Hope Mill Theatre)

• Fly More Than You Fall (Southwark Playhouse- Elephant)

• Becoming Nancy (Birmingham Rep)

• Beyond the Barricade 25th Anniversary Concert (Birmingham Symphony Hall)

• The Human Voice (The Kings Arms)

• Spend Spend Spend (Royal Exchange Theatre)

Film & TV 2024:

• Mr Bates VS The Post Office (ITV)

• Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

• Meangirls (Paramount Pictures)

• Lost Boys and Fairies (BBC)

• The Iron Claw (A24)

• Geek Girl (Netflix)

• Bridgerton Season 3 (Shondaland)

• Wicked Little Letters (StudioCanal)

• Back to Black (StudioCanal)

• One Day (Netflix)

• Challengers (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

• Into the Fire (Netflix)

• Inside Out 2 (Disney Pixar)

• Joker: Folie a Deux (Warner Bros Pictures)

• Heartstopper Series 3 (Netflix)

• Deadpool Vs Wolverine (Marvel Studios)

• Nobody Wants This (Netfix)

• Woman of the Hour (Netflix)

• The Wild Robot (Dreamworks)

• Wicked (Universal Pictures)

• Moana 2 (Disney)

Books 2024:

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire- J.K, Rowling

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix- J.K. Rowling

• Romancing Mr Bridgerton - Julia Quinn

• To Sir Philip With Love - Julia Quinn

• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K Rowling

• Better than the Movies - Lynn Painter

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- J.K. Rowling

• The Do-Over - Lynn Painter

• Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus

• The Housemaid- Freida McFadden

• Funny Story - Emily Henry

• The Housemaid's Secret - Freida McFadden

• The Tattooist of Auschwitz- Heather Morris

• The Housemaid is Watching- Freida McFadden

• Book Lovers- Emily Henry

• Nothing Like the Movies - Lynn Painter

• The Third Gilmore Girl- Kelly Bishop

• The Girl in Question- Tess Sharpe

• Cilka's Journey - Heather Morris