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Brendan Gleeson has been named best actor at the Critics' Circle theatre awards for his West End debut in Conor McPherson's pub drama The Weir. He beat fellow nominees including Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, both recognised for All My Sons, and James Hameed and Arti Shah, the duo who together portray Paddington in the new musical about Michael Bond's bear.The Weir, directed by McPherson, was entirely omitted from the nominations for this year's Olivier awards and is being turned into a film with Gleeson and the rest of the West End cast.All My Sons, a critically adored production of Arthur Miller's 1946 classic at Wyndham's theatre, won in two categories at the Critics' Circle awards: best revival of a play or musical and best director for Ivo van Hove. A new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods, directed by Jordan Fein at the Bridge theatre, also won two prizes – best designer (Tom Scutt) and the inaugural award for best ensemble or cast.The winners, voted for by professional theatre critics, were revealed at a ceremony at the National Theatre in London on Thursday. Paddington: The Musical, with music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher and book by Jessica Swale, won best new musical. James Graham's Punch, based on the real story of a fatal blow, received the Michael Billington award for best new play (named in 2019 in honour of the Guardian's theatre critic after he stepped down from reviewing). Ava Pickett won most promising playwright for her Tudor drama 1536, which was staged at the Almeida theatre in London in 2025, transfers to the West End in May and is being turned into a BBC drama series.Rosamund Pike saw off competition from Kate Fleetwood (Into the Woods), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (All My Sons) and Rachel Zegler (Evita) to win best actress for her acclaimed performance as a judge in Suzie Miller's Inter Alia. Ruby Ashbourne Serkis was named most promising newcomer for her performance in a revival of Tom Stoppard's Indian Ink which opened at Hampstead theatre days after the revered playwright's death. The award for best Shakespearean performance went to Hayley Atwell for her Beatrice (alongside Tom Hiddleston, nominated for the same prize, as Benedick) in Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

The creator of the AI actor Tilly Norwood, Eline van der Velden, has revealed that she received death threats following a global backlash against her project. Van der Velden developed Tilly Norwood to spark conversation about the role of AI in the entertainment industry.Van der Velden's AI creation, Tilly Norwood, gained significant attention last year when she announced that talent agents were interested in signing the AI actor. This led to widespread condemnation from prominent actors and acting unions, including Melissa Barrera, Mara Wilson, and Ralph Ineson, as well as Sag-Aftra and Equity.In an interview with the Guardian, Van der Velden expressed her surprise at the intensity of the backlash, stating, “The death threats and the hate … my goodness, loads,” she said. Despite the negative reaction, Van der Velden remains committed to her vision of integrating AI into the entertainment industry.Van der Velden founded Particle6 and its AI arm, Xicoia, and debuted Norwood in a short comedy sketch called AI Commissioner last autumn. Norwood has gained a significant following, with 141,000 followers on Instagram.Van der Velden believes that AI actors like Norwood could be beneficial for some performers, allowing them to maintain anonymity while still engaging in acting. She noted, “I think it’s great for some actors, it might actually be a blessing that they can have a digital twin,” emphasizing that fame can be burdensome.Van der Velden continues to advocate for the use of AI in entertainment, highlighting its potential to offer actors more creative freedom. She has now featured Norwood in a new music video, with lyrics written by an AI chatbot, and controls Norwood’s avatar using motion capture techniques.

Lily Allen, known for her hit album West End Girl, is exploring the possibility of turning her music into a stage play. The album, which details her painful experience of discovering her husband's infidelity, has already been performed in its entirety during a recent tour of theatre venues, including a show at the London Palladium.The album's narrative is semi-autobiographical and features songs that showcase Allen's mastery of dialogue, characterisation, and storytelling. The plot revolves around her being cast in a West End production, mirroring her own debut in 2:22: A Ghost Story in 2021.A potential play adaptation could feature intimate monologues or a more elaborate production with supporting actors. The character of Madeline, the other woman involved in Allen's husband's affair, could be a key role in the play. Allen's fans have been closely following her personal life through her lyrics, and her Architectural Digest video showcasing her Brooklyn townhouse with her now-estranged husband David Harbour. The album's sardonic humour and raw realism could be effectively translated onto the stage.The set design for the tour, created by Anna Fleischle, featured a distinctive two-act structure with an interval and innovative videography. A stage adaptation could also incorporate performance art elements, making it a unique theatrical experience.

Robyn, the self-proclaimed Fembot, has always been known for pushing boundaries with her music. Her latest album, Sexistential, is no exception. The Swedish pop star's ninth album is a collection of songs that explore a new philosophy on love, relationships, and emotions.The album's lead single, Dopamine, sets the tone for the rest of the record. With its glittering, arpeggiated synths and introspective lyrics, the song finds Robyn questioning the nature of love and emotions. “I know it’s just dopamine, but it feels so real to me / I’m tripping on our chemistry,” she muses.Sexistential is a departure from Robyn's previous work, with a focus on electronic sounds and lyrics that challenge traditional notions of romance. The album's title track is a case study in Robyn's new mentality, with Robyn rapping about hooking up while undergoing IVF as a solo parent. The song's counterpart, Blow My Mind, is a revamp of her 2002 single, made psychedelic and faster, with lyrics that focus on loving her young son.The album's themes of love, relationships, and emotions are explored through a variety of songs, each with its own unique sound and style. From the thumping, claustrophobic drum machine of Really Real to the retro vocoder and Ministry of Sound piano of Talk to Me, each song showcases Robyn's ability to craft catchy, thought-provoking pop music.The album's finale, Into the Sun, is a surging electro-ballad with tangled religious imagery that makes it tricky to parse. However, the album's defining moment falls on Dopamine, where Robyn finds a way to hold two truths at the same time: feelings are chemical, and some feelings feel amazing. “When I let go, it’s so easy,” she spins, giddy, before hitting a high note that comes straight from the gut.

Moby, the renowned musician, has shared his honest playlist, offering a glimpse into his personal music preferences. He recalls the first song he fell in love with, 'I Fought the Law' by the Clash, which he would record on an old Dictaphone and listen to repeatedly.Moby also shares the first single he bought, 'Convoy' by CW McCall, which he played 40 times in a row, raising concerns for his mother about his future as a musician and addict.He takes pride in never doing the same karaoke song twice, with notable attempts at 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra and 'In Da Club' by 50 Cent. Moby also reveals the song he inexplicably knows every lyric to, 'I Know You Got Soul' by Eric B & Rakim, which he played 8,000 times while DJing in the 80s.Moby discusses the best song to play at a party, 'Been Caught Stealing' by Jane's Addiction, which surprised a crowd of 15 people at a house party in 1989. He also shares the song he can no longer listen to, 'Lola' by the Kinks, due to its gross and transphobic lyrics.Moby confesses to secretly liking 'My Heart Will Go On' by Céline Dion, a song he thought he'd never admit to enjoying. He also shares the best song to have sex to, '4′33″' by John Cage, and the song that changed his life, 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer.Other songs on Moby's playlist include the song that makes him cry, 'Vincent' by Don McLean, and the song that gets him up in the morning, 'Not to Touch the Earth' by the Doors. He concludes by sharing the song he'd like played in his funeral, 'Last Night' from his 2008 album of the same name.

The Gondoliers, Gilbert and Sullivan's last big hit, has been brought to life by the English Touring Opera in a production that is both a feast for the eyes and ears. The opera, which came hot on the heels of the famous quarrel over a carpet at the Savoy theatre, showcases Sullivan's sunniest and most sophisticated score paired with some of Gilbert's most brilliantly barbed lyrics.A sharply pointed satire on the pitfalls of egalitarianism, the plot features babies swapped at birth and a pair of gondoliers, one of whom may or may not be the son of the recently deceased King of Barataria. The production locates the action in the late 17th century, but contemporary resonances abound, including the cash-for-endorsements antics of the money-grubbing Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro.Visually stunning, Liam Steel's staging channels the chocolate box style of the D'Oyly Carte company, with set designer Michael Pavelka's revolving Venetian bridges and Laura Jane Stanfield's rococo costumes creating a feast for the eye. The ensemble cast, including Robin Bailey as Marco and Samuel Pantcheff as Giuseppe, deliver exceptional performances with boundless enthusiasm.The production's success can be attributed to the mischievous wit of Steel, who places dance at the heart of everything while never missing a trick with copious running gags and deft comic timing. A standout moment is the putting of the true king's elderly nursemaid to the rack, which is pure laugh-out-loud entertainment.

Huw Marc Bennett's third album, Heol Las (Blue Street), takes traditional tunes from Glamorgan and submerges them in languid arrangements, touched by global influences and woozy doses of surf rock and sitar. The album thrums with a fitting beauty and energy, as it drifts from the industrial valleys to the Gower peninsula.The album features synthesiser-driven tracks such as Cân Gwasael (Wassail Song) and Yr Abaty (The Abbey), which sound like lost library-music theme tunes for spooky children's TV dramas. Other tracks, such as Y Fedwen (The Birch), are like sparkling radio-friendly nuggets of lost Sain Records psychedelia.Bennett's album also explores themes of Welsh heritage and identity, with Angela Christofilou adding lyrics inspired by Bennett's nieces being the first generation in his family to experience Welsh-medium education. The album is a revitalising and revelatory blend of Wales's past and future.Other notable albums out this month include Joshua Burnside's It's Not Going to Be Okay, Akkajee's Pölynkerääjä (The Dust Collector), and the Weaving's Dlúth & Inneach (Warp & Weft).