1. Leave to Remain at the Lyric, Hammersmith

A modern love story by Matt Jones with music by Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke starring Billy Cullum and Tyrone Huntley (pictured left to right above) runs at the Lyric, Hammersmith, 18/1/19 through 16/2/19. Tickets

• Read on for reasons including Benedict Cumberbatch in Brexit and Olivia Colman’s The Favourite

2. James Graham’s Brexit starring Benedict Cumberbatch airs

Channel 4 shows James (Ink, This House) Graham’s drama Brexit starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Vote Leave campaign director Dominic Cummings on 7/1/19, a week before Parliament votes on the deal negotiated by Theresa May. Brexit also stars Kyle Soller, shortlisted for a monsta for Best Theatre Actor of 2018.

3. Olivia Colman becomes The Favourite

We last saw Colman in 2017 at the Dorfman in Mosquitoes and here she reunites with The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos to play Queen Anne as Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone jockey to be the titular favourite. Mark Gatiss also stars amid the Oscar buzz. Best Actress Oscar for Colman ahead of Lady Gaga and Glenn Close? Tickets

4. Series 2 of Star Trek: Discovery on Netflix

Series 1 made our Best TV list last year and the 1st episode of 14 in series 2 arrives on Netflix 18/1/19. Its 1st outing was anchored by fine performances from leads, Walking Dead‘s Sonequa Martin-Green and Shazad (Toast Of London, Spooks) Latif. Details

5. Mary Queen Of Scots reigns in cinemas

Director Josie Rourke has already given us her gender fluid Measure For Measure this year and writer Beau Willimon was the show runner for House of Cards. Its thunder seems to have been rather stolen by The Favourite (see above) but its stars (Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie) have Oscar history and this could yet find favour after its 18/1/19 UK release. Tickets

6. More queens as Six returns

Six is a musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss presented as a rock concert featuring the six wives of Henry VIII. It returns to the Arts Theatre running 17/1/19 through 15/5/19. Tickets

7. Glass shatters on screen

M. Night Shyamalan created an intriguing character in Mr Glass (Samuel L Jackson from 2000’s Unbreakable) and this film sees him return alongside co-star Bruce Willis and James McAvoy’s The Beast from the director’s previous film Split. Out in the UK 18/1/19. Tickets

8. Pinter at the Pinter

Celia Imrie and Tracy-Ann Oberman’s turn as rival sisters is the best reason to catch Pinter Six (runs to 26/1/19 Tickets) and Jane Horrocks is always watchable in Pinter 5 which concludes on the same day (Tickets) at the Harold Pinter Theatre. It’s been a mixed season but Martin Freeman and Danny Dyer in the concluding A Slight Ache/The Dumb Waiter should be fun (runs 31/1/19 through 23/2/19, tickets).

9. Hole deepens at the Royal Court

Ellie Kendrick (Game Of Thrones) talks about her debut play at the Royal Court 10/1/19 before it closes on the 12th. Tickets

• Picture via Facebook courtesy Lyric Hammersmith.
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