1. Palladium pantomime starring Julian Clary and Beverley Knight

Pantomime at Christmas looked for a while like it might not happen but this seasonal showstopper returns with a familiar cast including star Julian Clary 12/12/20 to 3/1/21 Tickets We’ve seen it ever since it started in 2016 and it’s essentially a variety show with something for everyone. Here’s what we said in 2017, 2018 and last year.

• Read on for reasons including Death Drop, Cinderella by Jodie Prenger and Ma Rainey

2. Death Drop starring Courtney Act written by Holly Stars

Last year monstagigz joined Stars on stage for 2020’s first West End drag pantomime Cinderella at Trafalgar Studios and this year she’s written Death Drop starring RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Courtney Act at Garrick Theatre 4/12 through 17/1/21. Tickets

3. Jodie Prenger writes Cinderella starring Rufus Hound

Earlier this year we saw Prenger in A Taste Of Honey at Trafalgar Studios and this season she’s co-written the pantomime at Turbine Theatre starring Hound which runs 3 – 23/12/20. Tickets Co-stars include Debbie Kurup and Scott Paige.

4. Culture Club play Rainbow In The Dark gig at Wembley Arena

Boy George and co last played London at this very venue two years ago for a concert we reviewed and here return for a socially distanced gig that will be streamed. Tickets Rainbow In The Dark seems an apt title.

5. Stay Awake, Jake at Southwark Playhouse

This new musical streams for 3 performances from Southwark Playhouse 18 – 19/20 and tells the story of a man played by Ahmed Hamad driving England’s motorways to return to his girlfriend. Tickets

6. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom starring Chadwick Boseman

Boseman’s death this year at just 43 means this is his final film and we saw this play with music at the National starring Sharon D. Clarke in 2016. It was written by August Wilson and after a limited theatrical release it appears on Netflix 18/12/20. Details

7. Andrew Lincoln in A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic

Lincoln is one of our favourite actors whose career we’ve followed from UK TV favourites like This Life and Teachers to the cusp of a movie career in The Walking Dead zombie franchise. While the Old Vic venue’s In Camera series seems a halfway house for us when other destinations are more ambitiously opening their doors for socially distanced audiences, we’re intrigued to see how this five-star treat, which returns for its 4th successive year, will be realised. Tickets

8. Bridgerton starring Julie Andrews, Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan, Adjoa Andoh & Golda Rosheuvel

Netflix has prospered while cinemas struggle to open and this 8-episode season based on Julia Quinn’s novels set in Regency London high society drops Christmas Day. Look out for the voice of Julie Andrews alongside Company‘s Bailey, Coughlan (Derry Girls), Andoh (Leave Taking, Bush Theatre) and Rosheuvel (A Christmas Carol, Old Vic).

9. Frock Destroyers album released

The highlight for us of last year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK was the appearance of MNEK and the formation of Baga Chipz, Divina de Campo and Blu Hydrangea as the Frock Destroyers for song Break Up (Bye, Bye). New single Her Majesty is out now and the album Frock4Life is released 11/12/20 and is described by Divina as: ‘Steps going to dinner with Little Mix hosted by 3 drag queens’.

• Picture courtesy of Palladium via Facebook. Tickets
• Have you seen any of these shows or films or heard the albums or read the books?
• Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this review? Follow its author on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook