1. A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Rebecca Frecknall starring Paul Mescal

Frecknall directed Cabaret which still runs at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre and whose EmCees have included an Olivier-winning turn from Eddie Redmayne, Fra Fee and Callum Scott Howells. The star of the Tennessee Williams classic she has chosen to follow it up with won a Best TV/Film Actor from us in 2020 for Normal People (pictured above). Streetcar runs at the Almeida 12 December 2022 to 4 February 2023. Tickets Streetcar review Mescal currently stars in film Aftersun Review Note: now opens Saturday 17 December as leading lady Lydia Wilson withdraws for health reasons to be replaced by Olivier winner Patsy Ferran (Camp Siegfried, Old Vic)

• Read on for reasons including Julian Clary, Sir Ian McKellen and Jack O’Connell

2. Palladium pantomime Jack And The Beanstalk

6 years ago Julian Clary starred opposite Paul O’Grady in pantomime Cinderella at this venue in a production that marked a return of the form to a theatre previously renowned for it. We’ve loved the shows that have followed, Dick Whittington, Goldilocks, and Pantoland at the Palladium in both 2020 and 2021. This year marks a post-Covid return to normal with Jack And The Beanstalk starring Dawn French, Alexandra Burke, Julian Clary and My Son’s A Queer‘s Rob Madge. Tickets Review

3. Mother Goose starring Sir Ian McKellen

1 of the reasons we were friends of the Old Vic for years was happy shared memories of McKellen (No Man’s Land, Wyndhams Theatre) as Widow Twankey in pantomime Aladdin from 2004 to 2006. He returns to the art form in Mother Goose opposite John Bishop in a show which runs at Theatre Royal Brighton Tickets 3 December through 11 December before a stint at the Duke Of York’s Theatre in London 15 December through 29 January 2023. Tickets

4. Jack O’Connell and Emma Corrin in Lady Chatterley’s Lover

We last saw O’Connell go full-frontal in Tennessee Williams’ Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at the Apollo Theatre in 2017 and here he stars in a new Netflix film version of the raunchy D.H. Lawrence classic opposite Corrin who plays Orlando at the Garrick Theatre from November. Drops 2 December. Watch Netflix Orlando review

5. UK in Junior Eurovision

Liverpool hosts Eurovision 2023 in May for the 1st time in the UK since 1998 after Sam Ryder finished runner up in the 2022 edition. The BBC shows its commitment to the brand by making its bow in the junior edition which has run since 2003 with the UK making its 1st appearance after a 16-year absence. We’re quietly impressed by our entry Lose My Head by Freya Skye (watch above). The contest takes place in Yerevan, Armenia on 11 December and will be shown on BBC1. Website Watch out for coverage of Eurovision qualifiers on this site soon with Ukraine choosing its entry on 17 December. Lose My Head was our song of the month for December.

6. Matilda the Musical film

Matthew Warchus (Lungs, Old Vic) returns to direct this adaptation of the stage musical he helmed with Tim Minchin songs still running in the West End and starring Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, Emma Thompson, Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough. Opens in the US 9 December 2022 with the UK seeing it a fortnight before. Tickets

7. A Christmas Carol-ish at Soho Theatre

Nick Mohammed from Apple’s hilarious comedy Ted Lasso wrote the book and lyrics for Mr Swallow’s festive retelling of the Dickens’ classic with a cast including Sarah Hadland (Admissions, Trafalgar Studios). Runs 7 through 23 December 2022 at Soho Theatre. Tickets Review

8. Clint Dyer directs Giles Terera in Othello

Dyer directed Death of England and Get Up! Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical and here returns to the National for his take on the Shakespeare classic with a cast including Terera who won an Olivier for Hamilton. Runs 23 November through 21 January 2023. Tickets

9. Kitty Scott-Claus and Ella Vaday do Christmas tour

Our 2 favourite queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 3 bring joy to the festive season with an 11-date UK jaunt this month pulling their Christmas Cracker including a 23 December gig at Clapham Grand. Tickets

• Main picture courtesy Normal People
• Have you heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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