1. Eurovision Song Contest 2023 from Liverpool

We have our tickets and UK Eurovision entry I Wrote A Song by Mae Muller was April’s song of the month for us and is the country’s best effort since the almighty (Ooh Aah) Just A Little Bit by Gina G. Our favourite however is Tattoo by Loreen (pictured) for Sweden. Check out our Semi 1, Semi 2 and Final predictions for the 1st Eurovision in the UK since Dana International won in Birmingham 25 years ago. Tickets Rehearsals start on 30 April and we’ll be refining our predictions as we see footage. Final predictions

• Read on for reasons including Brokeback Mountain, Groundhog Day returns, Alison Goldfrapp LP and Eddie Izzard’s Great Expectations

2. Brokeback Mountain @sohoplace

The Oscar-winning 2005 cowboy film starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal becomes a new play with music written by The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie Sells (monsta-winning musical and film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie). The music is performed by Fairground Attraction’s Eddi Reader and the play stars Mike Faist and Lucas Hedges with direction by Jonathan Butterall (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie). @sohoplace is an intimate new venue which enhances everything staged there and this runs 10 May through 12 August. Tickets Review

3. Groundhog Day returns to the Old Vic

This musical by Tim Minchin (Matilda the Musical, Cambridge Theatre) won our 2016 monsta for Best New Musical in its original Old Vic bow and went onto win 2 Oliviers while being shortlisted for 7 Tonys. Olivier Award-winning leading man Andy Karl returns for this revival which runs 20 May through 12 August 2023 at the Old Vic. Tickets

4. Alison Goldfrapp solo LP and gig

Early remixes Digging Deeper with Claptone and Fever with Paul Woolford were both songs of the week for us and we’ll have greater confirmation about the content of Alison’s 1st solo LP at her gig this month at Outernet in London. Tickets We’re expecting album The Love Invention out 12 May to be predominantly dancefloor based. 1st single proper So Hard So Hot is above. Album of the month and live review

5. Return of Inside No 9

The penultimate season (8 of 9, of course) of this fascinating anthology airs on BBC2 from 10pm Thursday 27 April across 6 episodes although technically the 1st, The Bones of St Nicholas, was actually dropped at Christmas. Guests this season are expected to include Frances Barber and Amanda Abbington, who starred with Reece Shearsmith at the Criterion Theatre in Steven Moffat’s comedy The Unfriend. Shearsmith’s co-star takes to the West End stage opposite Lily Allen (2.22 A Ghost Story) in The Pillowman at the Duke Of York’s this summer. Tickets

6. Heartstopper at the BAFTAs

Netflix’s gay teenage love story won Best TV and Best TV/Film Actor for Kit Connor at our 2022 monstas. The 1st kiss between the character played by Connor and co-star Joe Locke is shortlisted for Memorable Moment at the BAFTAs and you can vote for it to win here until 2 May. The ceremony itself takes place at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 14 May and Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman is also shortlisted for Best Writer: Drama. Season 2 drops on Netflix 3 August 2023.

7. Eddie Izzard’s Great Expectations

Izzard brings her 1-woman version of the Dickens classic to the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End 24 May through 1 July. Tickets We once bumped into her at London’s Euston Station and caught her at a Christmas Compendium of Reason show at Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith but are looking forward to being in the presence of an acclaimed live performing genius this month. Review

8. Private Lives at the Donmar

Director Michael Longhurst (The Band’s Visit, Donmar) leads a cast including Stephen Mangan, Rachael Stirling (Scandaltown, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith), Laura Carmichael (The Maids, Trafalgar Studios) and Sargon Yelda in this dark comedy by Noel Coward at the Donmar Warehouse. Runs 7 April through 27 May 2023. Tickets

9. Cornelia Jakobs at Lafayette

Our favourite entry in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest was Hold Me Closer by Jakobs for Sweden which eventually finished 4th. We’re imagining it’s Eurovision in Liverpool (see number 1 above) which sees her performing live this month in London but, whatever the inspiration, we’re truly grateful. Tickets and Lafayette tickets Jakobs also performs as an interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool this month.

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy BBC Eurovision Tickets
• 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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