- A Strange Loop at the Barbican
The winner of 2 2022 Tonys is written by Michael R. Jackson and is the story of Usher, a black queer man writing a musical about a black queer man writing a musical. Starring Kyle Ramar Freeman and Jason Pennycooke (Hamilton, Victoria Palace) it runs at the Barbican 17 June through 9 September 2023. Tickets
- Read on for reasons including Rebecca Frecknall’s Romeo and Juliet, James Graham’s Dear England and Glastonbury Festival
2. Rebecca Frecknall’s Romeo and Juliet
Frecknall’s A Streetcar Named Desire won our Best Revival monsta in 2022 and her Cabaret (Playhouse Theatre) won 3 monstas a year earlier. Her take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet takes place at the Almeida and stars Ted Lasso‘s Toheeb Jimoh. It runs 6 June through 29 July. Tickets
3. James Graham’s Dear England at the National
Graham (Best Of Enemies, Noel Coward Theatre) examines Gareth Southgate’s reign as England’s football manager, years of hurt and the world’s worst track record for taking penalties. Starring Joseph Fiennes and directed by Rupert Goold (Spring Awakening, Almeida), it runs 10 June through 11 August 2023 at the National. Tickets
4. Glastonbury Festival
Last year’s Glastonbury Festival was a highlight of our 2022 and 2023’s headliners include Elton John, Arctic Monkeys and Guns ‘N’ Roses. Our picks would include Alison Goldfrapp, Blondie, Maneskin, Rina Sawayama and Rudimental. Tickets have sold out. Runs 21 through 25 June 2023.
5. The Pillowman at the Duke Of York’s
Martin McDonagh’s (film The Banshees Of Inisherin) black comedy is directed by Matthew Dunster (Shirley Valentine at the Duke Of York’s) starring Lily Allen (2.22 A Ghost Story, Noel Coward Theatre) and Steve Pemberton (The League Of Gentlemen, Eventim Apollo). Runs 10 June through 2 September 2023. Tickets Update: 1st preview now cancelled
6. Jake Shears album and tour
The former Scissor Sisters’ frontman releases his 2nd solo album, Last Man Dancing, on 2 June. He’s also touring and we see him this month in London at Village Underground. The musical he co-wrote with Elton John and James Graham (see number 3 on this list), Tammy Faye, won our Best New Musical monsta in 2022 and we expect it to take its West End bow later this year. Tickets
7. Michael Ball in Aspects Of Love
Ball (Hairspray, The Coliseum) returns to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects Of Love alongside Laura Pitt-Pulford (Falsettos, Other Palace) and Jamie Bogyo (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre) at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End which runs through 11 November 2023. Tickets
8. Sophie Ellis Bextor album
Ellis Bextor releases Hana, her 7th solo album and 1st for 7 years, on 2 June 2023. Tracks we’ve already heard are more upbeat than you might expect from her previous work with Ed Harcourt and include Breaking The Circle, Everything Is Sweet and Lost In The Sunshine. She plays London’s Mighty Hoopla festival the Sunday after her album release alongside double Eurovision winner Loreen. Tickets
9. Tonys and West End Live
2023’s 76th Tony Awards take place 11 June 2023 in New York with awards to look out for including & Juliet which is up for 9 including Best Musical. Prima Facie is up for 4 including monsta-winning Jodie Comer as Best Actress. The joyous West End Live returns to Trafalgar Square in London 17 and 18 June. Details
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