1. Victorious Festival starring Cian Ducrot, Mae Muller and Welly

This year’s glorious Victorious Festival in Southsea runs across 3 days from Friday 25 August through Sunday 27 August with A Humdrum Mum’s names to look out for including Kasabian, Friendly Fires and The Charlatans as well as Jamiroquai, The Divine Comedy and Sigrid. Although we’re excited for newcomers Welly, this year’s UK Eurovision entry Mae Muller and Cian Ducrot whose debut album is appropriately titled Victory and out 4 August 2023. Tickets Day 1 review starring album chart-topper Cian Ducrot. A Humdrum Mum’s day 1 review Day 2 review Day 3 review

• Read on for reasons including Heartstopper, new musical Next To Normal and The Effect at the National

2. Heartstopper returns to Netflix

Alice Oseman’s tale of the teenage romance between Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson won our 2022 Best TV and Best TV/Film Actor monstas for Kit Connor who plays Nick. It also won 5 times in the inaugural Children and Family Emmy Awards. The 8-episode season 2 arrives on Netflix on 3 August with a 3rd series in development. Watch

3. US musical Next To Normal at the Donmar

The venue’s artistic director Michael Longhurst presents the UK premiere of a Broadway musical about a family and its mental health problems with a cast led by Jamie Parker (Guys and Dolls, Savoy) and Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin, Prince Edward Theatre). Runs 14 August through 7 October 2023. Tickets Review

4. The Effect at the National

Paapa Essiedu (A Number, Old Vic) stars in a play by Succession‘s Lucy Prebble directed by Jamie Lloyd (Betrayal, Harold Pinter Theatre) about a couple who are falling for each other fast – or is that just their anti-depressants working? Runs 1 August through 7 October 2023 at the Lyttelton Theatre at the National. Tickets Review

5. New Daði Freyr album

Icelandic Freyr made his name with the song Think About Things which won the Eurovision-that-never-was in 2020. He also won our Best Gig monsta in 2021 and releases the final third of his new album – the appropriately titled I Made An Album – on 25 August 2023. He tours Europe including 2 dates in London at the 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in December. Tickets

6. A Mirror at the Almeida

Jonny Lee Miller (film T2: Trainspotting) and Sex Education‘s Tanya Reynolds star in Sam Holcroft’s new play directed by Jeremy Herrin about interrogating censorship, authorship and free speech. Runs at the Almeida Theatre 15 August through 23 September 2023. Tickets Review

7. New Claire Richards album

We’ve always thought the Steps lead singer has an impressive voice that could wow Eurovision and the debut single from her new album of covers of disco classics is Celine Dion’s I Surrender. We’re very much looking forward to the duet with Erasure‘s Andy Bell of ABBA’s Summer Night City. Album Euphoria, a Loreen cover, is out 25 August 2023. Tickets

8. Merrily We Roll Along at Southwark Playhouse

We love Sondheim and have never seen this 1 of his shows so are looking forward to catching up with it at Southwark Playhouse (Elephant). It’s a Natinal Youth Music Theatre production and runs only 24 through 26 August 2023. Tickets

9. Groundhog Day ends – although we imagine it will return!

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 through 19 August 2023 at the Old Vic. Tickets We’re imagining it will go on to a national tour. Review

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy Victorious Festival Tickets
• Have you seen a show at Southsea’s Victorious Festival? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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