1. Matt Smith in An Enemy Of The People

Former Dr Who Smith (Lungs, Old Vic) who recently led TV’s House Of The Dragon stars in this Ibsen play about truth in a society driven by power and money. The supporting cast includes Jessica Brown Findlay (Uncle Vanya, Almeida) and Paul Hilton (The Glass Menagerie, Duke Of York’s Theatre) at the Duke Of York’s Theatre. Runs 6 February through 6 April 2024. Tickets Our review

• Read on for reasons including a Live Aid musical, Wicked Little Letters & Nye

2. Just For One Day at the Old Vic

This Live Aid musical features songs from artists associated with the show including Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The Cars, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Sade, The Boomtown Rats, Bryan Adams, Diana Ross, Ultravox. Can it just be more than a dispirite jukebox musical? Director Luke Sheppard helmed & Juliet (Shaftersbury Theatre) and The Little Big Things @SohoPlace. Cast includes James Hameed (Be More Chill, Shaftesbury Theatre) and James Montague (Falsettos, The Other Palace). Runs 26 January through 30 March 2024. Tickets Our review

3. Michael Sheen is Nye

Sheen plays Nye Bevan, the founder of the NHS, in this play by Tim Price directed by Rufus Norris as the politican is confronted with death and looks back on his extraordinary life. Runs 24 February through 11 May 2024 in the Olivier Theatre at the National. Tickets Our review

4. The Human Body at the Donmar

Lucy Kirkwood (The Witches, National Theatre) gives us 1948 Shropshire in which GP, Socialist and Labour councillor Irish Elcock, played by It’s A Sin‘s Keeley Hawes, is trying to implement Bevan’s NHS Act when she meets local boy George Blythe (This Life‘s Jack Davenport) who has just made it in Hollywood. Plays 16 February through 13 April 2024. Tickets Our review

5. Film Wicked Little Letters

Oscar winner Olivia Colman (Mosquitoes, National Theatre) produces and stars in a real-life story as Edith Swan, 1 of many victims in receipt of obscene letters in 1920s Littlehampton in England. The cast also includes Jessie Buckley (Cabaret, Kit Kat Club), Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan and Gemma Jones (films Rocketman and God’s Own Country). Released in the UK 23 February 2024. Our review

6. Dear Octopus starring Lindsay Duncan at the National

Duncan (Hansard, Lyttelton, National Theatre) stars in this revival of Dodie Smith’s play about Dora and Charles Randolph’s golden wedding anniversary on the eve of World War Two as they reckon with the adults their children have become. Runs 7 February through 27 March 2024. Tickets Our review

7. King Lear at the Almeida

Director Yaël Farber last gave us The Tragedy Of Macbeth at this venue and here promises Danny Sapani in the titular role with Clarke Peters from TV’s The Wire as the Fool, Fra Fee (Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club) as Edmund and Faith Omole (Standing At The Sky’s Edge, National Theatre) as Regan. Runs at the Almeida Theatre 8 February through 30 March 2024. Tickets

8. New Zara Larsson album

We’ve seen Swedish singer/songwriter Larsson live at Heaven in 2015 and headlining at Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith in 2017 and last year single Can’t Tame Her was a song of the month for us. 4th album Venus is released 9 February and includes Tame alongside On My Love with David Guetta and End Of Time. She also plays 2 gigs at Camden Roundhouse 21 and 22 February 2024. Tickets Album of the month review

9. I Should Be So Lucky musical

This Stock Aitken and Waterman musical arrives at New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon in the 1st week of February as part of a UK tour and is so far booking until May in Dublin. With hits including by Kylie, Rick Astley, Jason Donovan and Bananarama, this should be right up our alley although the musical helmed by Nativity‘s Debbie Isitt has not been blessed by great word of mouth. Tickets Our review

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy ATG
• Have you seen Matt Smith onstage before and what did you think? Tickets
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