1. Entertaining Mr Sloane at Young Vic Theatre

Rizzle Kick Jordan Stephens makes his theatre debut opposite Tamzin Outhwaite (Stepping Out, Vaudeville Theatre) in this revival of the classic Joe Orton comedy. Runs at the Young Vic Theatre 15 September through 8 November 2025. Tickets Our review

• Read on for reasons including Stephen Fry in Oscar Wilde, new Divine Comedy and Suede LPs

2. Olly Alexander and Stephen Fry in The Importance Of Being Earnest

Alexander played London Palladium in April at the end of a European tour and we said: ‘This era may have ended but Alexander has so many strings to his bow that his future is bright whether it’s screen acting, theatre work or more music he works on next.’ Max Webster’s production of Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Earnest won our Best Revival 2024 monsta and we said it’s ‘exquisitely cast, perfectly judged and executed with both swagger and flamboyance’. Alexander leads the West End cast instead of Ncuti Gatwa with Stephen Fry as Lady Bracknell and it runs 18 September through 10 January 2026 at the Noel Coward Theatre. Tickets Our review

3. New LP by The Divine Comedy

Achilles was a song of the week for us and 1st single from this album of which we said: ‘Achilles reflects on the greatest of all Greek warriors invulnerable but for 1 unexpected spot on his foot that has passed into common use. There’s even a nod to A.E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad with its themes of the military and dying young.’ 2nd single The Last Time I Saw The Old Man continues the melancholy mood found in the album’s title, Rainy Sunday Afternoon. We join the band on a tour which includes the scene of their greatest triumph this autumn. Tickets Our review

4. New Suede LP

Antidepressants is the title of the band’s new LP out 5 September and lead single Disintegration was a song of the month for us in June when we said ‘it wears its goth-flavoured punk influences defiantly’. 2nd single Trance State has followed and the band play gigs in London at the Southbank Centre after the album’s release. New single Dancing With The Europeans is August’s song of the month. Tickets We join them for a Southbank Centre show in August. Our review

5. Paul Mescal stars opposite Josh O’Connor

Mescal’s All Of Us Strangers won our Best Film monsta in 2024 and O’Connor film God’s Own Country won the same accolade 7 years earlier. They both star in film The History Of Sound about a couple who travel together recording folk songs of their countrymen in 1920. Released 12 September 2025

6. Susan Sarandon is Mary Page Marlowe

Oscar winner Sarandon joins Oscar-nominee Andrea Riseborough in this UK premiere by Tracy Letts about this story of 1 woman’s life. Runs 23 September through 1 November 2025 at the Old Vic Theatre. Tickets Our review

7. Saint Etienne go International

Glad was a song of the week for us in June and we said: ‘Saint Etienne’s best single since their 2012 run of Tonight and I’ve Got Your Music finds them collaborating with the Chemical Brothers and returning to the dancefloor with a bang.’ 2nd single Take Me To The Pilot is above and final album International is out 5 September 2025. Tickets Our review

8. Romans starring Kyle Soller at the Almeida

This new play by Alice Birch (Normal People) stars Kyle Soller (The Inheritance and TV’s Andor) in a meditation on masculinity over the recent centuries at Almeida Theatre. Cast includes Stuart Thompson so brilliant recently in Radiant Boy: A Haunting at Southwark Playhouse. Runs 9 September through 11 October 2025. Tickets

9. Perimenopop for Sophie Ellis Bextor

Ellis Bextor’s 8th studio album is released 12 September and we’ve already heard 4 of the 12 song set. Highlight for us is the summer joy of Dolce Vita (watch above). We’ve appreciated some of her darker work in recent years but this feels like an opportunity to give fans more of the fun in the vein of hit reissue Murder On The Dancefloor. Tickets Our review

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy Young Vic Tickets
• Have you seen Entertaining Mr Sloane before and are you looking forward to this production? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this preview? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook