1. The Line Of Beauty at the Almeida

Jack Holden (Cruise) adapts the Alan Hollinghurst novel we’ve loved directed by Michael Grandage (Orlando, Garrick Theatre) in this story of Thatcher’s Britain at its most decadent and divisive in London 1983. Runs at the Almeida 21 October through 29 November 2025. Tickets Our review

• Read on for reasons including the return of Gene, Nicola Walker and Transvision Vamp’s Wendy James live

2. The return of Gene at Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

We saw Martin Rossiter and co live a lot in the mid to late 90s and early 00s in Exeter, Portsmouth, Brighton and London before they split. They were always a band to inspire devotion with kith and kin at their most thrilling. We join them this month for their 1st London gig since 2004. They warm up with a gig in Leeds and Sheffield in the week before and have announced a handful of UK dates for next year. Tickets Our review

3. Nicola Walker in The Unbelievers

Walker is simply 1 of this country’s finest actresses and we last saw her in Unicorn at the Garrick. The Unbelievers is a new play by Nick Payne (Constellations) about the lengths we go to for those we refuse to forget. Runs at the Royal Court Theatre 10 October through 29 November 2025. Tickets Our review

4. Transvision Vamp’s Wendy James live

We interviewed the former Transvision Vamp frontwoman ahead of this UK tour including several London gigs at which we join her including the 100 Club where it begins. The tour celebrates her 10th album, the solo The Shape Of History, and is expected to feature some of the beloved band’s 80s and 90s hits ahead of Australia and Europe gigs. Tickets

5. Joe Locke in Clarkston

Locke (TV’s Heartstopper and fresh from filming its celluloid conclusion) stars in this play by Samuel D. Hunter about an unexpected meeting between 2 kindred souls. Runs at Trafalgar Theatre 17 September through 22 November 2025. Tickets Our review

6. New Sigrid album

Jellyfish was a song of the week for us in July and features alongside new single Fort Knox on the Norwegian’s 3rd album There’s Always More That I Could Say out 24 October 2025. We think Sigrid’s 1 of pop’s most underrated songwriters and we’re looking forward to seeing her live in London soon. Tickets She has 2 co-writes on the fine new Sophie Ellis Bextor album.

7. The Divine Comedy at the Barbican

New album Rainy Sunday Afternoon is out in September and the band tours the UK this autumn including at London’s Barbican Centre and in Europe early next year. The downbeat yet beautiful Achilles was a song of the week for us. We’ve also heard the melancholicThe Last Time I Saw The Old Man, which we expect to be particularly reflective of the album and hopeful collection closer Invisible Thread. Tickets Our Rainy Sunday Afternoon LP review Our gig review

8. Welly at the Scala

Debut LP Big In The Suburbs is longlisted for a monsta for album of the year and you can vote for it to win if it makes our shortlist to be announced in the coming weeks. We called it: ‘an affectionate look at where they’re from with 1 eye on the stirrup of the Roundabout Racehorse that offers a way out’. Last year Welly won our Best Gig monsta and you can see them on tour including at Scala in London this month. Tickets A Humdrum Mum’s interview and review

9. Hot Mess: A New Musical at Southwark Playhouse (Elephant)

Co-writer Jack Godfrey was behind Babies (The Other Palace) and 42 Balloons and here co-writes with Ellie Coote about the relationship between Earth and humanity. Runs 16 October through 8 November 2025. Tickets Our review

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy Almeida Theatre Tickets
• Have you seen a Alan Hollinghurst show before or read a book of his and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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