Gay London Life | Feb '26 Edition - Magazine - Page 28
Life of a Luvvie with Thomas Magill
Thomas Magill with actors Matthew James Morrison and Wendi Peters
who are set to star in Glorious!
I’ve barely swallowed the last of my Christmas pudding and already this year is
a 1940s American socialite who became known as the “worst singer in the
gearing up to be pretty incredible for the west-end and beyond. My inbox has
world”. This is surely going to be a huge task for Peters who plays Foster Jenkins
been flooded with press releases and emails about new shows starring some
as she is actually a really good singer. Many of us will be familiar with Morrison
impressive A-listers who are heading this way in 2026.
who had played Felix, the first drag queen in Eastenders until his departure in
2025. It was nice to meet him and find out how he managed to nail the elegance
Following on from an a sensational 2025, I am super excited about Wicked star
and sassiness of Felix with such ease. He told me that he’s been around drag
Cynthia Erivo’s move to the west-end in the stage adaptation of Kip Williams
queens for years and simply watched and admired from a far, picking up tips
Dracula. It’s hard to comprehend how Erivo will pull off taking on this solo role,
along the way. This will be Morrison’s first national touring and he told me he’s
playing 23 characters from the 4th February at the Noël Coward Theatre, but I
both nervous and excited to be hitting the road. As an old hand at touring, Peters
for one will be there and wish her all the best.
reassured him that she is only too happy to offer some advice – most importantly
about where are the best cafes, restaurants and hangouts in towns and cities
As part of an avalanche of talent, Rosamund Pike will star in Inter Alia at the
National, Ralph Fiennes will appear in Grace Pervades at the Theatre Royal
the width and breadth of the country.
So, with February holding on to the dark nights with a vengeance and
Haymarket and drag royalty Michelle Visage will tread the boards at the Theatre
the cold weather refusing to piss-off, there is perhaps no better time to hit the
Royal Drury Lane in Sea Witch, from March.
theatre. I’m excited that Cable Street has returned to London at the Marylebone
Theatre until the 28th February. It tells the story of how thousands of Jewish,
It’s also a big year for the Royal Court in Sloane Square as they mark their 70th
Irish, socialist workers and communists united to block a small but important
anniversary. As part of its celebrations Gary Oldman returns to the theatre to
road in east London, home to the Jewish community from a group of Facists
star in and direct Samuel Beckett’s play Krapp’s Last Tape from May before
who wanted to march through it in 1936. It’s a musical based on true events that
the venue welcomes Tilda Swinton in her one-woman play Man to Man in
reminds us all about the importance of family, community and all the things that
September.
draws us together instead of those that rip us apart. Finally, look out for Savage,
which opens on the 25th February at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington.
So what I have been up to over the last few weeks? Well, I eased myself into the
It’s a brutal tale about Zack and Nikolai whose world’s are shattered when
familiar seats of theatreland this year and headed south to see The Olive Boy
Doctor Carl Vaernet discovers a “cure” for homosexuality. Nikolai is arrested,
at Southwark Playhouse Borough for my first theatre visit of 2026. Written and
interrogated and experimented on, which leads to his doctor being appointed to
performed by Ollie Maddigan it’s run has now finished. But, I have no doubt this
“cure” homosexuals in Germany’s Buchenwald concentration camp.
deeply moving and funny one-man show will be back somewhere soon given the
reviews and praise its received since opening at the Hope Theatre in 2021.
Whatever you’re up to this month, make sure and squeeze a few trips to the
theatre in if you can. Now that panto season is over, many smaller, off west-end
One of my first jobs this year was to interview the fabulously funny Wendi Peters
and independent theatres really rely on us supporting them by buying tickets
and Matthew James Morrison ahead of their new musical Glorious. It will skirt
and the odd of drink (or two) from the bar. Thomas x
around London in theatres at Windsor and Guildford as part of a national tour
kicking off later this month. Glorious tells the story of Florence Foster Jenkins,
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@thomasmagill1
