First Look: Jinkx Monsoon IS Judy Garland

13-02-26

First look images have been released of Jinkx Monsoon as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow, ahead of the revival’s run at Soho Theatre Walthamstow from 15 May to 21 June 2026.

Written by Peter Quilter, End of the Rainbow is a theatrical portrait of Garland during the final chapter of her life. Set against the backdrop of her London comeback concerts, the play pulls back the curtain on one of Hollywood’s most adored icons, revealing the fragility beneath the fame. It is a story of survival, dependency, brilliance and exhaustion, where triumph and heartbreak exist side by side under the glare of celebrity.

Monsoon, born Hera Lilith Hoffer, is an award-winning actress, comedian and recording artist, and the first and only queen to win RuPaul’s Drag Race twice. In recent years she has become a significant presence on the New York stage, with a string of high-profile performances. Her Broadway credits include Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary!, a record-breaking run as Mama Morton in Chicago, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors off-Broadway, and Ruth in Pirates! The Penzance Musical, which earned her a Drama League Award nomination.

Now she takes on one of the most vocally and emotionally demanding roles in musical theatre drama. Garland’s legacy is inseparable from stage performance, from The Wizard of Oz to her legendary live concerts. In End of the Rainbow, audiences encounter not the MGM ingénue but the woman behind the myth, navigating addiction, expectation and the relentless pressure to perform.

The production is directed by Rupert Hands, with musical supervision and orchestrations by Leo Munby and musical direction by Nick Barstow. Movement direction is by Fabian Aloise, lighting by Prema Mehta, sound by Tony Gayle and set and design by Jasmine Swan. Wig, hair and make-up design is by Dominique Martin, with dialect coaching by Rebecca Daltry.

The newly released images, photographed and art directed by Hunter Abrams and Sam Lee, present Monsoon in full Garland glamour. Styled by Max Weinstein, with hair by Davey Matthew and make-up by Laurel Charleston, the visuals capture both the iconography and the intimacy of the role.

The revival marks a major moment for Soho Theatre Walthamstow, which continues to expand its profile with high-calibre productions and headline casting. For Monsoon, it represents another chapter in an increasingly eclectic and ambitious career that spans drag performance, television, recording and mainstream theatre.

End of the Rainbow runs from 15 May until 21 June 2026. Get tickets from the official site HERE