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After embodying Judy Garland in a round of Snatch Game chaos on RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race, two-time Drag Race winner, Jinkx Monsoon, is about to tackle the real thing, taking on the role of Garland in a new London production of End Of The Rainbow at Soho Theatre, Walthamstow.

A drag performer, actor, and singer, Monsoon won season five of RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race, and then season 7 of All Stars, receiving the title of Queen of All Queens. The trans, non-binary artist has built a following through cabaret shows, comedy albums, TV shows, and, in recent years, mainstream theatre.聽

Our favourite Judy

The fan-favourite queen and Broadway star has been cast as Garland in End Of The Rainbow, following the star鈥檚 difficult journey with stardom. The revival sees Garland in the final months of her life, during one of her last concert performances in London.

The play features live performances of Garland鈥檚 biggest numbers, while also highlighting the sacrifices the singer and actress made to continue giving the crowd everything, despite her body and career falling apart. Although it uses the star鈥檚 songs onstage, the show is more like an intense drama than a traditional musical.

The same script inspired the 2019 film Judy, directed by Rupert Goold, starring Ren茅e Zellweger as Garland, which won her an Oscar. The original 2012 Broadway production also earned Olivier and Tony nominations for actor Tracie Bennett, solidifying the London-based play鈥檚 reputation before the new revival had even come out, with expectations set high.

Monsoon’s return to Garland

If anyone was going to land this role, it was Jinkx Monsoon. Her energetic, hyper-verbal Judy on season 7 of Drag Race All Stars basically broke Snatch Game and lives rent-free in queer culture.聽

But this isn鈥檛 the hilariously well-done impersonation we鈥檝e seen on TV. Monsoon has been clear that she wants to dig past the punchlines and into why queer people still feel so protective of Garland, especially in light of how the industry hurt her, while still demanding one more show.

鈥淲e know all too well, the toll that fame took from her. Looking back, we can see more clearly the many factors that played a part in her storied life,鈥� said Monsoon in a statement on . 鈥淗er tale is one that we can鈥檛 forget, especially as women in entertainment are still fighting for autonomy and agency in their own careers.鈥�

Additionally, the icon has been booked in many other productions, showcasing her creative talents. Monsoon鈥檚 casting in the London production comes on the back of her already busy theatre run, having played Matron 鈥淢ama鈥� Morton in Chicago on Broadway, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Ruth in Pirates! The Penzance Musical and Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola. She鈥檚 set to return to Oh, Mary! for another run before heading to the UK to step into Garland鈥檚 heels.

A queer full-circle moment聽

For queer audiences, this feels like a full-circle moment. Garland has been a gay icon for decades, the voice, the chaos, the humour, the fact that she kept getting back up when everything seemed against her.聽

Now the American star鈥檚 story is being told by a trans, non-binary drag artist whose own career has been built on courage and ridiculous talent. It鈥檚 not just clever casting, it鈥檚 queer recognition and representation of the rough journey.

Next year in Walthamstow, Jinkx will walk onstage, and for a couple of hours Judy Garland will be back, simply not as entertainment, but showing the real woman who was complicated, exhausted, brilliant, finally getting some love from the LGBTQIA+ community.聽