The final, tragic days of legendary queer icon Judy Garland are brought back to life in End of The Rainbow, a haunting, mesmerising spectacle starring Jinkx Monsoon (Drag Race, Chicago, Oh, Mary!) now on at London´s beautiful Soho Theatre in Walthamstow.

Directed by Rupert Hands, writer Peter Quilter´s play has been performed many times since 2005 and was adapted for 2020´s film Judy starring Renee Zellweger. This time, in London, we are greeted by Jasmine Swan‘s epic set of layers of stark, white, pleated fabric-covered steps, a huge chandelier and a black grand piano – everything enhanced by Prema Mehta´s Hollywood-style deep-glow lighting. The stage doubles as Garland´s room at London´s Ritz Hotel and the stage of the Talk of The Town as she lives out her final days of performance in 1969, before her untimely death by accidental overdose three months later, penniless, and aged only 47.

Few people need an introduction to the brilliance of cultural hero Judy Garland. A performer from the age of two, she signed a contract with MGM at thirteen and made 28 films between 1936 and 1950. Gems such as The Wizard of Oz, A Star is Born, Meet Me in St. Louis and Judgement at Nuremberg meant she was never out of the spotlight. She was the first woman to win Album of the Year, for 1961´s Judy at Carnegie Hall, arguably then at the peak of her career. Her fame, however, came at a brutal cost. From an early age, her parents and studio execs plied her with amphetamines to maintain her energy for her gruelling work schedule, together with barbiturates to help her sleep afterwards. Unsurprisingly, she developed severe addiction issues, compounded by her poor self-esteem and self-doubt. Her combination of brilliant talent, glamour, chaotic diva-ish behaviour, voracious sexual appetite, and copious drug and alcohol consumption, of course, make her the original, the ultimate, queer icon. ¨I´ve heard how difficult it is to be with Judy Garland. Do you know how difficult it is to be Judy Garland?¨ she famously said.

Jinkx Monsoon is the perfect person to step into Garland´s shoes. She knows her subject, has a close physical resemblance to Garland (albeit much more robust than the frail Garland actually looked in her final days), can carry a tune, knows how to be a diva, and has been on her own big journeys – as a performer, a former alcoholic and as a non-binary trans-feminine person. We join her, Garland as she prepares for her London shows. Garland is down on her luck financially and trying her best to evade paying for her room at The Ritz, pulling scams that freak out her fifth husband/manager, Mickey Deans (Jacob Dudman), and pianist Anthony (Adam Filipe). Neither man is a match, physically or mentally, for Garland, as she runs rings of chaos around them whilst they valiantly attempt to keep the show on the road. Both men have their own, often clashing, agendas with the vulnerable, romantic idealist, adding to the potent cocktail of emotions. Garland´s fragile recovery from addiction is repeatedly tested as she struggles to find the strength for her gruelling show schedule. Monsoon runs the show; her star power is on another level. She captures Garland´s waning talent perfectly – her worn-out body and soul weakened by decades of drug and alcohol misuse. That’s hard to do on stage for ten minutes, but Monsoon carries this for two hours of powerful performance, not skipping a beat. Filipe is a great sidekick as her long-time-infatuated gay pianist, completely out of his depth with her situation. Dudman, too, is a strong contrast as Garland´s husband, impatient with her weaknesses as he tries to cash in on her fame and misfortune.

End of the Rainbow is an equally powerful and poignant show, full of empathy and compassion. There are laugh-out-loud funny moments too, capitalising on Monsoon’s comedic talents. As well as the set, Jasmine Swan did the costumes, creating fabulous outfits inspired by specific Garland looks in A Star is Born, Valley of the Dolls, and The Wizard of Oz. It’s a slick production, with a live band incorporated into many very familiar musical numbers – worthy of any theatre in the world. The issues it raises about the safeguarding of high-profile women in the public eye remain as relevant as ever. Look at how Britney Spears has been treated over the past decade. ¨All I ever wanted was to be loved¨ said Garland. There was a lot of love in the room last night – as well as a very long standing ovation and lots of tears. Unmissable.