Jinkx Monsoon Unveils 2026 “Speaking of Witch” UK Tour and Hints at New Chapter of Music
Photo Credit: Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Drag artist, actor, and singer Jinkx Monsoon has announced a new UK tour for summer 2026, unveiling “Speaking of Witch” as an 11-date run across England, Scotland, and Wales. The tour is set to begin on 3 July 2026 at the Theatre Royal in Brighton and will mark Monsoon’s first solo tour across the UK since 2022.
Tour dates, cities, and venues
According to tour listings and ticketing platforms, “Speaking of Witch” is scheduled to visit 11 cities between 3 and 16 July 2026, with shows concentrated in major regional theatres and concert halls. The run currently includes Brighton, Cambridge, Cardiff, Bristol, Nottingham, York, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Glasgow.
Ticketing site MyTicket lists the dates as follows: Brighton Theatre Royal on Friday 3 July; Cambridge Corn Exchange on Saturday 4 July; Cardiff New Theatre on Monday 6 July; Bristol Beacon on Wednesday 8 July; and Nottingham Theatre Royal on Thursday 9 July. The schedule continues with York Barbican on Friday 10 July; Manchester Albert Hall on Saturday 11 July; Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London on Sunday 12 July; Edinburgh Usher Hall on Tuesday 14 July; Tyne Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne on Wednesday 15 July; and O2 Academy Glasgow on Thursday 16 July.
Promoters state that tickets go on general sale at 10 a.m. BST on 1 May 2026 via MyTicket and other official outlets, with presales available through select venues. Theatre Royal Drury Lane, part of LW Theatres, is hosting the London date on 12 July 2026, with the venue also promoting a presale tied to its mailing list.
What audiences can expect from “Speaking of Witch”
Press materials and venue descriptions present “Speaking of Witch” as a hybrid comedy and music show that leans into Monsoon’s existing “witch” persona and cabaret storytelling style. Nottingham Theatre Royal describes the tour as a “spellbinding” blend of stand-up, song, and queer theatricality, emphasizing that it is Monsoon’s first solo UK tour in four years.
Monsoon will perform with her longtime collaborator Major Scales and the accompanying band The Badlings, bringing a live ensemble sound to the stage rather than a purely track-based drag show format. Stereoboard notes that the tour will feature new music as well as material from Monsoon’s existing catalogue, framing the run as both a comedy event and a concert experience for fans.
Venues hosting the tour, such as Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Bristol Beacon, are positioning the show within their mainstream entertainment and comedy programming, indicating an expectation of wide appeal beyond exclusively LGBTQ+ audiences. Promotional copy highlights Monsoon’s status as a RuPaul’s Drag Race winner and Broadway performer, suggesting that “Speaking of Witch” will draw on her experience in theatre, television, and cabaret.
New music and the “Virgo Odyssey” thread
Alongside the tour news, Monsoon used social media comments to tease upcoming music, writing that “new tour calls for new music” and referencing that “the Virgo Odyssey continues” into May 2026. Attitude’s report links this tease to Monsoon’s 2022 musical EP “The Virgo Odyssey,” suggesting that the artist is planning to further develop that conceptual project with fresh songs or arrangements.
Stereoboard similarly reports that the tour “will feature new music,” describing it as part of Monsoon’s ongoing evolution as a recording artist as well as a live performer. While neither outlet lists track titles or a release date, both characterize the new material as connected thematically to Monsoon’s existing Virgo Odyssey era rather than an unrelated project.
No formal album or EP announcement accompanied the tour press at the time of publication, and details such as track lists or collaborators have not been publicly confirmed. As a result, the only verifiable information about the new music is that Monsoon has signaled its existence, hinted at a connection to “Virgo Odyssey,” and indicated that audiences can expect to hear some of it during the UK shows.
Between Judy Garland and a summer tour
“Speaking of Witch” will follow shortly after Monsoon’s run as Judy Garland in a new London revival of Peter Quilter’s play-with-music End of the Rainbow at Soho Theatre Walthamstow. The production is scheduled from 15 May to 21 June 2026, meaning Monsoon will transition from portraying Garland’s final years onstage to launching a nationwide comedy and concert tour less than two weeks later.
London theatre outlets note that Monsoon leads the End of the Rainbow cast as Garland, joined by performers including Jacob Dudman as Mickey and Adam Filipe as Anthony, under the direction of Rupert Hands. LGBTQ+ outlet Out reports that early ticket sales for the revival have been strong, with premium “Band A” seats for Monsoon’s first nine performance days already sold out months before opening.
The timing of End of the Rainbow and “Speaking of Witch” underscores Monsoon’s dual presence in both scripted theatre and self-authored cabaret work, with the Garland production potentially introducing new audiences to her live stage persona ahead of the July tour. For LGBTQ+ audiences and allies, the overlapping projects highlight how a nonbinary, gender-expansive performer is taking on iconic queer roles while also leading major commercial tours through some of the UK’s most prominent venues.
Drag Race roots and growing mainstream status
Although the new tour announcement is forward-looking, coverage frequently situates Monsoon’s current success in the context of her earlier rise on RuPaul’s Drag Race and subsequent Broadway appearances. Gay Times describes Monsoon as a “two-time Drag Race champion, comedian and Broadway icon,” reflecting her wins on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5 and All Stars 7 and her acclaimed turns on stage.
Playbill has previously reported on Monsoon’s Broadway work, including her role in the play Oh, Mary! at the Lyceum Theatre, underscoring how her profile has expanded beyond reality television into mainstream theatre and comedy. This background provides context for why venues such as Theatre Royal Drury Lane and major regional theatres are programming “Speaking of Witch” as a headline event.
For many LGBTQ+ viewers and fans of drag, Monsoon’s visibility as a nonbinary performer in high-profile roles and tours contributes to broader representation of gender-diverse artists in mainstream entertainment spaces. While the “Speaking of Witch” materials focus on comedy and music rather than explicit advocacy, Monsoon’s career trajectory continues to resonate within queer culture and among audiences seeking inclusive, person-first entertainment.
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