Jinx Monsoon to play Judy Garland in London production of END OF THE RAINBOW
Posted: 11/26/25 at 8:50am
Would imagine this has legs to go to Broadway at some point.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 9:17am
I loved the first Broadway production back in 2012 with Tracie Bennett. Made me cry both times I saw it. Tracie was dynamite
Updated On: 11/26/25 at 09:17 AM
Posted: 11/26/25 at 10:46am
Curious what tone this’ll have as it can go in several directions - OH, MARY! camp or a traditional solid dramatic showcase for Jinx. Tracie Bennett’s Judy had zero resemblance to Judy Garland in every possible way but she created a character of its own. The original END OF THE RAINBOW was definitely a missed opportunity for its Broadway run to have had the great Isabel Keating - who WAS Judy Garland in both mannerisms, and vocals. She even had Judy’s 60s jittery speaking voice down to the last centimeter. What she did in THE BOY FROM OZ was indeed a Master Class.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 11:07am
Brody, its funny you say that about Tracie Bennett. I thought to myself this is the closes that I will ever get to seeing Judy Garland live. Jinx defiantly I think will bring a great sense of strength and dignity to the acting scenes, but I can see it being more camp during the songs.
I know its not the most accurate play, but I will say when I saw the show, I was begging Judy/Tracie to go with Michael Cumpsty, and hopefully she would still be with us...the power of emotional heartstring writing.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 2:28pm
Posted: 11/26/25 at 2:51pm
BrodyFosse123 said: "Curious what tone this’ll have as it can go in several directions - OH, MARY! camp or a traditional solid dramatic showcase for Jinx. Tracie Bennett’s Judy had zero resemblance to Judy Garland in every possible way but she created a character of its own. The original END OF THE RAINBOW was definitely a missed opportunity for its Broadway run to have had thegreat Isabel Keating - who WAS Judy Garland in both mannerisms, and vocals. She even had Judy’s 60s jittery speaking voice down to the last centimeter. What she did in THE BOY FROM OZ was indeed a Master Class.
"
speaking of master classes as Judy Garland. Chrissie Amphlett, Australian rock legend and the original Judy Garland in the definitive original version of The Boy from Oz I saw in 1998 ( not the altered - and lesser -Broadway version to suit American sensibilities) Chrissie was incredible and really channelled Judy. I saw her again in the concert version with Hugh Jackman in 2003 and she was just as good.
Slightly off topic but as an Australian, the fact that they left Tenterfield Saddler, beloved by Australians, and Peter's family story in a nutshell, out of the Broadway version so they could fit in more songs for Judy and Liza so the US audience could cope with this story, is frankly blasphemy.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 3:20pm
The show was a BOMB the first time on Broadway, never grossing above $400,000 and rarely more than 50% capacity -- I don't think Jinx has a big enough following to justify a Broadway run.
But if Cole were to be interested...
https://playbill.com/production/gross?production=00000150-aea8-d936-a7fd-eefc41c00001
Posted: 11/26/25 at 3:54pm
I think you'd be wrong, actually. This feels like those once in a life time experience of just all the right things coming into play. I guess we'll see what happens, but I could see this coming in and being a tour de force and sweeping awards, etc.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 4:31pm
JSquared2 said: "The show was a BOMB the first time on Broadway, never grossing above $400,000 and rarely more than 50% capacity -- I don't think Jinx has a big enough following to justify a Broadway run."
Jinkx is way more famous than Tracie Bennett, and "Jinkx as Judy Garland" means more than "Jinkx in Pirates." So who knows. But it's worth keeping an eye on...Jinkx's drawing power has been somewhat surprisingly formidable.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 4:46pm
JSquared2 said: "The show was a BOMB the first time on Broadway, never grossing above $400,000 and rarely more than 50% capacity -- I don't think Jinx has a big enough following to justify a Broadway run.
But ifCole wereto be interested...
https://playbill.com/production/gross?production=00000150-aea8-d936-a7fd-eefc41c00001"
Hard disagree. Jinkx has deep reverence for Judy Garland and I don’t think this would be something she would turn into a “drag” type of performance. As she has shown with her record breaking runs in Chicago, Little Shop, and Oh Mary, she has the draw and the fanfare to make a limited run of this work effectively.
My only quibble is that she is well known for her Snatch Game portrayal which, while very studied, is the point of reference for most people when it comes to Jinkx/Judy - so I hope people don’t go in expecting Oh, Mary levels of camp
Posted: 11/26/25 at 5:48pm
Well, she's no Jim Bailey, but I suppose she'll have to do.
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Posted: 11/26/25 at 5:52pm
quizking101 said: "JSquared2 said: "The show was a BOMB the first time on Broadway, never grossing above $400,000 and rarely more than 50% capacity -- I don't think Jinx has a big enough following to justify a Broadway run.
But ifCole wereto be interested...
https://playbill.com/production/gross?production=00000150-aea8-d936-a7fd-eefc41c00001"
Hard disagree. Jinkx has deep reverence for Judy Garland and I don’t think this would be something she would turn into a “drag” type of performance. As she has shown with her record breaking runs in Chicago, Little Shop, and Oh Mary, she has the draw and the fanfare to make a limited run of this work effectively.
My only quibble is that she is well known for her Snatch Game portrayal which, while very studied, is the point of reference for most people when it comes to Jinkx/Judy - so I hope people don’t go in expecting Oh, Mary levels of camp"
You’re helping to prove my point! She’s undoubtedly talented —but she’s only a big draw for her core audience like yourself. Also (respectfully) can you point out which records she broke for her other shows?
Posted: 11/26/25 at 6:00pm
As per the comment above, this show is pure camp. I remember the group I was with laughing our asses off. Was it meant to be funny? No. But Judy on her knees trying to give a BJ was CAAAAAAAMP. The only way to ever do this show again is with a drag queen.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 6:07pm
g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "Well, she's no Jim Bailey, but I suppose she'll have to do."
Ms. Bailey will never be replaced.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 6:07pm
Jordan Catalano said: "As per the comment above, this show is pure camp. I remember the group I was with laughing our asses off. Was it meant to be funny? No. But Judy on her knees trying to give a BJ was CAAAAAAAMP. The only way to ever do this show again is with a drag queen."
I seem to recall her on all fours barking like a dog.
Posted: 11/26/25 at 6:22pm
JSquared2 said: "quizking101 said: "JSquared2 said: "The show was a BOMB the first time on Broadway, never grossing above $400,000 and rarely more than 50% capacity -- I don't think Jinx has a big enough following to justify a Broadway run.
But ifCole wereto be interested...
https://playbill.com/production/gross?production=00000150-aea8-d936-a7fd-eefc41c00001"
Hard disagree. Jinkx has deep reverence for Judy Garland and I don’t think this would be something she would turn into a “drag” type of performance. As she has shown with her record breaking runs in Chicago, Little Shop, and Oh Mary, she has the draw and the fanfare to make a limited run of this work effectively.
My only quibble is that she is well known for her Snatch Game portrayal which, while very studied, is the point of reference for most people when it comes to Jinkx/Judy - so I hope people don’t go in expecting Oh, Mary levels of camp"
You’re helping to prove my point! She’s undoubtedly talented —but she’s only a big draw for her coreaudience like yourself. Also (respectfully) can you point out which records she broke for her other shows?"
Chicago record #1
Chicago record #2
Jinkx Monsoon Sold Out Her Entire Oh, Mary! Run
Updated On: 11/26/25 at 06:22 PM
Posted: 11/26/25 at 6:52pm
Tracie Bennett as Judy in the 2012 Broadway transfer:
Renee Zellweger (in her Best Actress Oscar winning performance) in the 2019 film adaptation JUDY:
Posted: 2/23/26 at 4:26pm
Posted: 2/24/26 at 11:24pm
I think the play itself is quite terrible. I liked Tracie’s performance but felt the text was seedy and tabloid fodder. I was surprised Jinkx who has a supreme reverence for Garland would attach herself. Maybe she’s the missing piece that can make the show work. I wonder if there will be any edits or rewrites.
Posted: 2/25/26 at 6:39am
If you are planning on seeing this I wouldn’t bother buying tickets until it opens
the theatre is a brand new 1,000 seater space in the arse end of the east end of London that takes a good half an hour tube ride to get there from the West End. There will be no passing trade and I doubt many tourists are gonna wanna hike it up there (nor maybe wanna be up there after dark with few other tourists)
I predict it will be papered to hell and back and easy to get a £10 ticket
i am SO here for Jinx and this show and il deffo go but feel they might have struggled filling a 1,000 seater in town let alone in Walthamstow! This would have been marvellous at the Trafalgar or Vaudeville or Ambassadors
