If Jinkx Monsoon has proved anything over the last few years, it’s that she’s a bit of a chameleon. Whether she’s performing as a corrupt jail warden or a bombshell leading lady, the drag star can play just about anyone — including the embodiment of music itself.
In an exclusive clip from the upcoming second episode of Doctor Who season 14 titled “The Devil’s Chord,” fans get a first glimpse of Monsoon’s latest role as the long-running sci-fi series’ new villain, Maestro. Decked out in a bedazzled coat and a frizzy orange ‘do, Monsoon’s character appears in the new clip to introduce themselves to both the audience and aspiring composer Timothy Drake (played by Jeremy Limb).
“My notation is Maestro,” the character snarls at the clip’s start, before adding: “I am … music.”
They continue, letting the onlooking Drake know that he is “the greatest composer who ever lived.” As they continue to menacingly pull on Drake’s heartstrings, Maestro finally explodes into a tirade about the difficulty of the artistic process.
“But it’s so sad, Timothy — you never had the luck! You never got that break,” they declare. “All those melodies, stifled and strangled inside you.”
The upcoming episode revolves around the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) traveling back in time to 1960s London in order to meet The Beatles, only to encounter the “all-powerful” Maestro seeking to change the course of history. Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine in April, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies gave audiences a teaser for what they can expect from Monsoon’s appearance on the show, teasing her character as a “maleficent god” and “a deity with daddy issues.”
Meanwhile, Monsoon is continuing her run as Audrey in the off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, before she’s set to rejoin the cast of Broadway’s Chicago on June 27 as Matron “Mama” Morton.
The first two episodes of Doctor Who season 14 (including “The Devil’s Chord”) premiere Friday on Disney+ at 7 p.m. ET and Saturday at midnight on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Check out the exclusive new clip featuring Jinkx Monsoon below:
