Pixie Lott Stars as Marilyn Monroe in Who Killed Marilyn? at London's Emerald Theatre
Pixie Lott is playing Marilyn Monroe in Who Killed Marilyn?, a new play now running at the Emerald Theatre in London.
The play, written by Sharlene Cooper Cohen and directed by Philip Wm. McKinley, takes on one of the most picked-over deaths in twentieth-century popular culture. Monroe's death in 1962 was officially ruled a probable suicide, with no evidence of foul play found, according to the production's own promotional material. The play argues otherwise. It rejects both suicide and accidental overdose, and instead speculates that Monroe was killed by the Kennedy family because she knew too much about their connections to organised crime. Actor Peter Lawford — a member of the Kennedy family by marriage and a friend of Monroe's — is depicted as the principal villain in the story Whatsonstage.
Lott is a chart-topping pop singer whose stage credits stretch back roughly a decade. She made her West End debut as Holly Golightly in a production of Breakfast at Tiffany's around 2016. Taking on Monroe is a shift of scale — from Truman Capote's enigmatic socialite to Hollywood's most photographed woman.
The Emerald Theatre, the venue hosting the production, lists a performance of Who Killed Marilyn? on 24 September 2026 at 7:30 PM on its website, indicating the run extends at least into late September.
Monroe is having a moment beyond the stage. The National Portrait Gallery's exhibition Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait runs until 6 September, offering a parallel look at the icon the play reimagines Whatsonstage.
Whatsonstage published its review of the production on 21 August 2026, confirming the show is open and running. The production's official page had previously announced the world premiere, describing Lott as taking on the iconic role, though the exact opening date was not specified in that post.
For audiences, the appeal cuts two ways: a pop star stepping into one of the most demanding roles in celebrity mythology, and a script that takes a definite side in a debate that has never been settled. The official record says suicide. This play says murder.
