Monstering the Rocketman

'Where is the line between fact and fiction? Not our concern. Truth is just a commodity to be sold.'

When The Sun falsely accuses Elton John, 39, of 'sordid rent-boy sex sessions', the Rocketman blasts it with a whopping multi-million-pound lawsuit...

But for unrepentant editor Kelvin MacKenzie, 40, 'sorry' seems to be the hardest word. He launches a staggering year-long campaign of media harassment, which could break the rocker. In the end: is Elton still standing? Or does The Sun go down on him?

Based on the true story of Britain's biggest-ever libel suit, Monstering the Rocketman is a probing and provocative exploration of truth, privacy and ambition. Henry Naylor's play premiered to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025, where it received a Fringe First Award, before transferring to Arcola Theatre, London, in 2026.

'A solo tour de force... casts a lacerating eye on scoop-chasing impetuosity... brilliant' — Telegraph

'Thoughtful, acerbic and tender... precisely the sort of important piece that proves why the Fringe needs to exist' — Broadway Baby

Edinburgh Fringe First Award