London Theatre Guide: best plays on now in London, 2023
Wondering what theatre to book and what plays to see? From fringe to the West End: London's best theatre
London Theatre Guide: best plays on now in London (Photograph: Peter Lewicki)
BOOK AHEAD...
Hollywood favourites reunited: Lyonesse, Harold Pinter Theatre
Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James swap screen for stage, starring in Jerusalem director Ian Rickson's production of Penelope Skinner's new play Lyonesse. Read more.
Starring Ian McKellen: Frank and Percy, Other Palace Theatre
Ian McKellen and Roger Allam reunite with director Sean Mathias to bring Ben Weatherill's Frank and Percy to the stage. Read more.
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The game's the thing: Dear England, Prince Edward Theatre
Gareth Southgate’s reform of the England men’s football team is the subject of James Graham’s heartwarming play Dear England, transferring to the West End. Read more.
Starring Brian Cox: Long Day's Journey into Night, Wyndham's Theatre
Brian Cox returns to the West End for the first time in almost a decade to star in Jeremy Herrin’s starry revival of Long Day’s Journey into Night. Read more.
Pop icon on stage: Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre
The Jamie Lloyd Company brings Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard to a new generation with a production starring pop star Nicole Scherzinger. Read more.
From Hot Priest to brooding uncle: Vanya, Duke of York's Theatre
Andrew Scott plays every single character in Vanya, Simon Stephens' new version of Chekhov's classic play, coming to the West End this autumn. Read more.
Olivier-winning cast: Pygmalion, Old Vic Theatre
Olivier-winning duo Bertie Carvel (Ink) and Patsy Ferran (Summer and Smoke) star in Richard Jones's revival of Pygmalion for the Old Vic. Read more.
Hamlets turn Macbeth: Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse
David Tennant and Cush Jumbo, both of whom have previously delivered stunning turns as the Bard's Danish prince, star in Max Webster's production of Macbeth – the last in the Donmar Warehouse's 30th birthday season. Read more.
Sci-fi sensation: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre
Writing royalty Jack Thorne and the Duffer Brothers, together with Kate Trefry, bring Netflix's hit sci-fi series Stranger Things to the West End stage. Read more.
Play about a play: The Motive and the Cue, Noel Coward Theatre
Following a terrific opening run at the National Theatre this spring, Jack Thorne's study of the famous Gielgud/Burton Hamlet transfers to the West End, with leading cast members Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn travelling with it. Read more.
Donmar duo reunite: Clyde's, Donmar Warehouse
The European premiere of Broadway hit Clyde's reunites Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage with director Lynette Linton. Read more.
Page to stage: Hamnet, Donmar Warehouse
Lolita Chakrabarti's adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel Hamnet comes to the West End for a 14-week run. Read more.
SHOWING NOW....
Mental health musical: Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse
Broadway hit Next to Normal is an intense and unrelenting portrayal of mental illness performed by an exceptional cast. Read more.
Medical debate: The Effect, National Theatre
Paapa Essiedu and Taylor Russell bring fine chemistry to Jamie Lloyd's revival of Lucy Prebble's The Effect, about volunteers on a clinical drug trial. Read more.
Glittering revival: La Cage aux Folles, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Theatre
The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre presents a glorious revival of the evergreen musical play La Cage aux Folles. Read more.
Savage love: Private Lives, Ambassadors Theatre
Director Christopher Luscombe's production of Private Lives heads to the West End, with Patricia Hodge and Nigel Havers playing the toxic couple. Read more.
With Mark Rylance: Dr Semmelweis, Harold Pinter Theatre ★★★★★
Mark Rylance’s play about Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis, whose early discovery of bacteria was snubbed by his seniors, is compelling from start to finish. Read more.
Glitz and glamour: Crazy For You, Gillian Lynne Theatre ★★★★★
Susan Stroman's Crazy For You revival takes up a seven-month residency at the West End's Gillian Lynne Theatre after impressing in Chichester. Read more.
WWII musical comedy: Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre ★★★★★
SpitLip’s World War II-set musical comedy Operation Mincemeat triumphs on the West End stage, coupling pre-loved performances with a design glow-up. Read more.
Broadway transfer: A Strange Loop, Barbican Theatre ★★★★★
Michael R Jackson’s Pulitzer and Tony-winning play A Strange Loop comes to the Barbican stage with a cast led by the superb Kyle Ramar Freeman. Read more.
Witch hunt: The Crucible, Gielgud Theatre ★★★★★
From the National Theatre to the West End: Lyndsey Turner's production of The Crucible is back on stage with a new cast including Milly Alcock and Brian Gleeson. Read more.
Film favourite: Mrs Doubtfire, Shaftesbury Theatre ★★★★★
Fresh from Broadway (via Manchester), a new musical based on hit 1993 movie Mrs. Doubtfire comes to the West End's Shaftesbury Theatre. Read more.
Infectious: Ain't Too Proud, Prince Edward Theatre ★★★★★
The hit Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations sets the Prince Edward Theatre alight with infectious music, great dance and a fascinating story. Read more.
Immersive musical: Guys and Dolls, Bridge Theatre ★★★★★
The Bridge announces its first musical: an immersive production of Guys and Dolls, directed by Nicholas Hytner. Read more.
Cheryl on stage: 2:22 - A Ghost Story, Lyric Theatre ★★★★★
Cheryl makes her West End debut in 2:22 – A Ghost Story: a hair-raising, contemporary take on a classic dramatic genre, directed by Matthew Dunster. Read more.
Her-story: Six: The Musical, Vaudeville Theatre ★★★★★
In this West End musical, the six wives of Henry VIII are queens of pop reclaiming their narrative. Read more.
Cowboys and farm girls: Oklahoma!, Wyndham's Theatre ★★★★★
Director Daniel Fish's Tony-winning revival of Oklahoma! transfers from the Young Vic to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre for 2023. Read more.
Troy immersion: Punchdrunk's The Burnt City, Woolwich Works ★★★★★
Immersive theatre pioneers Punchdrunk return to London with The Burnt City, an immersive extravaganza based on the fall of Troy. Read more.
Star-powered revival: Cabaret, The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre ★★★★★
Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne star in director Rebecca Frecknall’s revival of Cabaret, staged inside an intimate reconstruction of the musical’s Kit Kat Club. Read more.
Spectacular, Spectacular: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre ★★★★★
After impressing on Broadway, the stage musical of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge brings spectacular spectacular theatre to London in autumn 2021. Read more.
Heart-melting: Frozen the Musical, Theatre Royal Drury Lane ★★★★★
Frozen glitters at the West End’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where a cast led by Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon bring to life the sisterhood-championing story. Read our review.
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Here we go again: Mamma Mia! The Party, O2 ★★★★★
Greek Island paradise and golden pop music come to life as Sweden's hit immersive Abba experience transports us to a taverna with feasting, singing and lots of dancing. Read our review.
Virtual reality: War of the Worlds, the immersive experience ★★★★★
Immersive theatre company dotdotdot return to London with a new experience based on The War of The Worlds. Don a VR headset and become a character in the story. Read our review.
Courtroom drama: Witness for the Prosecution, County Hall ★★★★★
Director Lucy Bailey takes over London Country Hall for an immersive, site-specific production of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution.
read our review
Exceeds expectation: Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre ★★★★★
The London transfer of Lin-Manuel Miranda's magnificent hip-hop music is every bit as brilliant as we had hoped. Make it your mission to get tickets.
Pure magic: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Palace Theatre ★★★★★
Whether or not you approve of the script (no spoilers here) Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is every bit as magical as we'd hoped on stage. The sheer theatrical spectacle is enough to make you wonder if maybe, just maybe, there might be some wizards involved.
read our review
Delightful disaster: The Play That Goes Wrong, Duchess Theatre ★★★★★
This atmospheric stage adaptation of the classic stage musical transports you to the Serengeti Plains with magnificent puppets and beloved songs. Read our review.
Musicals don't come much funnier than this whipsmart satire by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The story of two Mormons travelling about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get still shocks and delights.
