1. Mother Goose At Duke of York’s Theatre
Meet Mother Goose (Ian McKellen) and her husband Vic (John Bishop). Running an Animal Sanctuary for waifs and strays, they live a wholesome life inside an abandoned Debenhams. But when a magical goose comes a-knocking, will fame and fortune get the better of them? Get ready for fairies with hefty vocal cords, puppets with tap dance qualifications and impeccably constructed mayhem that will quack up the whole family.
When: 15 December 2022 to 29 January 2023
Where: Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, Charing Cross, London WC2N 4BG
Age guidance: 3+
Duration: TBC
Discover more: Mother Goose at New Theatre Oxford in March 2023
2. Disney’s The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre
Now in its 22nd year at London’s Lyceum Theatre, Disney’s The Lion King is a unique theatrical event seen by over 110 million people worldwide. As the sun rises and the city reawakens, watch in awe as giraffes strut, gazelles leap and birds swoop, bringing the Serengeti – and the story of Simba – to life all around you. Ingenious puppetry, stunning effects and enchanting music by Elton John, Tim Rice and Lebo M will transport you to the heart of the African Pridelands.
When: Currently booking to 17 June 2023
Where: Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7RQ
Age guidance: 6+
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes including interval
3. Wicked at Apollo Victoria Theatre
Wicked, the West End musical phenomenon is probably “London’s No 1 show”. With music and lyrics by multi-Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz and a book by Tony Award-nominee Winnie Holzman, this “devilishly clever spin on The Wizard of Oz” (The Daily Telegraph) is currently the ninth longest-running West End musical of all time, having been seen at the Apollo Victoria Theatre London by over ten million people.
When: Currently booking to 26 November 2023
Where: Apollo Victoria Theatre, 17 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LG
Age guidance: 7+
Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes including interval
4. Pretty Woman: The Musical at Savoy Theatre
Once upon a time in the late ’80s, Vivian met Edward, and her life changed forever. It’s time to head back to Beverly Hills and experience one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time live on stage at its glamorous new home – the Savoy Theatre. Get ready to fall in love in London with the record-breaking box office smash-hit. Pretty Woman: The Musical at the Savoy Theatre will lift your spirits and light up your heart.
When: Currently booking to 30 April 2023
Where: Savoy Theatre, Savoy Court, The Strand, London WC2R 0ET
Age guidance: 12+ contains some moderate sexual references
Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes including interval
5. Jersey Boys at Trafalgar Theatre
Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony and Olivier Award-winning, true-life phenomenon, Jersey Boys. They were just four guys from New Jersey until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of it. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jersey Boys brings you on a fabulous journey of fame, friendship and music.
When: Currently booking until 01 October 2023
Where: Trafalgar Theatre, 14 Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2DY
Age guidance: 12+, parental guidance advised as show contains language that may not be suitable for younger audiences
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval
6. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Palace Theatre
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne. It is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The critically acclaimed production is the most awarded West End play in the history of the Olivier Awards, winning a record-breaking nine awards, including Best New Play and Best Director in 2017.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is one play presented in two parts that are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.
When: Currently booking to 01 October 2023
Where: Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5AY
Age guidance: 10+
Duration: Part One – 2 hours and 40 minutes including interval. Part Two – 2 hours and 35 minutes including interval.
7. TINA: The Tina Turner Musical at Aldwych Theatre
From humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, to her transformation into the global Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Tina Turner didn’t just break the rules – she rewrote them. TINA: The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre reveals the untold story of a woman who dared to defy the bounds of her age, gender and race. Her live shows have been seen by millions and she can boast to have sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer…. ever!
When: Currently booking to 03 September 2023
Where: Aldwych Theatre, 49 Aldwych, Holborn, London WC2B 4DF
Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes including interval
8. Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Piccadilly Theatre
Enter a world of splendour, eye-popping excess, glitz, grandeur and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment, Moulin Rouge! The Musical blends revelry and romance onstage like never before. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular…! After winning critical acclaim on Broadway, a ticket to Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre in London promises to be a gateway to the theatrical event of the year.
When: Booking until 03 June 2023
Where: Piccadilly Theatre, 16 Denman Street London W1D 7DY
Age guidance 12+
Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes, including an interval
Content warning: There will be strobe lighting.
9. SIX the Musical at London’s Vaudeville Theatre
Critically acclaimed with a spectacularly successful studio album adored on playlists across the globe, this sell-out intoxicating Tudor show sees the six wives of the infamous Henry VIII take to the stage to tell their stories in a pop concert that takes inspiration from some of the biggest modern-day artists. Boundary-pushing, genre-redefining’ (The Australian), SIX, ‘the most uplifting piece of new British musical theatre,’ (Evening Standard) is holding court at London’s Vaudeville Theatre.
Age guidance: 10+
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Duration: 80 minutes with no interval.
Vaudeville Theatre, 404 Strand, Charing Cross, London WC2R 0NH
Discover more: Don’t miss SIX the Musical at New Theatre Oxford in 2023
10. Dirty Dancing The Musical at the Dominion Theatre
Exploding with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion and sensationally sexy dancing, Dirty Dancing is returning to the Dominion Theatre in 2023. Seen by millions across the globe this worldwide smash hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.
When: 21 January to 29 April 2023
Where: Dominion Theatre, 268-269 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7AQ
Age guidance: 14+. Children under the age of 5 cannot be admitted. Children aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes, including interval
Content warning: There are scenes of partial nudity and the storyline addresses the topic of abortion
Discover more: Dirty Dancing comes to New Theatre Oxford in July 2023
11. Mamma Mia! at Novello Theatre
Since premiering in London’s West End over 23 years ago, Mamma Mia! the world’s sunniest, most exhilarating smash-hit musical has thrilled over 65 million people around the world. Fall in love with the irresistibly funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless songs. The worldwide phenomenon has now been turned into two record-breaking movies – Mamma Mia! The Movie and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
When: Booking to 30 September 2023
Where: Novello Theatre, Aldwych, London WC2B 4LD
Age guidance: 5+. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Duration: 2 hours 35 minutes, including an interval
12. The Book of Mormon at Prince of Wales Theatre
The New York Times calls it ‘The best musical of this century.’ The Washington Post says, ‘It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.’ And Entertainment Weekly raves, ‘Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.’ After stunning audiences on Broadway and the West End, winning 9 Tony Awards, including Best Musical – and even winning a Grammy award for the soundtrack, The Book of Mormon is rapidly becoming a theatrical phenomenon. Expect laugh out loud funny with insanely catchy music you will be humming for days on end!
When: Booking to 18 March 2023
Where: Prince of Wales Theatre, 31 Coventry Street London W1D 6AS
Age guidance: 14+. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval
Content warning: This production contains strobe lighting, flashing lights and gunshots
13. Les Misérables at Sondheim Theatre
Seen by over 120 million people worldwide in 52 countries and in 22 languages, the world-famous Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s favourite musicals. Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed fully-staged new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables is now playing at London’s Sondheim Theatre. This brilliant new staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed “Les Mis for the 21st Century” (Huffington Post), “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily Telegraph) and “perfect theatre in a perfect theatre” (Sunday Telegraph).
When: Booking to 01 October 2023
Where: Sondheim Theatre, 51 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6BA
Age guidance: 7+. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes, including an interval
14. Disney’s FROZEN: The Musical at Theatre Royal London
Disney’s FROZEN – the beloved animated film that always gives us chills – is now playing in London’s West End. For the first time in forever, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane has reopened its doors, bringing Elsa and Anna’s story to the stage in this heart-melting theatrical production. With incredible special effects, jaw-dropping scenery, and all the songs you know and love, it’s an unmissable experience that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
When: Booking to 18 June
Where: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JF
Age guidance: 6+
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes including interval
15. Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre
Far beneath the majesty and splendour of the Paris Opera House hides the Phantom in a shadowy existence. Shamed by his physical appearance and feared by all, the love he holds for his beautiful protégée Christine Daaé is so strong that even her heart cannot resist. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mesmerising score, along with jaw-dropping scenery and breathtaking special effects, magically combine to bring this tragic love story to life.
When: Booking to 30 September 2023
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, 57 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4QL
Age guidance: 8+
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes including interval
16. Matilda The Musical at Cambridge Theatre
Winner of seven Olivier Awards and over 90 international awards, Matilda The Musical is the multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by the incomparable Roald Dahl. With a book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, this is the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.
When: Booking to 17 December 2023
Where: Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9HU
Age guidance: 6+
Duration: 2 hours 35 minutes including an interval
17. Crazy For You at Gillian Lynne Theatre
Theatre-mad Bobby Child is torn between his show-business dreams and running the family bank. He reluctantly heads west to Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on a theatre’s mortgage, only to fall for the theatre owner’s daughter, Polly. Desperate to prove his good faith, Bobby decides to put on a show – complete with dancers from the glamorous Zangler Follies in New York City – to save the theatre, renew the town and hopefully win Polly’s love. Crazy For You transfers from a sell-out season at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
When: 24 June 2023 to 20 January 2024
Where: Gillian Lynne Theatre, 166 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5PF
Age guidance: Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted into the theatre.
Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes including a 20 minute interval.
18. Back to the Future: The Musical at the Adelphi Theatre
Welcome to Hill Valley! Take an electrifying ride back in time with the 1985 blockbuster film and pop culture phenomenon. The production features original music by multi-Grammy winners alongside hit songs from the movie, including The Power of Love, Johnny B. Goode, Earth Angel and Back in Time. When Back to the Future: The Musical hits 88mph, you’re gonna see some serious… entertainment. Book your tickets yesterday!
When: Booking to 23 July 2023
Where: Adelphi Theatre, 409-412 Strand, London WC2R 0NS
Age guidance: 6+
Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval
Content warning: The show includes flashing lights, strobe effects, smoke and pyrotechnics throughout
19. Only Fools and Horses The Musical at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Your favourite cockney characters are back as the top-rated British television series Only Fools and Horses comes to the stage for the first time at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. It’s the landmark programme you know and love… just with a bit more song and dance. This five-star smash hit musical also revisits nostalgic and cherished moments from the series and features the Trotters of Peckham in a riotous adventure with belly laughs and dodgy dealings a plenty.
When: Booking to 01 April 2023
Where: Theatre Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4HT
Duration: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including an interval
20. Mrs Doubtfire The Musical at Shaftesbury Theatre
Direct from a sensational run in Manchester — where it played to sold-out crowds and standing ovations — the new comedy musical Mrs Doubtfire – The Musical is ready to dazzle and delight at the Shaftesbury Theatre from May 2023. This hilarious and heartfelt story about holding onto your loved ones against all odds is based upon the beloved 1993 Twentieth Century Fox Motion Picture.
When: 12 May 2023 to 13 January 2024
Where: Shaftesbury Theatre, 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8DP
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an interval
Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeares Globe
April 1945, Northern Italy. Following years of war, Leonata and her daughters reopen their battle-scarred palazzo for a celebration to welcome the partisan soldiers back from recent hard-fought victories. Young lovers Hero and Claudio and proud singletons Beatrice and Benedick have their limits tested like never before in a wild mix of games, pranks and mischievous plots. See Shakespeare’s battle of the sexes reignited this Summer with a riotous new production of Much Ado About Nothing in the Globe Theatre.
Duration: 2 hours and 45 minutes, including an interval
Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT
Grease The Musical at the Dominion Theatre
After a whirlwind summer romance, leather-clad greaser Danny and girl-next-door Sandy are unexpectedly reunited when she transfers to Rydell High for senior year. But can they survive the trials and tribulations of teenage life and find true love once more? Grittier and more electrifying than ever before, the world’s best-loved musical returns triumphantly to the Dominion Theatre with Peter Andre as Vince Fontaine and bursting with hits including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted to You, and You’re the One That I Want.
Age guidance: 7+. Children under the age of 5 cannot be admitted. Children aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval
Dominion Theatre, 268-269 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7AQ
Sister Act The Musical at Eventim Apollo
Hallelujah, a heavenly casting has been announced for this summer’s musical comedy sensation, Sister Act. Beverley Knight joins the sisterhood as Disco diva in disguise, Deloris Van Cartier, and comedy legend Jennifer Saunders takes up the habit as Mother Superior alongside an all-star cast. Sister Act tells the hilarious story of Deloris, whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. Brace yourself for this sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, sisterhood and music.
Dates: 19 July to 28 August 2022
Age guidance: 10+. Children aged 14 and under to be accompanied by an adult.
Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes, including an interval.
Good to know: Beverley Knight won’t be performing on 24 July matinee, 26 July evening, and 28 July both matinee and evening.
Eventim Apollo – Hammersmith, 45 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9QH
Mary Poppins tickets at Prince Edward Theatre
Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s multi-award-winning musical MARY POPPINS is now open at the Prince Edward Theatre. Starring Zizi Strallen in the title role and Charlie Stemp as Bert, the magical story of the world’s favourite Nanny is triumphantly and spectacularly brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The stage production of Mary Poppins is brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories by PL Travers and the original film.
Age guidance: 7+. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes, including an interval.
Good to know: This production contains theatrical smoke and fog effects, pyrotechnics, strobe lighting and loud noises. There will be an auditorium blackout of 8 seconds around 8 minutes into the performance.
Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street, London W1D 4HS
