Top 10 Best West End Plays
Posted on 17 July 2024
Not to brag, but the West End doesn’t just have the best plays in London; it has the best plays in the world. The original theatreland offers everything from classic comedies and tragedies to innovative immersive productions and groundbreaking contemporary theatre. With so much quality and choice, how do you know what to see? We’ve put together our top 10 best West End plays to help guide you through choosing what to see.
My Neighbour Totoro
If you missed the award-winning stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s 1988 film at the Barbican, then here’s your chance to not make the same mistake twice. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s My Neighbour Totoro earned its status as one of the best theatre plays in London after it won six Olivier Awards and five WhatsOnStage Awards during its initial run. Since, it’s played at the Barbican for a second limited season, and it’s now headed to the Gillian Lynne Theatre in 2025.
My Neighbour Totoro is a beautiful tale of two young girls trying to navigate their new home and emotions after they move to a quiet village when their mum falls ill. Full of charm and magic, it’s fast become a favourite among theatre fans.
The My Neighbour Totoro characters don’t stop at humans. The show features the mythical Totoro, soot sprites, a cat bus and more - all brought to life by incredible puppets.
Though it’s based on an animated film and features a story about children and cute creatures, please be aware that it may not be suitable for younger audience members with a suggested age of 6+. You can get tickets here, and we’ll even help you find the best seats at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Another magnificent stage adaptation comes in Stranger Things: The First Shadow. A prequel to the TV series, the Stranger Things play is a new story that expands upon the discoveries made in season four.
Not for the faint-hearted, the award-winning play is tense, spooky and nerve-wracking. It follows the story of a young Henry Creel as he tries to settle in a new school while experiencing strange, paranormal events which are turning his world upside down. Featuring Stranger Things characters you know and love - like Hopper, Joyce and Bob - it’s the perfect fix while you wait for season five to drop.
The Stranger Things play is currently on at the Phoenix Theatre. It has a 12+ recommendation, so please check the content warnings before booking your tickets to Stranger Things.
Waiting For Godot
One of the most important theatrical works ever to be written, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot is headed to the Theatre Royal Haymarket with a stellar cast.
Exploring the meaning of life, Didi and Gogo wait by a tree for a man named Godot. The groundbreaking play is both beautiful in its simplicity and wrought with complexity. With just two actors on a static stage, it’s a captivating dramatic piece, often regarded as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century.
Starring Lucian Msamati and Ben Whishaw, it's bound to sell out, so make sure you book your tickets to Waiting For Godot now!
Juno and the Paycock
Often cited as an Irish masterpiece, Juno and the Paycock is one of history’s best tragi-comedies. The thrilling new adaptation (which is directed by Matthew Warchus) will star Tony nominee J. Smith-Cameron and Oscar winner Mark Rylance.
Set in Dublin in 1922, the Juno and the Paycock characters struggle to keep their family together and survive in a tiny tenement during the Irish Civil War.
You can see the highly-anticipated return of Sean O’Casey’s play at the Gielgud Theatre from September 2024. It’s only on for nine weeks, so make sure you don’t miss out and book your Juno and the Paycock tickets today.
The Play That Goes Wrong
Head to The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre for some tomfoolery and disastrously good entertainment.
The slapstick comedy has been described as a cross between Fawlty Towers and Noises Off. Between collapsing floors, sticky doors, actors forgetting lines, injuries, and more, it’s a non-stop laugh-a-thon.
When it opened in 2014, the show’s creators - Mischief Comedy - were little-known. Now, they have some of the biggest and best comedy shows in London. Recommended for audiences aged 8+, the fabulous farce is a great way to cultivate new theatre lovers. So what are you waiting for? Get The Play That Goes Wrong tickets now!
The Mousetrap
Now for some theatre history: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. The longest-running play in the world, The Mousetrap, has been staged at St Martin's Theatre since 1958.
The record-breaking whodunnit has had audiences sitting at the edge of their seats while the suspenseful thriller unfolds for over 70 years. As it's written by arguably the best crime writer of all time, it’s full of twists and turns that can still surprise audiences today.
There’s a reason it’s the longest-running play in the world and one of the best theatre plays in London. So be part of history and book your tickets today.
Witness for the Prosecution
Coming in hot from Agatha Christie once more, Witness for the Prosecution is a thriller like none other in the West End. Staged in a bonafide Council Chamber in London County Hall, watch and feel like you’re part of the jury in this gripping play.
The tense plot follows the case of Leonard Vole who’s trying to convince the court and you of his innocence. But when a surprise witness takes the stand, anything can happen.
The low-stakes immersive production is a great way to feel involved in the show without feeling out of your comfort zone. It’s the perfect way to dip your toe into alternative theatre telling and settings, all while watching a gripping story unfold. Get your tickets to see Witness for the Prosecution today.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
As seven books, eight films, and three further spin-off films weren’t enough to satisfy Potterheads, this may quench the unrelenting thirst for the Wizarding World. Like Stranger Things, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child expands a world you know and love to give you the extra taste you desperately crave.
The action takes place after The Deathly Hallows when Harry and his pals have grown up and had kids of their own. But while Harry’s working for the Ministry of Magic, his son Albus struggles to fit in at school. Finding solace in Draco Malfoy’s son, Scorpius, the pair go on a magical adventure with disastrous consequences. It seems the enchanted acorn doesn’t fall far from the whomping willow tree.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is split into two performances. That means you’ll have to buy two tickets and make two trips to the Palace Theatre to satisfy your Harry itch.
The Duchess
This is your chance to see Jodie Whittaker on stage for the first time in over 10 years. The Doctor Who actress is returning to the West End to star in The Duchess at Trafalgar Theatre for a limited run this autumn.
Adapted and directed by Zinnie Harris, The Duchess is based on The Duchess of Malfi. Recently widowed, the Duchess (Whittaker) decides to remarry beneath her class despite her family’s objections. When her brothers find out about her marriage, their greed and rage lead them to cruelly punish her, repressing her power.
The vivid and complex play explores the patriarchy and female resistance. Highly anticipated, we expect it to be one of the absolute best plays in London this year, so don’t miss out and get your tickets now.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
And what list of best plays in London would be complete without a Shakespearean number? RSC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream will play at the Barbican this winter for a strictly limited season.
Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy follows two unhappy couples who escape the court of Athens and land themselves in an enchanted forest. While there, they encounter a troupe of amateur actors rehearsing a play while fairies cause chaos by interfering with the humans.
Starring Mathew Baynton (Ghosts) as Bottom, you can expect bags of charm and silliness coupled with the precision and excellence associated with the RSC.
What’s the most popular show in London?
There is so much to see in the West End, and things change so quickly that picking just one popular show is nearly impossible. Currently, People, Places and Things, starring Denise Gough, Slave Play starring Kit Harington and John Cleese's Fawlty Towers - The Play. Current staples such as Stranger Things: The First Shadow and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child also rank highly.
Upcoming shows that will be popular include My Neighbour Totoro, Macbeth, starring David Tennant, Oedipus at the Old Vic, starring Rami Malek and Indira Varma, Oedipus starring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville and Dr. Stranglove, starring Steve Coogan.
What show not to miss in London?
You can’t go wrong with London theatre, but if we had to pick three shows you'd regret missing, it would probably be My Neighbour Totoro, The Duchess, and People, Places and Things. However, you can find out more about shows that’ll suit your taste by exploring the best musicals for families and the best comedy shows in London.
