Top 9 Best Plays in London 2024
The West End is synonymous with the bright lights, gripping plots and soaring melodies of the very best theatre shows in London, and if you're looking for intimate dramas, rib-tickling comedies and gripping whodunnits, there is nowhere we'd recommend more! Big names are a familiar sight in West End plays so you’ve even got the chance to see your favourite actor live on stage!
Major revivals, bold new work and magical book-to-stage adaptations make the best plays in London a bright and varied bunch no matter your tastes. If you’re not sure where to start, here are the shows we think will make your next trip to the theatre the best yet.
Major revivals, bold new work and magical book-to-stage adaptations make the best plays in London a bright and varied bunch no matter your tastes. If you’re not sure where to start, here are the shows we think will make your next trip to the theatre the best yet.
1. Stranger Things: phenomenal theatre in a new dimension
Unlock the secrets of Hawkins in this jaw-dropping 5-star play, from the creators of the Netflix series. In 1959, Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado are normal teens, in a normal town, until Henry Creel arrives... From the Duffer Brothers and an award-winning creative team comes an unparalleled theatrical experience that will shock, surprise and grip fans of Upside Down.
from £20.00
Exclusive prices2. Machinal: an astonishing, 5-star revival of a classic
Rosie Sheehy delivers an "astounding" (The Telegraph) performance as a woman pushed to the brink in the Old Vic's hit revival of this haunting play. Based on the true story of Ruth Snyder, who was executed by electric chair for the murder of her husband in 1928, Sophie Treadwell's drama is nearly 100 years old, but remains an absolute must-see thanks to this "audacious [...] astonishing" (Time Out) production.
from £26.20
3. For Black Boys: the powerful, poetic show returns
A group of young Black men gather together in therapy to discuss everything from fathers to fashion, and good days to bad in this "powerful and deeply moving" (The Guardian) play. Ryan Calais Cameron's Olivier Award-nominated show has already had three sold-out seasons in London, and now it returns to the West End for a second time. Take this as your sign to book tickets now and join the crowds who have fallen in love with its unique and beautiful story.
4. The Play That Goes Wrong: the West End’s funniest show
Join the hopeless Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society as they perform a 1920s murder mystery where legs aren’t the only thing being broken! With sets collapsing and the cast going spectacularly off-script, this award-winning delight from Mischief Theatre follows in the hazardous footsteps of Noises Off and is perfect for fans of Britain's fine tradition of unpredictable slapstick comedy.
from £23.80
Save up to £27.505. Long Day's Journey Into Night: Brian Cox's West End homecoming
Stage and screen veteran Brian Cox follows up Succession by returning to the West End for the first time in almost 10 years. His play of choice - Eugene O'Neill's American classic about a dysfunctional family - is a powerful and devastating portrait of lost ambition and resentment, with a performance from Cox that has earned huge critical acclaim.
from £26.50
6. Player Kings: Ian McKellen returns to Shakespeare
Ian McKellen and Olivier Award-winning writer-director Robert Icke's bold take on Henry IV is causing a stir! McKellen stars as the infamous Sir John Falstaff in this new version of Shakespeare's history plays, rewritten into one part by Icke. A divided kingdom, an ailing monarch, an unreliable heir, and at its centre: a phenomenal performance by one of our greatest actors.
from £20.50
7. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: the magic remains alive
The magical world of Harry Potter is back in this fantastic two-part family show, which follows Harry, Ron, Hermione and their teenage children as they grapple with the weight of the past and dark forces threaten to return. Featuring dazzling special effects that will completely enchant old and new fans of the franchise, remember to #KeepTheSecrets of this landmark production!
8. The Mousetrap: still gripping after 70 years
With a surprise ending that’s been faithfully protected by audiences for 70 years, this West End institution is the ultimate murder mystery. Agatha Christie brings all the best tropes of the genre to this fantastic play: an unknown killer; an isolated country house; and enough twists and turns to have even the smartest amateur detectives second-guessing until the end.
from £25.00
Save up to £34.009. Witness for the Prosecution: Agatha Christie's courtroom drama
Few shows are staged in a venue as unique as London County Hall, home of this gripping courtroom drama about a young man accused of murder. You will be completely immersed in all of the twists, turns and drama of Agatha Christie's play, with seats available right at the heart of the action - even on the jury benches.
from £17.89