16 Best West End Theatre Shows in London You Can’t Miss

Confession: The very first West End Theatre Show in London I saw was years and years ago, and I remember being very unenthusiastic prior to seeing it. It was all Lloyd’s idea, mostly to escape the cold in London. We’d all popped round to celebrate New Year’s in London (we hadn’t moved to London back then), and on one of the free afternoons afterwards, walking around in freezing London, we found ourselves at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and decided to go see a West End Show.

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After watching my first musical, Les Misérables, I was a total convert to West End theatre shows in London. I have no hesitation whatsoever when it comes to seeing musicals, plays or anything else in the West End. They’re such an amazing part of living in London, chock-full of some of the most talented performers you’ve ever witnessed and an absolutely must-do when you’re in London!

More recently, I was going through a list of West End shows in London, and it was only then that I realised I’d been to a fair few! So much so that if you were looking for tips on which shows to see (with absolutely no spoilers), well, I’ve got just the thing for you below.

Just a little word of caution. West End theatre shows in London, come and go…and come and go again and basically carry on in this pattern (except the good old reliables like Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera and probably Wicked since it came to London). So while I can’t guarantee that all of the shows below will be available when you’re in London, I can guarantee that if you’re up for a great West End show in London, these shows below are the ones you definitely have to watch!

1.) Les Misérables

The only West End show that has ever made me cry (twice… and at exactly the same scene too! You’d think I would have been more emotionally prepared the second time, but no, sobbing like a baby).

If you’ve seen the film, then the musical is pretty much like the film; the film stayed true to it. The only thing is that the singing on stage is soooooo much better than the film. And I’m not particularly an elitist when it comes to things like this, but no matter how talented the actors in the movies are, their singing, by and large, pales in comparison to the stage play.

This is reassuring as it’s one of the reasons I’d still recommend seeing the play in the West End (well, that and the fact that the production, when you’re there in person, totally sucks you in and is much more immersive than, say, watching it at home on Netflix).

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PLOT: If you haven’t seen the film, well, Les Misérables is broadly based on the French Revolution. It is, however, NOT about the French (so don’t worry, you won’t be going for a boring history lesson here). It’s a love story, a story of friendship, morality (I guess…), and so many other themes that you’d be forgiven for not remembering every single character’s name, bar the main players. That being said, though, it’s one epic story and comes as no surprise that this is the longest-running musical in London.

2.) The Phantom of the Opera

Okay, so the first time I went to see The Phantom of the Opera, we had really poorly chosen seats (our friends gifted us the tickets for Christmas and didn’t think to check the seats properly when making the booking). As a result, I could barely make sense of what the show was about when we were there. I knew the main theme song, and there are bits of it I vaguely remember, but I left feeling a bit “Meh!”.

Then I watched the movie with Lloyd, and it was then that I fully got the story (and really got into the music). The movie I’m talking about stars Emmy Rossum, Gerard Butler and Patrick Wilson (it’s from 2004). My gosh, can Emmy Rossum sing! She’s incredible.

Anyway, armed with the fact, we went back to see it again (like a year later, when we were in London and as another Christmas present, albeit this time just for me). This was when I realised that the seat choice makes all the difference. You should definitely make a fair bit of effort when deciding on where to sit. The show was incredible – absolutely fantastic and is easily my second most favourite West End show!

Oh, and for the best seats and prices, make sure to book these Phantom of the Opera tickets. This way, you’ll be guaranteed the seats you want.

PLOT: Oh, by the way, the show is broadly about a Phantom (who’s a real person) who haunts a theatre in France, and there’s a talented young singer who he’s obsessed with (he trained her, but she doesn’t really know who he is). She might have a love interest on the horizon, and essentially, how this rather diabolical Phantom manipulates things and deals with the young singer and the theatre he haunts.

3.) Wicked

Apart from having heard the song “Defying Gravity” sung by many people and the knowledge that Wicked, in some part, had something to do with the Wizard of Oz, I had no clue what Wicked was truly about before I booked tickets to go see it.

In fact, it was all the buzz the show was getting that made me finally decide to go see it for myself. FYI, the buzz was totally worth it! I loved how they managed to keep everything from the Wizard of Oz and explain their way around all of it. I thought it was not only amazing as a musical but a really fantastic effort on the storytelling front.

The only thing now, though (and I don’t know if that’s because it’s not been made into a movie or because I just didn’t care enough), I don’t really remember any of the songs from this musical except for Defying Gravity (which is phenomenal, by the way). I’m gonna chalk it down to me just not having access to the music, ergo why I’ve forgotten most of it.

For the best seats in Wicked in London, make sure to book these Wicked in London tickets. This way, you’ll be guaranteed the best seats in the house!

PLOT: Wicked is a clever re-telling of the story of the Wizard of Oz, which basically just turns the entire book/movie on its head and makes you have sympathy for the villains.

4.) The Lion King

Oh, I was really sceptical about this one. For starters, The Lion King is a cartoon! How in the world were they going to pull this off? Secondly, how would they attempt to create Pride Rock and all of that grand African setting in a theatre for Disney’s musical, The Lion King, in London?

At least I’ll know the songs from the movie,” I thought when I booked to see it. The Lion King is also my favourite Disney movie, so I was sceptical as I was, but I figured I would find a way to enjoy it. (Plus, the reviews were pretty great.

Turns out, I needn’t have worried – the ‘animation’ (so to speak) is done brilliantly, and The Lion King ended up exceeding my expectations by a very (very) long stretch! It was incredible!!! I’d happily go and see it all over again tomorrow – it was that good!

You can grab your Lion King Musical tickets right here. Which is the best option at peak times? Weekend shows tend to sell out!

PLOT: If you’ve seen this movie (and I’m sure you probably have), then you already know the plot. If you haven’t, it’s about a young Lion who’s set to be King and the tumultuous journey he takes to becoming King.

5.) The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon is one London musicals I expected to enjoy! In the same way, I enjoy Family Guy (I should say “South Park“, which was created by the same people who created this show, but I’ve never really watched South Park). The humour in this show is risque, almost certain to cause offence and definitely not the kind of show you’d take kids to.

If you’re easily offended, this is probably not the show for you; however, if you’re game for some very politically incorrect laughs, the Book of Mormon is the show you should see. Grab your tickets to the Book of Mormon here.

PLOT: Mormon missionaries go to Africa and… er, funny stuff happens.

6.) Mamma Mia

Mamma Mia is another one of those shows I had no idea what it was about and never really cared about seeing until I found out about the movie! Like I would always see posters all around London and just never really think much of them. In retrospect, I have no idea why this was the case. I guess with musicals, unless you watch little clips of them on YouTube or perhaps see a performance of one of their songs on TV, it’s a lot harder to ‘stumble on’ information about them (at least on information that would make you instantly decide you wanted to see it).

Of course, I absolutely loved the movie (I grew up with my parents always listening to ABBA, so it was a fairly easy win for me) and from that point onwards knew I would have to see the musical. I finally saw it with my Mum many years later, and at certain stages, I’m pretty sure my Mum was belting out the songs even louder than the performers themselves.

Mamma Mia, the musical, was such an amazing experience, and it’s got to be said, even if you’ve seen the movie, you should definitely go and see the West End show. I absolutely loved the movie (like I said before), but the show is so much funnier than the movie! This totally took me by surprise. I just expected pretty much the same stuff, but I found myself in fits of laughter in between singing along to the music.

Mamma Mia in the West End is such an easy win when it comes to deciding which shows to watch, and it’s definitely one of the top ones to go see. Make sure to book these advance tickets here, before arriving in London.

PLOT: A girl is getting married and doesn’t know who her father is (there are 3 possible choices). She invites all 3 to her Greek wedding, and hilarity ensues!

7.) Blood Brothers

This was one I optimistically chose without knowing or even finding out from reviews if people loved it. It was great fun in the end, but if I’m being totally honest, it wasn’t necessarily my favourite.

It entertained me throughout and was a very solid performance, but unlike many of the others on here, I just don’t think I would necessarily be queuing to see it again. That being said, if you haven’t seen it at least once and have seen some of the others on here, it’s definitely worth checking out when you’re in the West End. One thing to note, it’s not always on and tends to seasonally reappear in the West End. If this show is for you, keep an eye out to see if it’s in town when you visit.

PLOT: It’s about twins separated at birth. One goes to a rich home, the other grows up poor. They eventually meet as adults, and stuff happens (I can’t tell you what without spoiling the show for you).

8.) Chicago

Chicago is one of those movies that took some time to grow on me (I think I watched it without even knowing it was a West End show when it first came out). I think it was only by the time I watched it the 3rd time (which is unusual for me – there are very few films I’d watch more than once) that I finally appreciated it for the masterpiece that it was.

Years later, I decided to see it in the West End (one of the girls in the Phantom of the Opera film was in the starring role in it), and it was absolutely amazing. For the most part, the movie follows the musical (which is great), and it’s definitely one of those shows you have to see in person in the West End of London, even if you’ve watched the movie a bajillion times.

This is another seasonal West End musical in London. It used to be permanently based in the West End, but it’s now something that comes back for certain seasons.

PLOT: The story follows the lives and trials of two women who are on death row in a Chicago jail and are looking to be set free.

9.) Cats

To this very date, I have no idea what Cats is about. I had a great time watching it. I remember one song from it, “Memory”, which I used to think was a totally different song till I heard it sung (turns out I did also know that version), and I generally thought it was great fun. Still, I haven’t the foggiest idea what was happening the entire time (…except perhaps that it is about Cats? Some of whom were on roller skates…)

Funny thing is, if you’d asked me to name West End shows, even back when I hadn’t seen any, I think the first one I would have shouted would have been “Cats”. It’s just so synonymous with the West End and is probably the only context in which I truly know of Cats (and yes, there’s a book about the Cats that the play is based on, but I’ve never read it)

Another seasonal musical in the West End. Make sure to check dates if you fancy seeing Cats in the West End in London.

PLOT: I still have no clue. It’s about Jellicle Cats (I have no idea what ‘Jellicle‘ is supposed to be) and generally what the cats tend to do at night… or at least, I think it’s at night. I might need to pick up a copy of this book to find out.

10.) Miss Saigon

Miss Saigon is one dramatic, beautifully produced, tear-jerker of a show! (I didn’t actually end up crying in this one as I did in Les Miserables but I could certainly feel those tears welling up. It’s such a fantastically produced show and is just one of those shows (if it’s still on) that’s worth seeing when you’re in London.

Seasonally present in the West End in London. Make sure to check listings to see if it’s playing during your trip to London.

PLOT: Miss Saigon is essentially the story of Madame Butterfly, except it’s set during the Vietnam War and it’s a love story between an American military man and a Vietnamese bar girl.

11.) Hamilton

Hamilton is amazing! It’s a musical all about an American President, and it’s had so much hype on Broadway that tickets pretty much sold out as soon as it launched in London. Keep an eye out for these Hamilton tickets as the reviews are spectacular, and it’s a definite must-see in London.

12.) The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black is a total scarefest!

Never really thought about seeing this till I saw the movie with Daniel Radcliffe. It’s a terrifying movie, and the musical is even more intense and incredible. Just checking tickets now, and they’re available at pretty good prices- will keep you posted on Instagram on what it’s like.

13.) Thriller

Based on the music of Michael Jackson (of which I’m pretty sure I know every single song of his), this will be a easy win in a similar vein to Mamma Mia, except from the sound of it, it’s about the lives of Michael Jackson and other members of the Jackson 5 so it’s less fictional and more ‘autobiographical’.

14.) Aladdin

The 17 Best West End Theatre Shows In London To See Disney Aladdin Musical

The 17 Best West End Theatre Shows In London To See (12)

Yup! Same one as the Disney movie. I enjoyed the movie (it’s not my favourite Disney movie – that honour goes to The Lion King and then Mulan). Aladdin, as a West End musical, doesn’t disappoint!

The reviews for it are great, and so if you’re stuck for choice, it’s worth seeing. It’s also a great family-friendly musical in London and one that the kids will love too.

15.) Matilda

Loved the movie, loved the book, and the reviews were spectacular. So much so that getting these tickets to Matilda in London can be tricky at peak times. I think tickets are a lot easier to get now, so if you are lucky enough to get a ticket when you’re in London, go see it.

16.) Dreamgirls

I enjoyed this as a movie (I know the show precedes the movie, but I can only refer to what I’ve actually seen), and the movie is pretty much a great representation of the stage show from what I’ve heard, so I’d happily go and see this. The reviews have been positive too, so if you enjoyed the movie, chances are that you’ll like this too.

Seasonally present in London, it’s a showstopping show of big hits, amazing costumes and a set that’s so full of glamour!

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