Top 10 Best Plays in London 2026
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, comedy plays 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.
Picked your perfect play? Check out last minute London plays for offers, the latest availability and discounts for shows in London over the next 7 days!
1. My Neighbour Totoro: Studio Ghibli magically realised on stage
Find your spirit with tickets to the "awe-inspiring" (Time Out) West End transfer of Studio Ghibli's beloved film on stage. This six-time Olivier Award winning play is a breathtaking triumph from the Royal Shakespeare Company and Joe Hisaishi that has already enjoyed two sold-out seasons at the Barbican Theatre. Now, it is one of the biggest theatre events for anyone who wants to escape into a world of whimsy, sisterhood and childhood imagination.
2. Stranger Things: phenomenal theatre in a new dimension
3. The Mousetrap: still gripping after 70 years
4. The Play That Goes Wrong: the West End’s funniest show
5. Witness for the Prosecution: Agatha Christie's courtroom drama
6. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: the magic remains alive
7. Oh, Mary! : A darkly comic, camply irreverent Tony winner
This hilarious history-ish play from Tony winner and Pulitzer finalist Cole Escola shoves aside her famous presidential husband, Abe, and puts Mary Todd Lincoln firmly in the spotlight. Delving into the hidden hopes, desires and troubles of the first lady in the weeks leading up to her husband's assassination, this “smartly stupid riot” (Variety) puts a blackly satirical, tongue-in-cheek and fabulously queer slant on this famous couple. Book your tickets today!
8. Cyrano de Bergerac: we “nose” you’ll love this romantic revival
This huge revival of Rostand’s romantic play is another big RSC transfer for 2026. Olivier winner Adrian Lester reprises his role as the large-nosed wordsmith in a “standout” (Guardian) performance, as this production comes to the West End following a smash-hit Stratford season in 2025. Ashamed of his unusual looks, Cyrano must help his love rival woo the woman he loves - but what will happen if Roxane learns the truth about her suitor? This production blends the original verse with modern language and “crackles with an electricity” (Broadway Baby).
9. To Kill A Mocking Bird: major revival of Sorkin’s courtroom drama
Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe winner Aaron Sorkin’s (The Social Network, The West Wing) blistering adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel returns to London in this landmark revival. When a Black man is accused of assaulting a white woman in a small town in 1930s Alabama, lawyer Atticus Finch must uncover the truth of what truly happened in an explosive, career-defining trial. This Tony-winning and Olivier-nominated adaptation embarks on a UK tour before flying back into the West End for a strictly limited run.
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