Best plays in London 2021
The West End is renowned for its world-class entertainment, and the best plays in London have a long history of drawing in audiences with unforgettable performances and thrilling plots. Agatha Christie’s famous whodunnit, The Mousetrap, even holds the title of longest-running show in the world, beating hit musicals like Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera.
Major revivals, fresh new work and book adaptations frequently open to massive acclaim, and at SeatPlan we have an eye on the latest announcements to help you keep up with the buzz. With big names a common sight in top West End plays, you might even get to see your favourite actor perform live!
Below, we’ve pulled together a list of current and upcoming plays we think you’ll love. New shows are confirmed every month or two, so check back regularly for our latest pick of unmissable drama and comedies.
When booking, don’t forget to check our user-submitted seat reviews. Our community of theatre fans have uploaded more than 60,000 seat view photos and over 100,000 ratings to help you find hidden gems and great seats for your budget in the West End.
Major revivals, fresh new work and book adaptations frequently open to massive acclaim, and at SeatPlan we have an eye on the latest announcements to help you keep up with the buzz. With big names a common sight in top West End plays, you might even get to see your favourite actor perform live!
Below, we’ve pulled together a list of current and upcoming plays we think you’ll love. New shows are confirmed every month or two, so check back regularly for our latest pick of unmissable drama and comedies.
When booking, don’t forget to check our user-submitted seat reviews. Our community of theatre fans have uploaded more than 60,000 seat view photos and over 100,000 ratings to help you find hidden gems and great seats for your budget in the West End.
save £44.40![Blithe Spirit London]()
![Blithe Spirit London]()
Blithe Spirit
Comedy - Star casting - Critically acclaimed revival
Comedy legend Jennifer Saunders is returning to the West End as eccentric medium Madame Arcarti in Noël Coward’s spiritual farce. Following the misadventures of a man who's new marriage is haunted by his first wife - literally - this acclaimed revival first opened in Bath before securing a West End transfer.
Comedy legend Jennifer Saunders is returning to the West End as eccentric medium Madame Arcarti in Noël Coward’s spiritual farce. Following the misadventures of a man who's new marriage is haunted by his first wife - literally - this acclaimed revival first opened in Bath before securing a West End transfer.
from £15.00
The Shark Is Broken
Comedy - Acclaimed West End transfer - New writing
Dive into the true story of Jaws’ famously hectic filming schedule in this Edinburgh Festival hit! Based on actor Robert Shaw’s diaries, the quirky three-hander explores the off-camera relationship between stars Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss, and the unbelievable obstacles the crew faced while filming the legendary monster movie.
Dive into the true story of Jaws’ famously hectic filming schedule in this Edinburgh Festival hit! Based on actor Robert Shaw’s diaries, the quirky three-hander explores the off-camera relationship between stars Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss, and the unbelievable obstacles the crew faced while filming the legendary monster movie.
from £24.00
Leopoldstadt
Drama - Acclaimed playwright - Award-winning play
Described by critics as a “masterpiece” during its 2020 premiere, this Olivier Award winning play returns to London post-lockdown, giving audiences a second chance to experience playwright Tom Stoppard’s most personal work yet. Set in Vienna across the first half of the 20th century, Leopoldstadt is a remarkable multi-generational story of one Jewish family, performed by over 40 cast members.
Described by critics as a “masterpiece” during its 2020 premiere, this Olivier Award winning play returns to London post-lockdown, giving audiences a second chance to experience playwright Tom Stoppard’s most personal work yet. Set in Vienna across the first half of the 20th century, Leopoldstadt is a remarkable multi-generational story of one Jewish family, performed by over 40 cast members.
from £18.00
Life of Pi
Drama - Acclaimed West End transfer - Book to stage adaptation
Sheffield Crucible’s acclaimed production of Yann Martel’s Booker Prize-winning novel transfers to the West End, offering audiences a chance to step into a breath-taking world of adventure, friendship and imagination. With extraordinary puppets conjuring the sights and sounds of monkeys, birds and the fearsome tiger Richard Parker in the Wyndham's Theatre auditorium, this multi-sensory theatrical achievement isn't one to miss.
Sheffield Crucible’s acclaimed production of Yann Martel’s Booker Prize-winning novel transfers to the West End, offering audiences a chance to step into a breath-taking world of adventure, friendship and imagination. With extraordinary puppets conjuring the sights and sounds of monkeys, birds and the fearsome tiger Richard Parker in the Wyndham's Theatre auditorium, this multi-sensory theatrical achievement isn't one to miss.
from £30.00
no fees![The Mousetrap London]()
![The Mousetrap London]()
The Mousetrap
Murder mystery - Long-running show - Audience favourite
With a surprise ending that’s been faithfully protected by audiences for decades, this West End institution is the ultimate murder mystery. Master of the craft, Agatha Christie, brings all the best tropes of the genre to this fantastic play: an unknown killer; an isolated country house; a trail of secrets revealed; and enough twists and turns to have even the smartest amateur detectives second-guessing until the end.
With a surprise ending that’s been faithfully protected by audiences for decades, this West End institution is the ultimate murder mystery. Master of the craft, Agatha Christie, brings all the best tropes of the genre to this fantastic play: an unknown killer; an isolated country house; a trail of secrets revealed; and enough twists and turns to have even the smartest amateur detectives second-guessing until the end.
from £19.75
The Play That Goes Wrong
Comedy - Long-running show - Audience favourite
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 Fawlty Towers’ most unpredictably slapstick moments.
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 Fawlty Towers’ most unpredictably slapstick moments.
from £24.00
no fees![The Mirror and the Light London]()
![The Mirror and the Light London]()
The Mirror and the Light
Drama - Historical - Book to stage adaptation
Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall trilogy met its dramatic, highly anticipated conclusion when The Mirror and the Light was published in 2020. Giving bookworms something to dive into during the long lockdown months, the Royal Shakespeare Company stage adaptation now offers theatregoers a thrilling historical story full of political intrigue, perfect for returning to the West End after a year of on-and-off closures.
Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize-winning Wolf Hall trilogy met its dramatic, highly anticipated conclusion when The Mirror and the Light was published in 2020. Giving bookworms something to dive into during the long lockdown months, the Royal Shakespeare Company stage adaptation now offers theatregoers a thrilling historical story full of political intrigue, perfect for returning to the West End after a year of on-and-off closures.
from £15.00
The Woman in Black
Ghost story - Long-running show - Book to stage adaptation
Are you ready to brave the West End's spookiest show? Susan Hill's chilling ghost story has been a hit with thrill-seeking audiences since materialising on stage in 1987, thanks to smart staging and a heavy dose of things that go bump in the night. Famously employing just two actors to bring the tale to life, this sinister play follows lawyer Arthur Kipps as he becomes caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the eponymous woman in black...
Are you ready to brave the West End's spookiest show? Susan Hill's chilling ghost story has been a hit with thrill-seeking audiences since materialising on stage in 1987, thanks to smart staging and a heavy dose of things that go bump in the night. Famously employing just two actors to bring the tale to life, this sinister play follows lawyer Arthur Kipps as he becomes caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with the eponymous woman in black...
from £25.80
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
Comedy - Book-to-stage adaptation - New writing
Jane Austen's classic tale of wit and romance gets an adaptation like no other in this energetic new show. Featuring an all-female cast belting out hits from Carly Simon and Candi Staton, this Edinburgh Festival hit follows a group of overlooked servants as they throw down tools and re-enact the ultimate rom-com.
Jane Austen's classic tale of wit and romance gets an adaptation like no other in this energetic new show. Featuring an all-female cast belting out hits from Carly Simon and Candi Staton, this Edinburgh Festival hit follows a group of overlooked servants as they throw down tools and re-enact the ultimate rom-com.
from £8.25
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