Best Shakespeare plays being performed live in London this year

But now, it’s time to heal those wounds and rediscover your love for Britain’s biggest playwright.

This year, we’re spoilt for choice with the number of Shakespeare plays to see across the UK. Whether it’s in the historic Globe Theatre, his birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon or on tour, there’s plenty of ways to see one of his iconic plays.

There’s also a variety of adaptations to suit any kind of theatregoer. Some will be very classic versions for the more traditional viewer, like productions at The Globe, while others are really pushing the boat out this year, like Jamie Lloyd's Much Ado About Nothing.

As a medium, Shakespeare has been reimagined so many times and in so many ways which means you’ll never really run out of original performances to see.

So, to help you answer the question of to buy or not to buy, we’ve put together this list of the best Shakespeare plays to see in 2025. We’ve also thrown in some Shakespeare-themed experiences and tours to please the bard-core fans out there.

If you’re a theatre fan, why not take a look at the best West End shows to see in 2025, the biggest celebrity names coming to the West End in 2025 or find the best kids theatre shows.

Check out more of the best musicals on tour UK and the best open air theatre shows.

Best London Shakespeare plays at a glance:

• Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Macbeth, from £5
• Cymbeline, from £6
• Richard II, from £24
• The Tempest, from £25
• Much Ado About Nothing, from £43
• The Merchant of Venice 1936, from £70.80

Best Shakespeare plays in London to see in 2025

The Merchant of Venice 1936

• until 25th Jan – Trafalgar Theatre

If you prick us, do we not bleed? Shakespeare's classic returns to the West End with a twist; this time, the production takes place in 1930s Britain. The play was adapted by Brigid Larmour and Tracy-Ann Oberman, the latter of whom also stars.

Buy The Merchant of Venice 1936 tickets from £70.80 at LOVEtheatre

The Tempest

• until 1st Feb – Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Jamie Lloyd's production of the Shakespeare classic stars the iconic Sigourney Weaver as Prospero, alongside fellow big names Mathew Horne and Mason Alexander Park. This is the first of two plays in a back-to-back Jamie Lloyd run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Buy The Tempest tickets from £25 at London Theatre Direct

Want to know what we thought? Check out our review of The Tempest.

Cymbeline

• 17th Jan – 20th Apr 2025

Shakespeare’s late, tragic comedy of love and rebellion, has returned for the first time in ten years. If you want to experience a lesser-known Shakespeare work in a beautiful theatre (London's only candlelit theatre), then don't miss out on tickets!

Buy Cymbeline tickets from £6 at LOVEtheatre

Richard II

• 10th Feb – 10th May 2025 – Bridge Theatre

Jonathan Bailey is swapping Bridgerton for Bolingbroke this year, as he will be appearing in a brand-new London production of Richard II. This is one of Shakespeare's lesser-known works, which tells the exciting tale of a disastrous king and the plot to destroy him.

Buy Richard II tickets from £24 at London Theatre Direct

Much Ado About Nothing

• 10th Feb – 5th Apri 2025 – Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Jamie Lloyd is back once again with a Shakespeare production starring a big name of the silver screen. This time, Shakespeare's beloved comedy will star Tom Hiddleston.

Buy Much Ado About Nothing tickets from £43 at London Theatre Direct

Taking a loved one to see a Shakespeare play would be a brilliant birthday gift, and for more gift inspiration, take a look at the best experience birthday gifts and top London experience gifts.

Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Macbeth

• 13th Mar – 20th Apr – Globe Theatre

If you're looking for the perfect production to introduce your tweens and teens to Shakespeare, then you've found it. This production is a 90-minute version of Macbeth, specifically designed for young people to experience Shakespeare in a more accessible way.

Buy Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Macbeth from £5 at Shakespeare's Globe

More Shakespeare plays and other live experiences in 2025

Shakespeare in the City Walking Tour for Two

If history’s more your thing than literature, you can honour the Bard in another way by going on the Shakespeare in the City Walking Tour.

With an expert guide, who was once a Shakespearian actor, you can follow the footsteps of the playwright as he lived in 16th century London and learn all about his works and troubled personal life.

Buy Shakespeare in the City Walking Tour for Two for £31 at Virgin Experience Days

The Swan at The Globe afternoon tea for two

Right next to Shakespeare's Globe is the historic Swan restaurant, which gives you not only one of the best views of the River Thames around, but also a beautiful afternoon tea to enjoy. We dare anyone to bite their thumb in the direction of these scrumptious scones.

Buy The Swan at The Globe Afternoon Tea for £70 at Virgin Experience Days

Shakespeare's Schoolroom & Guildhall Entry Ticket and Tour

If you find yourself in Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, you can take a closer look at the Bard’s childhood with a tour of his schoolroom and the Guildhall. The interactive experience lets you sit in the very room where Shakespeare studied as a boy, plus you can take part in a Tudor-style lesson and even dress up in period costume for a selfie.

Buy Shakespeare's Schoolroom & Guildhall Entry Ticket and Tour for £13 from Viator

Shakespeare Distillery Tour

Learn the secrets of gin making and find out how the spirits were produced in the Tudor period in this Shakespeare Distillery Tour. You’ll get to sample and discover the process of Stratford gin, and you can walk around the distillery at your leisure.

Buy Shakespeare Distillery Tour for £19.50 at Viator

Stratford-upon-Avon Audio Walking Tour

If you fancy taking the lead yourself, you can simply grab an audio guide and wander around Stratford-upon-Avon as you please. Put together by an expert literature historian, you’ll get information on all the town’s most iconic buildings and get a closer look into all the facets of Shakespeare’s life.

Buy Stratford-upon-Avon Audio Walking Tour for £6.99 at Viator

If RadioTimes.com be the food of love, read on, and find our guides on the best steam train experiences and the best murder mystery experiences.

Also, here's how to get cheap Cadbury World tickets and how to get Evita tickets London.