What are the best plays in London right now? 13 must-see recommendations
From Oedipus to Fawlty Towers to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, we've got all the best theatre plays happening in London right now.
The London theatre scene is thriving at the moment. From deathly dark dramas to family friendly comedies, there seems to be a new show cropping up in every corner of the West End.
But with so much on, and budgets to consider, what should you actually go and see? Not everyone is a fan of a glitzy musical, and we know how hard it is to cut through all that happy-clappy noise and see what else is going on.
So, to help, we've made a list of the very best plays happening in London this year.
Below you'll find a show to suit every genre, whether that's retellings of classic plays like Richard II, or new offbeat stories like Second Best. The West End has also recently seen a trend of nostalgic shows that bring a previously loved film or TV show back to our lives, like Fawlty Towers, My Neighbour Totoro, or Dr Strangelove.
Plus, there's the long-running plays that have dominated London theatre scene for years, such as The Mousetrap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Stranger Things: First Shadow. Or, there's shows featuring a high-profile celebrity like Jonathan Bailey and Tom Hiddleston. Whatever your taste, you're sure to find a show that tickles your fancy.
If you're worried about cost, don't, because we've already done the work for you. For each play we have scoured the various ticketing sites (ATG, London Theatre Direct, TodayTix, etc) and selected the one with the lowest starting price, so you can make sure you're not spending a huge chunk on booking fees.
If you don't see what you're looking for, try our best West End shows roundup instead. But, without further ado, here's the top plays in London.
Best plays in London at a glance
Limited-time only plays
- The Years, from £17.50
- Fawlty Towers, from £19
- Retrograde, from £23
- Richard II, from £23.40
- My Neighbour Totoro, from £25
- Dr Strangelove, from £30
- My Master Builder, from £30
- Second Best, from £59
Long-running plays
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, from £15
- Witness for the Prosecution, from £19
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow, from £20
- The Play that Goes Wrong, from £23.20
- The Mousetrap, from £25.50
Best plays in London you have to see in 2025
Fawlty Towers
- 4th May 2024 – 1st March 2025 – Apollo Theatre
Head back to Torquay this summer in the West End Debut of Fawlty Towers the stage show. Featuring Basil Fawty, Sybil, Manuel, Polly and The Major, this comedy takes three of the best episodes from the '70s sitcom and blends it into one hilarious performance. The show was written by creator John Cleese himself, and in case you're worried, he told RadioTimes.com and other press, that it keeps "all the best bits" from the original series.
Buy Fawlty Towers tickets from £19 at London Theatre Direct
Richard II
- 10th Feb – 10th May 2025 – Bridge Theatre
Shakespeare's Richard II is characteristically flamboyant, witting and charming; so who better to play that role than Johnathan Bailey? The Bridgerton star will be heading to the Bridge Theatre to tell the tale of Britain's king, who had a famously disastrous reign.
Buy Richard II tickets from £23.40 at Headout
Retrograde
From Ryan Calais Cameron, writer of For Black Boys, comes a brand-new play focusing on a defining moment in the life of Sidney Poitier. The electrifying drama stars Ivanno Jeremiah as Poitier opposite Stanley Townsend (Netflix's Kaos) and Oliver Johnstone (Antigone).
Buy Retrograde tickets from £23 at Today Tix
Witness for the Prosecution
- Until 28th Sep 2025 – London County Hall
We gave Witness for the Prosecution five stars in our review because it is, quite simply, the perfect Agatha Christie thriller. Although less known than The Mousetrap, we would say it's just as thrilling, with a plot that centres around a young man accused of murdering his elderly patron.
The show is set in London County Hall – once home to the now-extinct Greater London Council – and has the look and feel of a real court room. Plus, you can buy tickets to actually sit in the jury and take part in the show.
Buy Witness for the Prosecution tickets from £18 at London Theatre Direct
Buy Witness for the Prosecution tickets from £19 at London Theatre Direct
My Neighbour Totoro
- 8th Mar – 2nd Nov 2025 – Gillian Lynne Theatre
Studio Ghibli's My Neighbour Totoro is coming back to London next spring after a run at The Barbican. We were lucky enough to see the first run of this show and were hugely impressed by its stunning puppetry and the use of the original movie score.
The play is a coming-of-age tale set in the 1950s Tokyo about two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who have moved to the countryside with their father and soon encounter a fantastical range of spirits and creatures.
Buy My Neighbour Totoro tickets from £25 LW Theatres
Buy My Neighbour Totoro tickets from £28 TodayTix
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Second Best
- 24th January – 22nd Feb 2025 – Riverside Studios
Don't miss out on Sex Education star Asa Butterfield's stage debut! In this one-man play, he plays Martin, who is reflecting back on his life after he narrowly missed out on the role of Harry Potter at age 10. Be prepared for lots of introspection and could-have-beens.
Buy Second Best tickets from £59 at Today Tix
The Play that Goes Wrong
- Until 1st Feb 2026 – Duchess Theatre
This hilarious award-winning disaster of play will have you howling from the minute you sit down. Now in its ninth year at The Duchess Theatre, The Play that Goes Wrong is all about a murder mystery being put on by the accident-prone members of The Cornley Drama Society. As they muddle through the drama, everything seems to be against them, but as always the show must go on, but will they make it to the final curtain call?
Buy The Play that Goes Wrong tickets from £23.20 at LOVE Theatre
Did you know that this is currently on tour alongside a whole host of other shows? Check out the best musicals on tour for more.
The Years
- 24th Jan – 19th Apr 2025 – Harold Pinter Theatre
French author Annie Ernaux was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022 for her pioneering work in the genre of autofiction. One of her most celebrated works is The Years, which is now returning to the stage here in the UK capital.
Ernaux's not-quite-memoir will be interpreted by five actors in this production, which enjoyed sold-out runs at the Almeida Theatre and International Theater Amsterdam. Be aware that this show contains mature and sometimes upsetting content matter.
Buy The Years tickets from £17.50 at ATG tickets
The Mousetrap
- Until 27th Sep 2025 – St Martin's Theatre
The day The Mousetrap leaves the theatre is the day London falls. It's the longest running West End show, having started in 1952, and yet its ending is still a complete mystery to those who haven't seen it. Written by Agatha Christie herself, this spine-tingling show is a must-see if you love murder mysteries.
Buy The Mousetrap tickets from £25.50 at TodayTix
Buy The Mousetrap tickets from £30 at Headout
Stranger Things: The First Shadow
- Until 7th Sep 2025 – Phoenix Theatre
Stranger Things: The First Shadow was recently extended until February 2025, and we are so glad! Earlier this year, we gave the play four stars in our RadioTimes.com review, praising it for its incredible visuals and the way it ties in so very neatly to the Netflix series.
The play is set in Hawkins 1959 and follows a young Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper and Bob Newby as they try to uncover who has been killing off all the town's pets, meanwhile a new student, Henry Creel, has just moved into town...
Buy Stranger Things: The First Shadow tickets from £20 at ATG Tickets
My Master Builder
There's no shortage of stars heading to the London stage in 2025. This year we'll see Ewan McGregor return to the stage for the first time in 17 years to star in this sexual politics drama. McGregor plays Halvard Solness, an ambitious architect right at the height of his career, in this production directed by Tony award winner Michael Grandage.
Buy My Master Builder tickets from £30 at Headout
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Until 29th June 2025 – Palace Theatre
Since 2016, The Cursed Child has enchanted fans by bringing the magical world of Harry Potter to life before their very eyes. With spellbinding effects, a thrilling plot and brilliant performances, this show is perfect for Hogwarts fans or anyone who enjoys a spectacle.
Buy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets from £15 at Ticketmaster
Buy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets from £15 at Harry Potter the Play
Take a look at the best kids theatre shows for more family fun.
Dr Strangelove
- 8th Oct – 25th Jan 2025 – Noel Coward Theatre
Steve Coogan will be taking to the stage this October for the first-ever adaptation of Dr Strangelove. Based on Stanley Kubrick's film and adapted by Armando Iannucci (creator of The Thick of It), this black comedy explores the nuclear paranoia of the Cold War and follows an unhinged US Air Force General trying to destroy the Soviet Union.
Buy Dr Strangelove tickets from £30 at Ticketmaster
We have so much more theatre over in our Going Out section, take a look at the best Shakespeare plays and the best open air theatre shows. Plus, here are the biggest celebrity names coming to the West End in 2025. Plus the best comedians on tour uk.
