Best London Theatre Shows Of 2022

From all-singing and dancing witches to Hollywood legends treading the boards – here’s our rundown of the best London theatre shows running for the rest of 2022.

London is famous around the world for being one of the best places to see plays, musicals and West End shows. And with West End Live hitting the capital at the end of this month, we thought better time to mention some of the best things which our beloved capital has to offer.

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So without further ado, here’s our rundown of 22 of the best London theatre shows playing throughout the remainder of 2022:

London theatre shows already playing

1. Disney’s The Lion King

A tale we all know and love and one of the best shows in London, this West End musical follows Simba and Nala’s adventures as they explore the ‘Circle of Life’ in Sub-Saharan Africa. Featuring incredible music from Elton John, stunning effects, spectacular colours, ingenious puppetry and characters we all know and love, this is guaranteed to be a pretty fantastic night at the theatre. Can you feel the love tonight? We’re pretty sure you will at Disney’s The Lion King!

2. The Glass Menagerie

Our next addition to this roundup of the best London theatre shows to catch for the remainder of 2022 is a biggie. Six-time Academy Award nominee – come on Academy when will you give her one? – Amy Adams makes her West End debut in the iconic Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie. One of the most famous plays of all time, it’s set in St. Louis in 1937 and follows the story of Tom, his mother Amanda and sister Laura.

The Glass Menagerie is playing at the Duke of York’s Theatre until August 27.

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3. Mumbai Masala: A Food-Filled Love Story

A food-filled love story with immersive Bollywood tunes and spectacular colours, Mumbai Masala: A Food-Filled Love Story tells the tale of a culinary family who cooked curry for the stars of over three generations, on the film sets of some of the world’s favourite Bollywood movies. It’s also from the creators of sell-out West End shows ‘Taj Express’ and the ‘Merchants of Bollywood’.

4. Dear Evan Hansen

A remarkable six-time Tony Award-winning story about teenage life, social anxiety and fantasy, Dear Evan Hansen follows the story of Evan, who has no friends and whose psychiatrist recommends him to write letters to himself. One day he finds the dead body of a schoolmate and someone accidentally finds one of Evan’s letters thinking it’s the deceased’s suicide letter. Evan’s life is about to change forever…

Dear Evan Hansen plays at the Noël Coward Theatre until October 22.

5. &Juliet

This is the most famous love story of all time with a real twist! You’ll join Juliet on a journey of self-discovery and second chances, and witness her as you have never seen here before. Throughout the course of &Juliet, you’ll be able to sing along to some of songwriter Max Martin’s most iconic pop anthems from the last three decades, with hits like Roar, Since U Been Gone, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), Love Me Like You Do, and many more.

&Juliet is playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre until November 4.

6. Pretty Woman: The Musical

Another all-singing, all-dancing addition to this roundup of London theatre shows, Pretty Woman: The Musical tells the story of Edward, a rich entrepreneur, who hires Vivian, a prostitute, to accompany him to a few social events. The thing is, they then fall deeply in love… Made famous in the 1990 film by Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, this musical is sure to lift your spirits. All together now – “pretty woman, walking down the street…”

Pretty Woman: The Musical is playing at the Savoy Theatre indefinitely.

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7. My Fair Lady

Starring the acting royalty that is Dame Vanessa Redgrave – who’s bagged herself an Oscar don’t you know – My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a ‘proper lady’. The first major revival of this beloved London musical in over two decades, it’s guaranteed to be a good night out.

My Fair Lady plays at the ENO London Coliseum until August 27.

8. Wicked

Everyone’s favourite musical about witches, this all-singing, all-dancing show tells the incredible story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their adventures in the magical Land of Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked plays at the Apollo Victoria Theatre indefinitely.

9. That Is Not Who I Am

Running until July 16, That Is Not Who I Am is a thrilling play in which ‘nothing is as it seems and no one is who they say they are’. From a first time writer, it tells the story of Ollie, a man who has his online identity stolen from him. But then, his real life begins to be stolen too – who is stealing both of his identities and making him seem like a complete monster? You’ll have to find out and see.

That Is Not Who I Am is playing at the Royal Court until July 16.

10. Jersey Boys: The Musical

Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony and Olivier Award-winning, true-life phenomenon, Jersey Boys. Legends on stage, they soon found themselves in both personal and professional binds and became victims of several mafia threats, gambling debts and family disasters… Jersey Boys: The Musical is playing at the Trafalgar Theatre which reopened its doors in the Summer of last year.

Jersey Boys: The Musical is playing at the Trafalgar Theatre indefinitely.

11. Peaky Blinders: The Rise

If you’re looking for something immersive when it comes to your plays in London, then look no further than this one. Brought to you by the team behind ‘Doctor Who: Time Fracture’, this play will give you the chance to join forces with Thomas Shelby and the gang as they aim to take over Camden Town. Expect a bloody great night and potential cameos from Cillian Murphy et. al. at Peaky Blinders: The Rise. Might prepare you for that upcoming Peaky Blinders movie, hey?

Peaky Blinders: The Rise shows at the Camden Garrison until Feb 12 2023.

12. Grease the Musical

We’re nearing the end of this roundup of the best London theatre shows playing right now, but we couldn’t exactly leave this one out now could we? “Grease is the word”! Too bloody right it is. Everyone’s favourite rip-roaring musical has hit the London stage and is running until October 29. With star acts including Peter Andre and Jason Donovan, Grease: The Musical is one hell of a fun show which features all the hits we all know and love. “Is it the one that you want”? Well – it damn well should be!

Grease the Musical is playing at the Dominion Theatre until October 29.

Upcoming London theatre shows

13. A Doll’s House, Part 2

Another fantastic addition to our roundup of London theatre shows, A Doll’s House, Part 2 stars the Tony Award-nominated star of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’, Noma Dumezweni, as Ibsen’s famous protagonist Nora Helmer. Taking place fifteen years after ‘A Doll’s House’, she returns to the house in question, but she must face the family she left behind and deal with the consequences of her leaving. One for the Potterheads perhaps?

A Doll’s House, Part 2 is playing at the Donmar Warehouse from June 10 until August 6.

14. Mad House

‘Stranger Things’ alumni David Harbour and Bill Pullman from ‘The Sinner’ star in Mad House – a dark and funny London theatre show telling the story of three siblings who return to their childhood home to look after their dying father. But there’s more than this than meets the eye – they’re also trying to gauge how much inheritance they’ve been left…

Mad House plays at the Ambassadors Theatre from June 15 until September 4.

15. The Seagull

The legend that is Emilia Clarke – AKA Daenerys Targaryen from ‘Game of Thrones’ – marks her West End debut in Chekov’s The Seagull at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Originally opening in March 2020 until – well, we all know what happened – it’s finally going ahead with most of the same cast. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, it also stars Indira Varma and Tom Rhys Harries.

The Seagull is playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre from June 29 until September 10.

16. Sister Act! The Musical

Based on the 1992 film of the same name, Sister Act! The Musical sees the hilarious story of nightclub singer Deloris – played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film – whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. Under protective custody she’s hidden in the one place people believe she won’t be found – as a nun in a convent! Under the watchful eye of Mother Superior (here played by Ab Fab legend Jennifer Saunders), she helps her fellow sisters find their voice. Soul singer Beverly Knight and Keala Settle (from ‘The Greatest Showman’) also star. This is one not to miss – trust us.

Sister Act! The Musical is playing at the Eventim Apollo from July 19 until August 29..

17. Who Killed My Father

Famous Belgian director Ivo van Hove returns to the London stage with the UK premiere of his adaptation of Édouard Louis’s book Who Killed My Father. Designed as a monologue, it chronicles the tender yet irate portrait of the author’s father after a lifetime of heavy drinking and working. It stars Dutch actor Hans Kesting and will be taking place at the Young Vic.

Who Killed My Father takes place at the Young Vic from September 7 until September 24.

18. The Crucible

Hitting the famous National Theatre come September time, The Crucible tells the story of a witch hunt which is beginning in Salem. The people living here find themselves in a constant state of fear as more and more people are accused of witchcraft – the ramifications of which could prove deadly for all. This particular Arthur Miller rendition stars Erin Docherty – AKA Princess Anne from ‘The Crown’ – and Brendan Cowell.

The Crucible plays at the National Theatre from September 14 to November 5.

19. The Doctor

After a critically-acclaimed run at the Almeida theatre back in 2019, The Doctor heads to the West End for another run of no doubt fantastic shows. Starring Juliet Stevenson again in the title role, it chronicles the story of Ruth Wolff, a senior clinician who refuses to allow a Catholic priest to see a 14-year-old girl who’s dying after a botched abortion. We’ll leave it there as the less you know about this play – the better!

The Doctor plays at the Duke of York’s Theatre from September 29 to December 11.

20. Good

A highly-anticipated addition to this roundup of London theatre shows, this rendition of the acclaimed play Good sees David Tennant’s return to the West End stage. He plays Professor John Halder, a ‘good’ man who finds himself pulled into a movement with unthinkable consequences as the Second World War hits. Olivier Award-winner Dominic Cooke directs.

Good plays at the Harold Pinter Theatre from October 6 to December 24.

21. Mandela

A ‘revolutionary new musical that tells the story of Mandela the man and Mandela the movement’, Mandela is one of the most anticipated musicals in London this Autumn. Hitting the Young Vic in November, it’s infused with the rhythms and spirit of South Africa and will tell a story of determination, hope and ultimately of how the world rallied to free the revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela and his people.

Mandela plays at the Young Vic from November 29 to February 4 2023.

22. NEWSIES

Rounding off this list of the best theatre shows in London is Disney’s NEWSIES, an award-winning Broadway musical set in New York City at the turn of the 19th century. Based on a true story, it tells the tale of a group of teenage newspaper sellers who dream of a better life. Expect great tunes, some pretty epic dancing and much more when this hit musical theatre show rolls into town in November.

Newsies plays at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from November 29 indefinitely.

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Renée Bourke: Interviewer

Renée has carried out many celebrity interviews for us from boybands to hanging backstage at showbiz parties. The Aussie stars acting credits include Home and Away + Across The Pond.

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