Top 10 Best Plays in London 2026

By Alice Perry, Editor
Updated: 02 June 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, bold new work 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 London plays, for the next 7 days for offers, the latest availability and discounts for shows in London over the next 7 days!

  1. My Neighbour Totoro
  2. Stranger Things: The First Shadow
  3. The Mousetrap
  4. The Play That Goes Wrong
  5. Witness for the Prosecution
  6. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  7. Oh, Mary!
  8. Inter Alia
  9. 1536
  10. Grace Pervades

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.
Rating: 4.7
Price: from £18.00
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2. Stranger Things: phenomenal theatre in a new dimension

Unlock the spine-chilling secrets of Hawkins in this jaw-dropping 5-star prequel play, from the creators of the internationally-acclaimed Netflix series. In 1959, Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado are normal teens, in a normal town, until Henry Creel arrives... From the Duffer Brothers and an award-winning creative team comes an unparalleled theatrical experience that will shock, surprise and grip fans of the Upside Down.
Rating: 4.6
Price: from £25.00
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3. The Mousetrap: still gripping after 70 years

With a clever surprise ending that’s been faithfully protected by audiences for 70 years, this West End institution is the ultimate murder mystery. Queen of Crime Agatha Christie brings all the best tropes of the genre to this fantastic play: an unknown killer; an isolated country house; and enough twists and turns to have even the smartest amateur detectives second-guessing whodunnit until the final moments.
Rating: 4.5
Price: from £27.00
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4. The Play That Goes Wrong: the West End’s funniest show

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 Olivier Award-winning delight from Mischief Theatre has become one of the most popular plays in London. It is perfect for fans of Britain's fine tradition of unpredictable slapstick comedy.
Rating: 4.7
Price: from £23.60
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5. Witness for the Prosecution: Agatha Christie's courtroom drama

Few shows are staged in a venue as unique as London County Hall, which is home to a totally gripping courtroom drama about a young man accused of murder. You will be completely immersed in all of the twists, turns and drama of Agatha Christie's play.
Rating: 4.7
Price: from £18.56
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6. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: the magic remains alive

The magical world of Harry Potter is back in this fantastic two-part family show, which follows Harry, Ron, Hermione and their teenage children as they grapple with the weight of the past and dark forces threaten to return.
Rating: 4.8
Price: from £17.00
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7. Oh, Mary! : A darkly comic, camply irreverent Tony winner

This hilarious history-ish play from Tony winner Cole Escola shoves aside her famous presidential husband, Abe, and puts Mary Todd Lincoln firmly in the spotlight.
Rating: 4.5
Price: from £35.00
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8. Inter Alia: Rosamund Pike heads up blistering transfer

Gone Girl’s Rosamund Pike stars in the West End transfer of work Inter Alia, the new play from the award-winning team behind internationally acclaimed sell-out hit Prima Facie.
Rating: 4.8
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9. 1536: An explosive and edgy exploration of power and patriarchy

This innovative play merges modern language with an unflinching portrait of power and patriarchy. This West End transfer features the original cast, including Sex Education’s Tanya Reynolds.
Rating: 4.7
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10. Grace Pervades: Ralph Fiennes leads Victorian acting drama

Tony winner Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) and Miranda Raison (Silk) reprise their roles in this new play inspired by the true story of Victorian superstar actors Henry Irving and Ellen Terry.
Rating: 4.2
Price: from £20.00
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