Oh what a circus! Following their triumph with *Jesus Christ Superstar*, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice turned their attention to a topic even more contentious than religion – politics. In 1972, Rice first had the idea of turning the life of the late Eva Perón, former actress and first lady of Argentina, into a musical when he heard a radio programme about her life. After some persuasion, his writing partner Lloyd Webber agreed to write the Latin-inspired melodies....

Learn about the production history of 'Evita'

Evita 1200

We take a look at notable productions of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice classic ahead of Jamie Lloyd's new staging at the London Palladium this summer.

Conor McPherson will adapt Suzanne Collins's *The Hunger Games* for the stage, with performances beginning at new venue Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on 20 October.

McPherson, whose work includes *Girl from the North Country* and [*The Brightening Air*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/42906-the-brightening-air), which opens at the Old Vic in April, will work alongside director Matthew Dunster (*2:22 - A Ghost Story, Hangmen, The Pillowman*) to bring the first book from the series (and...

'The Hunger Games' stage adaptation announces dates, venue, and creative team

hunger games artwork 1200 LT

*The Hunger Games* follows the story of Katniss Everdeen, who sacrifices herself to save her sister, entering a tournament in which participants must fight to their deaths to win.

There wouldn’t be theatre as we know it without William Shakespeare. The author of dozens of plays, plus sonnets and narrative poems, he created innumerable words and phrases that have become mainstays in the English language. His work is an indispensable staple of theatre programming and endlessly open to interpretation. It’s highly unlikely that there’s ever been a time since the Restoration when there hasn’t been a selection of Shakespeare plays playing in London. 

Shakespeare’s Globe is a...

Shakespeare plays to see in London

Much Ado About Nothing - LT - 1200

West End

Discover all the Shakespeare plays taking place in London this year, including four exciting offerings at Shakespeare's Globe.

As winter turns into spring and the days get longer, a host of exciting new shows open in the West End. Time to blow away the cobwebs and try something new!

Celebrated playwrights James Graham, Mike Bartlett, and Conor McPherson all present exciting new work. A-listers Brian Cox and Ewan McGregor both take to the West End stage, playing J S Bach and a contemporary version of Ibsen’s Master Builder respectively. 

Comedy fans will delight in Mischief Theatre’s new show that sends up Cold War-era...

West End shows to see in London this spring

My Neighbour Totoro - 1200 - LT

Book tickets

*Succession* star Brian Cox returns to the West End as Johann Sebastian Bach in Oliver Cotton’s historical drama, directed by Trevor Nunn.  In 1747, the deeply religious, peace-loving Bach is summoned to the court of the atheist, war-mongering Frederick II for an important musical commission. Can the two men find common ground?

The intellectual and gripping production premiered in 2024 at Bath Theatre Royal. Cox’s real-life wife Nicole Ansari-Cox (*Deadwood*) co-stars as Bach’s wife Anna, with Stephan Hagan (Stan Lee’s *Lucky Strike*) as Frederick and Peter De Jersey (*Imperium*) as Voltaire.

Book [*The Score* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/42504-the-score) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

The Score, Theatre Royal Haymarket

A new play by Mike Barlett (*King Charles III*, *Cock*) is always cause for celebration. His latest offering tells the story of seemingly perfect couple Polly and Nick, who decide to shake things up by opening their marriage to a third party.

The dream team of Nicola Walker (*The Split*), Stephen Mangan (*Green Wing*), and Erin Doherty (*The Crown*) take the lead roles. Billed as “explicit, funny, and provocative”, Bartlett is never afraid to tackle explosive subjects head-on.

Book [*Unicorn* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43262-unicorn) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Unicorn, Garrick Theatre

*Trainspotting* and *Star Wars* star Ewan McGregor returns to the West End for the first time in 17 years in an update of Ibsen’s *The Master Builder*, adapted by rising literary star Lila Raicek. McGregor is directed by Michael Grandage, with whom he previously worked on *Guys and Dolls* and *Othello*.

Set in the Hamptons in the present day, Elena Solness gives a party for her husband Henry, a celebrated architect. However, an unexpected guest turns out to be a former student with whom Henry had a relationship that went beyond teacher/student. It’s set to be a gripping exploration of timely and timeless themes. 

Book [*My Master Builder* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43486-my-master-builder) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

My Master Builder, Wyndham's Theatre

This enchanting show transfers to the West End following a record-breaking run at the Barbican, where it won six Olivier Awards. Based on the 1988 Studio Ghibli film, two young sisters move to countryside following their mother’s hospitalisation, where they encounter numerous woodland spirits, including the furry giant Totoro.

Creativity abounds in the telling of this community-centred ecological fable. In a 5-star review, [LondonTheatre.co.uk’s reviewer](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/my-neighbour-totoro-review-barbican-rsc-studio-ghibli) observed that “the show itself takes great delight in each creative solution to telling this wild and wonderful fairy tale… Theatre at its most magical”. 

Book [*My Neighbour Totoro* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25389-my-neighbour-totoro) on LondonTheatre.co.uk


My Neighbour Totoro, Gillian Lynne Theatre

A world premiere from Conor McPherson (*Girl from the North Country*, *The Weir*), *The Brightening Air* promises to be a captivating tale of fate, family and unseen forces in 1980s Ireland, exploring the central theme of home.

Siblings Stephen and Billie, played by Brian Gleeson (*Bad Sisters*) and Rosie Sheehy (*Machinal*), live a restricted existence in their decaying farmhouse until various family members, including their hell-raising half-brother, played by Chris O’Dowd (*Bridesmaids*), come out of the woodwork... it looks set to be a thoughtful family saga filled with colourful characters.

Book [*The Brightening Air* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/42906-the-brightening-air) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

The Brightening Air, Old Vic

James Graham (*Dear England*, *Best of Enemies*, *This House*) has to be the busiest playwright around. The hard-hitting *Punch* arrives in the capital following its acclaimed premiere at Nottingham Playhouse.

Nottingham teenager Jacob Dunne found that a single punch can have fatal consequences. After serving time in prison, the parents of the victim asked to meet him. Based on Dunne’s own testimony, this powerful piece of work has been discussed in all quarters, including in the House of Commons.

Book [*Punch* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/41716-punch) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Punch, Young Vic

If you enjoyed *The Play That Goes Wrong* and other shows from Mischief Theatre, you’re sure to enjoy their latest offering with spies at the centre. Set in 1960s London at the height of the Cold War, this hilarious caper promises plenty of misunderstandings, miscommunication, and mistaken identities!

Book [*The Comedy About Spies* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43451-the-comedy-about-spies) on LondonTheatre.co.uk 

The Comedy About Spies, Noël Coward Theatre

Amy Heckerling’s beloved 1995 Beverly Hills-set update of Jane Austen’s *Emma* comes to the stage with a book by Heckerling herself and a ‘90s MTV-inspired score by singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, plus lyrics by Glenn Slater (*Sister Act*). Golden girl Cher is spoiled but kind-hearted and just wants everyone to be happy! However, her well-meaning meddling doesn’t go entirely according to plan.

A vivacious young cast leads the production, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh (*The Great British Bake Off Musical*). Says Tunstall: "I want you to feel like you're at a gig with all of your favourite ‘90s artists playing in one show”.’

Book [*Clueless* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36641-clueless-the-musical) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Clueless, Trafalgar Theatre

A real word-of-mouth hit on Broadway, Jason Howland, Nathan Tysen, and Kait Kerrigan’s musical adaption of the F Scott Fitzgerald classic crosses the pond in April. The story of the ill-fated love story between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, plus the pull and disillusionment of the American Dream and conspicuous consumption makes for a heady cocktail 

It’s set to become the West End’s most glamorous show – the Tony-winning costumes are by all accounts to die for. Start planning your outfit and practising your Charleston steps!

Book [*The Great Gatsby* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43205-the-great-gatsby) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum

Get tickets to the biggest theatre openings this season, including *My Neighbour Totoro*, *Punch*, and *The Great Gatsby*.

Matinees are a crucial part of London’s theatreland — and a treat all of their own. For many, these afternoon shows are a scheduling lifeline, especially if you’re travelling in and out of the city or have young children. Matinees in the West End can also be a great family occasion, or a fun way to have a special day out, accompanied by shopping, sightseeing, socialising, and a meal. Several shows now also eschew Monday evening performances in favour of Sunday matinees.

But not all shows have...

West End matinee guide: Which West End shows have matinee performances and how to book tickets

Matilda The Musical - LT - 1200

Check out West End matinees currently running in London.

The Olivier Awards are a highly anticipated annual event celebrating the best of London theatre, and are always filled with glamour. However, the Oliviers haven’t always been known by this name. Established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, they were renamed in honour of celebrated actor Laurence Olivier in 1984.

This year’s ceremony on Sunday 6 April 2025 will be held at the Royal Albert Hall and hosted by Beverley Knight (Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical,...

A guide to some of the biggest moments in Olivier Awards history 

Oliviers-LON-1200x600-080322

Read about some record-setting shows and notable firsts from the prestigious West End theatre awards, established in 1976.

The shortest month of the year has whizzed past us, and March is finally here. The sun shines a little brighter, the days are a little longer, and there’s plenty of exciting shows to look forward to. There’s dozens of new shows opening in the West End and across London in March 2025. Here’s our top picks for what to see in London in March.


Top theatre to see in London in March

Jonathan Bailey Richard II - LT - 1200

Jamie Lloyd’s bold new production of *Much Ado About Nothing* transforms Shakespeare’s sharp-tongued romcom into a pulsating, high-energy spectacle. Set against a 1990s clubland backdrop, the show reimagines Messina as a world of neon-lit hedonism, where Beatrice and Benedick’s famous
war of words crackles with fresh urgency. Lloyd, known for his radical interpretations of classic texts, has described the production as an experiment in fusing Shakespeare with the electrifying rhythms of nightlife. With a soundtrack of club anthems and a design steeped in Y2K aesthetics, this *Much Ado* promises to be anything but traditional.

Check back for *Much Ado About Nothing* tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Much Ado About Nothing

Leave Greek tragedy expectations at the door in Daniel Fish’s (*Oklahoma!*) arresting take on the Sophocles classic. A shaven-headed, Bikini Kill T-shirt-wearing Brie Larson (*Room*) brings feminist rage to the stage as the titular daughter of Agamemnon, who is out to avenge her father’s death at the hands of her mother, Clytemnestra (a commanding Stockard Channing). In Canadian poet Anne Carson’s stripped-back translation, Larson half-sings, half-screams her emotional torment, enlisting her brother Orestes (Patrick Vaill) to commit matricide, with predictably bloody results.

Book [*Elektra* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/42608-elektra) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Elektra

Brian Watkins’s one-woman show picked up a Scotsman Fringe First Award when it ran at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year. “I’m your rise and shine” announces Stacey, the Californian weather girl who valiantly tries to maintain her rictus grin in the face of impending personal and environmental meltdown. Off-Broadway star Julia McDermott reprises her acclaimed Edinburgh performance in a dramedy that is both an engaging character study and rallying call for climate action.

Book [*Weather Girl* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43305-weather-girl) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Weather Girl

Playwright Ryan Calais Cameron’s story of a young Sidney Poitier trying to pursue his Hollywood dream in the 1950s returns to London after an acclaimed season at the Kiln Theatre. Retrograde stars Ivanno Jeremiah as the screen legend himself, alongside Stanley Townsend and Oliver Johnstone. In this true story, at this height of censorship against minorities, Poitier faces dark temptations that challenge his sense of self.

Book [*Retrograde* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27673-retrograde) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Retrograde

Nick Hytner’s production of Shakespeare’s history play illustrates the timelessness of its central battle between the “born to rule” Plantagenet monarch and his arguably more capable adversary (and cousin) Henry Bolingbroke (here styled Bullingbrook). Hytner recently told The Guardian that the play asks the basic question: “What do you do when a ruler is absolutely inadequate? How do you get rid of the rightful leader?” In a modern world of political volatility, the Bard’s themes feel increasingly prescient. The drama stars Jonathan Bailey (*Bridgerton*) who earnt his Shakespeare stripes in Hytner’s production of *Othello* in 2013 and Chichester Festival Theatre’s *King Lear* (opposite Ian McKellen) in 2017.

Book [*Richard II* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/14375-richard-ii) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Richard II

This “Bram-new comedy” by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen promises 90 minutes of gothic giggles. In a high-camp reimaging of the horror classic, Count Dracula is a Gen Z pansexual having an existential crisis. After receiving a visit from timid estate agent Jonathan Harker, the Count leaves his Transylvanian lair to get a taste of some English beauty – in the form of Jonathan’s fiancé! Dianne Pilkington (*The Wizard of Oz*) and Charlie Stemp (*Kiss Me, Kate*) are among the cast sinking their fangs into the vampy wordplay.

Book [*Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43625-dracula-a-comedy-of-terrors) on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors

Here's the top theatre picks you need to see in London in March 2023.

Top theatre to see in London in March | LondonTheatre.co.uk

From *Bridgerton* heartthrob Jonathan Bailey in *Richard II* to a candy crush explosion of fun in Jamie Lloyd's *Much Ado About Nothing*, here’s the top theatre picks in London this March.

Movie musicals make for true event cinema and bring the joys of the genre to audiences around the globe. Read our guide to the latest offerings, what you can look forward to soon (or in a couple of decades time, in the case of *Merrily We Roll Along*!) and what’s in development. What are you looking forward to most?  

# Out now or coming soon

## *Wicked Part 1* / *Wicked Part 2: For Good*

Audiences worldwide were dazzled by Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey in the first...

A guide to all the latest and upcoming movie musicals

Wicked movie 

From *Wicked Part 2: For Good* this autumn to the long wait for *Merrily We Roll Along*, we take a look at the musicals headed to the big screen.

Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis, who are currently starring in Jamie Lloyd's *Sunset Boulevard* on Broadway, will announce this year's Olivier Awards nominations next week.

The historic awards will be hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter on 6 April at the Royal Albert Hall.

First established in 1976, the awards were renamed in 1984 in honour of the actor and director Laurence Olivier. Last year, *Sunset Boulevard* won seven Olivier Awards, including Best Actor and Actress in a Musical...

Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis to reveal Olivier Awards nominees

sunset boulevard 1200 LT

Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis both won Olivier Awards for their turns as Norma Desmond and Joe Gillis in *Sunset Boulevard* in 2024. They are now performing in the show on Broadway.

Nicole Scherzinger - LON

Hollywood is coming to the West End this spring as Ryan Calais Cameron’s riveting thriller *[Retrograde](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/43479-retrograde)* transfers to the Apollo Theatre. The play centres on the trailblazing African-American film actor Sidney Poitier as he reaches an important crossroads in his career, and has to balance his professional ambitions with his commitment to social activism.

Calais Cameron is also a trailblazer, having had an enormous success in the West End...

Get to know the history behind 'Retrograde'

Retrograde - LT - 1200

As the riveting drama about Sidney Poitier hits the West End, learn all about this trailblazing actor and the shocking events of the play.

Theo Bosanquet

Theo Bosanquet's latest articles

'The Score' review — Brian Cox gives an impassioned, emotionally wrought portrayal of fading genius

ABBA Voyage

The Lion King

Wicked

The Phantom of the Opera

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

The Book of Mormon

Hamilton

Mrs. Doubtfire

Mamma Mia!

Fawlty Towers – The Play

Learn about the production history of 'Evita'

'The Hunger Games' stage adaptation announces dates, venue, and creative team

Shakespeare plays to see in London

Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock exclusive London theatre updates!