Best London plays to see this autumn

From starry casting in the classics to exciting new work, there's something for all tastes in the West End and beyond this autumn.

The autumn season is always an exciting time for London theatre, and that’s absolutely the case this year, with many fascinating shows opening in the West End and beyond. From new plays to classic revivals, literary adaptations to cutting-edge work, there's something for everyone.

There are many hot tickets listed here, so get booking soon so you don't miss out!

Here’s our guide to the must-see London plays in autumn 2024.

The Duchess (of Malfi), Trafalgar Theatre

John Webster’s tragedy comes to the West End in a modernised adaptation by playwright Zinnie Harris (who also directs), starring Jodie Whittaker. The former Doctor Who star makes her first stage appearance in over a decade, playing the determined and independently minded Duchess, who has the freedom to finally be herself after her husband dies, much to the chagrin of her controlling brothers.

It’s a fantastic role in a fascinating post-#MeToo adaptation of a Jacobean classic. The original production was hugely acclaimed at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre in 2019.

Book The Duchess tickets on London Theatre.

Macbeth, Harold Pinter Theatre

Whittaker isn’t the only former Doctor treading the boards this autumn. David Tennant plays the title role in Max Webster’s superbly atmospheric production of Macbeth, transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre following its run at the Donmar Warehouse last year. Tennant won a Critics’ Circle Award for Best Shakespearean Performance for his portrayal of the murderous warrior king.

Tennant stars opposite The Good Fight star Cush Jumbo, who is equally outstanding as Lady Macbeth. It’s the perfect show for the Halloween season, filled with genuine chills and a special kind of intimacy generated by the innovative sound design. Fire burn and cauldron bubble!

Book Macbeth tickets on London Theatre.

Oedipus, Wyndham’s Theatre

Robert Icke’s versions of Greek tragedies have earned huge acclaim in recent years, and he returns this autumn with perhaps the most famous of them all: Oedipus. The production was first presented in Dutch at Internationaal Theatre Amsterdam and the Edinburgh Festival.

In the West End, a pair of multi-award-winning actors take the lead roles. Mark Strong (Our Friends in the North, A View from the Bridge) plays the title role, opposite Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, The Visit) as Jocasta. Set on election night, a landslide victory is predicted. Sophocles’ tragedy is presented as a thriller, in which the secrets of the past have a way of catching up with the present.

Book Oedipus tickets on London Theatre.

Dr Strangelove, Noel Coward Theatre

One of the autumn’s most intriguing offerings is this stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s Oscar-winning 1964 Cold War satire. Convinced that the Soviets are trying to poison Americans, US Air Force General Jack D. Ripper orders a nuclear strike on Soviet Union and chaos ensures.

It should be a match made in comedy heaven as Steve Coogan (I’m Alan Patridge) steps into Peter Sellers’s shoes, playing the triple roles of an RAF officer, a US president named Merkin Muffley, and Strangelove himself, an ex-Nazi scientist. Thrillingly, the adaptation is written by The Thick of It’s Armando Iannucci (with Sean Foley, who also directs) – there’s no one more adept at political satire and we can surely expect some contemporary nods.

Book Dr Strangelove tickets on London Theatre.

The Lehman Trilogy, Gillian Lynne Theatre

Stefano Massini’s epic of high finance, adapted by Ben Powers, returns to London for the third time since its original run at the National Theatre. The play was also a huge success on Broadway, where it earned five Tony Awards. Oscar-winner Sam Mendes directs.

The investment bank founded by three German Jewish immigrant brothers, played John Heffernan, Aaron Krohn and Howard W. Overshown, ultimately collapsed in 2008. It’s over three hours long but never flags for a moment and every minute (and penny spent on a ticket) is more than worth it. You’ll also be amazed by how funny it is! No prior knowledge of investment banking required.

Book The Lehman Trilogy tickets on London Theatre.

Wolves on Road, Bush Theatre

Another play about finance and the gambles taken in the pursuit of wealth, written by Beru Tessema (House of Ife) and directed by Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch). Manny dreams of an affluent lifestyle but he’s living with his mum and hocking stolen goods.

When he has the chance to make more than he ever imagined through the nebulous realm of cryptocurrency, he’s swept into a world that’s both thrilling and dangerously threatening. This promises to be a gripping contemporary drama.

Book Wolves On Road tickets on London Theatre.

Giant, Royal Court Theatre

Roald Dahl is a titan of children’s fiction, and Matilda is one of the most successful British musicals of all time. A thread of darkness runs throughout his work, so it’s little surprise that the man himself was a rather… ambivalent character.

Mark Rosenblatt’s debut play takes place in 1983 when a Jewish journalist arrives at Dahl’s home to confront him about his recently published explicitly antisemitic article. It’s a truly starry cast: garlanded American actor John Lithgow plays Dahl, and Elliot Levey, Romola Garai, and Rachael Stirling co-star. Nicholas Hytner directs (speaking of whom, don’t miss his Guys & Dolls before it closes in January!).

Book Giant tickets on London Theatre.

The Purists, Kiln Theatre

Hop across the pond as the north-west London Kiln Theatre presents the European premiere of Dan McCabe’s New York comedy The Purists. Set in Queens, famous MC Lamont and DJ Mr Bugz have been teasing Broadway-lover Gary for years.

But when two young women, Nancy and Vavl, then put their rap battling skills to the test, it forces them to confront their prejudices about race, sexuality, and music – and to find some common ground. Kiln's new artistic director Amit Sharma directs.

Book The Purists tickets on London Theatre.

A Raisin in the Sun, Lyric Hammersmith

One of the most significant works of American drama, Lorraine Hansberry’s play tells the story of a Black family living in poverty in Chicago’s South Side and was the first play to be produced on Broadway written by a Black female playwright and a Black director.

Its significance is far more than historical, with the themes of racism, housing discrimination, and poverty sadly as resonant today as they were in 1959. Tinuke Craig (The Color Purple) directs this production co-produced by the Lyric Hammersmith, Headlong, Leeds Playhouse and Nottingham Playhouse.

Book A Raisin in the Sun tickets on London Theatre.

The Little Foxes, Young Vic

Another American family drama, this time dealing with the upper echelons of Alabama society in the early 20th century, where fortunes were passed from father to son and daughters were excluded. In Lillian Hellman’s 1939 play, Regina Hubbard has had enough of seeing her brothers grow rich on money inherited from their father and takes matters into her own hands. Anne-Marie Duff (Bad Sisters, Shameless) stars.

The ambitious Regina is a true diva role, having been created by Tallulah Bankhead and played by Bette Davis in the film adaptation. The production is directed by Lyndsy Turner (The Witches, The Crucible). Duff and Turner have plenty to get their teeth into here.

Book The Little Foxes tickets on London Theatre.

The Buddha of Suburbia, Barbican

The ever-exuberant Emma Rice adapts and directs Hanif Kureishi’s modern classic, one of the great London novels, for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The 17-year-old protagonist Karim Amir is “an Englishman born and bred. Almost”. Growing up in a South London suburb in the depressed 1970s of strikes and food shortages, he longs escape his stifling existence and to achieve enlightenment in his own unique way. Meanwhile, his strait-laced Indian father is taken up by members of high society and becomes an unlikely celebrity…

This joyous, cheeky, and intoxicating show earned five-star reviews from The Times and The Telegraph. Don’t miss the limited four-week run at the Barbican.

Book The Buddha of Suburbia tickets on London Theatre

The Forsyte Saga, Park Theatre

John Galsworthy's series of novels charting the fortunes of an upper-middle-class British family were adapted for television in the 1960s and 2000s, and a new version is in the works. While contrasting cousins Soames and Jolyon are usually presented as the protagonists, this new adaptation by Shaun McKenna and Lin Roache foregrounds the women’s voices, in particular Irene, wife and prized “possession” of “man of property” Soames, and Fleur, his headstrong daughter.

The production is divided into two parts: Part 1 Irene and Part 2 Fleur. Each part stands alone but catching both would really highlight the epic scope from the late Victorian era to the 1920s.

Book The Forsyte Saga Part 1: Irene tickets on London Theatre. Book The Forsyte Saga Part 2: Fleur tickets on London Theatre.

The Cabinet Minister, Menier Chocolate Factory

For more Victoriana, this time of a comic nature, try Paul Foster’s revival of Arthur Wing Pinero’s farce about a politician who spends beyond his means, staged in the intimate environs of the Menier Chocolate Factory. It’s a story of marriage, blackmail, and class in which all bets are off!

In our own turbulent political times, it’s likely to combine plenty of contemporary resonance with blissful comedic escapism. Nancy Carroll has adapted the text and stars as Lady Katherine Twomley opposite Nicholas Rowe. The cast also includes George Blagden and Dillie Keane.

Book The Cabinet Minister tickets on London Theatre.

A Christmas Carol, Old Vic

As autumn gives way to winter, get booking for Jack Thorne’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which has become a real fixture at the Old Vic. With its memorable use of handbells and enchanting renditions of classic carols – plus complementary satsumas and mince pies – it really is the perfect show for the whole family.

The production has attracted several top-notch actors as Scrooge. This year, Life on Mars star John Simm dons the nightcap and journeys through past, present and future with his ghostly visitors. God bless us, everyone!

Check back for A Christmas Carol tickets on London Theatre.