The Year Ahead

A quick rundown of upcoming London theatre shows in 2026

As I said in my countdown of my top 20 London theatre shows of 2025, I have already booked 39 shows for the year ahead. In the first couple of months, these are primarily things from 2025 that I haven’t quite gotten round to yet, such as: Oh, Mary! at the Trafalgar; Into the Woods at the Bridge; When We Are Married at the Donmar; and Woman in Mind at the still rather unfortunately named Duke of York’s Theatre (rechristen it as the Stoppard Theatre, you cowards). However, there are also lots of new shows on the horizon that promise to be potential bangers in the next twelve months. Here, in alphabetical order, are just some of the ones I’m most looking forward to.

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American Psycho at the Almeida

Dates: January 22nd to March 14th

Rupert Goold’s final show as artistic director at the Almeida sees him revive his musical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ seminal novel about an investment banker with a penchant for violent murder. This time around, Arty Froushan, not Matt Smith, takes on the role of Patrick Bateman. Goold’s stewardship of the Almeida has been a huge success, so it will be interesting to see if and how he reinvents one of the first shows he collaborated with them on for his swansong.

Arcadia at the Old Vic

Dates: January 24th to March 21st

It feels fitting that, other than Indian Ink, which is currently on at Hampstead Theatre, the first major revival of a Stoppard play being staged in the wake of his death is what many consider to be his magnum opus - although, with a back catalogue as rich and diverse as his, such a label feels somewhat redunant. Nonetheless, with its unique, bombastic mix of high art, hazy romance and, err, chaos theory, Arcadia is one of Stoppard’s greatest works, and this is easily one of my most anticipated plays of the year.

Avenue Q at Shaftesbury Theatre

Dates: March 26th to August 29th

Returning to the West End for a 20th anniversary run, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx’s outrageous adult musical parody of Sesame Street is one I’ve never seen but have always heard good things about. I suspect this will be a massive, sell-out hit, especially with tourists, as it hasn’t been on in the West End for two decades, so I would recommend booking early.

Dracula at the Noël Coward Theatre

Dates: February 4th to May 30th

The “one person show” seems to have undergone a bit of a renaissance in the past couple of years, with shows like Harry Clarke and Prima Facie doing very well indeed. The most impressive of all, however, was The Picture of Dorian Gray, also directed by Kip Williams. His latest effort, Dracula, sees Cynthia Erivo perform all 23 roles and, like The Picture of Dorian Gray before it, comes to London from Australia, where it has received rave notices. If Erivo is half as good as Sarah Snook was as Dorian Gray (and, indeed, as everyone else), we’re in for a real treat.

Kimberly Akimbo at Hampstead Theatre

Dates: August 28th to November 7th

This feels like a huge coup for Hampstead Theatre, which has suffered in recent years since it lost all of its ACE funding. A musical adaptation of David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2001 play of the same name, Kimberly Akimbo was a huge hit both on and off Broadway, sweeping the Tonys in 2023, and so for its European premiere to be in Hampstead is quite extraordinary. Casting will be key here but expectations are very high, and it might give Hampstead Theatre the financial boost it needs.

The Last Five Years at the London Palladium

Dates: March 24th to March 29th

A concert staging celebrating 25 years of Jason Robert Brown’s masterpiece, in which one protagonist tell the story of a five-year relationship in chronological order while the other tells it in reverse, this production sees Rachel Zegler, fresh off a powerhouse turn in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita, return to London to take on the role of Cathy, while Ben Platt plays Jamie. I’m not usually too keen on these concert-style productions of musicals, but this one has the potential to be special.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses in the Lyttelton Theatre at the National

Dates: March 21st to June 6th

It’s Aidan Turner and Lesley Manville being outrageously horny for each other; what more do you need to know!?

Man to Man in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court

Dates: September 5th to October 24th

Almost 40 years since Tilda Swinton first took on the role of Ella/Max in Manfred Kange’s Man to Man at the Royal Court, she returns to the role to celebrate the theatre’s 70th anniversary. It has already sold out (sorry) but this is definitely worth joining the waiting list for, firstly because Swinton rarely does much stage work these days, what with her being shackled to the Marvel behemoth, and secondly because the Royal Court has been on an extraordinary run recently.

Pride in the Dorfman Theatre at the National

Dates: June 11th to September 12th

Coming to the National after it premieres in Cardiff, Pride sees Matthew Warchus and Stephen Beresford, director and writer of the wonderful 2014 film, reunite to adapt this uplifting and unlikely story of an alliance between queer activists and striking Welsh miners in Thatcher’s Britain into a musical. The Dorfman perhaps doesn’t feel like the right place for this, but I have high hopes regardless.

Romeo & Juliet at the Harold Pinter

Dates: March 16th to June 6th

I wouldn’t normally be remotely fussed about yet another adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, not least one with such obvious stunt casting. I mean, who can forget the calamitous Jamie Lloyd / Tom Holland production from just the other year? Nonetheless, two things appeal here: Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe are likeable, decent actors, and Robert Icke is a fantastic director who has already proven he can do radical and exciting things with classic texts (see, for example, his 2016 production of Mary Stuart, his 2019 adaptation of The Doctor and his recent, masterful spin on Oedipus). As such, I am very cautiously optimistic.

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Also keep an eye out for the following, which either don’t have dates or aren’t on sale yet, but have also been announced:

• A Doll’s House, starring Romola Garai (March 31st to May 16th), and Golden Boy, starring Josh O’ Connor (September 8th to October 31st), both at the Almeida

• A Whistle in the Dark and Death of a Salesman, both starring Paul Mescal at the National Theatre (dates not yet known)

• Equus at the Menier Chocolate Factory (May 7th to June 27th)

So, what are you looking forward to in 2026? Is there a massive upcoming show that you think I’ve missed? Let me know!

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