What’s happening this month in theatre

Everything happening on the West End this month that you need to know about

The wind outside is driving us off the pavement and into theatres – luckily, there’s a ton to see in the West End this month. From enormous new musicals adapted from your favourite films to huge names in some of England’s oldest and best-loved plays, this season really has it all. Here’s your full guide to the West End this October.

New West End openings

Ready for some musical magic? The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tells a fantastical story at the Ambassador’s Theatre from 10 October, bring F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work to life with a captivating original soundtrack. For Miranda Priestly fans, the wait is over – The Devil Wears Prada is opening doors at the Dominion Theatre on 24 October, reinventing the beloved book and film into what is set to be one of the West End’s buzziest new musical.

David Tennant and Shakespeare are always a good combination – the celebrated Scottish actor stars alongside Cush Jumbo in Max Webster’s new imagining of Macbeth from 10 October at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Another sensational British talent – and former Doctor – also arrives in the West End this month, with Jodie Whittaker taking the titular role in The Duchess. This is Zinnie Harris’ remarkable modernisation of John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi, playing at the Trafalgar Theatre for 11 weeks only this autumn.

There’s more Hollywood talent arriving at the Duke of York’s Theatre, as Collins (Emily in Paris) and Álvaro Morte (Money Heist) make their West End debuts in Bess Wohl’s Barcelona, a seductive thriller that promises to keep us on the edge of our seats. Over at the Noel Coward Theatre, seven-time BAFTA Award winner Steve Coogan stars in a brand new stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. If that’s not enough star power for you, celebrated director Emma Rice turns her hand to Hanif Kureishi’s award-winning novel in The Buddha of Suburbia, which opens at London’s Barbican on 22 October for a limited four week season.

Tickets on sale now

This month is the perfect time to snag the very best deals on the very best seats, with tons of offers and discounts now live until 20 October. You can find exclusive prices on shows like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Back To The Future The Musical and Wicked now on Ticketmaster. Explore more unmissable offers in our theatre guide.

Marty McFly in Back To The Future The Musical

For those ready to throw it back to the nineties, Clueless The Musical will arrive at London’s Trafalgar Theatre in February 2025, featuring all the snark and sparkle of the original, with a book from the film’s writer and director Amy Heckerling. The show will also feature an original score from singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, and Grammy winner and three-time Tony nominee Glenn Slater – safe hands in which to leave a hit. Tickets are on sale now.

Last chance shows

After a brief and hilarious run, I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial Musical slaloms off into the snow on 12 October, so make sure to catch it if you haven’t already. Shakespeare’s thought-provoking comedy The Taming Of The Shrew is also heading off this month, playing its final performance at the Globe Theatre on 26 October.

Benedict Lombe’s bold new romance Shifters leaves the Duke of York’s Theatre on 12 October, so there’s still a few days left to join the growing ranks of fans. On the 26 October, Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing and the Globe Theatre’s Princess Essex also head off, so make sure to grab tickets in their final weeks.

Other West End theatre news

Wicked celebrates its 18th birthday

One of the West End’s most beloved shows celebrated 18 years at the Apollo Victoria Theatre on the 27 September. Wicked is heading towards two decades in London, cementing its position as one of the longest-running and most celebrated musicals in the city’s history. You can find exclusive prices on Wicked tickets until 20 October.

Strictly Come Dancing announces their live tour

Strictly prepares to waltz across the UK this January and February, with judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood joined by Motsi Mabuse in her UK tour debut. Along with the audience, they’ll be watching a phenomenal line-up of celebrity contestants and their pro partners to decide who gets to lift the Mirrorball trophy at the end of the night. Read more here.