What’s happening this month in theatre

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

It’s feeling suspiciously like spring out there, and with the warmer weather comes a roster of sunshiny theatre, including several one-off concert performances and a brand new tour from reality TV favourite Chrishell Stause. Here’s your full guide to the West End this April.

New West End openings

April kicks off with two very exciting new openings. Player Kings sees Sir Ian McKellen take to the stage as Falstaff in a visionary new production that weaves together both parts of Shakespeare’s Henry IV into one political epic. You can catch Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre from 1 April.

April 4 brings an exciting new British musical, as Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) arrives at the Criterion Theatre. Following a sold-out run at the Kiln Theatre last year, this romantic comedy has been tipped as an unmissable new favourite.

There are also a couple of blink-and-you’ll-miss-them arrivals set to make a major impact despite minimal runs. Your Lie In April, the musical adaptation of Naoshi Arakawa’s bestselling manga, comes to Theatre Royal Drury Lane for just three concert performances this 8 and 9 April. And we’ve got one night only with the queens of QUEENZ: The Show With BALLS when they take over the Dominion Theatre on 7 April for a night of drag and disco.

Also on her way to the West End for a single night is Chrishell Stause from Selling Sunset. The reality TV star and real estate mogul will share her inspiring life story with hosts Jack Remmington and Ash Holme on 30 April at The London Palladium.

Tickets on sale now

Duncan Macmillan’s hit play People, Places and Things returns to the West End this spring, with tickets available now. Denise Gough will reprise her Olivier-Award winning role as Emma, whose substance abuse issues are threatening to take over her life entirely. If you missed this one during its first run, here’s your sign not to risk making the same mistake.

If you’re a fan of the queens over at Six The Musical, then the brand new musical Why Am I So Single? by the same writers is probably going to be just your thing. Two best friends sing and dance their way through the highs and lows of the dating world in this feel-good show, arriving at the Garrick Theatre this August. Single or taken, secure your tickets now.

Last chance shows

We’re saying a sorrowful goodbye to Matt Smith this month as An Enemy Of The People leaves London at 13 April. This one’s nominated for two Olivier Awards and has had a huge amount of love from critics, so be sure to get in and see what all the fuss is about before it’s too late.

Another critical favourite, Sam Holcroft’s A Mirror will be heading off on 20 April, leaving you just enough time to catch Sex Education‘s Tanya Reynolds in her Olivier-nominated performance. And the Mind Mangler will officially mangle his last mind when this magically eccentric show leaves the Apollo Theatre on 28 April.

Other West End theatre news

Magic Mike Live announces new cast

As of the end of last month, the West End’s hottest show has officially welcomed some new faces. Clare Billson, Jo Calderwood, Mattia Fazioli, Todd Holdsworth, Mark Lace, Jack Manley, Kay Nicholson and Cristian ‘Black’ Ramos all join the existing cast at the Hippodrome Casino, where the show is currently booking until June 2025.

Mamma Mia! prepares for its 25th anniversary

On April 6, the smash-hit show celebrates 25 years on the West End. Now older than many of its cast members, Mamma Mia! has become a true staple of the London theatre scene, and we can’t imagine that its reign will be coming to an end anytime soon. And in a particularly magical turn of events, the show celebrates this milestone on the same day that marks 50 years since ABBA’s win at Eurovision.

Mean Girls The Musical announces West End cast

There’s been a lot of anticipation surrounding this cast announcement – fans of the Mean Girls musical don’t tend to be short on opinions when it comes to who embodies the immortal Plastics onstage. The public reception to the full cast announcement for Mean Girls The Musical has been incredibly positive, however. The cast includes Charlie Burn (Les Misérables) as Cady Heron, Georgina Castle (Dirty Dancing) as Regina George, Elèna Gyasi (SIX) as Gretchen Wieners, and Grace Mouat (Before After) as Karen Smith.