Theatre
Feature
Celebrities on stage: all the big names playing the West End
Here’s your breakdown of all the A-listers you’ll be able to see live in London over the next few months
London has been inundated with big stars on its stages lately and the trend shows no sign of slowing down. From major musicals to gritty new dramas, there are lots of shows either already running or due to arrive soon that can count some pretty famous faces in their casts. This season, London welcomes Hollywood actors, chart-topping singers, and even Margot Robbie as a producer… Read on to find out who else will be treading the boards in London’s West End.
Romeo & Juliet
Starring: Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe
Playing now at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Director Robert Icke’s version of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy comes to the Harold Pinter Theatre this spring, with two big names making their West End debuts. Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) and Noah Jupe (Hamnet) will star as Romeo and Juliet, the two star-crossed teenagers trying to love outside the lines. Don’t miss their limited run.
Oh, Mary!
Starring: Catherine Tate
Playing now at the Trafalgar Theatre
Catherine Tate takes over from Mason Alexander Park in Cole Escola’s raucous comedy this April, starring as Mary Lincoln – although this is not the Mary you think you know. This irreverent take on history reimagines Mary as a frustrated cabaret performer, with little regard for historical accuracy and a whole lot of laughs. You won’t want to miss Tate’s inevitably hilarious turn.
The Devil Wears Prada
Starring: Vanessa Williams
Playing now at the Dominion Theatre
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives) reigns as the terrifying Miranda Priestly until 17 October 2026, so there’s still time to witness just how formidably she commands the stage. A former Miss America winner, Williams understands just how cutthroat the fashion and beauty industry can be better than anyone – and her Miranda certainly takes no prisoners.
1536
Producer: Margo Robbie
Playing now at the Ambassador’s Theatre
With Margo Robbie’s LuckyChap attached to produce, the transfer of 1536 to the West End is set to be a big event. The cast is an exciting mix of talent as well, with Liv Hill (Three Girls), Siena Kelly (Black Mirror, Adult Material) and Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education, A Mirror) all set to reprise their roles from the Almeida Run. Expect a vibrant, surprisingly modern historical drama about female friendship in an anti-woman world.
Hadestown
Starring: Bethany Antonia
Playing now at the Lyric Theatre
There’s a stellar cast currently playing at the Lyric Theatre, including House Of The Dragon star Bethany Antonia in the role of Eurydice. Rachel Adedeji (Jesus Christ Superstar; Thriller Live!) as Persephone, Marley Fenton (Hamilton; The Wizard of Oz) as Orpheus, Alastair Parker (Matilda; The Crucible) as Hades, and Olivier Award-winner Clive Rowe (Guys and Dolls; Sister Act) as Hermes all also appear in this truly phenomenal take on one of the most beautiful – and heartbreaking – Greek myths.
I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical
Starring: Alexandra Burke
Playing now at the Peacock Theatre
Opening this spring, I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical boasts X-Factor alum and platinum-selling recording artist Alexandra Burke in the titular role. Burke will take centre stage as Chaka’s incredible life story unfolds, in a show that celebrates her extraordinary five-career.
“Almost seventeen years ago, with my late mother by my side, I sang Chaka for my very first non-televised audition for The X Factor,” said Burke of the casting. “To think that all these years later I’ve been given the opportunity to play the superstar that is Chaka Khan in the West End would have been simply unimaginable for me back then… This truly is a dream role for me, my first originating, and I’m still pinching myself wondering if I’m dreaming!”
Teeth ‘n’ Smiles
Starring: Rebecca Lucy Taylor (AKA Self Esteem)
Playing now at the Duke of York’s Theatre
David Hare’s rebel play gets a 50th anniversary revival this spring, and Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known as pop star Self Esteem, has been tapped to play Maggie Frisby. Once the frontwoman of a major counterculture 60s band, Maggie is now left disillusioned and frustrated by the anarchist dreams that never came to be. With original music and a fiery message, this is definitely one to put in your calendar.
Grace Pervades
Starring: Ralph Fiennes
Playing now at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Ralph Fiennes already garnered an enormous deal of praise for the first run of Grace Pervades at the Theatre Royal Bath – now he brings his portrayal of Sir Henry Irving, the greatest actor of the Victorian age, to the Theatre Royal Haymarket this spring. David Hare’s brilliant new play explores what happens after Ellen Terry joins Irving’s company at the Lyceum Theatre, and how their relationship changed the theatre forever.
Kinky Boots
Starring: Johannes Radebe and Matt Cardle
Playing now at the London Coliseum
Award-winning feel-good hit Kinky Boots returns to London this spring, starring Strictly’s Johannes Radebe as the fabulous Lola and singer-songwriter Matt Cardle as Charlie Price. When Charlie inherits his family’s shoe factory, saving the business feels like an impossibility – until he stumbles upon a niche clientele… You won’t want to miss this revival, which will hang around for 17 weeks only at the London Coliseum.
Inter Alia
Starring: Rosamund Pike
Playing now at Wyndham’s Theatre
Rosamund Pike took home the statue for Best Actress at this year’s Olivier Awards, after a smash-hit run at the National Theatre. She now brings her portrayal of maverick London Crown Court Judge Jessica Parks to the West End stage, in a stirring drama by Olivier winner Suzie Miller that explores what happens when a meticulously balanced life is rocked by a catastrophic event.
High Society
Starring: Helen George, Felicity Kendal
Opens 19 May at the Barbican Theatre
The Cole Porter classic heads to the Barbican this summer and brings with it a starry cast. Call The Midwife’s Helen George and film, TV and stage legend Felicity Kendal (Rosemary and Thyme) are joined by Freddie Fox (Slow Horses, House Of The Dragon), and Julian Ovenden (South Pacific), Carly Mercedes Dyer (Anything Goes, A Chorus Line), Nigel Lindsay (Kiss Me, Kate) and Malcolm Sinclair (Pie in the Sky) as the wedding of the year descends quickly into chaos.
Ivanov
Starring: Chris Pine
Opens 4 Jul 2026 at the Bridge Theatre
Chris Pine stars in this startling modern revival of Chekov’s tragicomedy, created by the same team that brought The Lady From The Sea to life. Nikolai has forgotten how to be happy. It might be his debts, it might be his wife’s health concerns, it might be burnout, or it might be nothing at all. Whatever’s causing it, it’s time to get his life and marriage back on track, and the Lebedevs’ party might be just the place to do it…
The Cherry Orchard
Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas
Opens 3 Oct at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Academy Award nominee Kristin Scott Thomas returns to Chekov almost twenty years after her Olivier-winning turn in The Seagull. This time she’ll be starring in The Cherry Orchard, Chekov’s brilliant tragicomedy about family and change, playing Lyubov Ranevskaya as she returns to her childhood estate to find the old way of life under threat. Olivier and Tony Award nominated Director Ian Rickson and Olivier Award winner Conor McPherson bring this one to the stage.
