Theatre
Preview
Everything new in the West End this month
All the shows arriving in the West End this month, plus the most exciting new tickets now on sale
Summer is finally on its way, and with it comes a whole new crop of great shows. From major Broadway hits transferring to London to exciting cast changes coming to award-winning shows, there’s a lot besides the first signs of sun to get excited about this May. We’ve also flagged the productions newly on sale that you’ll want to be the first to know about. Here’s everything coming to the West End that should be on your radar this month.
Total Eclipse: Symphonic Steinman
3 May at the London Coliseum
For one night only, this orchestral concert brings Jim Steinman’s greatest hits to the London Coliseum in symphonic rock style. The orchestra of ENO is fused with a live rock band, with guest vocalists announced so far including Bat Out Of Hell’s Glenn Adamson and Hot Mess’s Danielle Steers. Prepare to experience a packed setlist of Steinman’s most celebrated compositions, including ‘Bat Out of Hell’, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, ‘Holding Out for a Hero’, ‘I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)’, and ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’.
Let The Right One In
5 – 23 May at Underbelly Boulevard
Adapted from the Swedish bestseller and award-winning film, this tale doubles as a vampire myth and a coming-of-age love story. When lonely teen Oskar befriends new neighbour Eli as a series of killings rock their town, he’s yet to learn just how long Eli has been a teenager for… Featuring eighteen of Britain’s most talented young performers from the NYT REP company, this haunting production will play a very limited run at Underbelly Boulevard this month.
Mother Courage And Her Children
Opens 7 May at Shakespeare’s Globe
The Globe stages a new version of Brecht’s classic about sacrifice and survival this month, with Globe Artistic Director Michelle Terry taking on the powerful figure at the centre of this protest piece. With live music and plenty of dark hedonism, you won’t want to miss this startling story about a woman who learns to make a living from war to keep her children alive.
Dark Of The Moon
Opens 18 May at Charing Cross Theatre
This new musical invites in the supernatural, portraying the clash between a rural Appalachian town and the mystical world looming over them in the Smoky Mountains. When a human girl and a curious witch-boy find each other, will their love be enough to overcome a dark deal? With a score that blends country, bluegrass and rock, this exciting piece of new writing promises to be a unique addition to the West End this summer.
High Society
Opens 19 May at the Barbican Theatre
You’re invited to the most swell party of the year! Escape to the Golden Age of musical theatre with this Cole Porter classic. Call The Midwife’s Helen George leads a glitzy ensemble cast, stuffed with stage and screen favourites and backed by a full-sized orchestra. Plans for the society wedding of the year descend rapidly into chaos as new sparks blaze and old flames are reignited… This glittering revival is the perfect way to bring in the summer.
Beetlejuice
Opens 20 May at the Prince Edward Theatre
The Broadway hit crosses over for a limited season, bringing Tim Burton’s beloved film to the London stage. Depressed teenager Lydia Deetz enlists the help of a less than upstanding ghoul to haunt her dad and stepmother – and finds herself in dead trouble. Hauntingly hilarious and unexpectedly touching with an irresistible score, this larger-than-life musical is not one to miss.
Cabaret
New cast from 25 May at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
You’ll see some new faces at the Kit Kat Club towards the end of this month, as Jamie Muscato (The Great Gatsby, Les Misérables) and Joy Woods (The Notebook, Gypsy) take over as Emcee and Sally Bowles. Passing the baton will be Matt Willis and Katie Hall, who star until 25 May. With seven Olivier Awards, this acclaimed revival is one to return to again and again.
Glengarry Glen Ross
Opens 4 June at the Old Vic
There are also some exciting shows new on sale this month. Opening in June is David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning modern classic, returning to London with an all-female cast. Four real estate agents are all willing to cheat, fight and steal to come out on top – but can any of them actually win? Tony Award-winning director Patrick Marber brings this exciting revival to the stage.
The Cherry Orchard
Opens 3 Oct at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Olivier and Tony-nominated director Ian Rickson reunites with Olivier Award winner Conor McPherson to bring Chekov’s final masterpiece back to the stage this autumn. Kristin Scott Thomas stars as Lyubov Ranevskaya, who returns to her childhood estate to find it under threat. Can she move forward, or will she keep on being pulled back into the past? Deeply affecting and resonant, don’t miss what promises to be a pitch perfect revival – tickets are on sale now.
Billy Elliot
Opens 2 Feb 2027 at the Adelphi Theatre
Ten years after it last played to UK audiences, the phenomenon returns for a limited season. Seen by almost 12 million people across five continents and earning more than 80 awards worldwide, Billy Elliot is one of the most beloved musicals of all time. In a small Northern town during the miner’s strike of 1984 and 1985, Billy dreams of ballet class, and his community is soon to learn the unifying power of art. With an iconic score by Elton John, this gem of a show has not diminished in power.
