Theatre
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What’s happening this July in theatre
Everything happening on the West End this July that you need to know about
With temperatures soaring and Londoners melting, now is the perfect time to escape to a different world in an air-conditioned auditorium. There’s some exciting musical openings this month, including a classic family story and a glittery blockbuster, and almost too much new theatre to cover – but of course we’re going to dive into all of it. Here’s everything you need to know about this month about what’s happening in the West End.
New West End openings
After making a splash in Manchester and Glasgow, Burlesque the Musical is finally coming to London. Following the story of Ali, a dancer who heads to New York in search of her mother, Burlesque invites audiences into a dazzling underground world where sequins and self-discovery are plenty. Featuring music from Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren, with additional songs by Todrick Hall and Jess Folley, this is your perfect summer night out, arriving at the Savoy Theatre on 10 July. 101 Dalmations also comes to London this month, featuring Britain’s Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas as Cruella de Vil – the perfect summer holiday treat. It’ll be playing from 18 July at the Eventim Apollo. For a slightly different musical theatre experience, you can catch Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll at the Leicester Square Theatre. Hurry though – this Wilko jukebox extravaganza will only be on until 9 August.
Over at Theatre Royal Haymarket, Til the Stars Come Down has just opened. This hilarious, heart-wrenching family drama is another smash hit from the National Theatre, transferring to the West End for just 13 weeks. Another London institution, The Globe offers two brilliant productions this summer – Merry Wives of Windsor opens 4 July with some Shakespearean comedy, whilst Rough Magic, opening 19 July, offers a delightfully silly take on Macbeth’s witches.
Speaking of silly – Hold On To Your Butts, the hilarious Jurassic Park parody, comes to the Arts Theatre on 7 July. If you’re more interested in some new writing than dinosaur farce (although who says you can’t have both?) then there are two more exciting openings to be aware of this month. Sing Street brings John Carney’s celebrated coming-of-age film to the stage for a celebration of young love featuring original music, opening 9 July at the Lyric Theatre. Last but certainly not least, Sean Hayes reprises his Tony-winning role as character actor and unpredictable talk show guest in Good Night, Oscar, coming to the Barbican Theatre right at the end of the month on 31 July.
Tickets on sale now
Lenny Henry hits the stage at sohoplace in the hugely acclaimed modern classic Every Brilliant Thing this August, with tickets now on sale. The supporting cast will feature Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins and the show’s original co-creator Jonny Donahoe, with co-direction from Jeremy Herrin (Best of Enemies, Wolf Hall Trilogy, Ulster American, A Mirror). This comedy about what we’ll do for those we love has been performed in over 80 countries and is set to be the latest unique theatrical experience from the West End’s newest theatre.
Also new on sale and making a return to London in January 2026 is Sunny Afternoon, the Olivier Award-winning musical about the Kinks. Featuring – of course – all the band’s biggest hits, the engrossing musical story will play a strictly limited run at the Alexandra Palace Theatre.
Last chance shows
With so much heading our way this month, a few goodbyes are inevitable. If you haven’t been to see Jordan Fein’s brilliant revival of Fiddler On The Roof at the Barbican Theatre yet, you have until 19 July – and you’ll want to use that time. Read our review to learn why.
There’s only three more performances left of The Crucible at the Globe Theatre, so if you want to catch Arthur Miller’s classic story of hysteria and paranoia then you’ll need to move fast – the show will play it’s final performance on 12 July. There’s also not much time left to catch Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman in David Ireland’s subversively funny play The Fifth Step, which leaves sohoplace on 26 July.
Other West End theatre news
Evita opens at the London Palladium
It’s a stunt that caused quite a stir when footage first appeared on social media – near the beginning of Act Two of Jamie Lloyd’s new Evita at the London Palladium, star Rachel Zegler (West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) takes to the theatre’s front balcony to sing ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’. Read the full story.
The official trailer for Wicked: For Good has been released
The second installment of the film adaptation of Wicked will release in cinemas on 21 November. The first film received ten nominations at the Academy Awards, winning two. Both films star Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, with Jonathon Bailey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum in the supporting cast. Read the full story.
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