These Are The Best West End Shows To Book This Winter
Winter marks my favourite season to pay a visit to the theatre, and this season London’s West End is brimming with shows that are well worth booking in to see. From retellings of classics like Hay Fever and A Christmas Carol to finally getting round to seeing acclaimed shows like Cabaret and Hadestown these are our top picks to book now.
Hamlet Hail to the Thief
The theatre billing I am most excited about this winter is Hamlet Hail to the Thief, a retelling of Shakespeare’s tragedy set to the soundtrack of Radiohead’s iconic discography. Reworked by Thom Yorke and played live by a cast of actors and musicians, it is one of London’s most thrilling theatrical offerings this season. It is running at the Barbican from 31 October to 23 January after sell-out seasons in Manchester and Stratford, and it comes in at under two hours. Tickets are selling fast, so make sure to secure yours sooner rather than later.
The theatre billing I am most excited about this winter is Hamlet Hail to the Thief, a retelling of Shakespeare’s tragedy set to the soundtrack of Radiohead’s iconic discography.
Amelia, Culture & Lifestyle Editor
Cabaret
The Kit Kat Club has turned the Playhouse Theatre into a smoky, in the round Berlin nightspot, where the show begins the moment you step foot inside. Skylar Astin and Sarah Hyland, both making their West End debuts, take over as the Emcee and Sally Bowles from 21 September. The production is still collecting awards and bookings, with tickets on sale well into next year. Go for the spectacle and stay for the songs you’ll be humming all the way home.
Hadestown
Anaïs Mitchell’s folk and jazz retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth is still going strong at the Lyric Theatre, now in its third year. It’s set to run until June 2027, so there’s no need to panic. A first ever UK and Ireland tour starts in Leicester in February 2027 if you’d rather see it closer to home. Either way, the music is as good as everyone says.
Golden Boy
This winter, Josh O’Connor is returning to the stage after an eleven-year hiatus, playing a young violinist who gives up music for the boxing ring in Clifford Odets’ Depression era drama. Sam Yates directs at the Almeida, with a live string quartet in the mix and Daniel Mays and Hayley Squires among the cast. It closes on 31 October, and plenty of dates have already sold out, so this is very much a last chance. If you miss it, National Theatre Live is bringing it to cinemas from 5 November.
Hay Fever
Christine Baranski makes her West End debut as Judith Bliss, the gloriously dramatic retired actress at the heart of Noël Coward’s comedy. Meanwhile, Traitors fans can expect to see Richard E. Grant take on the role of her husband. The Blisses invite a group of baffled weekend guests to their country house and then behave appallingly. It’s at Wyndham’s Theatre until 12 December, so it makes a perfect pre Christmas treat.
A Christmas Carol
For this winter’s festive billing, The Old Vic’s take on Dickens is back for its tenth anniversary, and it’s one that’s truly hard to beat. Jack Thorne’s adaptation is staged in a way that pulls the whole audience into the story, and yes, there are mince pies. It runs from mid November to 9 January, and Matthew Warchus directs. If you only see one festive show this year, make it this one.
Pride: The Musical
Stephen Beresford and Matthew Warchus, the pair behind the much loved Pride film, have turned the true story of gay and lesbian activists backing striking Welsh miners into a musical. The score mixes eighties pop, disco and Welsh choral singing, which is a pretty joyful combination. After sold out runs in Cardiff and at the National, it moves to the Bridge Theatre from 12 November until 8 May. Bring tissues, because it will make you laugh and cry.
