Top theatre shows to see in 2024

The King and I (20 January 2024)

Rodger and Hammerstein’s opulent production epitomises the golden age of musicals. Accompanied by a thunderous fifty-piece orchestra, the show’s iconic scores; ‘Whistle A Happy Tune’, ‘Getting to Know You’, and ‘Shall We Dance’, will touch your very core and leave you enchanted.

With its touching themes of love and understanding, alongside complex relationships, and political intrigue, The King and I transports you to a world of rich traditions and cultural clashes. Anna (Call the Midwife’s Helen George), a widowed schoolteacher accepts an invitation from the King of Siam to tutor his classroom load of children. He is determined to modernise his country, to better compete with those that surround it, and seeks Anna's assistance in educating his children in Western ways in order to improve their understanding of the world, but it is the king himself who learns a valuable lesson.

Just For One Day (26 January 2024)        

As expected from a brand-new production depicting the biggest musical event in recent history, Just For One Day is jam packed with 80s hits! The show features the decades biggest songs from legendary artists including Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The Cars, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Sade, The Boomtown Rats, Bryan Adams, Diana Ross, Ultravox and more.

Political turmoil, social revolts, and financial crisis were the backdrop to this decade of neon and noise. Society was fragmented and alliances were formed, but one moment made the world stand still and brought over a billion people together, Live Aid. This significant moment in music history saw Bob Geldof organise 70 of the words best acts to perform in London and Philadelphia, resulting in a remarkable 127 million dollars raised for famine relief. 

Written by John O’Farrell (Mrs Doubtfire) and directed by Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, The Little Big Things), The Old Vics latest production has #1 hit written all over it.

The Hills of California (27 January 2024)

Laura Donnelly, Leanne Best, Ophelia Lovibond and Helena Wilson star in Jez Butterworth and Sam Mendes’ latest collaboration, The Hills of California. No stranger to the family drama, Jez Butterworth’s multi-generational epic Jerusalem saw him take home a host of awards, including the Evening Standards Best Play Award and WhatsOnStage’s Best New Play, The Hills of California follows four sisters as they prepare to say goodbye to their mum.

Blackpool is sun-baked and brittle, it's the driest summer in 200 years, but there isn’t a dry eye in Sea View House. While the beaches are packed with tourists, and donkeys trudge up and down the dirt brown sands with plump toddlers on their backs, the Webb sisters are trapped in a dilapidated guest house. They have returned to their childhood home to comfort their dying mother in her final days, will they be able to resolve their differences, or have they left it too late?

An Enemy of the People (6 February 2024)

Exploring themes of individual conscience, the battle between personal integrity and societal expectations, and the personal consequences of challenging established norms, Matt Smith swaps one Doctor for another in Ibsen’s political social thriller, An Enemy of the People.

Dr. Thomas Stockmann (Doctor Who and House of the Dragon’s Matt Smith) discovers that the town's public baths are contaminated and unfit for public use. Informing those in charge, he expects to be hailed as a hero for bringing this critical information to light, however, when he presents his findings to the town officials and the public, he faces strong opposition. The local authorities, including his brother mayor Peter Stockmann, are concerned about the economic consequences and the town’s repuatation if they close down the baths.

Thomas Stockmann struggles against the majority opinion, raising questions about democracy, the nature of truth, and the price one pays for holding unpopular views. Exploring ethics, individual responsibility, and the complexities of democratic society, An Enemy of the People is still as relevant and exciting as it was when it first debuted over 140 years ago.

MJ the Musical (6 March 2024)

After a multi-award-winning run in Broadway, MJ the Musical will be moonwalking its way across the pond and into the Prince Edward Theatre later this year!

Chronicling the life of the single-gloved superstar, from his early days as a Motown sensation in the Jackson 5, to his record-breaking solo career, MJ the Musical celebrates the lyrics and legacy of one of the most influential artists of all time.

The storyline is not a traditional biographical narrative, taking place in the rehearsal rooms of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Allowing he audience to go beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, and into a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Jackson to legendary status.

Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and starring Myles Frost, the original, Tony award winning, lead. This is somethin’ you don’t want to miss.

Opening Night (6 March 2024)

Following her recent success in Shirley Valentine, BAFTA and two-time Olivier award winner Sheridan Smith makes her return to the West End!

Based on from John Cassavetes' cult film, the meeting between a faded star and her die-hard devotee takes a sinister turn. Myrtle Gordon (Sheridan Smith), a famous but troubled actress, attempts to stage her comeback with a production of The Second Woman, however before the show can make its Broadway debut a new drama unfolds off stage as Gordon encounters obsessive teenaged fan, Nancy. Will the backstage tragedy eclipse the production on stage, or will Gordan give a performance of a lifetime?

Players Kings – Henry IV Part I and Part II (1 April 2024)

No, this isn’t an April Fools, theatre royalty, Sir Ian McKellen is returning to the West End!

A divided country, leadership crumbling, corruption in the air… some things never change in England! A combination of Henry IV, parts I and II, the Player Kings takes it’s audience on a thrilling spectacle through the tumultuous Wars of the Roses, through to the ascension of the Tudor dynasty in England.

Hal wasn't born to be king. Only now, it seems, he will be. Where most men would kill to take the thrown and wield unimaginable power, Hal is quite content boozing with his friends in the local taverns of Eastcheap. With his comic sidekick and best friend, the infamous John Falstaff (Sir Ian McKellen) keeping him company in the public house, is it any wonder why he’d prefer drinking in The Crown rather than wear one? His father begs him to drop the pints and pick up his responsibilities, especially with a War on the horizon. But will Hal sacrifice his carefree lifestyle to lead his country?

Mean Girls the Musical (6 June 2024)

Grab your friends (and your cool mom) and get ready, because unlike ‘Fetch’, Mean Girls the Musical is finally happening!

The 2004 cult classic starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams is still in the god tier of teen films 20 years (?!) after it first premiered, and its iconic quotes are still making up 20% of any millennials daily vocabulary. This year we get a double helping of plastics, as a musical film graces the big screens this month as an appetiser for the main course in June.

Home-schooled in South Africa, Cady is plunged into the suburban jungle of Illinois. Here she is forced to learn the very peculiar mating rituals and pack mentality of the typical American High School. Soon she unwittingly finds herself inducted into the seemingly fabulous world of The Plastics, the queen bees native to North Shore High, but not is all as it seems…

The broadway blockbuster was nominated for an incredible 12 Tony awards, capturing the essence of the original film whist adding fresh perspectives to the story, and addressing contemporary issues related to social media and bullying. So, what are you waiting for? Get in the car loser, we’re going to The Savoy Theatre.

The Devil Wears Prada (24 October 2024)

Another 00s classic getting a makeover for 2024, The Devil Wears Prada will be strutting down the Dominion stage later this year!

Based on the blockbuster film, and bestselling novel it was adapted from, this brand-new musical features an original score by music legend Elton John.

Stepping out of college in hideous (yet comfortable) shoes, aspiring journalist Andy miraculously walks into a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for fashion's most powerful and terrifying icon — editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Sacrificing her personal life to meet her boss’s impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed... and will it be worth selling her (red Louboutin) soul to get what she’s always wanted?

Fabulously fun and seriously stylish, The Devil Wears Prada tells an inspiring story about discovering what kind of person you truly want to be.