With nearly 40 theatres and more choice than almost anywhere on earth, picking a West End show can feel like a lovely kind of problem. If you would rather book a sure thing, the best place to start is with the shows everyone is talking about. Here is our rundown of the most popular and best-selling productions on sale right now, from the long-running giants to the biggest hits of the moment. Every show below is currently on sale, so you can go straight from this page to live availability.
The record-breaking mega-musicals
These are the shows that have turned into institutions, running for years and selling out night after night. If you want the definitive West End experience, start here.
- The Lion King - Disney’s stunning stage spectacle remains one of the hottest tickets in London, and one of the best nights out you can give a family.
- Wicked - the untold story of the witches of Oz is a modern phenomenon, and a perennial best-seller for good reason.
- Les Miserables - the world’s longest-running musical is still packing them in, an epic of love and revolution with a score you already know by heart.
- The Phantom of the Opera - Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece of romance and spectacle continues to cast its spell.
- Mamma Mia! - the ABBA singalong that never stops, and one of the feel-good tickets of the West End.
- Hamilton - Lin-Manuel Miranda’s revolutionary, genre-bending smash is still one of the toughest and most rewarding tickets to land.
- Matilda - the Royal Shakespeare Company’s award-showered take on Roald Dahl is a joy for grown-ups and children alike.
- Six - Henry VIII’s wives reborn as a pop supergroup, and one of the most popular shows in town with younger audiences.
The big-name hits
Beyond the long-runners, these are the other big draws packing out West End theatres.
- The Devil Wears Prada - the hit film reimagined as a stage musical, and a major crowd-puller.
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow - the jaw-dropping stage prequel to the Netflix phenomenon, packed with effects that have to be seen to be believed.
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - the multi-award-winning eighth Harry Potter story, a piece of stagecraft unlike anything else.
- Hadestown - the Tony Award-winning folk-and-jazz retelling of an ancient myth.
- Moulin Rouge - a riot of colour, spectacle and pop anthems that turns the theatre into the world’s most famous nightclub.
- Beetlejuice - the ghoulishly funny hit musical, and one of the most purely entertaining nights on Shaftesbury Avenue.
The best-selling plays
It is not all musicals. These are the straight plays drawing the biggest crowds.
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow - a genuine event, and proof that a play can be as spectacular as any musical.
- To Kill a Mockingbird - Aaron Sorkin’s gripping adaptation of the great American novel.
- Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare’s wittiest romantic comedy in a sun-soaked hit staging at the open-air Globe.
Family best-sellers
The shows topping the list for a day out with children.
- The Lion King and Matilda lead the way, but Oliver!, My Neighbour Totoro and The Gruffalo are all reliable crowd-pleasers for younger audiences.
Something a little different
Not every best-seller is a traditional musical or play.
- The Book of Mormon - the outrageous, record-breaking comedy from the creators of South Park.
- Magic Mike Live and Titanique round out the list for anyone after a livelier night out.
How to book the popular shows for less
Best-sellers do not have to mean top prices. Book in advance for the widest choice of cheaper seats, consider a midweek performance or a matinee, and compare the price bands rather than defaulting to the stalls. Our cheap tickets page gathers the best-value shows on sale right now, and you can filter by price to find a bargain.
Ready to book? Browse every show on sale to see what is playing and check live availability, and sign up to our newsletter to hear about new openings and deals first.
Cover image: Les Miserables, photo by Danny Kaan.
