The West End has always drawn big names, and this summer Theatreland is especially well stocked with them. Oscar nominees, pop stars, comedians and screen favourites are all treading the boards across London right now, with several more famous faces arriving over the coming months. Here is our guide to the stars on stage in the West End in June 2026.
Ralph Fiennes - Grace Pervades
Theatre Royal Haymarket
Ralph Fiennes is one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, known to cinema audiences as Voldemort in the Harry Potter films, M in the James Bond series and for his Oscar-nominated role in The English Patient. In Grace Pervades, a new play by David Hare, he plays Sir Henry Irving, the first actor ever to be knighted, opposite Miranda Raison as the actress Ellen Terry. The run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket is strictly limited and books only until 11 July.
Venue: Theatre Royal Haymarket · From: £25 · Age guidance: 12+
Vanessa Williams - The Devil Wears Prada
Dominion Theatre
American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, known for the hit “Save the Best for Last” and for screen roles in Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, leads The Devil Wears Prada as the formidable magazine editor Miranda Priestly. The stage musical, based on the novel and film, features songs by Elton John and plays at the Dominion Theatre.
Venue: Dominion Theatre · From: £30 · Age guidance: 12+
Book The Devil Wears Prada tickets
Sam Ryder, Boy George & Julian Clary - Jesus Christ Superstar
London Palladium
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock musical returns to the London Palladium with a line-up of familiar names. Sam Ryder, who represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 and finished second, takes the title role of Jesus. The part of King Herod is shared across the run: Culture Club frontman Boy George plays the role from 3 to 15 August, and comedian Julian Clary takes it on from 31 August to 5 September.
Venue: London Palladium · From: £73 · Age guidance: 10+
Book Jesus Christ Superstar tickets
Catherine Tate, Cole Escola & Jinkx Monsoon - Oh, Mary!
Trafalgar Theatre
The hit comedy Oh, Mary! reimagines Mary Todd Lincoln as a would-be cabaret performer, and the central role passes between three well-known names during the London run. Catherine Tate, best known for The Catherine Tate Show and as Donna Noble in Doctor Who, plays Mary until 18 July. The show’s creator, Cole Escola, then takes the role from 20 July to 16 August, followed by Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon from 17 August to 26 September.
Venue: Trafalgar Theatre · From: £35 · Age guidance: 14+
Adrian Lester - Cyrano de Bergerac
Noël Coward Theatre
Adrian Lester, familiar to television viewers from the BBC series Hustle and an acclaimed stage actor, takes the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand’s classic tale of the brilliant poet and swordsman who helps another man woo the woman he loves. It plays a limited season at the Noël Coward Theatre.
Venue: Noël Coward Theatre · From: £18 · Age guidance: Suitable for older children and adults
Book Cyrano de Bergerac tickets
Ruthie Henshall - Cabaret
Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse
Ruthie Henshall, one of the West End’s leading musical-theatre actresses, joins the multi-award-winning revival of Cabaret as Fräulein Schneider. The production transforms the Playhouse Theatre into the immersive Kit Kat Club, welcoming audiences into 1930s Berlin from the moment they arrive.
Venue: Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse · From: £40 · Age guidance: 18+
Also on stage this month
The famous faces do not stop there. A few more star-led productions worth knowing about right now:
- Andy Nyman in The Producers. The actor and writer, co-creator of the stage hit Ghost Stories, plays the scheming Max Bialystock in Mel Brooks’s musical comedy at the Garrick Theatre. Book tickets
- Stephen Mangan, Ardal O’Hanlon, Sarah Hadland and Janie Dee in The Truth. A starry cast leads Florian Zeller’s comedy about marriage and the lies we tell, at the Apollo Theatre. Book tickets
- Richard Coyle in To Kill a Mockingbird. The screen and stage actor plays Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel, at Wyndham’s Theatre. Book tickets
- Johannes Radebe and Matt Cardle in Kinky Boots. The Strictly Come Dancing professional plays Lola opposite X Factor winner Matt Cardle as Charlie, at the London Coliseum. Book tickets
- Bonnie Langford in Paddington The Musical. The veteran stage and screen performer plays Mrs Bird at the Savoy Theatre. Book tickets
Coming this summer and beyond
The run of star casting continues over the months ahead, with several more big names heading to the West End:
- Mary-Louise Parker and David Morrissey in The Oresteia at the Bridge Theatre, from 2 July.
- Dame Maureen Lipman in Allegra at the Harold Pinter Theatre, from 8 July.
- Alexandra Burke in I’m Every Woman at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, from 22 July.
- Tamzin Outhwaite and Kevin Bishop in Abigail’s Party at the Harold Pinter Theatre, from 12 August.
- Rory Kinnear and Natalia Osipova in The Standard of Living at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, from 21 September.
- Christine Baranski and Richard E. Grant in Hay Fever at Wyndham’s Theatre, from 22 September.
- Keira Knightley in The Lives of Others at the Adelphi Theatre, from 14 October.
For the full picture, browse our Stars on Stage page for star-led productions, or see all current West End shows to plan your next night out.
