Happy New Theatre! Our Top Five Plays to Book for 2026

As the festive decorations are consigned to dusty boxes, colourful lights dim to a steady beige and hearty Happy New Year hellos revert to cheerless grunts, here's some excitement for you - our theatre recommendations for 2026.

Happy New Year, folks! 2025 certainly turned out to be a feast of a year for us theatregoers. Refer to July's post for our mid-year rundown but late-season treats included a sensational production of All My Sons led by Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (still playing), a fantastically effortless Brendan Gleeson making his West End debut in The Weir and Paddington the Musical which - short of the universally beloved bear facing a public smear campaign - looks set to keep the Savoy Theatre crowded for years to come.

It's very likely we'll have even more exciting surprises as the year progresses but here are our picks from the current crop of productions announced for 2026...

Dracula - Noël Coward Theatre

Fresh from her cinematic stint as a Wicked witch, Cynthia Erivo returns to the West End to play Bram Stoker's bloodsucking phantom. The director is Kip Williams and, as with his internationally-acclaimed one-woman adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Sarah Snook, Erivo is set to play all the parts. The jury's out on whether Dracula will benefit from the same treatment but this nevertheless certainly feels like one to catch.

Playing at the Noël Coward Theatre from 4th February to 30th May. Book tickets here: https://www.noelcowardtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/dracula

Les Liaisons Dangereuses - National Theatre

The great Lesley Manville returns to the National Theatre for Christopher Hampton's steamy 18th Century drama. Currently making her Broadway debut in Oedipus, Manville will star opposite Aidan Turner, with National Theatre favourite Marianne Elliott (Angels in America) at the helm. Tickets are going fast so be sure to book soon!

Playing at the National Theatre from 21st March to 6th June. Book tickets here: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/les-liaisons-dangereuses/

Inter Alia - Wyndham's Theatre

Transferring from the National to the West End, Inter Alia was playwright Suzie Miller's follow-up to her smash-hit one-woman play Prima Facie (2023). Jodie Comer is due to reprise her powerhouse performance in Prima with a revival touring the UK this year - tickets for that are very much sold out but you can catch Rosamund Pike's similarly lauded performance if you book early.

Playing at the Wyndham's Theatre from 19th March to 20th June. Book tickets here: https://www.wyndhamstheatre.co.uk/whats-on/inter-alia

Grace Pervades - Theatre Royal Haymarket

Another highly-anticipated West End transfer, David Hare's Grave Pervades enjoyed a successful run at Theatre Royal Bath last year. Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison will be reprising their roles as Victorian acting greats Henry Irving and Ellen Terry when it comes to London. With such talent involved, it's sure to be worth your time and money.

Playing at Theatre Royal Haymarket from 24th April to 11th July. Book tickets here: https://trh.co.uk/whatson/grace-pervades/

Krapp's Last Tape - Royal Court Theatre

The Royal Court's 70th Anniversary season looks set to be one for the history books. Highlights include the Broadway hit John Proctor is the Villain and Tilda Swinton's long-awaited return to the stage in Man to Man. Having caught Gary Oldman's Krapp's Last Tape when it played in York last year, we can personally vouch for it being a must-see when it arrives in London. Online sales sold out to Royal Court members but all tickets for the Monday performances are released on the day at only £15 so hope is not entirely lost if you missed out on priority booking.

Playing at the Royal Court Theatre from 8th to 30th May. More info here: https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/krapps-last-tape-godots-to-do-list/

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments if there are any 2026 productions you're particularly looking forward to - and please contact us if you want help/advice booking tickets.