West End Theatre Tickets

London’s West End is made up of 39 theaters including the Piccadilly Theatre, Apollo Victoria Theatre, Dominion Theatre, and Drury Lane Theatre, and it includes the areas of Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Mayfair, and Piccadilly. The West End regularly hosts some of the world’s best theater and acting talent, and many shows premiere on the West End before making their way to New York.

While musicals like Moulin Rouge!, The Lion King, and Frozen the Musical started on Broadway, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Play That Goes Wrong, Matilda the Musical, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical all played on the West End before mounting New York productions. Here’s how to get tickets to great London theatre and West End shows!

How to Get Cheap Theatre Tickets

TodayTix

TodayTix – Conveniently the same app you may already be using to buy Broadway tickets, TodayTix offers exclusive discounts as well as show rush and lottery opportunities to London plays and musicals. Buy West End tickets directly from the app and get them delivered to your phone or pick them up at the theater.

TKTS

TKTS – The TKTS Booth in London is located in Leicester Square and offers discounts to many West End shows. You can check what they have on offer at the TKTS website at Official London Theatre.

Lottery Tickets

Lottery Tickets – many shows like Cabaret or Matilda the Musical offer online lotteries for cheaper prices.

Day Seats/Rush Tickets

Day Seats/Rush Tickets – Day seats and rush tickets are a great way to get last minute cheap tickets for West End shows. Sold only on the day of the performance, head to the box office as soon as it opens for a chance to get a seat at a reduced cost.

Shakespeare’s Globe

Shakespeare’s Globe – One of the best deals in town, Shakespeare’s Globe offers Groundling standing tickets to their performances for just £5.

Non-commercial and off West End Theaters

Non-commercial and off West End Theaters– don’t be afraid to book tickets at theaters away from the West End. Theaters like the National Theatre, Royal Court, Donmar, Almeida, Theatre503, Bush, and other non-commercial and off-West End theaters all produce extraordinary work and often for lower theatre ticket prices. And similar to New York’s off-Broadway scene, some of these shows may transfer to the West End.

Popular West End Shows

Back to the Future

Back to the Future, with music by Alan Silvestri, lyrics by Glen Ballard, book by Bob Gale, and direction from John Rando, runs at the Adelphi Theatre on the West End. Based on the film of the same name by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, Back to the Future won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and Variety called it “lots of fun...a great night out.”

Cabaret

Cabaret, with book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and direction from Rebecca Frecknall, runs at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre and won seven Olivier Awards in 2022 including the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. Variety called it a “stunner of a production…destined to run and run.”

Hamilton

Hamilton, with book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, runs at the Victoria Palace Theatre and won seven Olivier Awards, including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. This musical about Alexander Hamilton and America's founding fathers was called “an invigorating and original musical that, at a time of national crisis, celebrates America’s overwhelming debt to the immigrant” by The Guardian.

Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia!, with book by Catherine Johnson, music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and direction from Phyllida Lloyd, opened on the West End in 1999 and has become a global sensation. This jukebox musical features the music of ABBA, and remains a very popular show on the West End. The Guardian called it “as stonkingly, wonderfully, unbelievably good as the first time I saw it...Mamma Mia! Is the ultimate feel-good tale of love conquering all.”

Matilda the Musical

Matilda the Musical, with book by Dennis Kelly, music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and direction from Matthew Warchus, is based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl and plays at the Cambridge Theatre. The production won seven Olivier Awards including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and The Guardian called it “anarchically joyous, gleefully nasty, and ingenious…if anything, it is actually richer than Dahl’s novel.”

Les Misérables

Les Misérables, with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, and book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, is based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. The revival of this hit show runs at the Sondheim Theatre and was called “perfect theatre, in a perfect theatre” in The Telegraph’s rave review.

The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, is one of the most recognizable musicals in the world. It has been playing on the West End ever since it opened in 1986, and it is also the longest running show in Broadway history.

Six

Six, with book, music, and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, runs at the Vaudeville Theatre on the West End and tells the story of Henry VIII’s six wives. The Times said, “long may these witty queens reign over the West End.” It was nominated for five Olivier Awards on the West End, and the Broadway production won two Tony Awards including the Tony Award for Best Original Score.

The Lion King

The Lion King, with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, and direction from Julie Taymor, runs at the London Lyceum Theatre. Based on the Disney movie of the same name, The Lion King has been running on the West End since 1999. The Telegraph said, “The Lion King still feels as fresh and soul-stirring as ever.”

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon, with book, music, and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone, runs at the Prince of Wales Theatre. This long-running comedy about Mormon missionaries trying to spread their faith in a Ugandan village won four Olivier Awards including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and The Guardian called it “a night of unalloyed joy. And damned fine music.”

Wicked

Wicked, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Wicked has been running at the Apollo Theatre ever since it opened in 2006, and it remains one of the most popular West End musicals.

Celebrities on the West End

Check out our article about the Celebrities on the West End to see who you can see on stage right now and who will be coming to the West End soon!