Brian Cox had an incredible star turn on the gripping TV drama *Succession*, and he's now taking the opportunity to return to the West End stage. From March 2024, he stars in Eugene O’Neill’s Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece *[Long Day’s Journey into Night](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35498-long-days-journey-into-night)*.

Jeremy Herrin directs Cox in this revival at the [Wyndham’s Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/wyndhams-theatre) in London, along with an all-star cast: Patricia Clarkson (Oscar-nominated for *Pieces of April*), Alex Lawther (*The End of the F---ing World*), Daryl McCormack (movies *Good Luck to You, Leo Grande*, and *The Lesson*), and Louisa Harland (*Derry Girls*).

Ahead of Cox’s exciting return to the West End, get to know the actor’s full career on stage and screen.

Book [*Long Day’s Journey into Night* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35498-long-days-journey-into-night) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=35498&content_product_id=35882&venue_id=1291&product_type=show&qt=2)

## Brian Cox’s beginnings

Brian Cox was born in 1946 in Dundee, Scotland. His parents were working class and, following his father’s death from pancreatic cancer when Cox was eight years old, his older sisters helped bring him up.

Cox nurtured his passion for the stage at Dundee Repertory Theatre, and he left aged 17 to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

## Brian Cox on stage

Cox’s earliest experience of theatre was aged 14 at Dundee Rep. He also performed in the first show at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, *The Servant O’ Twa Maisters*, in 1965. He then played the title role in *Peer Gynt* at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1967 and made his West End debut later that year, playing Orlando in *As You Like It* at London’s [Vaudeville Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/vaudeville-theatre).

That impressive West End performance sparked Cox’s long run of Shakespearean roles with both the [National Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/national-theatre) and the RSC – from *Titus Andronicus*, *Julius Caesar*, and *The Taming of the Shrew* to *King Lear* and *Richard III*. In fact he first played the Duke of Burgundy to Laurence Olivier’s Lear, in 1983, then graduated to the title role in 1990.

But he performed numerous other works too, including several productions at the [Royal Court](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/royal-court-theatre), such as *In Celebration*, *Cromwell*, and *Hedda Gabler*. In 1984, he starred in Ron Hutchinson’s *Rat in the Skull* and went on to win the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a New Play.

He also starred in *Danton’s Death* at the National, and in 1985, he made his Broadway and off-Broadway debuts – in Eugene O’Neill’s *Strange Interlude* and the transfer of *Rat in the Skull*. Cox won his second Olivier for *Titus Andronicus* in 1988.

Cox is a musical actor, too, playing Harold Hill in *The Music Man* at [Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/regents-park-open-air-theatre) in 1994. He returned to Broadway in 1997 with *St Nicholas*, and then with Yasmina Reza’s modern classic *Art*.

The 2000s saw Cox back at the Royal Court with Conor McPherson’s *Dublin Carol*, and then premiering Tom Stoppard’s *Rock ‘N’ Roll* at the Royal Court and on Broadway. He starred in another McPherson play, *The Weir*, at the [Donmar Warehouse](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/donmar-warehouse) in 2014, took *The Great Society* to Broadway in 2019, and most recently starred as Bach in new play *The Score* at the Theatre Royal Bath earlier this year.

![Brian Cox - 1200 - LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/6u27Wdr4O0plx5qASVToGG/5b83e182c1f25195b06edb42aec0926f/BrianCox-1200-151222.jpg)

## Brian Cox in film

Cox made his film debut playing Leon Trotsky in the 1971 movie *Nicholas and Alexandra*. He then starred in the film adaptation of theatre production *In Celebration* in 1975. He came to wider public attention in 1986 with his chilling performance as Dr Hannibal Lecktor in the Michael Mann thriller *Manhunter*.

Roles followed in big Hollywood movies like the adventure film *Prince of Jutland*, historical dramas *Rob Roy* and *Braveheart*, sci-fi *Chain Reaction*, thrillers *The Long Kiss Goodnight* and *Kiss the Girls*, sports drama *The Boxer*, and comedy *Rushmore* – all cementing Cox’s screen presence and sheer range.

He was critically acclaimed for his performance as a paedophile in *L.I.E.* in 2001, earning a Satellite Award and nominations for the Independent Spirit Award and AFI Award.

In 2002, he took a key role in the film that kicked off a massive franchise: *The Bourne Identity*. He played CIA Deputy Director Ward Abbott, who appears again in the 2004 sequel *The Bourne Supremacy*. Cox also joined the *X-Men* universe in 2003, playing the villainous William Stryker in *X2*.

Subsequent films included the ancient epic *Troy*, Woody Allen’s *Match Point*, David Fincher’s thriller *Zodiac*, a big-screen *Coriolanus* directed by and starring Ralph Fiennes, and *Rise of the Planet of the Apes*. In 2017 he played the title role in *Churchill*. 

Most recently, he starred opposite Kate Beckinsale in *The Prisoner’s Daughter*, and he’s leading a new horror comedy, *The Parenting*, alongside Edie Falco and Lisa Kudrow.

## Brian Cox on TV

Cox’s first TV appearance was in 1968 in the BBC anthology series *Theatre 625*. He then played Henry II in medieval dramatisation *The Devil’s Crown* in 1978, followed by Laurent LeClaire in *Thérèse Raquin*. He guest-starred in the likes of *Red Dwarf* and *Inspector Morse*.

Numerous TV roles followed, including the closeted father of a gay man in *The Lost Language of Cranes*, which earned Cox a BAFTA nomination in 1993. He also won acclaim for playing Hermann Göring in the 2000 docudrama *Nuremberg*, about the trials of the same name. Cox was nominated for a Golden Globe and won his first Emmy Award.

In 2001, Cox played Harry Moon in TV sitcom *Frasier* and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor. In 2006, he took on a very different part as impresario Jack Langrishe in TV Western *Deadwood*.

He continued to play key guest roles in everything from *Doctor Who* and *A Touch of Cloth* to *Shetland* and *Penny Dreadful*. Cox also starred in the adaptation of hit novel *The Slap* in 2015 and in the BBC’s *War & Peace* in 2016.

But perhaps his most enduring role is that of Logan Roy in *Succession*. From 2018-23, Cox played the towering patriarch who manipulated and abused his unfortunate children and potential successors to his media empire. 

The HBO series has won countless awards, with Cox himself winning a Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble, and being nominated for multiple Emmy Awards.

Cox’s most recent project is a more lighthearted one: acting as the host – and antagonist – in the James Bond-themed competition show *007: Road to a Million*.

It will be thrilling to see him back in action, playing another intimidating father figure in *Long Day’s Journey into Night*, in Jeremy Herrin’s highly anticipated West End revival.

Don’t miss out: book [*Long Day’s Journey into Night* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35498-long-days-journey-into-night) on London Theatre.

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Learn more about Brian Cox's career ahead of 'Long Day's Journey into Night'

Long Day's Journey into Night - 1200 - LT

Recommend age 12+. Everyone must have their own ticket to enter the theatre. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to a ticketholder who is at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night - LON 

Long Day’s Journey Into Night

The Emmy, Golden Globe and Olivier award-winning actor Brian Cox, makes his return to the London stage in Spring 2024 starring in Long Day’s Journey Into Night.

Brian Cox returns to the West End in 2024 to star in director Jeremy Herrin's highly anticipated revival of Eugene O'Neill's *Long Day's Journey into Night*.

*A Mirror*, the critically acclaimed drama from Sam Holcroft, will transfer to the West End next year following its world premiere this past summer. The show will play at the [Trafalgar Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/trafalgar-theatre) for 12 weeks beginning on 22 January, with opening night on 1 February.

Jonny Lee Miller (*Trainspotting*, *Elementary*) will reprise his leading role as Čelik from the [Almeida Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/almeida-theatre) premiere, and Tanya Reynolds (*Sex Education*) will reprise hers as Mei. Additionally, Geoffrey Streatfeild will return as Bax, and Samuel Adewunmi will make his West End debut as Adem.

*A Mirror* is set at the wedding of Leyla and Joel, which gradually reveals itself to be more than it seems. London Theatre's four-star [review of the Almeida production](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/a-mirror-review-almeida-theatre) reads, "Holcroft’s witty satire is an exuberant experience if you surrender to its looping structure, which does pay off smartly in a big climactic reveal."

Jeremy Herrin returns to direct. *A Mirror* also features sets and costumes are by Max Jones, lighting by Azusa Ono, composition and sound by Nick Powell, and fight direction by Jonathan Holby.

Check back for information on *A Mirror* tickets on London Theatre.

'A Mirror' to transfer to the West End, starring Jonny Lee Miller

a mirror-1200x600-LT

A Mirror - LON [37431]

A Mirror

Award-winning actors Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Elementary) and Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education, Scenes with Girls) star in the "extraordinary and mesmeric" __*A Mirror*__, coming to London's West End following a sell-out run at the Almeida Theatre.

Sam Holcroft's play originally premiered at the Almeida Theatre in August and will now play a limited engagement at the Trafalgar Theatre from January.

Three exciting actors join forces to star in a major London revival of David Ireland’s 2018 dark comedy, *[Ulster American](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35882-ulster-american)*. Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, and Louisa Harland lead Jeremy Herrin’s production at [Riverside Studios](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/riverside-studios), which plays a limited eight-week season from 4 December to 27 January.

Of course, that trio of performers is already popular with audiences, thanks to the numerous screen credits between them – including *Cheers*, *The Hunger Games*, *True Detective*, *The Lord of the Rings*, *The Hobbit*, *Planet of the Apes*, and *Derry Girls*.

Read on to get to know this cast even better, and find out more about their roles in *Ulster American*.

Book [*Ulster American* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35882-ulster-american) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=35882&content_product_id=35882&venue_id=1291&product_type=show&qt=2)

![2 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/2NWeD9ZxAMvmndfWddyPrU/de8f13c31a3d8fdc364970a59cf03879/2_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

## What is *Ulster American* about?

Northern Irish playwright David Ireland premiered *Ulster American* in 2018 at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This provocative satire centres on an American actor, an English director, and (like Ireland) a Northern Irish playwright, who all have different aims with their latest project: a West End play about a Protestant activist.

The Oscar-winning actor, Jay, is fixated on connecting with his Irish roots, while playwright Ruth has Hollywood ambitions. Director Leigh hopes the play will reflect a divided Britain just after the Brexit referendum. 

In a fraught session at Leigh’s flat, they descend into furious arguments over everything from national identity and gender to politics and anti-PC speech. It’s very much a play for our times, presenting *Ulster American*'s big issues in a razor-sharp, blisteringly funny way — and with of-the-moment stars to boot.

![3 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/4JxDFSYPmPDxzC480nk1Ni/f210001b98edfb40bccd7330f86a313c/3_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

## Woody Harrelson

Hollywood A-lister Woody Harrelson stars as Jay. Born in 1961 in Texas, he got his big break in 1985 when he was cast as the endearing but dim bartender Woody in the hit sitcom *Cheers*. Harrelson received five Emmy Award nominations and won once during his eight seasons on the programme.

He guest starred on several other TV shows, including *Cheers* spin-off *Frasier*, *Will & Grace*, *The Simpsons*, and *Spin City*. In 2014, Harrelson co-starred with Matthew McConaughey in the acclaimed first season of crime drama *True Detective*. In 2023, he starred in *White House Plumbers*, which tells the true story of how Richard Nixon’s political operatives accidentally overturned his presidency. 

But Harrelson’s career went stratospheric on the big screen. He made his movie debut in 1986 with sports comedy *Wildcats* and soon racked up many notable credits, including the Oscar-winning films *No Country for Old Men* and *Three Billboads Outside Ebbing, Missouri*. He also starred opposite Robert Redford and Demi Moore in the zeitgeist drama *Indecent Proposal*, in which a billionaire offers a cash-strapped couple $1 million for a night with her.

Harrelson was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the 1996 film *The People vs Larry Flynt*. He played Flynt, the publisher of *Hustler* magazine. In 2009, Harrelson was nominated for an Oscar again for playing Captain Tony Stone in war film *The Messenger*.

From 2012, Harrelson starred in *The Hunger Games* film series as Haymitch Abernathy. In 2017, Harrelson worked with his *Ulster American* co-star Andy Serkis in *War for the Planet of the Apes*.

Harrelson has plenty of theatre experience, too. He made his Broadway debut in 1985 in *Biloxi Blues* and starred in the Off-Broadway production of *The Boys Next Door* in 1987. In 1999, he returned to Broadway with *The Rainmaker*, and in 2005 he made his [West End](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on) debut with the [Tennessee Williams](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/tennessee-williams-plays) play *The Night of the Iguana*.

![8 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1vBFxKY1huP4fdZBIntLb0/6f9c4c83352e838ece9014a0f79f151c/8_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

## Andy Serkis

English actor Andy Serkis plays Leigh in *Ulster American*. Serkis was born in Middlesex in 1964 and developed a passion for acting while studying at Lancaster University.

Serkis began working in touring productions of plays like Shakespeare’s *The Winter’s Tale* and *King Lear*. He built up steady credits in both TV and film, including the Mike Leigh period musical *Topsy-Turvy* and episodes of *Spooks*, *Finney*, and *Touching Evil*.

In 1999, he played the villainous Bill Sikes in a TV adaptation of *Oliver Twist*, and he was Rigaud in another Dickens adaptation, *Little Dorrit*, in 2008. In 2006 he played serial killer Ian Brady in *Longford*, and he starred as Albert Einstein in the 2008 TV movie *Einstein and Eddington*.

However, another literary adaptation, Tolkien’s *Lord of the Rings*, made Serkis a global phenomenon. He played Gollum in the first film of the trilogy, *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*, mastering cutting-edge motion-capture technology and also providing the character’s unforgettable voice.

Serkis reprised the role in *The Two Towers*, *The Return of the King*, and in *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*. He played more motion-capture roles in *King Kong*, *Rise of the Planet of the Apes* and its two sequels, *The Adventures of Tintin*, and *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*. 

Serkis also played punk rocker Ian Dury in *Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll*, villain Ulysses Klaue in *Avengers: Age of Ultron* and *Black Panther*, and butler Alfred in *The Batman*. 

In 1995, Serkis starred in the [Royal Court](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/royal-court-theatre)’s production of Jez Butterworth’s *Mojo*. But he hasn’t done much theatre otherwise, so *Ulster American* is a rare chance to catch him on stage.

![4 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/39e56dEKzYRa4Et8whAZkl/e0dedf224d43627069683bcdee2353fc/4_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

## Louisa Harland

Irish actress Louisa Harland stars as Northern Irish playwright Ruth. Harland was born in 1993 in Dublin and moved to London to train at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

In 2011, Harland made her professional debut in the RTÉ One crime drama series *Love/Hate*, in a recurring role over four episodes. Most audiences know Harland, however, for playing Orla in the smash-hit sitcom *Derry Girls* from 2018-2022. Lisa McGee’s beloved show centres on teenagers living in Derry during The Troubles in the 1990s.

Harland won praise for her vivid portrayal of Orla, the cousin of the show’s lead character, Erin. Many viewers identify with her proudly eccentric character – whether seeing her as on the autistic spectrum, or simply someone who isn’t afraid to be different.

In 2017, she worked with her *Ulster American* co-star Woody Harrelson for the first time, playing Stella in the independent film *Lost in London*. Harrelson wrote, starred in, and directed the autobiographical tale based on a real, wild night out in the city.

Harland also appeared in the 2020 TV drama *The Deceived*, led by Emmett J Scanlan and Paul Mescal. Coming up, Harland will star in Sally Wainwright’s historical drama *The Ballad of Renegade Nell*, about highwaywoman Nell Jackson. 

Harland has theatre experience, too. She began with *Cotton Fingers* at Aberaeron Memorial Hall in Wales in 2018, and then did two shows in London: Caryl Churchill’s *Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp.* at the Royal Court in 2019, and, earlier this year, Brian Friel’s *[Dancing at Lughnasa](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/dancing-at-lughnasa-review-national-theatre)* at the National Theatre – which reunited her with her *Derry Girls* co-star Siobhán McSweeney.

See these three brilliant performers in one show. Book [*Ulster American* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35882-ulster-american) on London Theatre.

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*Top image credit: Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, and Louisa Harland. (Photos courtesy of production)*  
*In-article image credit: The cast of Ulster American in rehearsal. (Photos by Johan Persson)*

Get to know the cast of the 'Ulster American' London revival

Ulster American - LT - 1200x600

Ulster American - LT -1200x600

Ulster American - LON 

Ulster American

An Oscar-winning American actor, an English director and a Northern Irish playwright are about to begin rehearsals for a new play — one that could transform each of their careers. But when it turns out that they’re not on the same page, the night threatens to spiral out of control.

David Ireland's blistering satire, at Riverside Studios through 27 January, features the notable trio of Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, and Louisa Harland.

It’s wonderful to spend quality time with your family over Christmas, and the perfect way to entertain everyone together – from kids all the way up to grandparents – is by booking tickets to a London show.

Whether it’s a traditional pantomime, a spectacular [musical](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/musicals), an exciting [play](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/drama), a side-splitting [comedy](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/comedy), or a show aimed specifically at a [children's audience](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids), there are tons of great options in the West End and beyond.

This Christmas features a modern [*Cinderella* panto](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36185-cinderella), a fresh take on the classic story of [*Hansel and Gretel*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/8832-hansel-and-gretel), an exciting [interactive adventure](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure), and Disney favourites like [*Frozen*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23585-frozen-the-musical-tickets) and [*The Lion King*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets) that will bring generations together. That's what Christmastime is all about, after all.

Book [tickets to London shows for the holidays](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/gift-guide) on London Theatre.

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![Frozen - 1200 - LT - 160123](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/4ck9PcfOr4MLbQqQzzbWJq/2ecb7bcb3f2f4d7de56a47826b424594/Frozen-1200-160123.jpg)

## *[Frozen](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23585-frozen-the-musical-tickets)*, [Theatre Royal Drury Lane](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/theatre-royal-drury-lane)

Let it snow! Disney’s *Frozen* is a joyful family theatre outing year-round, but it’s particularly magical at Christmas. You’ve got Elsa’s magical touch, which transforms Arendelle into a snow-capped wintry wonder, and the musical’s focus on the enduring love between siblings.

Younger theatregoers will love all the inventive touches in Michael Grandage’s production, such as the puppet Olaf and Sven and the clever theatrical magic Elsa performs. Add in beloved songs love “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and “Let It Go,” and *Frozen* is a spellbinding trip.

Book [*Frozen* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23585-frozen-the-musical-tickets) on London Theatre.

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![The Snowman - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/6hl304TzuQJ3XN3jZewITa/f4b56e81d7aba5df760766359386f59c/The_Snowman_LEAD_2_publicity-_The_Other_Richard.jpeg)

## *[The Snowman](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26625-the-snowman)*, [Peacock Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/peacock-theatre)

This is the incredible 26th year of *The Snowman* at Sadler’s Wells’ West End house, and no wonder: It’s still a gem of a show, accessible to audiences of all ages (there’s no dialogue, and the story is easy to follow), and bound to move nostalgic parents to tears.

See the Snowman come to life, lead you on various adventures, and, of course, fly to the music of “Walking in the Air” in this beautifully crafted dance show. *The Snowman* is the perfect event to get the whole family into the Christmas spirit.

Book [*The Snowman* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26625-the-snowman) on London Theatre.

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![The Lion King](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5uAaEK4RG0lpZfAcLjjTCG/857b10165fff12b561f55c722735de49/lion_king-1200.jpg)

## *[The Lion King](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets)*, [Lyceum Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/lyceum-theatre)

Disney classic *The Lion King* remains a fantastic introduction to theatre, thanks to Julie Taymor’s inventive adaptation of the brilliant animated film. Jaw-dropping puppets bring to life the animals of the African Pride Lands, including rising young ruler Simba.

Elton John and Tim Rice’s catchy songs are all here, including “Hakuna Matata,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” and of course “Circle of Life.” *The Lion King* is a lovely show that emphasises family: both the one you’re born into and the one you make.

Book [*The Lion King* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets) on London Theatre. 

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![My Neighbour Totoro - 1200 - LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5bvWKf6cR6H095e6A60o9C/8c0787c9164822cbe80afc90b55711d8/337769_My_Neighbour_Totoro_photos__2022_2022.jpg)

## *[My Neighbour Totoro](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25389-my-neighbour-totoro-tickets)*, [Barbican](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/barbican)

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s incredible adaptation of the Studio Ghibli movie is back by popular demand. It centres on two sisters who move to the country while their mother is in hospital and encounter all the spirits of the forest.

Although not specifically Christmas-themed, *My Neighbour Totoro* is definitely a heart-warming family show. The play celebrates the bonds between us, how we can help each other through tough times, and the magic all around. Plus, the titular Totoro is the most amazing puppet.

Book [*My Neighbour Totoro* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25389-my-neighbour-totoro-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=25389&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Wishmas - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/OmKKDW3aFvfmWYnicpZKZ/b657259d9422cc68e8c734f34f0b03f6/Article_1200x600__69_.png)

## *[Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure)*, [The Old Bauble Factory, Waterloo](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/the-old-bauble-factory-22-fulton-road)

If you’re on the hunt for an interactive show this Christmas, look no further than London’s exciting new adventure *Wishmas*. Enter a festive realm and meet the Wishkeepers, who are charged with delivering everyone’s Christmas wishes to Father Christmas. It's your job to join them and make sure no one's wishes get lost or forgotten — and make yours come true in the process!

Climb aboard the flying Wishmas Train, which uses cutting-edge technology to help you journey over London and to the North Pole. There are fun tasks, food and drink, and you can even have a private audience with Santa.

Book [*Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=29857&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Elf - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/4MK1CcMGOv6BxpvaXTxTzm/9f78a956f75507f451bbb59715224edd/Article_1200x600__30_.png)

## *[Elf the Musical](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25201-elf-the-musical)*, [Dominion Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/dominion-theatre)

Will Ferrell charmed cinema audiences as Buddy, the human who accidentally crawled into Santa’s sack and was raised as an elf at the North Pole. Now his story is a stage musical, once again following this lovable misfit as he seeks his real father in New York.

*Elf* is now back in the West End, this time starring Matthew Wolfenden, Georgina Castle, Tom Chambers, Rebecca Lock, and Kim Ismay. The musical is sure to have your family laughing along and embracing its heartwarming Christmas message.  

Book [*Elf the Musical* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25201-elf-the-musical) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=25201&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![The Witches - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3tbsJ7Aw86jT0FiWIRKEhP/539b3ab4c1e54150111a4e314636574f/Katherine_Kingsley__Grand_High_Witch__and_The_Witches_company_at_the_National_Theatre._Credits-_Marc_Brenner_8822.jpg)

## *[The Witches](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36046-the-witches)*, [National Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/olivier-theatre-national)

Roald Dahl’s spooky tale comes to rip-roaring life in this phenomenal new musical by Lucy Kirkwood and Dave Malloy. Can 10-year-old Luke and his Gran stop the witches from enacting their evil plan to turn all children into mice?

There are a few scares in here, so it’s for slightly older children (the theatre’s advice is 8+), but so much to enjoy too – from big song-and-dance numbers to slapstick, magic, and a thrilling tale. Grown-ups will love the razor-sharp script packed with hilarious one-liners.

Book [*The Witches* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36046-the-witches) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=36046&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Back to the Future The Musical (Photo by Sean Ebsworth Barnes)](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/4PduoX8LNY0JKjZ3JZRR0c/32f447b7f0909a0293e68a01f255bfc2/Back_to_the_Future_2_1200x600.jpg)

## *[Back to the Future: The Musical](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/22396-back-to-the-future-the-musical-tickets)*, [Adelphi Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/adelphi-theatre)

Expect 1.21 gigawatts of incredible adventure at this spectacular stage version of the beloved 1980s movie comedy. There’s definitely something for the whole family here – even boys (or dads!) who claim not to like musicals will love seeing the DeLorean travel through time, and even take flight.

Join teenager Marty McFly as he accidentally lands in the 1950s and has to figure out how to get home – and to save his family. The fun pop-rock score, which includes favourites from the film like “Johnny B. Goode” and “The Power of Love,” adds to this high-voltage romp with the best special effects in town.

Book [*Back to the Future: The Musical* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/22396-back-to-the-future-the-musical-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=22396&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Peter Pan Rose Theatre - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/6DzTJlJvHVwFSxXs6WJUNV/5c5dc47d0ea93c18fe659548c2aa3830/Article_1200x600__20_.png)

## *[Peter Pan](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27869-peter-pan-rose-theatre)*, Rose Theatre Kingston

The Rose Theatre is staging JM Barrie’s enduring classic as its big Christmas show. Reunite with Peter, Wendy, Tinkerbell, and Captain Hook as – with a sprinkle of fairy dust – you journey to Neverland.

This charming new adaptation is by Evan Placey, with original songs by Vikki Stone, and it features members of the Rose Youth Theatre. *Peter Pan* is sure to be a hit with your family, whether you’re encountering the story for the first time or the 100th.

Book [*Peter Pan* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27869-peter-pan-rose-theatre) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=27869&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Hansel and Gretel Globe 2023 - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/6TrfPZ6Znzm4mxn7sCaO2g/cd1e15d34c87a355bd5982d1ea41ff29/Article_1200x600__19_.png)

## *[Hansel and Gretel](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/8832-hansel-and-gretel)*, [Shakespeare’s Globe](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/shakespeares-globe-theatre)

Welcome back to the Snow Globe: the winter wonderland version of Shakespeare’s Globe. As is now tradition, the theatre has an entrancing family show on offer, complete with music, magic, and other treats.

This year’s offering is a fresh take on the classic tale *Hansel and Gretel* by the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. The brother and sister venture into the forest, where they discover a strange old lady – can they save one another and find their way home?

Book [*Hansel and Gretel* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/8832-hansel-and-gretel) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=8832&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Cinderella - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5QT9lWYPb9wrDQfkcpm3VC/0b2f1675e6198e7e8deda42b66059d62/Article_1200x600__44_.png)

## *[Cinderella](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36185-cinderella)*, [Lyric Hammersmith](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/lyric-hammersmith-theatre)

The Lyric Hammersmith always has one of the most energetic, creative, and downright hilarious pantomimes in town, thanks to its modern updates of familiar stories. This Cinderella is a boss-lady who meets a disguised Prince Henry – with the paparazzi hot on his tail.

So begins an unlikely romance amid comedy from Cinderella’s stepsisters Muffy and Gusset and her stepmother Lady Jelly Bottom. Expect loads of jokes, audience interaction, pop songs, love, and a festive happy ending. 

Book [*Cinderella* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36185-cinderella) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=36185&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

The best London family shows to book this Christmas

Frozen - 1200 - LT - 160123

From festive favourites like *Elf* to seasonal pantomimes and wintry musicals, here are our picks of family-friendly London shows for the Christmas season.

Oz has a new cast! The new cast members will join *[Wicked](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/313-wicked-tickets)* from 12 March 2024. *Wicked* is currently playing at the [Apollo Victoria Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/apollo-victoria-theatre).

Joining the cast are Michael Fenton Stevens (The Wizard), Graham Kent (Doctor Dillamond), and Laura Harrison (Standby for Elphaba).

Alexia Khadime (Elphaba), Lucy St. Louis (Glinda), Ryan Reid (Fiyero), Sophie-Louise Dann (Madame Morrible), Caitlin Anderson (Nessarose), Joe Thompson-Oubari (Boq), Lisa-Anne Wood (Standby for Glinda), Conor Ashman, Jessica Aubrey, Joshua Clemetson, Effie Rae Dyson, Kate Leiper, Jemima Loddy, Joshua Lovell, Rory Maguire, PaddyJoe Martin, Millie Mayhew, Aiesha Naomi Pease, Jeanie Ryan, Natalie Spriggs, James Titchener, Micaela Todd, and Taela Yeomans-Brown will all continue in the show.

*Wicked* is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire and offers a unique take on the classic *Wizard of Oz* narrative, focusing on the unexpected friendship between the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, and Glinda the Good.

Book [*Wicked* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/313-wicked-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/313/2023-11?content_product_id=313&venue_id=138)

*Photo credit: Wicked (Photos by Matt Crockett and Mark Senior)*

'Wicked' reveals new West End cast

Wicked - 1200 - LT

Recommended 7+. Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult (18+) and may not sit on their own. Children under 5 years will not be admitted. Please aim to arrive 60-90 minutes prior to the event. Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable point.

Wicked - LON [313] 

Wicked

“London’s No.1 show” (LBC) is back! Celebrating 16 triumphant years at the Apollo Victoria Theatre 

*Wicked* follows the untold story of the witches of Oz and is one of the West End's longest-running shows, having opened at the Apollo Victoria in 2006.

It’s the little big things that stay on your mind, and this new British musical will certainly cement itself in your thoughts long after you leave the theatre. *The Little Big Things* is currently playing at [Soho Place](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/soho-place).

[*The Little Big Things*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/30038-the-little-big-things) is based on the Sunday Times bestseller of the same name and follows Henry Fraser, a teenager becomes paralysed from the shoulders down after a diving accident. The musical is an inspirational story about the love and support of family, the connections made with those around you, and how people can adapt to new realities and ways of life.

Here’s your ultimate guide to *The Little Big Things* in London. Book [*The Little Big Things* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/30038-the-little-big-things) on London Theatre today.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/30038/2023-11?content_product_id=30038&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=54939502)

## What is *The Little Big Things* about?

Adapted from Henry Fraser's bestselling memoir, the story unfolds during a 2009 holiday to Portugal with teenage Henry and his brothers. Tragedy strikes when a diving mishap leaves him with a damaged spinal cord. Faced with newfound paralysis, Discovering his talent for mouth painting, he embarks on an artistic career, all while embracing life's "little big things" with determination and resilience, alongside the support of his family.

[In a four-star review on London Theatre, our critic said:](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/the-little-big-things-review-soho-place) “A big heart drives every moment of *The Little Big Things*, the new British musical that has arrived at Soho Place. This year-old venue’s first musical, the show puts disability movingly and unapologetically centre stage in a venue whose commitment to accessibility and outreach is everywhere evident.”

## Where is *The Little Big Things* playing?

*The Little Big Things* is playing at Soho Place in London's West End, with previews starting on September 2, 2023. Soho Place is the West End’s newest theatre and offers an exciting and versatile space for this new musical.

## How long is *The Little Big Things*?

*The Little Big Things* has a running time of 2 hours 20 minutes, including one interval. Typically, matinee performances of *The Little Big Things* run from 2:30pm to 4:40pm, and evening performances run from 7:30pm to 9:40pm.

## What days is *The Little Big Things* playing?

*The Little Big Things* has eight performances a week. Matinee performances take place on Thursday and Saturday. Evening performances take place daily from Monday to Saturday. For the complete performance schedule and show times, [visit *The Little Big Things* page on London Theatre.](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/30038-the-little-big-things)

## *The Little Big Things* songs

*The Little Big Things* has a pop-inspired score with music and lyrics by Nick Butcher and lyrics by Tom Ling. Butcher has previously been a finalist in the Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Competition and is one of the most exciting young contemporary theatre composers in the UK. *The Little Big Things* is set to release a cast recording, [with some songs already available to listen to. ](https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Z72Rl23lcZZ8ipkWfLcnw?si=ZvUOmRrgR1S468IBkw6ryw&nd=1&dlsi=8acf21568d85451d)

__Act 1:__

- "Prologue"
- "Never Coming Home"
- "Feel Like This"
- "One to Seventeen"
- "Work of Heart"
- "Part of the Plan"
- "Uma Vida"
- "Why"
- "Don’t Wanna Have To"
- "The World is Waiting"

__Act 2:__ 

- "Entr’acte"
- "What I Need"
- "Silence of the Sea"
- "Things We Shouldn’t Do"
- "Sympathy"
- "Miles and Miles"
- "Guide You"
- "One To Seventeen (Reprise)"
- "The Little Big Things"

## *The Little Big Things* characters

The musical revolves around the Fraser family and their individual experiences as they come to terms with how a tragedy has reshaped the lives they once knew. Read on to learn more about the main characters you will see on stage in *The Little Big Things* in London.

__Henry Fraser__: Henry Fraser’s story takes centre stage in this musical, chronicling his inspiring journey from a tragic diving accident to becoming a successful artist and author with a bestselling memoir. Two different actors bring the character to life, one pre-accident and one post-accident.

__Fran Fraser__: Henry’s determined mother, Fran, supports her son's rehabilitation and is the loudest voice, reassuring her son that, despite his accident, he can still do anything he sets his heart to.

__Andrew Fraser__: Henry’s father is the person who first supports Henry’s artistic endeavours, helping his son look forward to his future and the endless possibilities ahead of him.

The musical also features Henry's three brothers Tom, Will, and Dom, as well as NHS staff and friends from school who supported his recovery.

## *The Little Big Things* West End cast

The cast features Ed Larkin and Jonny Amies as Henry Fraser, Linzi Hateley as Fran Fraser, Alasdair Harvey as Andrew Fraser, Jordan Benjamin as Dom, Rebecca Bowden as Surgeon, Jamie Chatterton as Tom, Gracie McGonigal as Katie, Tom Oliver as Marco, Malinda Parris as Dr Graham, Cleve September as Will, Amy Trigg as Agnes, Stephen John Davis, Elena Pitsiaeli, George Salmon, Amy West, and Joseph Wolff.

## How to get *The Little Big Things* tickets

You won’t want to miss one of the best new British musicals to grace the West End stage in years. Book your [tickets for *The Little Big Things*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/30038-the-little-big-things) now to avoid missing out.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/30038/2023-11?content_product_id=30038&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=54939502)

*Photo credit: *The Little Big Things* cast (Photo courtesy of production)*


Everything you need to know about 'The Little Big Things'

The Little Big Things - LT - 1200x600

The Little Big Things - LON 

The Little Big Things

An extraordinary true story about an ordinary young man.

When one moment changes everything, Henry finds himself split between a past he no longer recognises and a future he can’t even begin to imagine. As he learns to navigate this new world, can he find a way to take control of his life, and keep his family from falling apart?

From how to get *The Little Big Things* tickets to when to see the musical in London, here’s your ultimate guide to the show. *The Little Big Things* is at Soho Place.

How fetch! It’s a total nostalgia fest in London theatre, with amazing musical adaptations of our favourite '90s and '00s films coming to the stage. Basically, if you watched a movie at a sleepover in your teens and fell in love with it, you can now see a fab new musical theatre version of it in the West End.

From [*Mean Girls*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35503-mean-girls) and [*The Devil Wears Prada*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34706-the-devil-wears-prada) to [*Elf*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25201-elf-the-musical) and [*Mrs. Doubtfire*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/24395-mrs.-doubtfire), there’s a blockbuster load of fab film-to-stage transfers in town. We could see even more coming soon: a workshop of a *13 Going On 30* musical just took place, and a [*Burlesque*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35510-burlesque) musical is opening in Manchester next summer.

So, gird your loins and prepare to go back in time via these great '90s and '00s movies that have been turned into London shows.

Book tickets to West End musicals on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/musicals)

![Mean Girls - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/q6mrz9I2y2BiU8oB9OdvE/44bf997fd28012e3698a7b3aaf673152/MeanGirls_Title_1920x1080.jpg)

## [*Mean Girls*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35503-mean-girls), [Savoy Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/savoy-theatre)

Get in, loser – we’re going to *Mean Girls*! The hit comedy film became a Broadway musical in 2018, adapted by Tina Fey, Jeff Richmond, and Nell Benjamin. Now, that musical version is heading to the big screen for a 2024 release. Next year will also sees the stage musical finally making its UK premiere.

*Mean Girls* will run at the Savoy Theatre from June 2024, directed by Casey Nicholaw, with the cast yet to be announced. We can’t wait to see who’ll play these iconic roles of Cady Heron, Regina George, and the Plastics. Just remember: If you book for a Wednesday, wear pink.

Book [*Mean Girls* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35503-mean-girls) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=35503&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Mrs Doubtfire - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/45BZSd83tyq9PAyS5qasKG/13ac3fdd8698b9ba24b575342ea16d82/Mrs._Doubtfire_the_musical__original_London_cast_._Photo_credit_Manuel_Harlan__2_.jpg)

## [*Mrs. Doubtfire*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/24395-mrs.-doubtfire), [Shaftesbury Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/shaftesbury-theatre)

We’ve got one 90s icon already installed in the West End, thanks to the fabulous musical adaptation of the [Robin Williams-led movie *Mrs. Doubtfire*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-mrs-doubtfire-in-the-west-end). Everyone’s favourite Scottish nanny is now a London star in this funny and heart-warming celebration of family.

Jerry Zaks’s [brilliant production](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/mrs-doubtfire-review-shaftesbury-theatre) features Gabriel Vick as the divorced dad and out-of-work actor who goes to extremes to see his kids. It’s the film as you remember it, with some clever adds and tweaks – like turning that farcical dinner scene into a dramatic flamenco number. Get booking now, dearies.

Book [*Mrs. Doubtfire* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/24395-mrs.-doubtfire) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=24395&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Elf - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3Myd7qHF86OJEDxwFK1vw4/9f8ff6a6ae7088689096ddbd0d2ee8cb/Article_1200x600__29_.png)

## [*Elf*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25201-elf-the-musical), [Dominion Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/dominion-theatre)

Another family favourite is in town, too – this time, all the way from the North Pole. Yes, the popular musical adaptation of 2003 Will Ferrell film *Elf* is back in the West End, telling the story of a human who accidentally stowed away in Santa’s sack and is now seeking his real father in New York.

Matthew Wolfenden stars as the titular “elf,” Buddy, alongside Georgina Castle, Tom Chambers, Rebecca Lock, and Kim Ismay. The *Elf* musical is a fun-packed adventure that will definitely get you in the spirit — after all, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.

Book [*Elf* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25201-elf-the-musical) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=25201&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![The Devil Wears Prada - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/6JJjcW13rprZlFLYXwCpE8/961f3d8579084e83e214108ef70b50d9/Article_1200x600.png)

## [*The Devil Wears Prada*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34706-the-devil-wears-prada), [Dominion Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/dominion-theatre)

Are you ready for the most stylish musical of all to strut its stuff in London? The legendary 2006 movie *The Devil Wears Prada* – starring Meryl Streep as formidable magazine editor Miranda Priestly and Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt as her harassed assistants – is now a fashionable stage hit.

Featuring a score by Elton John and Shaina Taub, a book by Kate Wetherhead, and direction by Jerry Mitchell, the musical, which premiered in Chicago, is coming to the Dominion Theatre in October 2024. Get a front-row seat at this unmissable runway show. That's all.

Book [*The Devil Wears Prada* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34706-the-devil-wears-prada) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=34706&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Cruel Intentions - LT - 1200x600](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/61r1tL3BhEhUP8n8F2Osbz/fe81df65773c0032ed37c2c405d9c638/Article_1200x600__55_.png)

## [*Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36246-cruel-intentions-the-90s-musical), [The Other Palace](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/the-other-palace)

Does anything say '90s quite like Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, and Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy gone bad!) starring in a Manhattan rich-kid remake of *Les Liaisons Dangereuses*? Happily, this indelible movie is now a cult musical, too, coming to London via New York and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Watch the warped step-siblings Sebastian and Kathryn flirt, spar, and make sexy bets about the virtuous new girl, Annette. This run of the musical at The Other Palace, which features an incredible jukebox score with throwback hits like “Bittersweet Symphony,” “Torn,” “Genie in a Bottle,” “No Scrubs,” and “Bye Bye Bye,” marks the film’s 25th anniversary.

Book [*Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36246-cruel-intentions-the-90s-musical) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=36246&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![The Lion King - 1200 - LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/27AKcci19beuqV9dXzaBP0/83dde63d1e0799f0e9a416845ad28c2b/TheLionKing-1200-120922.jpg)

## [*The Lion King*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets), [Lyceum Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/lyceum-theatre)

It was 1994 when Disney’s animation first hit our cinema screens, introducing now-classic Elton John and Tim Rice [songs like “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/a-complete-guide-to-all-the-songs-in-the-lion-king) Julie Taymor’s inventive stage adaptation followed in 1997 and is still a West End family favourite.

Follow Simba as he struggles with his destiny: to become king and rule the Pride Lands. The African wildlife and setting are beautifully brought to life with jaw-dropping puppetry, making *The Lion King* a magical first theatre experience for young audiences – and a nostalgic treat for older ones, too.

Book [*The Lion King* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets) on London Theatre

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=302&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Sister Act - 1200 - LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1h2s20XvaAXskA6k3hN7Y1/3d89137a747370943636ccf43c3fbfed/SisterAct-1200-030423.jpg)

## [*Sister Act*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28926-sister-act), [Dominion Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/dominion-theatre)

Hallelujah! *Sister Act* is back in town. The 1992 movie starred Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer and murder witness who hides out in a convent and turns their choir into a sensation – perfect fare for a stage musical.

Featuring roof-raising songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, the theatrical version first played in the West End in 2009, and was recently revived to great acclaim. Happily, that production is playing at the Dominion in spring 2024, with [Beverley Knight](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/beverley-knight) and [Alexandra Burke](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/alexandra-burke) [sharing the lead role](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/meet-the-london-cast-of-sister-act).

Book [*Sister Act* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28926-sister-act) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=28926&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

![Moulin Rouge! The Musical - 1200 - LT - 080322](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3FyXMKLqMyC7hBjJjOnQ5y/3ad54941a840b5f1bf1ae5b0d3e71fae/moulin_rouge_london-1200-190122.jpg)

## [*Moulin Rouge! The Musical*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23350-moulin-rouge-the-musical-tickets), [Piccadilly Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/piccadilly-theatre)

Yes, you can-can-can get a blast of '00s entertainment at the spectacular West End staging of [Baz Luhrmann’s jukebox movie musical](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-moulin-rouge-the-musical-in-london), which starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. This Tony Award-winning production plunges you into the title nightclub, complete with its iconic elephant and windmill.

Follow the doomed lovers Christian and Satine, the idealistic bohemians, the possessive duke, and the canny Moulin Rouge owner Harold Zidler in this hedonistic whirlwind. *Moulin Rouge! The Musical* packs in [more than 70 songs](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/all-the-pop-songs-in-moulin-rouge-the-musical) from David Bowie, Madonna, Beyoncé, Rihanna, the Rolling Stones, and more, plus iconic numbers from the film like "El Tango de Roxanne."

Book [*Moulin Rouge! The Musical* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23350-moulin-rouge-the-musical-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=23350&content_product_id=24395&product_type=show&performance_type=E&venue_id=569)

*Top image credit: Mrs. Doubtfire in the West End. (Photo by Manuel Harlan)*

Check out these iconic '90s and '00s movies-turned-stage musicals in London

Mrs Doubtfire - LT - 1200

From *Mean Girls* to *The Devil Wears Prada* to *Mrs Doubtfire*, it's a fantastic time to catch your favourite film reborn as a London musical sensation.

*For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy* is to return to the West End next year. The critically acclaimed show will run at the [Garrick Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/garrick-theatre) from 29 February 2024 through 4 May 2024.

"I am thrilled by the prospect of *For Black Boys…* gracing the stage once more, delivering a compelling and thought-provoking narrative that has deeply resonated with both audiences and critics," playwright Ryan Calais Cameron said in a statement. "It is truly humbling to witness how this production has also propelled the careers of the first remarkable actors who breathed life into these characters. Observing their excellence on renowned stages and in high-profile projects is a source of immense pride. The opportunity to offer the roles to a new generation of actors brings profound joy. It is a testament to the ongoing dialogue sparked by *For Black Boys…* and a commitment to providing emerging talents with the chance to shine."

Nominated for Best New Play and Best Supporting Actor at the 2023 Olivier Awards, the play enjoyed full houses during its original run at the New Diorama Theatre, subsequent transfer to the Royal Court Theatre, and initial West End stint at the Apollo Theatre. Praised by critics and audiences alike, the production has garnered widespread acclaim, with notable fans including John Boyega, David Harewood, Daniel Kaluuya, Beverley Knight, Rapman, Stormzy, and Letitia Wright. [Read our four-star review on London Theatre.](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/for-black-boys-review-apollo-theatre)

Drawing inspiration from Ntozake Shange's influential piece, *For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf,* *For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy* uses music, movement, storytelling, and verse, as six men collide and connect in a desperate quest for survival. Amidst father figures and fashion advice, lost loves and jollof rice, African empires and clandestine affairs, the narrative unfolds as six young Black men convene for group therapy, allowing their hearts and imaginations to roam freely through good days and bad.

8For Black Boys* features a set design by Anna Reid, lighting design by Rory Beaton, sound design and composition by Nicola T Chang, movement direction by Theophilus O. Bailey, musical direction and vocal arrangement by John Pfumojena, and casting by Isabella Odoffin. Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu directed the show's original run at the New Diorama Theatre. Casting will be announced at a later date.

Book [*For Black Boys* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27460-for-black-boys-who-have-considered-suicide-when-the-hue-gets-too-heavy) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/27460/2024-02?content_product_id=27460&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=117)

*Photo credit: For Black Boys (Photos courtesy of production)*

'For Black Boys' to return to the West End in 2024

For Black Boys - 1200 - LT

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy - LON [27460]

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy  

__*For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy* returns to London’s West End in 2024 following three previously sold-out runs.__

Ryan Calais Cameron's award-winning production returns to London's West End next year for a limited nine-week run at the Garrick Theatre.

The weather outside may be frightful, but inside The Old Bauble Factory it’s delightful. If you’re looking for an exciting festive event to take the whole family to this winter, look no further than *[Wishmas](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure)*. The new immersive experience is in London for a limited eight-week period this Christmas. 

Your magical journey begins at a hidden-away venue underneath Waterloo Station, [The Old Bauble Factory](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure#venue). From the moment you walk through the doors, twinkly Christmas lights, jingly sleigh bells, and the sweet aroma of chocolate will greet you as you embark upon an adventure to save Christmas wishes.

Book [*Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure) on London Theatre today.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/29857/2023-11?content_product_id=29857&performance_type=E&product_type=show&venue_id=146)

## What is the story of *Wishmas*?

*Wishmas* is brought to life by an incredible group of live actors portraying ‘Wishkeepers’. With the help of the Wishmas Robins, the Wishkeeper’s job is to ensure every wish is safely transported and delivered to Father Christmas. See some of the Robins hard at work and join them on a journey through the skies.

Boarding the Wishmas Train feels much like any regular train you would travel on, but this one has a magical secret — it can fly! The train gives the feeling of movement with special effects and impressive window screens provided by LG's OLED and T-OLED. Watch a fantastic sequence through the windows with amazing views as you fly over London, past the iconic London Eye, and up above the clouds, where you will get a front-row view of the Northern Lights. 

As things take a dramatic turn, you and your group will work together to save Christmas and ensure no wish gets left behind. With a hint of magic and a cheery little song, you might even see some snow as you help all the wishes arrive safely at their destination.

## What to expect inside The Old Bauble Factory

Every room is well-themed and thought-out by the creative team, led by creative director Elgiva Field. Impressive lighting designs, sound effects, and Christmas-scented rooms will tingle your senses.

Even the waiting areas between the rooms have intricate details, so there’s always something to enjoy. One hallway, in particular, had signs to some interesting rooms, which included a Sleigh Depot, a Mince Pie Bakery, and a Beard Spa. 

Along the journey, your group will get involved with some interactive tasks where everyone can do their part to help locate and save the lost wishes. At the end of your journey, all ticket holders will see Father Christmas as part of the show and enjoy the Wishmas Market before they leave.
What are the different Wishmas experiences?

When the main story is over, everyone will get to explore the Wishmas Market, where you can purchase snacks and drinks, including products from premium partners Fortnum & Mason and Pip Organic. 

Your journey continues if you have the Full Wishmas experience or a Meet & Greet ticket. The latter will receive a private audience with Father Christmas, have their photo taken with him, and receive a special gift to take home (both for adults and children!). 

Meet & Greet and Full *Wishmas* Experience ticket holders can create their own bauble (after all, it is The Old Bauble Factory), where you can seal your own Christmas wish inside. It is a wonderful souvenir to take home and hang on your Christmas tree.

## Who can enjoy *Wishmas*?

*Wishmas* is a festive family adventure brought to life by the minds behind Secret Cinema, with immersive aspects and an engaging story that is recommended for children 10 and under and anyone who believes in the magic of Christmas. The venue is fully accessible to ensure everyone can enjoy the show. You won’t want to miss this exciting new immersive experience, which will surely be a seasonal favourite.

Book [*Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29857-wishmas-a-fantastical-christmas-adventure) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/29857/2023-11?content_product_id=29857&performance_type=E&product_type=show&venue_id=146)

*Photo credit: Wishmas. (Photos by Matt Crockett)*

What to expect at 'Wishmas' in London

Wishmas - LT - 1200x600

All ages. Under 2s do not require a ticket.

Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure - LON

Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure

Wishmas is a Christmas celebration complete with live actors and magical storytelling. Enter the Old Bauble Factory in Waterloo, London, where a magical portal to the enchanted World of Wishmas awaits you and your family.

Wishmas: A Fantastical Christmas Adventure is a new and unique immersive family-friendly experience in London for a limited time only this Christmas season.

Rehearsal photos are now available for [*Ulster American*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35882-ulster-american), David Ireland's latest play premiering in London at [Riverside Studios](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/riverside-studios) starring Woody Harrelson, Louisa Harland, and Andy Serkis, and directed by Jeremy Herrin.

An American, an Englishman, and an Irishwoman walk into a rehearsal room. That's not the start of a joke, but the premise of *Ulster American*, about the tensions that rise between an actor (Harrelson), director (Serkis), and playwright (Harland) as they begin work on a new play that could transform all their careers.

Check out photos of Harrelson, Serkis, and Harland in rehearsal below, and book tickets to see them on stage from 4 December to 27 January.

Book [*Ulster American* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35882-ulster-american) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=35882&content_product_id=35882&venue_id=1291&product_type=show&qt=2)

![1 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1PAGoZ2vlZS7pIpXqBU6md/2bcddf34b6a3938ba63293a199aa8804/1_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![2 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/2NWeD9ZxAMvmndfWddyPrU/de8f13c31a3d8fdc364970a59cf03879/2_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![3 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/4JxDFSYPmPDxzC480nk1Ni/f210001b98edfb40bccd7330f86a313c/3_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![4 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/39e56dEKzYRa4Et8whAZkl/e0dedf224d43627069683bcdee2353fc/4_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![5 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5aDN4sMZW9aDJJLNXLS91b/e677b33384cb0f7f7a67a854c6439f49/5_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![6 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5mHvUlWAN9xQIVZWWsg54h/6d5c1cc8fd49579b639ad1a9499aa4b1/6_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![7 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/Bi0HuWKvpEBuRtyknBiZ9/4fdbacb526ef43155b968daa18e41477/7_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![8 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1vBFxKY1huP4fdZBIntLb0/6f9c4c83352e838ece9014a0f79f151c/8_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![9 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/2bR7QWpvoH4DVOaqTXJYN7/6609272893de3dd36aa88d8e117b56fe/9_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

![10 ulster american-1200x600-LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5bDRNKMA6Bb80UJ2LrN9J8/0e8c0100238bfee4aa1f03fb38fd7040/10_ulster_american-1200x600-LT.jpg)

Book [*Ulster American* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35882-ulster-american) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=35882&content_product_id=35882&venue_id=1291&product_type=show&qt=2)

*Photo credit: The cast of Ulster American in rehearsal. (Photos by Johan Persson)*

Take a first look at 'Ulster American,' starring Woody Harrelson

5 ulster american-1200x600-LT

Peek inside the rehearsal room of award-winning writer David Ireland's play coming to Riverside Studios, which also stars Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland.

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Summer 1940. On a peaceful morning in her Washington D.C. living room, widow Fanny Farrelly anxiously awaits the return of her daughter and her German husband, fleeing Europe with their children.

As night falls, dark secrets emerge, and this American sanctuary becomes even more dangerous than what they left behind.  

Known for her success on Broadway (*The Little Foxes, The Children's Hour*) Lillian Hellman was also a brilliant activist, ahead of her time. *WATCH ON THE RHINE* is her masterpiece political thriller, given a timely revival by director Ellen McDougall.

__Show warnings: please note this section contains spoilers__  

The play contains references to concentration camps, shooting, bombing and refugees all in the context of WWII.  
There are also references to gambling, bribery and murder.  
There are scenes of physical violence.  


Genre: Play

Watch on the Rhine LON LondonTheatre

Watch on the Rhine 

DON22 Q2 036 WOTR TTG Assets 480x720

What price inaction? That eternal question hovers poignantly over the terrific revival of Lillian Hellman’s rarely seen [*Watch on the Rhine*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27011-watch-on-the-rhine), which gets 2023 London playgoing off to a truly dynamic start.

This airing of Hellman’s quietly explosive 1940 play marks a sterling [Donmar](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/donmar-warehouse) debut for the director Ellen McDougall, previously the artistic director of the Gate. And its capacious, uniformly expert cast conjoins veterans like Patricia Hodge, in grand form as a grandstanding American matriarch, with such newcomers to the London stage as Mark Waschke and Caitlin FitzGerald, the German and American actors, respectively, who play the married couple at the troubling and troubled core of Hellman’s deeply prescient, characteristically alert play.

Written before America had entered World War II, *Watch on the Rhine* takes a while to reveal its hand, even if the European river of the title can be glimpsed in Basia Bińkowska's clever set, placed largely within an outsized cinema screen so as to emphasise the period nature of the events on view.

At first, we could as well be at a barbed family comedy. Hodge’s Fanny Farrelly is a tart-tongued lady of the manor who says what she thinks (she derides a grandchild more or less on sight as “ugly”) but whose bark is clearly worse than her bite. This apparent scold in fact possesses a “bottom sweetness” as she is quick to point out. 

Fanny can be forgiven for being on edge given the imminent arrival at her suburban manse of an expatriate daughter, Sara, whom she hasn’t seen in 20 years and who is coming home to stay along with her German husband, Kurt, and three children possessed of varying degrees of precocity. 

FitzGerald brings to the part a palpable radiance that is movingly challenged by the twists and turns of a plot that ends up foregrounding Kurt, whom Waschke – a stalwart of the German theatre – plays with tremendous vigour. 

Sparkiest of the vaguely von Trapp-like trio of kids is the cheekily forthright Bodo, whom Bertie Caplan invests with a disarming directness that bodes well for any further theatre career, should this budding talent want one. (The young actors are double-cast, so Caplan shares his role with Henry Hunt.) You clock Bodo’s palpable delight in being part of a polyglot family that allows him to deploy words like “splenderous” without the actor ever becoming too cute. 

Told in three acts with one interval, the play makes comic hay near the start of Fanny’s obsessive compulsive attention to time, and of domestic squabbles – affectionate but also not – that rope in her unmarried son, David (Geoffrey Streatfeild), a lawyer who isn’t averse to a drink before breakfast.  “I am old and made of dry cork,” Fanny says by way of self-definition, Hodge locating a spit and vinegar within this indomitable figure that look to be in no danger of drying up. 

The household help, Anise (Kate Duchêne), and Joseph (David Webber) lend a bemused eye on proceedings. The latter bookends proceedings by stepping outside the spatial frame of the set to sweep up the audience in his quietly knowing gaze. 

Hellman couples nods in the direction of Noel Coward, before widening its gaze to address issues of Nazi complicity in a play possessed, as it happens, of no Jewish characters so as not to be accused of special pleading at the time. 

From his first appearance, you expect the worst from a tight-lipped Romanian aristocrat notably named Teck de Brancovis, whom John Light brings to ominously clenched life. This is a man ruled by opportunism and money, and his contempt for his adulterous wife Marthe (Carlyss Peer) lends a chill that abets the play’s change in tone midway through. 

What follows is a series of revelations – not to be detailed here – that prompt the severing of Kurt from his family and suggest a homecoming gone grimly awry: FitzGerald, from TV’s *Succession*, is nowhere more affecting than resigning herself late on to being alone if her husband is indeed to sacrifice himself on the altar of conscience.

This playhouse had a previous success with Hellman 22 years ago with a revival of *The Little Foxes* that marked a major career step forward at the time for its director, Marianne Elliott. The lesser-known *Rhine* – last seen in London in any major way at the National in 1980 – should do the same for McDougall, who releases this play from the charge of melodrama, much as Elliott did with *Foxes* back in the day.

I’m aware that others as well as I were left moist-eyed by a conclusion that leaves open-ended the fate of its personages, as befits a play written in only partial awareness of the horrors still to follow. Our last view is of the silent Joseph, there to link the carnage and strife of the 1940s to what has come since, grants Hellman’s play an eternally haunting quality. This *Watch on the Rhine* is well worth watching: not in a long time has a show come so honestly by the standing ovation at its close. 

*Watch on the Rhine is at the Donmar Warehouse through 4 February.*

*Photo credit: Mark Waschke, Bertie Caplan, Caitlin FitzGerald, Chloe Raphael and Billy Byers (Photo by Manuel Harlan)*

'Watch on the Rhine' review — Lillian Hellman's quietly explosive play haunts the mind

Watch on the Rhine - 1200 - LT

Watch on the Rhine - LON

The Donmar Warehouse opened on 18 Jul. 1977, as the Royal Shakespeare Company acquired the space as a theatre. The Donmar is a thrust theatre, meaning actors perform to audiences on three sides.

The theatre quickly became a testing ground for [Royal Shakespeare Company shows](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/rsc) and Stratford-upon-Avon transfers. After half a decade of RSC ownership, Nica Burns took over as artistic director from 1983 to 1989.

In 1992, the Donmar Warehouse became an independent producing house in 1992, and Sam Mendes took over as artistic director for ten years. Under Mendes, notable shows include *Cabaret* in 1993, starring Alan Cumming and [Jane Horrocks](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/jane-horrocks), as well as revivals of *The Glass Menagerie*, *Endgame* and *Into the Woods*. Michael Grandage then took over as the Donmar’s artistic director in 2002; it was his first London theatre leadership.

In 2021, the Donmar Warehouse partnered with Wessex Grove, a UK based production company. The companies will develop new shows and take the theatre’s work to a wider audience.

## Donmar Warehouse Seating Information

The Donmar Warehouse seats 251 people across two levels - Stalls and Circle.

The Donmar Warehouse auditorium is on an upper level, and is approached by stairs. The Donmar is wheelchair accessible, with three wheelchair spaces in the auditorium.

In the stalls, seating is on one level, with side seats on the rake. As there are few rows on each side, there is good visibility of the stage in all stall seats.

The circle seats offer good visibility also, with a maximum of three rows of seating. There is a safety rail, but this does not impede on viewing. 

Donmar Warehouse - LON

Donmar Warehouse

In the midst of World War Two, American widow Fanny Farrelly waits for her family to return home from Europe. But as they come together, sharing news becomes complicated. Patricia Hodge stars in Lillian Hellman's play at the Donmar Warehouse. Learn more about *Watch on the Rhine* tickets today.

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