England’s capital city beckons travellers with its vast array of awe-inspiring attractions. London’s countless architectural wonders, cultural institutions, and rich history make the city a popular destination. 

Whether you are building an itinerary for a one-day trip to London Town or are fortunate enough to embark on a longer excursion, there’s plenty to do. We have curated a list of London’s top attractions to make for lasting travel memories. Stroll through the city’s many pristine parks,...

Top attractions in London

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Read our guide to London's top attractions to get tickets to, from Buckingham Palace to the London Tower, Wembley Stadium to Kew Gardens, and more.

Pop the champagne because *The Great Gatsby* is coming to the West End! The new Tony Award-winning musical, which opened on Broadway in April 2024, will arrive at the London Coliseum on 11 April 2025, running until 7 September.

An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, *The Great Gatsby* follows mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby, who hosts decadent parties but pines for his former flame Daisy Buchanan. The novel was adapted for the screen in 2013 by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo...

'The Great Gatsby' musical to transfer to the London Coliseum 

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The new musical opened at The Broadway Theatre in April 2024, following a world premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in late 2023. 

Help is on the way, dears! Everyone’s favourite Scottish nanny – first inhabited in the 1993 comedy film by Robin Williams, playing a divorced dad who disguises himself as Mrs Doubtfire so he can see his children – is now a West End star.

The inventive, heartfelt and raucously funny stage musical adaptation has become a new audience favourite, packed with gags, big musical numbers, and a touching reflection on how family can come in different forms, as long as there is love.

As you prepare for...

Make a day out of 'Mrs Doubtfire' in London

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Make your family visit to West End musical comedy *Mrs Doubtfire* a sure-fire hit by adding even more fun activities to your London trip.

Further casting has been announced for the Brie Larson-led production of Sophocles’s [*Elektra*,](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/42608-elektra) which begins performances at the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End on 24 January, 2025.

Larson, who is making her West End debut, will be joined by Stockard Channing (*The West Wing, The Good Wife*), Marième Diouf (*Romeo and Juliet*), Greg Hicks (*Grapes of Wrath, Coriolanus*), and Patrick Vaill ([*Stranger Things: The First...

Further casting revealed for Brie Larson-led 'Elektra' in the West End

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Stockard Channing, Marième Diouf, Greg Hicks, and Patrick Vaill will join Brie Larson in Anne Carson's translation of Sophocles's great tragedy.

The full cast has been announced for William Shakespeare's *A Midsummer Night’s Dream*, which opens at the Barbican in London on 3 December, running until 18 January, 2025.

Joining Mathew Baynton (*Ghosts, Wonka*) as Bottom, is Andrew Richardson (*Guys and Dolls*) as Oberon/Theseus and Katherine Pearce (*Waterloo Road*), who returns to the RSC as Puck.

New company members also include Alexander Bellinfantie (Moth), Eliza Smith (Mustardseed), and Natalie Thomas (Peaseblossom).

They join...

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' announces full cast at the Barbican

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Joining Mathew Baynton as Bottom, is Andrew Richardson as Oberon/Theseus and Katherine Pearce as Puck. Eleanor Rhode directs Shakespeare's play about love, magic, appearance, and jealousy.

Lead casting has been announced for new musical *Hercules*, which opens in the West End next summer. Performances will begin at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 6 June, 2025.

Luke Brady will play the title role in the musical next year. His stage credits include *As You Like It* (RSC), *SuperYou* (Lyric Theatre), *Assassins* (Chichester Theatre), *The Prince of Egypt* (Dominion Theatre), *Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice,* and *The Taming of the Shrew* (Shakespeare’s Globe), while on screen he...

'Hercules' reveals lead casting in the West End

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*Hercules* has music by Alan Menken and lyrics by David Zippel, and a new book by Robert Horn and Young Vic outgoing artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah.

There’s no better way to escape those dark winter nights than with a trip to the theatre. Happily, November is serving up plenty of exciting London shows to keep any winter blues at bay, with some major openings in the West End and beyond. 

Those who can't wait for *The Greatest Showman* musical to arrive in London can whet their appetities with [*Come Alive!*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/37379-come-alive), a spectacular circus show based on the music of the hit 2017 film, with an...

Top theatre to see in London in November

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West End

Find out the best shows to see in London in November 2024, from *Barcelona* with Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte, to *Dr. Strangelove* with Steve Coogan.

Additional shows have been announced in the Bush Theatre's line-up for 2025, including a new play starring Olivier Award nominee and *It's a Sin* actor Omari Douglas.

He has been cast in Coral Wylie's new play *Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew*, which follows 19-year-old Pip as they dig into their family's past, unearthing old secrets. Directed by Debbie Hannan (Overflow), the cast also includes Wil Johnson, Pooky Quesnel, and writer Wylie. The show will run from 8 February to 22 March.

Making...

Bush Theatre announces new shows in 2025 season

1200 LT Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew

Work by Coral Wylie, babirye bukilwa, and Mohamed-Zain Dada will continue the Bush Theatre's programming in 2025, with Olivier Award nominee Omari Douglas returning to the stage.

New play *The Last Laugh* will run at the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End from 25 February to 22 March next year, ahead of a season in New York and a UK tour. 

Written and directed by Paul Hendy, the show re-imagines the lives of three of Britain's greatest comedy heroes: Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe, and Bob Monkhouse. *The Last Laugh* played at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer. 

Bob Golding, Damian Williams, and Simon Cartwright will all reprise their roles as Eric Morecambe,...

'The Last Laugh' to transfer to the West End

1200 LT THE LAST LAUGH. Bob Golding (Eric Morecambe), Damian Williams (Tommy Cooper) and Simon Cartwright (Bob Monkhouse). Photo Pamela Raith (1)

Written and directed by Paul Hendy, the show re-imagines the lives of three of Britain's greatest comedy heroes: Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe, and Bob Monkhouse.

Something wicked this way comes… and London is packed with spook-tacular shows and activities that are perfect for Halloween 2024. The annual fright night falls on 31 October, which is a Thursday this year, and if you just love everything about this spine-tingling holiday, then you’ll want to start thinking about your plans now.

One ghoulishly great way to celebrate Halloween is with a play or musical – perhaps one that centres on witches, like...

Top shows and attractions in London for Halloween

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Trick or treat! Discover a wide variety of fun activities and events to book for Halloween in London, ranging from spine-chilling shows to eerie attractions.

[Emma Corrin](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/emma-corrin) will star in a new adaptation of *Orlando* in the West End later this year. *Orlando* will take place at an unnamed West End theatre in autumn 2022. 

Virginia Woolf's *Orlando* follows a poet and aristocrat who changes sex from man to woman and lives for centuries. The *Orlando* play is inspired by novellist and Woolf's lover, Vita Sackville-West. 

Emma Corrin will play the title role in *Orlando*. The Olivier-winning actress recently starred in *Anna X* at the Harold Pinter Theatre. They’re best known for their award-winning turn as Pricness Diana in *The Crown*. 

Michael Grandage directs Neil Bartlett's adaptation of *Orlando*. “Neil Bartlett’s joyous new adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando dances through time and gender, challenging us to remember that nothing really matters except the courage to be yourself. It is one of the most surprising stories in the English language, and with its inspiring vision of all bodies having equal rights to love," said Grandage.

A venue, dates, further casting and a creative team will be revealed at a later date. 

*Orlando* is in the West End.

*Photo credit: Emma Corrin (Photo by Misan Harriman)*

Emma Corrin to star in Virginia Woolf’s ‘Orlando’

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Michael Grandage directs the Golden Globe-winning actor [Emma Corrin](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/emma-corrin) in Virginia Woolf’s *Orlando* at the Garrick Theatre. 

Emma Corrin leads the 11-strong *Orlando* cast, and Michael Grandage directs. The pair previously worked together on the 2022 Michael Grandage Company film, *My Policeman*, starring Harry Styles. Grandage’s previous theatre credits include *The Lieutenant of Inishmore* with Aidan Turner, and *Photograph 51* featuring Nicole Kidman. 

The *Orlando* play is a time-travelling story like no other. Meet Orlando, born as a male in Elizabeth I’s reign. After a sex change in their early 30s, they live through five centuries without aging and meet key figures in English literary history. As Orlando continues to ask thought-provoking questions, the hero-heroine is left with a major question — how can we find the courage to be ourselves?

Although the *Orlando* protagonist is fictional, Woolf's lover and contemporary novelist, Vita Sackville-West, is said to inspire the story. Sackville-West had an open relationship with her husband, Sir Harold Nicholson, and the pair had same-sex relationships before and during their wedding. Sackville-West believed that the feminine side of her personality was attracted to men, while the harsher side leaned to women.

Neil Bartlett adapts Virginia Woolf’s *Orlando* in London. He’s previously collaborated with *War Horse* creators Handspring Theatre Company, as well as the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. 

### Who is Emma Corrin?

Emma Corrin is an award-winning actor. They are best known for playing Lady Diana Spencer in *The Crown*. Corrin made their West End debut in 2021, playing Anna in *Anna X* at the Harold Pinter Theatre and picking up their first Olivier nomination for Best Actress. Corrin plays Orlando in *Orlando*. 

Orlando LON London Theatre

Buy Orlando tickets showing at Garrick Theatre, London. Choose your own seats with the best availability at London Theatre.

Orlando Tickets | Garrick Theatre | London Theatre

Orlando wants to answer one question. What does it mean to be ourselves? Journeying over five centuries, Orlando realises it's a lifelong mission. Emma Corrin stars as the title character in Virginia Woolf's classic. Get *Orlando* tickets at the Garrick Theatre today.

Sadly, we can't live throughout five centuries. But, elements of the *Orlando* story are based on truths. Virginia Woolf's *Orlando* is inspired by Woolf's close friend, Vita Sackville-West, told from the time of her ancestor, Thomas Sackville. 

While Sackville-West was married to her husband, Sir Harold Nicholson, the pair often engaged in consensual same-sex relationships on the side. Sackville-West believed she had a split personality: her dominating side leaned to women, while her passive side was geared towards men. Neil Bartlett adapts Virginia Woolf’s *Orlando* into a joyous, inspiring tale fit for the 21st century. Don't miss the *Orlando* play in London.

## What to Watch For:

- Virginia Woolf’s *Orlando* was published in 1928. Other books published in 1928 include D. H. Lawrence’s *Lady Chatterley’s Lover*, A. A. Milne’s *The House at Pooh Corner*, and Bertolt Brecht’s *The Threepenny Opera*.
- Corrin works alongside director Michael Grandage for *Orlando*. The pair previously collaborated on the 2022 film, *My Policeman*, starring Harry Styles.

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How do we define those most fundamental questions in life: who we are and who we love? And what happens when our feelings about gender, sexuality and identity come into conflict with rigid social structures? A century ago, Virginia Woolf ploughed headlong into what feels like a shockingly modern debate with *[Orlando](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26188-orlando-tickets)*, her forward-thinking 1928 novel. Now, [Emma Corrin](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/discover-emma-corrin-award-winning-performances-on-tv-in-films-and-on-stage) – who rose to fame as Princess Diana in *The Crown* – stars in a new stage version of Woolf’s remarkable work.

The non-binary-identifying Corrin is particularly exciting casting for Orlando, an Elizabethan nobleman who wakes up one day to find that he is now physically a she, and who then proceeds to question the distinctions of gender as the centuries pass (Orlando is immortal and forever young, too). We know that the character is anatomically male at the start of the production, thanks to a flash of prosthetic genitals, but the transformation is left deliberately, and effectively, ambiguous.

Instead, Woolf’s playful tale shows up the absurdities – why should Orlando have to eat daintily as a woman, but not a man? – and the raging inequalities: Orlando can no longer inherit the family estate when he becomes female. Amusingly, some elements remain the same, too. Society keeps pressuring Orlando to marry, presenting first a collection of eligible wives, then potential husbands. 

*Orlando* is essentially an extraordinary love letter from Woolf to her paramour Vita Sackville-West, written to capture all of her many and contradictory facets. That boundless generosity comes blazing through Neil Bartlett’s adaptation: the joy of seeing Corrin’s androgynous, fiercely independent Orlando slipping in and out of different guises, boldly seeking adventure and growth, and pursuing lovers of the same or opposite sex, simply because that’s where happiness lies. 

There are profound moments that speak soberly to us, as well – most poignantly when Orlando emphasises, twice, that when he changed gender, some people wanted to kill him. That rings out with terrible force during a World Cup in a nation where homosexuality is criminalised, and at a time when many in the trans community face hostility and violence.

Michael Grandage’s nimble production also captures some of Woolf’s formal inventiveness. A chorus of Woolfs (fracturing her identity between them) narrates in fragmented, overlapping, layered language, glorying in the power of words to create and complicate. And a wonderful Deborah Findlay, acting as Orlando’s housekeeper and, here, dresser, breaks the fourth wall with panto vigour.

However, in zipping through hundreds of years in just 90 minutes, Bartlett resorts too often to comic zaniness – *Horrible Histories* style. There are so many quotes and references that it grows distracting, whether it’s lyrics from *Cabaret*, the peerless final line of *Some Like It Hot*, or even a riff on the Just Eat ad, alongside dodgy cod-Shakespearean blank verse.

Likewise, with casting that is cheerily gender- and colour-blind, Orlando ceases to be such a radical figure; it’s just one more person putting on a costume. That means nothing is “real”: not just the exterior constructs that Woolf was challenging, but the people within them as well, reduced to cameos. In particular, I wanted more of Lucy Briers’s world-weary Elizabeth I, and Millicent Wong’s smouldering princess and shrewd sex worker. Lampshading the latter as the “working-class supporting character” in a comic aside doesn’t excuse this use of her.

And yet this *Orlando* worth seeing for Corrin alone. Their performance is a glorious feat of shapeshifting, from wide-eyed boy to swaggering, sexy nobleman and self-possessed lady – while always retaining the soul of the character, their curious mind, quick wit and passionate heart. Corrin’s Orlando feels deeply: “I could taste her,” they gasp as lust overcomes them, and their heartbreak is all-consuming. 

Though Bartlett references how the past can speak to the here and now, his script stops short of really engaging with contemporary concerns. He over-emphasises some fairly obvious takeaways (of course you were better off as a man than a woman in most of recorded history, and still today really) and is too heavy-handed, even slightly tasteless, in how he prefigures Woolf’s suicide. 

But I was charmed by Peter McKintosh’s evocative design, which whisks us from the great frost of 1607 (dry ice and exquisite stillness) to a raucous Russian banquet, sumptuous tent in Constantinople, or the splendour of court – all juxtaposed with blasts of rock music. A flawed but engaging experiment, and one given a beating heart by the magnificent, mercurial Corrin.

*Orlando is at the Garrick Theatre through 25 February. Book Orlando tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=26188&content_product_id=26188&venue_id=117)

*Photo credit: Emma Corrin in Orlando (Photo by Marc Brenner)*

'Orlando' review – Emma Corrin is magnificent in this experimental Virginia Woolf adaptation

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Born in Tunbridge Wells in 1995, Emma Corrin is a Golden Globe-winning actress, best known for playing Lady Diana Spencer in Netflix’s *The Crown*. She made her West End debut as Anna in *[Anna X](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/anna-x)* at the [Harold Pinter Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/harold-pinter-theatre).

While at school, Corrin developed a keen interest in the performing arts, eventually taking a gap year by doing a Shakespeare course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After twelve months at LAMDA, Corrin then began a drama degree at Bristol University, later leaving to pursue Education, English, Drama and the Arts at St John’s College, Cambridge. While studying, Corrin appeared in two films: *Cesare* and *Alex’s Dream*, later graduating from Cambridge University in 2018.

It didn’t take long for Corrin to make her television debut. In 2019, she played Esther Carter in an episode of *Grantchester*, starring alongside Jemma Redgrave and Robson Green. She then played Esme Winikus in *Pennyworth*, an American crime drama using characters from DC Comics. She’s also starred in *Misbehaviour*, a British comedy film with Rhys Ifans, Keeley Hawes, Jessie Buckley and Keira Knightley.

Corrin’s breakout role came in 2020, cast as Diana, Princess of Wales in Netflix’s *The Crown*. She joins an illustrious line up of British actresses in the show, including Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter. To date, Corrin has won Best Actress categories at the Critics Choice and Golden Globe Awards, with this number likely to grow.

Corrin made her professional stage debut in Joseph Charlton’s play *Anna X*. She played the title character who tries to find herself in a mix of New York parties.

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Born in Tunbridge Wells in 1995, Emma Corrin is a Golden Globe-winning actress, best known for playing Lady Diana Spencer in Netflix’s The Crown. She made her West End debut as Anna in Anna X at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

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The Garrick Theatre is a renowned and historical theatre venue located in the heart of London, Charing Cross Road, near Leicester Square. Opened in 1889, it was named after the stage actor David Garrick. Designed by Walter Emden and C.J. Phipps, it is built with an exquisite blend of classical and baroque architectural styles, giving it a unique touch of elegance. The theatre boasts a theatrical heritage unrivalled in its history of performances, artists, and premieres, hosting a variety of world-class productions ranging from dramatic plays, farces, comedic performances, to Shakespearean plays. With a seating capacity of 656 spread across three levels - stalls, dress circle, and grand circle - the theatre offers an intimate atmosphere, drawing audience closer to the performances and making it a favourite venue for both theatre-goers and performers. Along with the splendid auditorium, the theatre contains bars at each level providing a comfortable space for refreshment. The theatre is equipped with state-of-the-art systems offering excellent audio and visual experiences. A visit to the Garrick Theatre is a step back into time, offering classic London theatre experience in a beautiful and iconic venue. 

## How to Get There
The Garrick Theatre is easily accessible by various modes of transport. If you are using the London Underground, the closest Tube stations are Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly) and Charing Cross (Bakerloo, Northern). By bus, several bus routes pass close to the theatre, including the numbers 24, 29 and 176. If driving, the nearest car park is Q-Park Chinatown.

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The Garrick Theatre opened in 1889, and is named after actor David Garrick. When the theatre was built, architects discovered an underground river on the site!

The theatre became associated with comedy in 1982 with a four-year run of the farce *No Sex Please, We’re British*. This was the longest-running show at the Garrick, until J. B. Priestley’s *An Inspector Calls* transferred from the [Aldwych Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/aldwych-theatre) in 1995 and resided for six years.

In recent years, a number of musicals have played here, including *A Little Night Music*, *Chicago*, and *The Scottsboro Boys*. In 2015, [Kenneth Branagh](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/kenneth-branagh) took up residency at the Garrick for a year-long season of plays with his own theatre company. 

## Garrick Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle. In the Stalls, the view of the top of the stage is slightly obscured by the overhang of the Dress Circle from Row N onwards. 

In the Dress Circle, the view of the stage is not obscured by the overhang of the Upper Circle, but the ceiling can feeel low for those in the last row. The seats are designed in a horseshoe shape around the theatre and the Dress Circle offers good sightlines.

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The Garrick Theatre, opened in 1889, is associated with comedy and musicals, and has housed popular shows like 'An Inspector Calls'. It features three seating levels.

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The Garrick Theatre is an iconic London venue, known for its architectural elegance, rich history, and hosting top-tier productions.

Emma Corrin to star in Virginia Woolf’s ‘Orlando’

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