In one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays, the forbidden love match between the Moorish general Othello and the young Desdemona is poisoned by the interference of the jealous Iago. The starry cast is led by David Harewood as Othello – nearly 30 years after he made his National Theatre debut in the role – Toby Jones (Detectorists) as Iago, and Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex) as Desdemona. Tom Morris’s (War Horse) production promises to be a searing exploration of toxic masculinity and the fragility of trust.

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A few of the offerings here feature troubled families – Christmas often doesn’t bring out the best in relatives. Helmed by visionary director Ivo van Hove and led by Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston as patriarch and self-made businessman Joe Keller, Arthur Miller’s post-war family drama explores the flip side of the American Dream and the limitations of peacetime. The superb Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets and Lies, Hard Truths) and Paapa Essiedu (The Effect, I May Destroy You) co-star as Keller’s wife Kate and war veteran son Chris.

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Alan Ayckbourn is certainly prolific and this 1985 tragicomedy (his 32nd out of over 90 to date) is considered one of his greatest achievements. Two-time Olivier winner and TV stalwart Sheridan Smith (most recently seen on stage in Opening Night) plays Susan, a vicar’s wife who is neglected by her husband and estranged from her son. After a bump on the head, her entire sense of reality fractures. The always outstanding Smith is joined by comedian Romesh Ranganathan in his West End debut as Susan’s doctor Bill.

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A highly anticipated Broadway transfer, Cole Escola’s Tony-winning dark comedy puts the oft-maligned wife of Abraham Lincoln front and centre. Set during the lead-up to her husband’s assassination, Mary’s life is a whirl of drinking, fantasising, and thwarted desires – like many a festive season. Mason Alexander Park (Cabaret, Cowboy BeBop) plays the title role, with Giles Terera (Hamilton) as Mary’s husband.

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If you enjoy spy stories, you won’t want to miss the first-ever stage adaptation of a work by John Le Carré (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), the master of the modern spy genre. British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is ready to come in from the cold but his boss George Smiley has one last mission for him… David Eldridge (Beginning, Middle, End) provides the thrilling adaptation, first seen at Chichester Festival Theatre this summer. The foggy, smoky Cold War-era setting is ideal for dark winter nights.

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After receiving rave reviews at Sheffield Theatres and Southwark Playhouse earlier this year, this unique one-man crime thriller set to music transfers to The Other Palace. Set in Missouri in 1981, smalltown bully Ken Rex McElroy rules Skidmore with an iron fist but has somehow evaded any repercussions… until he shoots a pillar of the local community and the residents take matters into their own hands. It’s part true crime podcast, part western, with a foot-stomping live Americana soundtrack.

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We’re at home in Hawkins, Indiana in 1959 but things are far from cosy in this prequel to the Netflix sensation when a mysterious newcomer named Henry Creel arrives and threatens to shake everything up. Written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), the storytelling and boundary-pushing visual effects will transport you to another dimension. Expect government experiments, alternate dimensions, and terrifying otherworldly creatures.

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Rebecca Frecknall’s immersive production of the classic musical is a wonderful party, but one with a grim, seedy underbelly (like many an office Christmas party? Only joking!). At the Kit Kat Club, anything goes, but the days of the hedonistic Weimar Republic are numbered as the Nazis rise to power. Original Hadestown stars Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada play the lead roles of the Emcee and Sally Bowles until 24 January 2026.

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It’s the musical in which almost everyone dies by the end – but its long life has exceeded all expectations, having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, an unprecedented achievement for any production. Set in early 19th-century France, Jean Valjean’s journey from convict to beloved patriarch remains as stirring as ever, along with a host of unforgettable supporting characters and a truly stirring score. Join the revolution today.

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Instead of a visit to Santa’s grotto this Christmas, why not consider a journey to the Underworld? Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown follows two couples — Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone — in a post-apocalyptic, Depression-era-inspired world. With themes of love, sacrifice, and the struggle between life and death, Mitchell’s musical packs a punch this Christmas. Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts plays Persephone until 18 January 2026.

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