See these one-person shows in the West End

Whilst some productions create amazing theatre with a huge cast, this list showcases the best of the best in one-person performances across London.

As much as we love a lavish production with a huge cast, it’s also a thrill to watch just one talented performer hold the stage. Recently, Jodie Comer wowed audiences in both London and New York with the electrifying solo show Prima Facie – winning Olivier and Tony Awards in the process. Another massive theatrical success is Phoebe Waller-Bridge, whose Fleabag was a one-woman show before she turned it into a hit TV series.

Now, several more performers get the chance to grip audiences with their solo turns, including Fleabag's Andrew Scott doing a whole Chekhov play on his own and Succession star Sarah Snook playing 26 characters in her version of The Picture of Dorian Gray. That's not to mention amazing comedians like Dawn French, who will be conquering the London Palladium.

Plus, some of the most exciting names in musical theatre – from both the West End and Broadway – are treating their fans to solo concerts, including Rachel Tucker and Stephanie J. Block. It’s a rare chance to hear their personal stories alongside renditions of songs from shows they’ve done, as well as some of their dream projects.

Here’s our guide to the best one-person shows in London that you can book tickets for now.

Vanya, Duke of York’s Theatre

We already know Andrew Scott is an astonishingly versatile performer. Who else could so thoroughly convince as a heartbroken Hamlet, psychopathic Moriarty in Sherlock, and irresistible Hot Priest in Fleabag? He also impressed with a one-man show during Covid: the moving Three Kings, broadcast from the Old Vic.

In Simon Stephens’ new take on Chekhov’s play, Scott will play all the characters from Uncle Vanya as this Russian tragicomedy unfolds – from a university professor and his beautiful younger wife to the pining Sonya. This production will be an unmissable theatrical event.

Book Vanya tickets on London Theatre.

Song From Far Away, Hampstead Theatre

There’s still time to catch Will Young in this poignant one-man play. It’s a far cry from Young’s rise to fame on Pop Idol, and a reminder that he’s an excellent actor as well as a singer-songwriter.

Simon Stephens and Mark Eitzel’s play follows Willem, who is reeling from the death of his brother Pauli. The New York-based Willem has become estranged from his Dutch family, and he gets to honestly reflect on those relationships in a touching work that also allows Young to sing.

Book Song From Far Away tickets on London Theatre.

Rachel Tucker in Concert, Cadogan Hall

The musical theatre leading lady is a star on both sides of the Atlantic after playing Beverley Bass in Come From Away. She’s also renowned for her Elphaba in Wicked and for originating the role of Meg Dawson in Sting’s The Last Ship.

Now she’s launching her third album with a concert at the prestigious Cadogan Hall. You can expect a varied set from the talented Tucker, ranging from musical theatre favourites (she may well defy gravity!) to more folk, pop, and soul numbers. It’s a rare chance for an intimate audience with a big star.

Book Rachel Tucker in Concert tickets on London Theatre.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket

Australian actress Sarah Snook, best known to British audiences as the scheming Shiv Roy in Succession, is returning to the stage – and to the West End. She made her debut here in 2016 in The Master Builder, co-starring with Ralph Fiennes.

Now she’s on her own in this Sydney Theatre Company production of The Picture of Dorian Gray, playing every single character in Oscar Wilde’s remarkable tale. STC’s artistic director Kip Williams adapts and directs. This show is going to be the hot ticket in spring 2024.

Check back for information on The Picture of Dorian Gray tickets on London Theatre.

The Old Man & the Pool, Wyndham’s Theatre

The popular American comedian and storyteller is visiting London for a four-week run of his acclaimed show – which recently delighted audiences on Broadway. Wittily described as a “coming-of-middle-age-story,” The Old Man & the Pool is inspired by Birbiglia's experience facing fears of aging, illness, and a YMCA pool.

A doctor tells Birbiglia that he needs to be more active, as he has inherited cardiac issues. That leads to a mix of amusing flashbacks to his past, as well as more profound reflections on family and morality – a beautiful mix of the funny and the heartfelt.

Book The Old Man & the Pool tickets on London Theatre.

Stephanie J. Block in Concert, Cadogan Hall

One of Broadway’s most exciting talents is coming to London for this rare solo concert. Stephanie J. Block has tons of great credits to her name, including Into the Woods, Falsettos, 9 to 5: The Musical, Wicked, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Cher Show, which earned her a Tony Award.

Block is also a keen podcaster, which means you can expect plenty of great chat along with her musical performances – including candid backstage tales and fascinating insights.

Book Stephanie J. Block in Concert tickets on London Theatre.

Dawn French Is A Huge Twat!, London Palladium

Don’t let the title put you off – of course we all adore Dawn French, whether it’s her unforgettable double act with Jennifer Saunders, her Geraldine Grander in The Vicar of Dibley, or her fabulous panto turn at the Palladium.

She’s back at that iconic venue for her stand-up touring show, a gloriously frank and funny account of her life – everything from her wry memories of attempting an American accent in the movie Death on the Nile to her failed audition for Mamma Mia! to the surreal experience of attending Elton John’s 50th birthday party.

Book Dawn French Is A Huge Twat! tickets on London Theatre.

Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen, Bush Theatre

Samuel Barnett rose to fame in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys (alongside other budding talents like James Corden, Dominic Cooper, and Jamie Parker), and went on to do exciting work such as the landmark Shakespeare’s Globe productions led by Mark Rylance.

But this latest project is all about him. Marcelo Dos Santos’s monologue, performed by Barnett, was a big hit at the Edinburgh Festival and now gets a London run. The show is about a neurotic stand-up comedian who keeps sabotaging his relationship through insecurity – an insightful, often hilarious character study.

Book Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen tickets on London Theatre.

Myra’s Story, Trafalgar Theatre

Irish playwright Brian Foster draws us into the plight of a homeless woman in this compelling, urgent piece. Myra’s Story is an Edinburgh transfer; following three successful runs at the Fringe, the show comes to Trafalgar Theatre.

The play is a one-woman show, with Fionna Hewitt Twamley playing not just the troubled, alcoholic Myra, who spends her days begging by a bridge in Dublin, but everyone she encounters, past and present – including her father (also an addict). It’s a tour-de-force performance of exceptional empathy.

Book Myra's Story tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: Mike Birbiglia in The Old Man and the Pool. (Photo by Emilio Madrid)