Top theatre to see in London in March

From A Little Life starring James Norton, to the West End premieres of For Black Boys and Ain’t Too Proud, here’s the top theatre picks in London in March 2023.

The shortest month of the year has whizzed past us, and March is finally here. The sun shines a little brighter, the days are a little longer, and there’s plenty of exciting shows to look forward to. There’s dozens of new shows opening in the West End and across London in March 2023. Here’s our top picks for what to see in London in March.

West End shows to see in March

March 2023 is the month of Broadway musicals. See the West End premiere of Ain’t Too Proud — the 12-time Tony-nominated musical — at the Prince Edward Theatre, as well as a welcome return for Bonnie & Clyde. There’s plenty of star turns too, in the form of Paul Mescal and Patsy Ferran in A Streetcar Named Desire and James Norton and Luke Thompson in A Little Life. Here’s our top picks for West End theatre in March 2023.

Bonnie & Clyde

This world will remember the tales of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, two American thieves who stole from banks and eventually stole our hearts. Bonnie and Clyde: The Musical’s West End journey began in 2022 with a series of concerts at Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Jeremy Jordan, followed by a West End run at the Arts Theatre. After wowing audiences, the musical returns to the capital, with a limited season in spring 2023. Jordan Luke Gage and Frances Mayli McCann return to play the criminal masterminds.

Garrick Theatre, from 4 March.

Book Bonnie & Clyde tickets on London Theatre.

A Streetcar Named Desire

Paul Mescal can do it all. After wowing in Normal People and picking up an oscar nomination for Aftersun, Mescal makes his West End debut as Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire. He’s joined by Patsy Ferran as Blanche in a spellbinding production of the Tennessee Williams classic, directed by Rebecca Frecknall.

Phoenix Theatre, from 20 March.

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

Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf inspires Ryan Calais Cameron’s play. The gripping drama sees six men try to connect in an ever-changing world. The men share good days and bad days with one another and let their hearts run wild. Ultimately, the male sextet just want to survive, no matter how difficult it may be. After wowing audiences at New Diorama Theatre and the Royal Court, For Black Boys heads to the West End.

Apollo Theatre, from 25 March.

Book For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy tickets on London Theatre.

A Little Life

Ivo van Hove directs a blistering adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life this spring. James Norton plays Jude, a high-flying New York lawyer who is still deeply affected by his past. Throughout the epic play, Jude converses with college friends Willem, JB, and Malcolm; all staying by each other’s side even in tough moments. An all-star cast take on the titan text: Luke Thompson, Zach Wyatt, and Omari Douglas star. A Little Life is already set to be one of this year’s most talked-about shows, so don’t miss out.

Harold Pinter Theatre, from 25 March.

Book A Little Life tickets on London Theatre.

Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Get ready, cause here they come. Join the “Classic Five” for an evening of chart-topping Motown music and plenty of soul. You might already know of their high points: the Temptations were the first Motown act to win a Grammy Award for “Cloud Nine”, and they ended up on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Away from the spotlight, the quintet struggled with potentially life-changing issues. Detroit-based playwright Dominique Morriseau collates their lives into musical form.

Prince Edward Theatre, from 31 March.

Book Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations tickets on London Theatre.

Operation Mincemeat

The Fortune Theatre welcomes a new show for the first time in decades, as Operation Mincemeat succeeds The Woman in Black. The comedy musical follows the 1943 dealings of two British intelligence members dressing a deceased man as a Royal Marines officer. Operation Mincemeat has knocked around for a few years; a five-star London Theatre review says: “Operation Mincemeat is a fizzy, clever, compelling new musical… its mockery of the privileges of white masculinity, the insulating power of wealth, the recklessness of government guided by and for the few, also points at the frustrating and insidious truth of privilege.” Now, the British musical gets a West End run.

Fortune Theatre, from 29 March.

Off West End theatre to see in March

Away from the West End, there’s plenty of exciting theatre to look forward to. Step into a transformed Bridge Theatre for a new production of Guys & Dolls. Travel to the remote Pacific islands in Further than the Furthest Thing, or explore the future of artificial intelligence in Marjorie Prime. Here are our top picks for West End theatre in March 2023.

Brilliant Jerks

We’ve all used a well-known car-sharing app. But how did it come to fruition? ANNA X writer Joseph Charlton's latest play explores what it means for a user to tap a button and hail a cab. This is the story of one app taking over the world. Give it a personal rating afterward.

Southwark Playhouse Borough, from 1 March.

Guys & Dolls

Luck be a lady! Shoot your shot at Guys & Dolls as it returns to London in March 2023. Join gamblers Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson as they lay a series of high-stakes bets that could change their worlds. It’s all told to Frank Loesser’s swinging score, including “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Adelaide’s Lament,” and “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat.” Nicholas Hytner directs an immersive adaptation, allowing audiences to either sit in Havana and Manhattan or stand up and participate in the action. Marisha Wallace, Daniel Mays, and Celinde Schoenmaker star.

Bridge Theatre, from 3 March.

Book Guys & Dolls tickets on London Theatre.

Marjorie Prime

After Marjorie Prime wowed New York audiences, picking up a Pulitzer nomination along the way, Jordan Harrison’s drama premieres in London in March 2023. The play explores the limit of artificial intelligence and its use in society, with 85-year-old Marjorie as a case study. As she shares her memories, what happens when we consciously choose to shape our past?

Menier Chocolate Factory, from 3 March.

Book Marjorie Prime tickets on London Theatre.

Further than the Furthest Thing

Tristan da Cunha is a small island — just shy of 300 people calls it home. Though there may be few, they’re a loyal community and will do anything to protect their way of life. So what happened when an undisturbed island battles against modern ideals and deals with outsiders? Discover what happened to the residents of Tristan da Cunha in 1961 in Zinnie Harris’s Further than the Furthest Thing. Jenna Russell stars.

Young Vic, from 9 March.

Book Further than the Furthest Thing tickets on London Theatre.

Eugenius!

Be your very own theatre superhero at Eugenius! in London. The thrilling musical combines comic books, superhero stories, and 1980s music into an uplifting story packed with high-energy songs and routines.

Turbine Theatre, from 13 March.

Black Superhero

In a world of Kings and Gods, who rules? That's what David, a young man who finds himself in a new, intoxicating world must discover for himself. Fantasy and reality blur for the protagonist in Danny Lee Wynter's debut play.

Royal Court, from 14 March.

Book Black Superhero tickets on London Theatre.

The Way Old Friends Do

This is an ABBA play like no other. In 1980s Birmingham, two friends come out to each other. 30 years later, they decide to form an ABBA tribute band — in drag. It isn't easy being a dancing queen, though; can their relationship survive fake beards and platform boots? Mark Gatiss directs the heartfelt drama at the Park Theatre.

Park Theatre, from 15 March.

Book The Way Old Friends Do tickets on London Theatre.

Accidental Death of an Anarchist

Dario Fo's satire is newly transformed with a London focus. When an anarchist falls to his death from a police station window, a maniac is arrested. Instead of cooperating, the maniac puts on a show and recreates what happened in their own version of events. Daniel Rigby plays the maniac in a whipsmart adaptation.

Lyric Hammersmith, from 18 March.

Book Accidental Death of an Anarchist tickets on London Theatre.

Sugar Coat

After performances at VAULT Festival, Sugar Coat will continue to rock at Southwark Playhouse. The feminist piece follows one woman as she discovers herself over eight years. Join her as she learns what it means to be queer, all set to pop-punk music.

Southwark Playhouse Borough, from 29 March.

Book Sugar Coat tickets on London Theatre.

Winnie the Pooh

Venture deep into the Hundred Acre Wood for the Disney Winnie the Pooh musical. A. A. Milne's short stories come to life in this fantastical production, all brought to life with puppets of Pooh Bear, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Tigger, Rabbit, and Owl. Don't miss out on all the wonderful things this spring!

Riverside Studios, from 17 March.

Berlusconi

You may already know things about Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister and media mogul. But, do you know the story as told by others? Berlusconi follows the political figure's ascension to leadership through three women.

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, from 25 March.

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