London theatre season is going to boil over this Spring and Summer — in the best way possible. We’re seeing huge stars make rare returns to the stage (Cate Blanchett, anyone?), fresh writing that asks all the big questions, and reimaginings of Shakespeare that might just make you fall in love with the classics all over again.
Whether you’re in it for the world premieres, the political undercurrents, or just a damn good night at the theatre, these ten shows are set to define London’s stage this year.
1. Bacchae
Venue: National Theatre (Olivier Stage)
Dates: 13 September – 1 November 2025
Tickets: £20–£89
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Euripides’ ancient tragedy is reborn in a bold new adaptation by first-time playwright Nima Taleghani. Directed by Indhu Rubasingham, this version of Bacchae blends poetic verse with rap and spoken word, setting the story in a contemporary context while preserving its mythic weight.
As Dionysus arrives to punish the city of Thebes for denying his divinity, the play unravels the conflict between order and chaos, belief and scepticism, authority and revolt. The Olivier’s vast stage is used to full effect, with ensemble movement, ritualistic staging, and a chorus that shifts between witnesses and participants in the unfolding devastation.
2.The Deep Blue Sea
Venue: Theatre Royal Haymarket
Dates: 7 May – 21 June 2025
Tickets: from £25
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Terence Rattigan’s post-war drama returns to the West End under the direction of Lindsay Posner. Set in a dingy Ladbroke Grove flat in the 1950s, the play follows Hester Collyer, a judge’s wife who has abandoned her marriage for an ex-RAF pilot and now finds herself emotionally stranded after he too leaves her. The action spans a single day as Hester contemplates suicide, is discovered by her neighbours, and is forced to confront her choices. Tamsin Greig stars as Hester, anchoring a production that captures both the suffocating constraints of the era and the private courage it takes to live outside of them.
3. Burlesque the Musical
Venue: Savoy Theatre
Dates: Thursday 10 July – 6 September, 2025
Tickets: £25–£125
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The glitzy world of Los Angeles cabaret arrives in the West End with this stage adaptation of the 2010 film Burlesque. Christina Aguilera leads the creative team as executive producer, contributing original songs alongside music from Sia, Diane Warren, Todrick Hall, and Jess Folley. The musical follows Ali, a small-town girl who escapes to the city and finds a new life on stage at a fading burlesque lounge. Set against the backdrop of sequins, spotlights, and backstage rivalries, the show combines live vocals, choreography, and production numbers to tell a story of ambition, reinvention, and finding your voice.
4. Here We Are
Venue: National Theatre
Dates: 23 April – 28 June, 2025
Tickets: £25–£110
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Stephen Sondheim’s final musical arrives in London in a co-production with New York’s The Shed. Inspired by the surrealist films The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Exterminating Angel by Luis Buñuel, Here We Are follows a group of well-to-do friends whose attempts to dine together are repeatedly — and inexplicably — thwarted.
As social rituals unravel and logic breaks down, the show shifts between farce and philosophical reflection. The London cast includes Rory Kinnear, Jane Krakowski, and Martha Plimpton, with staging that plays on repetition, fragmentation, and increasingly surreal design choices to reflect the absurdity of modern privilege.
5. My Master Builder
Venue: Wyndham’s Theatre
Dates: April 17 – July 12, 2025
Tickets: from £25
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Michael Grandage directs this contemporary reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder, adapted for a modern setting and starring Ewan McGregor. McGregor plays Halvard Solness, a renowned architect at the height of his powers who is increasingly haunted by both past compromises and future irrelevance. When a young woman from his past appears — played by Elizabeth Debicki — she challenges the foundation of his carefully constructed life. Kate Fleetwood completes the central trio.
7. The Fifth Step
Venue: Sohoplace
Dates: 12 May – 26 July, 2025
Tickets: From £25–£95
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Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman star in this new play by David Ireland, set in a church basement where two recovering alcoholics meet for a routine support session. As they move through the twelve steps, their conversation begins to spiral, revealing confessions that test the boundaries of honesty, accountability, and forgiveness. The Fifth Step examines the fragile process of redemption — how much of the past can be disclosed, and whether true change is even possible.
8. Inter Alia
Venue: National Theatre (Lyttelton Theatre)
Dates: 10 July – 13 September 2025
Tickets: £25–£110
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Following the global success of Prima Facie, playwright Suzie Miller returns with Inter Alia, a new drama set in the British legal system. Rosamund Pike stars as Jessica Parks, a Crown Court judge whose personal and professional lives are increasingly in conflict. While managing high-profile cases, she’s also navigating the complexities of motherhood and a shifting domestic dynamic. Directed by Justin Martin, the play moves between courtroom and home, using split staging and minimal transitions to create a sense of constant pressure. Miller interrogates justice not just as a system, but as a lived experience — particularly for women.
9. The Unbelievers
Venue: Royal Court Theatre
Dates: October 2025
Tickets: £15 – £64
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Nicola Walker leads The Unbelievers, a new play by Nick Payne (Constellations) that explores the friction between personal belief and public responsibility. Set in a near-future Britain, the story follows a woman working in scientific policy who must navigate a moral crisis when a new government directive clashes with her ethical stance. Directed by Marianne Elliott, the production uses minimalist design and shifting timelines to mirror the character’s internal disorientation.
10. Evita
Venue: London Palladium
Dates: June 14 – September 6, 2025
Tickets: £25–£150
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Rachel Zegler takes on the iconic role of Eva Perón in this revival of Evita, directed by Jamie Lloyd. The production promises a fresh interpretation of the classic musical, with Zegler bringing her unique talent to the role. Featuring timeless songs like “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” this limited 12-week run is set to be a highlight of the summer theatre calendar.
Take your seats
With this much talent and originality packed into one season, spring and summer 2025 are shaping up to be an unforgettable stretch for London theatre. These ten productions — a rich mix of brand-new work and bold revivals — show just how alive and unpredictable the West End (and beyond) still is. Whether you’re in the stalls once a week or once in a blue moon, this is the kind of lineup that makes you fall in love with live performance all over again. And if theatre isn’t your cup of tea, there’s always an art exhibition like Cartier’s or Tim Burton’s around the corner.