All the Olivier nominated West End shows — and the London theatres to book them in
The best of London's limelight
It’s no secret that London has a plethora of wonderful shows running at any given time, but it’s always nice to have some proper recognition. Thanks to the Olivier Awards, we now have some.
Between the recommendations, reviews, tube posters, and starry names, it can be tricky navigating which shows are worth watching, and which will have you mentally calculating how rude it is to leave in the interval.
This year’s nominations have seen some record breakers, with Paddington and Into the Woods scooping up a scorching 11 noms each. And although most of the productions listed were strictly limited runs, there are still plenty of musicals and plays that made the list that still have tickets available.
Paddington: The Musical, Savoy Theatre
Pretty much everyone is familiar with the world’s favourite bear (and possibly the only immigrant the British Government talks kindly about), and his showbiz movement with jazz hands and musical numbers has been incredibly well received. From critics to families, people have been loving the musical adaptation – so much so that it’s actually sold out for the next couple of months. Fear not, though, as it's running until 2027, and there are plenty of tickets available from September onwards.
- Buy tickets here
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Playing until 28th April, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is another book-movie-stage adaptation which swept up awards for Best New Musical and for Best Actress in a Musical. It’s currently on at the Theatre Royal Haymarket with tickets from £25. It follows the story of Harold Fry, an ordinary man who sets off on a long journey from Devon to Berwick-upon-Tweed after receiving a letter from a long-lost friend. It’s sweet, uplifting, and the kind of show that gives you a misty-eyed hope in humanity – and it has a banging score from chart-topping Passenger.
- Buy tickets here
Into the Woods, Bridge Theatre
Another familiar one, Into the Woods at Bridge Theatre, takes Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s fairytale-esque musical and puts it into the spotlight. You may remember the all-singing all-dancing Hollywood version from 2014 with Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, James Corden, Chris Pine, and Johnny Depp – and whilst this doesn’t have quite the same cast, the musical has secured 11 Olivier nominations and five star reviews all-round.
- Buy tickets here
The Producers, Garrick Theatre
This is London’s first major revival of Mel Brooks’ classic musical, and it’s running in the West End at the Garrick until September 2026. The story is based on Brooks’ cult-classic film, in which down-on-his-luck producer Max Bialystock teams up with timid accountant Leo Bloom to stage a surefire flop, but their scheme backfires when it turns out to be a smash-hit. It’s funny, upbeat, and the kind of comedy that is up for four Olivier Awards.
- Buy tickets here
Inter Alia, Wyndham’s Theatre
If there is one play to have on your hit list for this year, let it be Inter Alia. It’s the second play from the writer and auteur behind Prima Facie. In a similar style to the Jodie Comer starring spin-off, Inter Alia stars Rosamund Pike as Jessica Parks, a maverick London Crown Court Judge – smart, compassionate, and determined to change the system. She is attempting to have it all, juggling her career with motherhood and friendships, until an unthinkable event rocks her finely tuned life.
It’s a strictly limited run at the Wyndham’s Theatre, ending in June 2026, and tickets are already running low so book quickly if you fancy catching it.
- Buy tickets here
Arcadia, Old Vic Theatre
Tom Stoppard is a recognisable name in the theatrical world, having given us some wonderful plays, with Arcadia being a firm favourite amongst them. You haven’t got long to catch this rendition of his 1993 play. In a country house, two centuries apart, genius unfolds. A teenage prodigy discovers the mathematics of the universe as the adults around her fail to hide their passions, whilst in the present day, scholars chase the ghosts of that same household.
- Buy tickets here
Oh Mary! Trafalgar theatre
A fairly new face on Shafestbury Avenue, Oh! Mary follows the story of Mary Todd Lincoln in a new play by Cole Escola. Already Tony-awarded, the show is up for two Olivier Awards, and is showing at the Trafalgar Theatre until July 2026. Catherine Tate is set to join the cast from April 27th, and the show has already scooped up a number of five-star awards. It follows the story of the miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, flipping the script on the traditional presidential history, placing the First Lady firmly in centre stage.
- Buy tickets here
American Psycho - Almeida Theatre (sold out)
Before we get your hypes up about the play itself, warning: it’s currently completely sold out – not even the odd stray £210 solo seat ticket hanging around. Like Arcadia, it’s running at the Almeida Theatre until 21st March. However, it’s always worth checking resale sites, as well as the Almeida Theatre website, which sometimes has tickets returned. Plus, there is always a returns queue IRL at the theatre where last-min spots will be sold off on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Find out more here
Paranormal Activity, Ambassadors theatre
Bringing spooky season to Soho, Paranormal Activity blends psychological tension, supernatural terror, and heart-pounding suspense to the stage. Based on the films, the stage adaptation follows James and Lou who have left Chicago for a fresh start in London, but as night falls, strange sounds echo through the house, objects move on their own, and the couple’s sleep is shattered by a growing sense of dread.
Determined to uncover the truth, James sets up cameras to document the unexplained, and the simple experiment soon spirals into a chilling mix of fear and obsession.
Running until October 2026, there’s plenty of time to catch the show and try not to visibly jump in public next to a stranger.
- Buy tickets here
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