From Gen Z comedians to Yes Prime Minister’s closing chapter: These are the 9 best shows heading to London theatres in 2026
We need something to take the edge off January
No one looks to the New Year with gusto, let’s be real. It’s one of those "ughhh I have to do this all again" moments zipped up in a faux-incredulous "I can’t believe how quickly this year’s gone" package. With the added pressure of becoming a better person (no alcohol, no carbs, running in freezing weather, cleaning more, getting a hobby besides bingewatching Netflix), it’s not exactly something Brits relish.
Thankfully, the silver - and in this case probably glittered - lining of the grey cloud of January is the amount of cracking new shows jazz-hands-ing their way into London’s theatres.
And we’re not just talking the big name, big funded shows which are actually just theatrical versions of popular TV shows or films - we’ve churned through London’s above-a-pub, on-the-corner spots that are the big city equivalent of a village hall, and found the best new shows to suit every person across 2026.
1. Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x) Soho Theatre, January 15th onwards
If there is one name you need to know, it’s Jade Franks. Already dubbed the next Phoebe Waller Bridge, she’s sharp, hilariously funny, and the kind of writer / actor / ridiculously talented person you’ll be jealous of just thanks to her sheer bravado. She’s already got numerous accolades and awards under her belt from Fringe and before. This is her critically acclaimed Fringe debut. Start your year strong - this will be one of the best things you will see until 2027 comes knocking.
- Find out more here
2. Gerry & Sewell, Aldwych Theatre, January 13th-24th
After sell-out runs in the North East, Olivier award-winning Jamie Eastlake’s hit production Gerry & Sewell makes its highly anticipated West End debut. A tale of two underdogs with nowt but the dream of scoring season tickets to their beloved Newcastle United, despite the hard knocks of austerity and unemployment. Bringing together live music, puppet dogs and unmistakable Geordie spirit, Gerry & Sewell is both a love letter to Newcastle and a universal story of friendship, resilience and hope. And it’s seriously well worth a watch whether you’re a footie fan or not.
- Buy tickets here
3. Punchdrunk, Lander 23
We’re no stranger to Punchdrunk theatre, we actually did a whole feature on its newest show which is heading to London in 2026. The theatre group are renowned for their immersive theatre experiences: a place where the audiences are free to roam the performance sites, where the sets are more like movie sets, rigged on a massive scale with no details overlooked. Their newest show is Lander 23 - a Live Action Video Game, billed as being far more interactive than even their previous immersive best.
In this one, The Lander Division of the Centre for Astrobiology is responsible for exploring the outer realms of the galaxy. No division goes further or deeper into the unknown. You'll be tasked with discovering unchartered territories, exploring the outermost reaches of space and bringing back valuable data to the mothership. However, a week ago, the crew of Lander 23 vanished while harvesting a new and valuable energy source. A distress signal then silence. You are the next crew in.
If you’ve never been to a Punchdrunk performance (experience, really), you won’t have been part of anything like it.
- Buy tickets here
4. I’m Sorry, Prime Minister, Apollo Theatre, January - May 2026
From the BAFTA Award-winning co-creator of Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, Jonathan Lynn, comes the long-awaited final chapter of British political satire — and it is as cunning, cutting, and catastrophically funny as ever.
Jim Hacker (played by national treasure Griff Rhys Jones) is back — older, but perhaps not wiser, and still utterly baffled by the real world. Hoping for a quiet retirement at the tranquil Hacker College, Oxford, Jim instead finds himself facing the ultimate modern crisis: cancelled by the college committee.
Enter the delightfully devious Sir Humphrey Appleby (played by the acclaimed Clive Francis), who has lost none of his love for bureaucracy, Latin phrases, and well-timed obstruction. Can Humphrey outmanoeuvre the meddling students, the Fellowship, and reality itself? Or is it finally time to say, “I’m Sorry, Prime Minister…”?
Brimming with razor-sharp wit, nostalgic brilliance, this is political comedy at its most timeless — and timely. If you caught one of the first ones, you’ll be wanting to add this long awaited threequel to your theatre list.
- Buy tickets here
5. Guess How Much I Love You, Royal Court, 16th January - 21st January
This would probably be at the top of our list if you asked us which ones we’re most excited for. From actor-turned-writer Luke Norris comes a heartbreakingly beautiful story about impossible choices and enduring love. Starring I Swear’s Robert Aramayo, Olivier Award nominee Rosie Sheehy and Expendable star Lena Kaur, it follows an expectant couple waiting in a hospital room as the future they had planned unravels.
- Buy tickets here
6. JaJa’s African Hair Braiding, Lyric Hammersmith, 18th March - 25th April
This production is the UK premiere of the Tony Awad-winning comedy, which comes from the team from behind the smash hit School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. Welcome to Jaja’s! writer Jocelyn Bioh and director Monique Touko have joined forces for the newest, razor sharp, pacey and funny play. It’s set in a bustling Harlem braiding salon where neighbourhood women come to have their greatest hairstyle dreams come true, all in the hands of a lively group of West African, immigrant braiders.
Across one hot summer’s day, these women experience everything in the pressure cooker of the sweltering shop: from demanding customers to secrets and lies, laughter and betrayal. But each of these women has big dreams as well, dreams which increasingly pit them against the city they call home.
- Buy tickets here
7. Ania Magliano, Peach Fuzz, Soho Theatre 23rd Feb - 7th March
If you haven’t been kneeling at the altar of brilliance that is Ania Magliano after this season’s Taskmaster, then her stand up special Peach Fuzz will seal the deal. If you’re not already familiar with Maglinao, I pity you, as your life just isn’t as fun as it could be if you were. She’s the comedian for Gen Z and beyond, with piercingly brilliant observational comedy, unmatched timings, and an all round laugh.
Peach Fuzz explores everything from the quirks of her own body to the legend that is Eve (yes, from Adam and), to her newly discovered boundaries. Peach Fuzz is Ania at her most relatable – and most funny. She’s no stranger to the circuit, having opened for Ed Gamble, Marc Maron and Catherine Cohen, and writes for Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop Dates. Plus, protect Soho Theatre at all costs.
- Buy tickets here
Honourable non-London mentions
8. Top Gs Like Me, Royal & Derngate, 21 Feb - 7 March
Aidan’s lost. His best mate’s starting uni, his mum can’t get out of bed, and his new side hustle has questionable legality. Meanwhile, he’s stacking shelves at the supermarket wondering if this is all he’s cut out for. He’s got hobbies – hanging out at the skate park and doom scrolling his days away.
As he’s lapping up the algorithm ‘Hugo Bang’ appears with the promise to help Aidan become the alpha he was born to be. Will Hugo Bang help Aidan get his life back on track, or will he lead Aidan to a darker, more dangerous place?
Directed by Jesse Jones, this brand-new play by local playwright Samson Hawkins (author of Stratford East’s critically acclaimed Village Idiot) crackles with dry humour and a modern-day wit.
Transforming the Derngate auditorium into a skatepark, this Made In Northampton production dives headfirst into the influence of online culture, the pull of toxic masculinity, and the search for identity in the digital age.
- Buy tickets here
9. Mischief Theatre's THESPIANS: GREECE THE MUSICAL (but not that one)
Anyone who has spent time in London will have seen a Mischief production looking out from a tube poster with mock horror on all the faces. Anyone au fait with Mischief will know their trademark antics – perfectly planned on-stage catastrophes, character work, and genuinely side splitting stuff. It's their newest play and the first time they've done a musical so we're bound to get some more hysterical lyrical and musical accidents so even if you've seen one of their creations before, you won't see any of the laughs coming. Knowing Mischief's track record, Thespians will probably end up in a West End theatre before long, but if you can't wait to catch it, it's heading on a UK tour kicking off from May 2026.
- Buy tickets here
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