And just like that, it’s 2018, and a bright New Year for London shows lies ahead! It’s been a spectacular last twelve months for the London theatre landscape, with more highlights than you can shake a ticket stub at.
But now we’re starting to look ahead, and with a veritable feast of fantastic productions on the horizon, that means saying a fond farewell to some of our departing West End winter favourites this month. There’s still time to catch some of the London shows leaving in January 2018 – but hurry, as at the rate the calendar seems to be ticking by, it’ll be February before we know it!
Alternatively, if you’re looking for discounted tickets this month, be sure to check out the Official London Theatre New Year Sale.
An American In Paris
Must End Saturday 6 January; Dominion Theatre
An American In Paris at the Dominion Theatre (Photo: Johan Persson)
Where better to end your holiday season than the splendour of post-war Paris? London shows simply don’t come more spectacular than this.
An American In Paris is the kind of experience every London theatregoer savours: eye-popping scenes and sets, world-class song and dance routines, and a memorable musical score of the Gershwins’ finest hits. It’s a beautiful, romantic, sweeping show, and regardless of whether you’ve seen the 1951 Gene Kelly film, you’re sure to love this internationally renowned production – S’Wonderful indeed. Don’t miss it.
Book your An American In Paris tickets today!
Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle
Must End Saturday 6 January; Wyndham’s Theatre
Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle at The Wyndham’s Theatre (Photo: Brinkhoff Mögenburg)
Sometimes you can leave a theatre feeling more than just entertained. So if January blues threaten to strike, warm-hearted comedy Heisenberg: The Uncertainty is a fulfilling London show sure to leave you with fuzzy and life-affirming sentiments in droves.
It’s the story of two complete strangers who – seemingly by chance, as the title references – find each other at a London train station. What ensues is a remarkable series of events which will change their lives forever. From The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time playwright Simon Stephens, Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle offers a shrewd and stirring start to your New Year.
Book your Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle tickets today! The show is also participating in our New Year Sale.
Ink
Must End Saturday 6 January; Duke of York’s Theatre
Ink at Duke of York’s Theatre (Photo: Marc Brenner)
2017 was quite the year for playwright James Graham, not so much a “rising star” these days as a soaring cluster of them. The man behind the acclaimed West End plays This House and Labour Of Love, as well as the upcoming Quiz, Graham’s red-topped new drama Ink proved one of the undisputed hits of the year, scoring plaudits in multitudes.
Charting the rise of The Sun in 1969 Fleet Street, Ink follows the publication’s quest to become the voice of the people, in turn shaping popular culture and politics. At a time when scrutiny of the media is at its most intense in generations, act fast to avoid missing this terrific origin story, starring the fantastic Bertie Carvel.
Book your Ink tickets today!
The Gruffalo’s Child
Must End Sunday 7 January; Lyric Theatre
Tall Stories continue to sprinkle their family-oriented fun on the West End with The Gruffalo’s Child, hot on the heels of their monstrous success with The Gruffalo (although you don’t need to know the latter to enjoy the show).
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s magical tale follows the titular Gruffalo’s Child, who, one day, ignores her father’s warnings about the Big Bad Mouse and tiptoes out on a spectacular adventure. If you’re looking for London shows to entertain the whole family at the end of the Christmas holidays, The Gruffalo’s Child will be the perfect fit for you.
Book your The Gruffalo’s Child tickets today!
Stomp
Must End Sunday 7 January; Ambassadors Theatre
Stomp at the Ambassadors Theatre (Photo: Steve McNicholas)
This’ll be a tricky one to say goodbye to, as after 15 fantastic years in the West End, Theatreland cornerstone Stomp will leave audiences bouncing to its percussive beats at the Ambassadors Theatre for the last time this weekend.
If you’ve never experienced the ingenuity of Stomp, you owe it to yourself to witness just how brilliant the set pieces are – one lighter-based sequence has to be seen for it to be believed. And if you have seen it for yourself, I’m sure you won’t need convincing to catch Stomp again; let’s just hope the Olivier Award-winning show is quick to return.
Book your Stomp tickets today!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
Must End Sunday 7 January; Ambassadors Theatre
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show at Ambassadors Theatre (Photo: Pamela Raith)
Also departing the Ambassadors Theatre this weekend, the internationally acclaimed The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is rounding off a second acclaimed West End season with its delightful menagerie of lovable puppets, colourful settings and, of course, charming stories.
From The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse to Mister Seahorse, and from The Very Lonely Firefly to, of course, the star of the show – The Very Hungry Caterpillar – these are timeless stories which are sure to send the kids back to school with more than enough to “show and tell”.
Book your The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show tickets today!
Dick Whittington
Must End Sunday 14 January; London Palladium
Lukus Alexander (Eileen The Cat) and Charlie Stemp (Dick Whittington) in Dick Whittington at the London Palladium (Photo: Paul Coltas)
Take an all-star cast – Elaine Paige, Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, Ashley Banjo and Diversity, Charlie Stemp, Emma Williams, I could go on… – add in jaw-dropping sets and special effects, set to the backdrop of the iconic London Palladium pantomime, and then add sheer hilarity to the mix. It soon becomes clear that occasions like Dick Whittington don’t come around all too often.
While pantomime season may be finishing soon, Dick Whittington’s scores of unforgettable moments are sure to be talked about for months to come. Need more convincing? Check out our round-up of reasons to see the show.
Book your Dick Whittington tickets today!
A Christmas Carol
Must End Saturday 20 January; The Old Vic
Rhys Ifans in A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic (Photo: Helen Maybanks)
Amidst the pantheons of London shows, it’s safe to say the story of A Christmas Carol has stood the test of time. But this imaginative rewriting of the Dickens classic, from Matilda The Musical director Matthew Warchus and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child writer Jack Thorne, breathes new spectacle, warmth and spirit into the tale, and is quite unlike any previous adaptation.
While it’s recommended for families aged 11+ – this isn’t a version for younger audiences – it’s a real delight throughout, and the perfect antidote to any January blues you might feel encroaching. Start the year with a smile: catch The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol.
Book your A Christmas Carol tickets today!
Take a look at all the London shows currently playing and coming up in the West End on our London theatre tickets page.