I have seen over 80 plays in London and the South East this year. Whittling these down to my favourite 50 was a tricky task, but what better way to round off 2025 than to reflect on a terrific year in the theatre!

50. Bacchae – National Theatre, London

A Bacchae for the 21st century, if only it trusted its own chaos a little less. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/26/bacchae-national-theatre-london/

49. Mary Page Marlowe – Old Vic, London

Tracy Letts’s fractured storytelling, with Susan Sarandon and Andrea Riseborough, and the theatre’s in-the-round intimacy combined for a quietly compelling, if uneven, portrait of imperfection and survival.  https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/01/mary-page-marlowe-old-vic-london/

48. Entertaining Mr Sloane – Young Vic, London

The relationship between landlady and lodger soon began to blur in this revival of Joe Orton’s witty black comedy, with Tamzin Outhwaite and Jordan Stephens. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/09/entertaining-mr-sloane-young-vic-london/

47. Fanny – King’s Head Theatre, London

While it is brother Felix who has gone down in history as the recognisable Mendelssohn maestro, it is Fanny, it seems, who is the real star. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/21/fanny-kings-head-theatre-london/

46. The Unbelievers – Royal Court, London

Nicola Walker shone in this heavy and impactful piece that explores the fracturing of one mother, immersed in grief for her missing son. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/23/the-unbelievers-royal-court-london/

45. The Flat Earthers – Lion & Unicorn Theatre, London

We all believe the Earth is round, right? But that is not the case for ‘Flat Earther’ Greg, and his pair of followers Sophie and Kevin, whose meeting in a gastropub is the setting for this neat comedy three-hander. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/23/the-flat-earthers-lion-unicorn-theatre-london/

44. Lovestuck – Stratford East, London

Imagine the worst first date you have had, and how excruciating that felt. Now, imagine how much worse it could have been, if you were trapped inside a window, trying to rescue your own poo that you’ve flung out of said window, in an attempt to rescue your reputation from your bewildered date. This included a terrific performance from understudy Ambra Caserotti. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/07/21/lovestuck-stratford-east-london/

43. Oh Mary! – Trafalgar Theatre, London

Mason Alexander Park shone in the spotlight, alongside on-stage husband Giles Terrera, as Oh Mary!, a brilliant, bold, brash comedy that puts Mary Todd Lincoln first arrives from Broadway in an increasingly unhinged and hysterical way. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/19/oh-mary-trafalgar-theatre-london/

42. Paranormal Activity – Ambassadors Theatre, London

It is not the place that is haunted, but the people who are; the foundation that Paranormal Activity builds itself upon and largely lands within this unapologetically chaotic and dark thriller. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/20/paranormal-activity-ambassadors-theatre-london/

41. Dracapella – Park Theatre, London

There were puns galore, and a host of power ballads for good measure, as this rollicking, biting take on Stoker’s Dracula found an unlikely winning combination blending a capella songs with gothic ghoulish comedy. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/14/dracapella-park-theatre-london/

40. Lifers – Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

The juxtaposing intersection between apathy and empathy for those behind bars becomes stark. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/12/lifers-southwark-playhouse-borough-london/

39. Clarkston – Trafalgar Theatre, London

The events in this play were more memorable for the characters in it, than those watching, yet there was enough in Clarkston to provoke its genuinely moving conclusion. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/01/clarkston-trafalgar-theatre-london/

38. The Meat Kings (inc.) of Brooklyn Heights – Park Theatre, London

The ICE immigration debate, which is sweeping across America, found itself a home in this absorbing new play that explored identity, friendship and the 21st-century American Dream all in the confines of blood-filled butchers. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/29/the-meat-kings-inc-of-brooklyn-heights-park-theatre-london/

37. The Playboy of the Western World – National Theatre, London

Synge’s play, the original ‘fake news’ story, about a charlatan who garners public attention and gets plenty to follow him, may be over 100 years old, but it might not be as outdated as you might hope. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/23/the-playboy-of-the-western-world-national-theatre-london/

36. (the) Woman – Park Theatre, London

The urgency for such a story is utterly compelling, and what resulted was a bold, provocative piece of theatre. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/04/the-woman-park-theatre-london/

35. The Lodger – Old Red Lion Theatre, London

A dastardly killer was on the loose in Victorian London in this terrifically inventive adaptation of Marie Belloc-Lowndes’ novel. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/30/the-lodger-old-red-lion-theatre-london/

34. The Party Girls – Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

Swept up in scandal upon scandal, the Mitford sisters were once again thrust into centre stage in this exposing and fascinating new drama, The Party Girls, Amy Rosenthal’s new production in a joint venture with the Marlowe Theatre. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/the-party-girls-marlowe-theatre-canterbury/

33. Othello – Theatre Royal Haymarket, London

David Harewood and Toby Jones shone in this often pulsating staging of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy about love, jealousy and deceit. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/16/othello-theatre-royal-haymarket-london/

32. Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical – Shaftesbury Theatre, London

Just For One Day is more than just a nostalgia trip for those gripped by the energy and excitement of seeing the world’s greatest musical acts all in one place. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/07/21/just-for-one-day-the-live-aid-musical-shaftesbury-theatre-london/

31. A Christmas Carol – Old Vic, London

Paul Hilton shines in this beautifully staged, atmospheric, timeless tale of redemption in the Old Vic’s traditional festive production of A Christmas Carol that succeeds in evoking the magic of this time of year. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/29/a-christmas-carol-old-vic-london/

30. Punch – Apollo Theatre, London

James Graham’s Punch was a fierce, compassionate exploration of guilt, forgiveness and moral courage. With blistering performances from David Shields and Julie Hesmondhalgh, it was a gripping, deeply human drama that asks how far empathy can stretch in the face of unimaginable harm. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/26/punch-apollo-theatre-london/

29. Coven – Kiln Theatre, London

Coven succeeds most powerfully when it lifts the voices of the women it depicts, threading anger, grief and solidarity through a narrative that refuses to look away from historical cruelty. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/29/coven-kiln-theatre-london/

28. Evita – London Palladium, London

It was impossible not to be swept up by Jamie Lloyd and Rachel Zegler’s own version of populism. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/evita-london-palladium/

27. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold – @SohoPlace, London

John le Carré’s iconic spy thriller, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, gets the West End treatment in this gripping stage adaptation, revived from a successful run in Chichester. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/23/the-spy-who-came-in-from-the-cold-sohoplace-london/

26. The Maids – Donmar Warehouse, London

Kip Williams’ imaginative social-media-laden revival succeeded in reigniting Genet’s classic for a modern follower. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/23/the-maids-donmar-warehouse-london/

25. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

Michael Fentiman’s enchanting direction of Sally Cookson’s original production absolutely charms, transported us into Lewis’s fictional world. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/07/21/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe-marlowe-theatre-canterbury/

24. Interview – Riverside Studios, London

Lives slowly unravelled as truths and confessions fly in this gripping stage adaptation of Theo Van Gogh’s film Interview. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/interview-riverside-studios-london/

23. The White Chip – Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

When thinking about plays which explore addiction, it is often something like People, Places and Things, rich in bleak realism, that you think of. Yet The White Chip, arriving in the UK from an Off-Broadway stint, full of humour and hope, offered a uniquely personal take. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/07/21/the-white-chip-southwark-playhouse-borough-london/

22. Into The Woods – Bridge Theatre, London

Stephen Sondheim’s musical makes a glorious return in this lavish, gorgeously designed revival of all things ‘happily ever after’. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/12/20/into-the-woods-bridge-theatre-london/

21. My Neighbour Totoro – Gillian Lynne Theatre, London

The spirit and charm of Studio Ghibli is well-evoked in this creative and moving adaptation of the 1988 film. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/my-neighbour-totoro-gillian-lynne-theatre-london/

20. The Importance of Being Earnest – Noël Coward Theatre, London

Olly Alexander and Stephen Fry lead a dazzling, all-star, cast in this stunningly vibrant revival of Oscar Wilde’s defiant, raucous, comedy. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/16/the-importance-of-being-earnest-noel-coward-theatre-london/

19. Tambo and Bones – Stratford East, London

How do you find yourself when everything around you feels so fake? This was just one of the many questions that Dave Harris’s genre-blending, provocative, Tambo and Bones posed in this brilliant and bold revival. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/05/05/tambo-and-bones-stratford-east-london/

18. The Gathered Leaves – Park Theatre, London

It is an Easter weekend that the Pennington family will remember in this gripping and powerful family drama, as The Gathered Leaves made a successful return to Park Theatre. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/the-gathered-leaves-park-theatre-london/

17. Porn Play – Royal Court, London

The gradual and drastic erosion of Ani’s (Ambika Mod) sense of self culminates in a brutally sad climax in a powerful production that forced this taboo subject into the spotlight. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/28/porn-play-royal-court-london/

16. The Weir – Harold Pinter Theatre, London

Brendan Gleeson led a brilliant cast in this quietly riveting revival of a tale of ghost stories, and the pasts which haunt us, set in a dank Irish pub. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/12/the-weir-harold-pinter-theatre-london/

15. The Code – Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London

Led by the terrific Tracie Bennett and John Partridge, The Code was dazzling, devastating, and absolutely essential viewing. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/27/the-code-southwark-playhouse-elephant-london/

14. Born With Teeth – Wyndham’s Theatre, London

Born With Teeth, starring Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel, was both intimate and explosive; a study of genius, danger and desire that left its mark. It did not just draw blood. It knew exactly where to bite. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/10/12/born-with-teeth-wyndhams-theatre-london/

13. The Assembled Parties – Hampstead Theatre, London

Tracy-Ann Oberman shone in this gripping drama which saw one family over the course of two Christmases, twenty years apart. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/09/the-assembled-parties-hampstead-theatre-london/

12. The Pitchfork Disney – King’s Head Theatre, London

Six bolts on the door should be enough to keep the outside from coming in, but when Presley makes one risky decision too many, terrors take hold in this disturbing and unsettling revival of Philip Ridley’s The Pitchfork Disney. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/the-pitchfork-disney-kings-head-theatre-london/

11. Inter Alia – National Theatre, London

Acclaimed actor Rosamund Pike delivered a stunning portrayal as a judge caught in the middle of a personal and professional crisis in this hard-hitting play from the creative team behind Prima Facie. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/inter-alia-national-theatre-london/

10. Our Cosmic Dust – Park Theatre, London

What happens to us when we die? It is a common question that numerous stage plays have tackled, yet this stunningly theatrical production, Our Cosmic Dust, felt like a fresh and heartfelt piece that lasted long in the memory afterwards. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/06/11/our-cosmic-dust-park-theatre-london/

9. Fiddler on the Roof – Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

Rundown peasant Tevye faces a revolution outside and inside his home in this mesmerising revival of Fiddler on the Roof. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/11/16/fiddler-on-the-roof-marlowe-theatre-canterbury/

8. 4.48 Psychosis – Royal Court, London

Sarah Kane’s script, 25 years on, is not as violent or as shocking as it once was, perhaps impacted by a shift in attitude and content creation since 2000; nevertheless, it is a heartbreaking and gripping piece that still absorbs across its brief yet provocative runtime. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/07/21/4-48-psychosis-royal-court-london/

7. Boys from the Blackstuff – Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

It has been over 40 years since Alan Bleasdale’s hit TV series aired on BBC Two, focusing on the lives, trials and tribulations of working-class men and women in Liverpool, savaged by economic depression and mass unemployment, brought to the stage by master playwright James Graham. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/07/21/boys-from-the-blackstuff-marlowe-theatre-canterbury/

6. Stereophonic – Duke of York’s Theatre, London

Creating any art can evoke a sense of frustration and pressure, particularly if you are at the peak of your artistic powers. It is this intense pressure, and the eroding consequences it can have, that was so grippingly portrayed in Stereophonic. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/22/stereophonic-duke-of-yorks-theatre-london/

5. Good Luck, Oscar – Barbican, London

When you lose your place in the world, or it wants you to change who you have always been, where does that leave you? That is one of many thought-provoking questions triggered by Sean Hayes’ performance masterclass in the exceptional Good Luck, Oscar. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/22/good-luck-oscar-barbican-london/

4. The Producers – Garrick Theatre, London

A camp musical that questions the sexuality of, and openly champions, Adolf Hitler does not sound like the ingredients for a hit musical. Yet, it is exactly this which a scheming producer and a stardom-dreaming accountant bring to the stage in Patrick Marber’s blisteringly funny revival. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/23/the-producers-garrick-theatre-london/

3. The Lonely Londoners – Kiln Theatre, London

Roy Williams’ poignant and thought-provoking adaptation of Sam Selvon’s brutal novel ‘The Lonely Londoners’ depicts, stunningly, an unflinching snapshot of life for Caribbean immigrants in 1950s Britain. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/01/20/the-lonely-londoners-kiln-theatre-london/

2. Till The Stars Come Down – Theatre Royal Haymarket, London

Sylvia’s wedding to Marek should be the best day of her life, yet by the end of her big day her family is unlikely to ever be the same again in this fierce, funny and urgent play. https://readaboutstuff.com/2025/09/21/till-the-stars-come-down-theatre-royal-haymarket-london/

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Ambassadors Theatre, London

Where to start with this incredible musical? The adaptation of Fitzgerald’s short story set the action in a small Cornish fishing village. Packed with incredible sea shanty style songs, a tremendously talented cast and a gorgeous design, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lapped up awards at the Oliviers, and is a much missed part of the West End.

John Dagleish (Benjamin) and Clare Foster (Elowen) dazzled in their leading roles, crafting a gripping and heart-wrenching relationship that grew over time, both linear and reverse, injecting heart and emotion into this beautifully crafted story. This was comfortably the best musical of the year.

Go and listen to the soundtrack!