If January in the West End is about survival, February 2026 is about reinvention. This month, London’s stages are trading traditional revivals for high-stakes experimentation: from Cynthia Erivo assuming all 23 roles in a gothic reimagining of Dracula to Hugh Bonneville revisiting the fragile grief of C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands.

If you missed any shows in January, check out our reviews.

What should you see this February? Let’s take a look..

1. Safe Haven – Arcola Theatre (14 Jan – 7 Feb)

In the aftermath of the First Gulf War, as Saddam Hussein’s forces brutally crush the Kurdish uprising in northern Iraq, two million Kurds escape into the freezing mountains. The world watches on in horror as images of death and starvation reach television screens. Based on historic events, this sweeping new play reveals how moral conviction and diplomatic resolve sparked Operation Safe Haven – the unprecedented mission that prevented a genocide. Read our review.

Tickets: https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/safe-haven/

2. Beautiful Little Fool – Southwark Playhouse Borough (15 Jan – 28 Feb)

Told through the eyes of their adult daughter, Scottie, Beautiful Little Fool tells the story of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald: brilliant, tempestuous and infamous. Read our review.

Tickets: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/beautiful-little-fool/

3. Cable Street – Marlyebone Theatre (16 Jan – 28 Feb)

This exciting production takes us back to October 1936, in the heart of London’s East End. Sammy, Mairead and Ron are carving out their own futures on Cable Street when Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists start to march on East London. As the people raise their voices and take a united stand against hatred, the lives of the streets’ residents are changed forever.

Tickets: https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/productions/cable-street

4. Guess How Much I Love You? – Royal Court (26 Jan – 21 Feb)

A story about starting a family, impossible choices, and enduring love.

Tickets: https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/guess-how-much-i-love-you

5. American Psycho – Almedia Theatre (22 Jan – 14 Mar)

Patrick Bateman has it all – looks, money, style and status. Engaged to the beautiful Evelyn Williams, he is about to win the prestigious Fischer account for his investment bank and celebrate by dining at Dorsia. But there’s another side to his life that Patrick keeps secret. And people – including those closest to him – keep disappearing… A revival of the musical, directed by Rupert Goold as he prepares to depart as Almeida Artistic Director.

Tickets: https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/american-psycho-2026

6. Mrs President – Charing Cross Theatre (23 Jan – 8 Mar)

You wait for one play about Mary Lincoln, and then two come along at once. Mary Lincoln is a woman under siege — with her grief, her detractors, and herself. In the shadow of her late husband, President Abraham Lincoln, she battles a world eager to define her and a conscience that will not rest. Stars Keala Settle.

Tickets: https://charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/theatre/mrs-president-2026

7. Ballad Lines – Southwark Playhouse Elephant (23 Jan – 21 Mar)

Ballad Lines is a heart-opening musical about the stories we inherit — and the choices each generation makes to break, reshape, or carry them forward.

Tickets: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/ballad-lines

8. Arcadia – Old Vic (24 Jan – 21 Mar)

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 under reason. In the present day, scholars chase the ghosts of that same household — seeking truth, proof and perhaps each other.

Tickets: https://www.oldvictheatre.com/stage/arcadia/

9. Maggots – Bush Theatre (27 Jan – 28 Feb)

As the stench in their building intensifies and infestations spread, a lonely group of tenants starts to ask questions. But when the housing association barely lifts a finger in support and pest control “don’t deal with maggots”, the neighbours are left to grapple with their suspicions and fears alone – blurring the boundaries of their usually private lives in the process.

Tickets: https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/maggots/

10. The Tempest – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (27 Jan – 12 Apr)

This winter, award-winning theatre maker Tim Crouch brings his unique, theatrical approach to Shakespeare’s The Tempest in the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Tickets: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-tempest/

11. The Rat Trap – Park Theatre (28 Jan – 14 Mar)

Noël Coward’s first play is given a stylish period revival for its centenary year. 

Tickets: https://parktheatre.co.uk/events/the-rat-trap/

12. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry – Theatre Royal Haymarket (29 Jan – 18 Apr)

Harold Fry was never meant to be a hero. An ordinary man in an ordinary life until a letter from a long-lost friend sends him out the front door… and he keeps on walking. 

Tickets: https://trh.co.uk/whatson/harold-fry/

13. Lost Atoms – Lyric Hammersmith (29 Jan – 28 Feb)

Jess and Robbie. A chance meeting, some disastrous dates, an extraordinary transformative love. It’s the stuff of fairy tales. Or is it? From physical theatre pioneers Frantic Assembly.

Tickets: https://lyric.co.uk/shows/lost-atoms/

14. The Virgins – Soho Theatre (30 Jan – 7 Mar)

Friday night. Four girls. Two boys. Alone in a house. Some of them are in love. Most of them are virgins. Everyone’s pretending they know what they’re doing. Tonight’s the night they stop pretending. 

Tickets: https://sohotheatre.com/events/the-virgins/

15. Man and Boy – National Theatre (30 Jan – 14 Mar)

Jazz, Broadway and the Great Depression. In 1930s New York City, international financier Gregor Antonescu’s luck has finally run out. As news of a catastrophic business deal ripples across the world, he flees to the apartment of his estranged son Basil.

Tickets: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/man-and-boy/

16. I’m Sorry Prime Minister – Apollo Theatre (30 Jan – 9 May)

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.

Tickets: https://theapollotheatre.co.uk/tickets/im-sorry-prime-minister/

17. Dance of Death – Orange Tree Theatre (31 Jan – 7 Mar)

August Strindberg’s masterpiece Dance of Death is a darkly comic portrait of psychological warfare – a toxic love story that continues to thrill audiences today.

Tickets: https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/dance-of-death/

18. Here There Are Blueberries – Stratford East (31 Jan – 28 Feb)

In 2007, a mysterious album featuring Nazi-era photographs arrived at the desk of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist. As curators unravelled the shocking truth behind the images, the album soon made headlines and ignited a debate that reverberated far beyond the museum walls. Based on real events, the play tells the story of these historical photographs—what they reveal about the perpetrators of the Holocaust, and our own humanity.

Tickets: https://www.stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all-shows/here-there-are-blueberries

19. Monstering the Rocketman – Arcola Theatre (3 Feb – 21 Feb)

When The Sun falsely accuses Elton John, 39, of “sordid rent boy sex sessions”, the Rocketman blasts it with a whopping multi-million-pound lawsuit… But for unrepentant editor Kelvin Mackenzie, 40, “Sorry” seems to be the hardest word. He launches a staggering year-long campaign of media harassment, which could break the Rocker. In the end: is Elton still standing? Or does the Sun go down on him?

Tickets: https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/monstering-the-rocketman/

20. Miles. – Southwark Playhouse Borough (4 Feb – 7 Mar)

MILES. is a bold theatrical work inspired by the life and legacy of Miles Davis and his musical influences. Offering an imagined portrait, the play explores the inner world of an artist driven by innovation, ambition, and contradiction. Set within a recording studio space in New York, Jay Phelps plays Jay, a contemporary jazz musician seeking answers as he interrogates what it takes to create something truly great. As past and present collide, Davis challenges Jay to confront his own identity as an artist while revisiting moments from his own complex history.

Tickets: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/miles/

21. Shadowlands – Aldwych Theatre (5 Feb – 9 May)

Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington, Twenty Twelve) stars as C.S. Lewis alongside acclaimed actor Maggie Siff (Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, Billions) as the spirited American poet Joy Davidman whose unexpected love transforms the orderly academic life of C.S Lewis – the celebrated author of The Chronicles of Narnia. What begins as a meeting of minds becomes an uplifting and powerful journey of love and the fragile beauty of life.

Tickets: https://www.shadowlandsplay.com/

22. Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula – The Other Palace (6 Feb – 5 Apr)

Unfortunate dives into the story of everyone’s favourite Disney diva, as she spills the tea on what really goes on under the sea in this tale of sex, sorcery and suckers.

Tickets: https://theotherpalace.co.uk/unfortunate/

23. The Shitheads – Royal Court (6 Feb – 14 Mar)

The Royal Court’s blockbuster 70th anniversary season continues. Tens of thousands of years ago, Britain’s earliest inhabitants learn that love and violence feed the same fire. When strangers arrive at a secluded cave, domestic harmony shatters – and survival turns savage. 

Tickets: https://royalcourttheatre.com/events/the-shitheads/

24. Dracula – Noël Coward Theatre (7 Feb – 30 May)

Acclaimed star of Harriet, Genius: Aretha, and The Colour Purple and Wicked, Cynthia Erivo swaps Oz for Transylvania transforming into all 23 roles in Tony Award-nominated adaptor and director Kip Williams’ intoxicating, blood-pumping reimagining of the immortal gothic horror.

Tickets: https://draculawestend.com/ticket-information

25. Deep Azure – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (7 Feb – 11 Apr)

When her fiancé, Deep, is killed by the police, Azure’s world spirals out of control. Powered by the spiritual imprint Deep has left on them all, Azure and Deep’s friends – Roshad and Tone – do their best to find peace in the wake of the tragedy. However, the Heavenly MCs of Street Knowledge have other plans for them. Chadwick Boseman’s play is inspired by the true events of university student Prince Jones, influenced by the poetry of Shakespeare and powered by the pulse of Hip-Hop theatre.

Tickets: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/deep-azure/

26. Sweetmeats – Bush Theatre (7 Feb – 21 Mar)

Hema hasn’t indulged in sweet treats for years. She wants to be healthier and hopes the type 2 diabetes course she’s been attending will help. Everything seems on track. Then Liaquat shows up. An intimate love story between two South Asian elders, this charming world premiere will pull at your heartstrings. 

Tickets: https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/sweetmeats/

27. Teeth ‘N’ Smiles

Before the New York Dolls. Before Debbie Harry. Before Kurt Cobain. There was Maggie Frisby. Once the roaring voice of 60s counterculture, now broke and disillusioned, a band’s youthful dreams of anarchic rebellion collapse into bitterness. Amidst the wreckage, lead singer Maggie tears through the night fuelled by booze, fury, and a voice that refuses to die. 50 years after David Hare’s trailblazing play set the Royal Court alight, Teeth ’n‘ Smiles is ready to burn things down all over again. The ship is sinking but the music remains the same. A play with original music starring Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem) as Maggie.

Tickets: https://teethnsmilesplay.com/

28. 1.17am, or until the words run out – Finborough Theatre (10 Feb – 7 Mar)

How well do you know the people you love? Katie and Roni were best friends, until they weren’t. Now Katie’s brother is dead, and the two girls unexpectedly find themselves together again – in his bedroom. Tonight they’re going to tell each other the truth. Because the truth will set you free – won’t it?

Tickets: https://www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/117am-or-until-the-words-run-out

29. After Miss Julie – Park Theatre (11 Feb – 28 Feb)

Strindberg’s darkest romantic tale reimagined by Patrick Marber. On the eve of Labour’s historic 1945 election win, Julie, daughter of a powerful MP, and her father’s chauffeur, John, spark a forbidden flirtation that quickly turns into a tense, deadly struggle for power, desire, and survival.

Tickets: https://parktheatre.co.uk/events/after-miss-julie/

30. Bird Grove – Hampstead Theatre (13 Feb – 21 Mar)

Alexi Kaye Campbell’s witty and topical new play questions how we can live alongside those we disagree with, and places centre stage the untold story of one of England’s greatest writers, George Eliot, in a poignant exploration of family ties and self-determination. Elizabeth Dulau (Star Wars: Andor) and Owen Teale (Game of Thrones) star as Mary Ann and Robert Evans. 

Tickets: https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2026/bird-grove/

31. Evening All Afternoon – Donmar Warehouse (14 Feb – 11 Apr)

Jennifer is about to become Delilah’s stepmother. She wants so badly to connect, but they couldn’t be further apart. In a world that’s shifting under their feet, both women have to summon the quiet courage it takes to open their hearts again. Starring Anastasia Hille and Erin Kellyman.

Tickets: https://www.donmarwarehouse.com/events/evening-all-afternoon/

32. Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage on Wheels (18 Feb – 21 Feb)

Mrs Armitage is a brilliant and eccentric inventor whose wild and wonderful creations are always remarkably useful. When she and her faithful dog Breakspear set off on a quiet bike ride to visit cousin Angela, she can’t stop thinking of ways to improve her bike. But after adding horns, snack trays, umbrellas, a dog bed and even a sail, will she ever get there? Featuring puppetry and live music, this brand-new musical adaptation of the award-winning BBC animated series Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures, celebrates the power of imagination and the importance of community.

Tickets: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/quentin-blakes-mrs-armitage-on-wheels/

33. Blink – King’s Head Theatre (19 Feb – 22 Mar)

A quirky, maybe even unnerving, digital rom-com. Sophie has just lost a parent. So has Jonah. Sophie has just inherited quite a lot of money. So has Jonah. After a series of uncanny coincidences, the pair find themselves living on top of one another, in two small flats in Leytonstone. Then on a whim, Sophie mails Jonah a baby monitor connected to her flat. And he starts to watch her. Reading. Playing video games. Eating. Watching TV. Without ever coming face to face, something almost like love starts to bloom between them.

Tickets: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/blink-df19

34. Broken Glass – Young Vic (20 Feb – 18 Apr)

Brooklyn, New York, 1938. Sylvia Gellburg reads about the violent attacks against Jewish communities carried out an ocean away in Germany. Most people look away, believing it will pass. Not Sylvia. Her obsession grows and soon she loses her ability to walk — a paralysis her husband, Phillip, believes is all in her head. Sylvia forms an undeniable bond with Dr Hyman and soon the cracks in her marriage become impossible to ignore. In the face of silence, Sylvia rises in defiance. Jordan Fein (Fiddler on the Roof) brings this Olivier Award-winning Arthur Miller play to the Young Vic.

Tickets: https://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/broken-glass

35. Midnight – Sadler’s Wells East (20 Feb – 8 Mar)

Set in America’s South during the nineteenth century, this bold new musical is a sweeping story of love, conflict, and the search for understanding. Sung-through in the tradition of Hamilton, Les Misérables, and Rent, the score is a vibrant mix of gospel, rhythm and blues, classical, pop, rock, opera, folk, and classic musical theatre. Midnight, a New Original Musical by Todrick Hall.

Tickets: https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/midnight-by-todrick-hall/

36. YLLANA The Opera Locos – Peacock Theatre (24 Feb – 28 Feb)

The greatest hits of opera in one night. This is a show for everybody – from opera buffs to those who don’t know their Aida’s from their arias. World class singers combine physical comedy, opera classics and pop hits, from Whitney Houston to Mika and Sinatra to Elton John.

Tickets: https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/yllana-the-opera-locos-2025/

37. Ukraine Unbroken – Arcola Theatre (26 Feb – 28 Mar)

Ukraine Unbroken charts twelve turbulent years of modern Ukrainian history, from the Maidan protests of 2014 to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 and beyond. Across five gripping plays by some of today’s most acclaimed British and Ukrainian writers, including David Edgar, David Greig and Natalka Vorozhbit, exploring the resilience of a nation determined to remain free.

Tickets: https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/ukraine-unbroken/

38. The Holy Rosenbergs – Menier Chocolate Factory (27 Feb – 2 May)

Directed by Lindsay Posner and starring Tracy-Ann Oberman. The Rosenbergs of Edgware are a family in crisis. David is desperately trying to save a failing catering business; Lesley is trying to save a failing husband, and their daughter Ruth is facing public vilification for investigating war crimes in Gaza for the UN. Will any of them succeed?

Tickets: https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/tickets/the-holy-rosenbergs/

39. Marie and Rosetta – @sohoPlace (28 Feb – 11 Apr)

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the roof-raising ‘godmother of rock ‘n’ roll’, influenced countless musicians from Elvis to Johnny Cash. This sparkling, intimate portrait of Rosetta and her beloved singing partner, Marie Knight, restores these forgotten musical heroines to the spotlight as one of the most remarkable and revolutionary duos in music history. Starring Beverley Knight (Memphis, The Drifters Girl, Sylvia, Sister Act) as Rosetta Tharpe and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight.

Tickets: https://sohoplace.org/shows/marie-and-rosetta/

What about after February? Check out our 2026 Guide to London’s Theatre and Beyond.