I have seen over 120 shows so far in 2026. While we are not at the end of the year just yet, August, with its focus on Fringe festivals, feels an apt time to pause and reflect on what I have seen so far.
This week, I am presenting my Top 50 of the year so far! These are the shows that have either stuck with me or have been memorable productions.*
*It does not necessarily correlate to review rating!
30. Copenhagen
Richard Schiff, Damien Molony and Alex Kingston thrived in this pertinent revival that made 1940s atomic physics feel hauntingly modern and urgent. Check out my review here.
29. Mother Courage and Her Children
A nuclear apocalyptic dystopia framed Bertolt Brecht’s anti-war classic. Anna Jordan’s new translation and Michelle Terry’s gripping portrayal tracked the brutal intersections of survival, motherhood, and wartime capitalism. Check out my review here.
28. Archduke
Rajiv Joseph’s timely dark comedy unpacked the absurd, hungry history, and the manipulating masculinity, behind the 1914 assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Check out my review here.
27. The Guilty
Russell Tovey delivered a volcanic solo performance in Chloë Moss’s breathtaking stage adaptation of The Guilty. The sound design, fully immersing you in the call handler’s room, made for an unsettling and edgy atmosphere. Check out my review here.
26. Hot Mess
Earth and Humanity are personified as an increasingly toxic couple in a fiercely funny climate crisis musical. Danielle Steers and Morgan Gregory starred in a brilliant, high energy five star satire about environmental destruction. Check out my review here.
25. John Proctor is the Villain
Kimberly Belflower’s Broadway #MeToo hit landed with full force in a quiet American classroom, resulting in a modern classic emerging through this empowering, exhilarating, devastating and must-see work that is also coming back to London soon. Check out my review here.
24. Hit Machine
Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin were captivating as two volatile siblings in Jonathan Caren’s blisteringly heated play which combined the stifling setting of warring siblings with the freedoms and imagination of creativity. Check out my review here.
23. Death Note The Musical
There is nothing quite like the visually spectacular new musical which is an authentic take on its manga roots. A lavish, technically impressive production at the Barbican. Check out my review here.
22. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bubble guns, musical numbers, and audience auditions transformed Shakespeare’s forest into a riotous summer celebration. A physical, participatory take on the classic comedy of magic and mismatched lovers. Check out my review here.
21. Pride
The hit 2014 film transformed into a roaring, five-star stage triumph at the National Theatre. Stephen Beresford and Matthew Warchus combined for a masterclass in queer and working-class solidarity. Check out my review here.
