This article includes a list of 25 shows that open in London in 2020 and not to be missed!
Obviously, many other shows are playing at the same time that you must also go and see!
Without further ado, here is the list of shows we can't wait to discover this year:
Pretty Woman
The musical adaptation of Gary Marshall's 1990 romantic comedy arrives in London after its New York production. Aimee Atkinson and Danny Mac play the two main roles. Pretty Woman, it is the story of the businessman who hires an escort but very quickly, their relationship grows.
The musical is by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance with a choreography by Jerry Mitchell.
The show will be at the Piccadilly Theater from February 14 to December 26, 2020
Tickets are already available here.
City of Angels
The musical offers us one of the most beautiful scores in the repertoire, composed by Cy Coleman. We find the songs "You're Nothing Without Me", "You Can Always Count on Me" and "Funny".
The novelist Stine adapts one of his books to film for the cinema and leaves to settle in Los Angeles. The story oscillates between the magnificent technicolor world of Hollywood and the glamorous film noir that Stine writes, inspired by his entourage.
This show is a revival of the 2014 production directed by Jsie Rourke. The particularity of this staging is that the scene is split in two between reality (in color) and the film noir that Stine writes (in black and white). We will find there Rosalie Craig, Rebecca Trehearn and Hadley Fraser.
City of Angels is my favorite musical, so I can tell you I can't wait!
The show will be on view at the Garrick Theater from March 5 to September 5, 2020.
The tickets are on sale here.
Sunday in the Park with George
The musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine moved to London after its triumph in the United States. It is based on Georges Seurat's painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” and follows the painting process of the painter, George and his muse Dot. Jake Gyllenhall and Annaleigh Ashford are reprising the lead roles for this transfer.
This musical contains one of the most beautiful scores in the repertoire with songs such as "Move On" and "Finishing the Hat".
To learn more about this musical, click here!
From June 11 to September 5, 2020 at the Savoy Theater.
The tickets are on sale here.
Sister Act
This is the event of the summer. Whoopi Goldberg takes over the role of Deloris Van Cartier, whom she played on screen in 1992. She will share the stage with Jennifer Saunders who will play the Mother Superior.
When Deloris surprises a murder in the casino in which she works, she must take refuge in a convent. She brings with her her musical tastes but she also discovers a big family and lifelong friendships.
To learn more about the musical, click here!
From July 29 to August 30, 2020 at the Eventim Apollo Theater.
The tickets are available at this link (even if they are not cheap)!
Be More Chill
Be More Chill is not a musical comedy like the others. Arpes having been mounted in 2015, the musical is experiencing a real craze on social networks. Thanks to this, the musical by Joe Iconis and Joe Traczle is resumed the following year Off-Broadway and then on Broadway for a limited season. Finally, the show arrives in London with a great cast: Millie O'Connell, Renée Lamb, Scott Folan and Blake Patrick Anderson.
To learn more about this musical, it's this way.
At the Other Palace from February 12 to May 3, 2020.
take your tickets here!
To Kill A Mockingbird
It's Rhys Ifans (Rocked, Notting Hill) who will play the role of Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. This play by Aaron Sorkin is an adaptation of the novel by Harper Lee who won the Pulitzer Prize. The play is directed by Bartlett Sher with sets by Miriam Buether. The rest of the distribution will be announced soon.
The show is a transfer from the Broadway production that opened in December 2018 at the Shubert Theater.
From May 21 to September 5, 2020 at the Gielgud Theater.
Tickets are available here.
Hairspray
We can admire Lizzie Bae in the role of Tracy Turnblad. Michael Ball will take on the role of Edna Turnbald (which won her an Olivier Award!) And Marisha Wallace will be Motormouth Maybelle.
The musical comedy is directed by Jack O'Brien with choreography by Jerry Mitchell.
We will find the songs that have become cult: "Good Morning Baltimore" "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "You Can't Stop the Beat".
To learn more about the musical, do not hesitate to click here.
From April 23 to July 19, 2020 at the London Coliseum.
Tickets are available at this link.
Life of Pi
The show is in London after its success at the Crucible Theater. It's Lolita Chakrabarti adapts Yann Martel's novel for the stage. The auditorium will be transformed to reproduce the staging of Max Webster.
Following a shipwreck, a 16-year-old young man finds himself alone on a boat in the middle of the Pacific with a tiger, a hyena, a zebra and an orangutan.
A tour in Great Britain as well as the transfer of the piece to Broadway are already planned!
From June 22 to October 4, 2020 at Wyndham's Theater.
You can already book your tickets here.
The Secret Garden
For two concerts, we can hear The Secret Garden in concert at the London Palladium. The evening promises to be incredible because we will be able to hear Lucy Simon's score. But we mostly find incredible singers like Lucy Jones, Karim Karimloo and Jac Yarrow.
The musical will be in concert for two performances on April 4, 2020 at the London Palladium.
Book your tickets quickly for this phenomenal concert, just click here.
Rags
The show was staged in 2019 at the Hope Mill Theater in Manchester and will now be at the Park Theater.
The musical has music by Joseph Stein (who also composed Fiddler on the Roof,) with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The story follows a group of Jewish immigrants who arrive in America to start a new life.
At the Park Theater from January 9 to February 8, 2020.
Tickets are always available here.
Carousel
The Rodgers & Hammerstein musical has marked the history of the musical in the subjects it addresses as well as its innovative approach. It will be directed by Tom Scutt and choreographed by Drew McOnie.
From July 31 to September 19, 2020 at the Regent's Park Open Air Theater.
The tickets are available here.
Hello, Dolly!
We were looking forward to it! Imelda Staunton will be Dolly and Jenna Russell will be Irene Molloy. The musical will be directed by Dominic Cooke.
Matchmaker Dolly travels to Yonkers to find a match with half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. But that all changes when she decides that the next match she has to make will be for her.
To learn more about the musical, click here!
The musical includes music by Jerry Herman, composer of The Cage Aux Folles, Mack & Mabel et Mame and who died on December 26, 2019
From August 11, 2020 to March 6, 2021 at the Adelphi Theater.
The tickets on sale here.
Endgame
Samuel Beckett's play written in 1957 will be playing at the Old Vic Theater for 2 months. We will find Daniel Radcliffe and Alan Cumming as well as Jane Horrocks and Karl Johnson.
Endgame shares the poster with another short play by the English playwright named Rough For Theater II. This macabre comedy will be played by the members of the company. All staged by Richard Jones.
From January 27 to March 28, 2020 at the Old Vic Theater.
Tickets are available by clicking here.
Prince of egypt
Stephen Schwartz, who composed among others Wicked, Pippin, Rags et Godspell again gives us a great musical. Here, the composer adapts the cartoon The Prince of Egypt in stage version.
The musical follows the life of Moses, from prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny of leading the children of Israel out of Egypt.
We find the songs "When You Believe" and "Deliver Us" from the cartoon as well as new songs written by Stephen Schwartz.
This show has a 5 star cast with Luke Brady in the lead role, Liam Tamne, Christine Allado and many other talented actors.
The show will be directed by Scott Schwartz, choreographed by Sean Cheesman and with sets by Kevin Depinet.
To learn more about the musical, it's this way.
February 5 to September 12, 2020 at the Dominion Theater
Tickets are already available, just click here.
Uncle Vanya
Connor McPherson signs this new adaptation of Chekhov's play.
In the heat of summer, Sonya and her uncle Vanya spend their days in a ruined estate in the countryside. When Sonya's father declares his intention to sell the house, the polished facades crumble and long, repressed feelings begin to emerge with devastating consequences.
We will find Toby Jones and Richard Armitage in a staging by Ian Rickson.
From January 14 to May 2, 2020 at the Harold Pinter Theater.
The tickets are available at this link.
Evita
In 2019, we had the chance to admire this new production ofEvita at the Regent's Park Open Air Theater. Production returns this summer to the Barbican Center. We will find the staging of Jamie Lloyd and the choreography of Fabian Aloise.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical features the songs 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina', 'Another Suitcase in Another Hall' and 'You Must Love Me'. Evita won 7 Tony Awards for her original 1980 production.
From June 27 to August 22, 2020 at the Barbican Center.
The tickets are on sale here.
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
It was the show event of the summer of 2019. And it returns for a second season. The show introduced Jac Yarrow in the role of Joseph, a role he will take over in 2020. Jason Donovan will also take over the role of Pharaoh.
The musical follows the story of Joseph and his rise as the Pharaoh's right hand with the songs "Close Every Door" and "Any Dream Will Do". We have done criticism of this show here.
A very good show to see with the family.
From July 2 to September 6, 2020 at the London Palladium.
To get tickets, it's here!
Singin' in the Rain
The production of Singin' in the Rain, staged by Jonathan Church, is revived for an English and Japanese tour. She will stop at Sadler's Wells in London for 1 month.
The musical is a stage adaptation of the 1952 Metro-Goldwyn Mayer film which starred Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor. Here, it is Adam Cooper who will reprise the role of Don Lockwood.
Andrew Wright signs the choreography of the show and Simon Higlett the sets (which also contains more than 14.000 liters of water on stage at each performance).
In this show we find the classic songs "Good Morning", "Make 'em Laugh", "Moses Supposes" and of course "Singin' in the Rain".
July 24 to August 30, 2020 at Saddler's Wells Theater
The tickets are available here.
Leopoldstadt
Tom Stoppard's new play is heralded as "Cultural Event of the Year" (by The Telegraph).
The plot takes place in Vienna in 1900 where one tenth of the population is Jewish. Many Jewish immigrants found refuge in the Leopoldstadt district.
A passionate drama about love, family and endurance. The play is directed by Patrick Marber.
From January 25 to June 13, 2020 at Wyndham's Theater.
Tickets are still on sale here.
The Seagull
For all fans of Game of Thrones, Nina's interpreter will sound familiar to you. It is none other than Emilia Clarke who will play the main role of Chekhov's play.
It is Anya Reiss who signs this new adaptation of Chekho's masterpiece. Jamie Lloyd stars the English actress and her Jamie Lloyd Company in her season at the Playhouse Theater.
From March 11 to 30 2020 at the Playhouse Theater.
To buy tickets, it's this way!
The Glass Menagerie
The production of the Théâtre de l'Odéon will be showing at the Barbian Center from June 5 to 11, 2020 after its Parisian premiere. The play by Tenessee Williams is directed by Ivo Van Hove and features Isabelle Huppert as Amanda. Amanda is Laura and Tom's mother. Amanda still represents herself as a great lady from the south. Tom takes care of his family and rushes to the movies whenever he gets the chance. Laura spends hours with her spun glass animals… Three solitudes, three fragilities, three ways of dreaming of a different life.
At the Barbican Center from June 5 to 11.
The tickets are available here.
Local Hero
Local Hero is the musical adaptation of the film of the same name by Bill Forsyth. John Crowley directs the musical adaptation made by David Greig. It is Mark Knopfler, the guitarist of Dire Straits who signs the original score, with folk and rock sounds.
It is the story of a representative of an American oil company who is sent to the fictional village of Furness on the west coast of Scotland to buy the town and surrounding properties for his business. But putting a price on the village is harder than it looks.
From June 18 to August 22, 2020 at the Old Vic.
The tickets are available here.
The Wedding Singer
The musical by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin is an adaptation of the film of the same name which included Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. We follow Robbie, singer for weddings and his failed relationship with his ex-fiancée and his romance with his new girlfriend Julia.
For this production, Kevin Clifton (who won the series Strictly Come Dancing in 2018), will be Robbie. He is joined by Rihannon Chesterman (Julia) and Erin Bell (Linda).
The plot takes place in 1985 and recalls rock '&' roll music. We find the songs "Someday" and "Right in Front of Your Eyes".
From January 30 to March 1, 2020 at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theater.
Tickets are available by clicking here.
4000 Miles
Hollywood's newest darling, Timothée Chalamet, will make his London stage debut in the play 4000 Miles. The play tells the story of a 21-year-old American who goes around the United States by bicycle. After weeks of silence, he finds himself at his grandmother's door in Manhattan.
Amy Herzog's play, which won the Pulitzer Prize For Drama, will be directed by Matthew Warchus and performed by Timothée Chalamet and Eileen Atkins.
From April 6 to May 23, 2020.
Unfortunately there are no more tickets left but you can hope to find it here.
101 Dalmatians
The new musical is based on the novel by Dodie Smith, which was adapted into a cartoon by Walt Dinsey studios in 1961. The musical is written by Zinnie Harris and Douglas Hodge.
Timothy Sheader signs the staging, which will be completed by puppets created by Toby Olié.
At Regent's Park Open Air, from May 16 to June 21, 2020.
To buy tickets, it's here.
I wish you a happy 2020n year filled with beautiful theatrical moments!