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    West End

    About 40 theaters · stalls = orchestra · dress circle = mezzanine

    About 40 theaters, 17 million attendances a year and shows that have left Broadway still running. What a US visitor needs to know to book London theater.

    Browse

    Abstract theater curtain illustration representing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
    Broadway

    Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

    Where to sit for Cursed Child at the Lyric Theatre, how long the one-part version runs, who it suits and how the tour works.

    New York, NY
    Abstract theater curtain illustration representing Les Misérables
    Show

    Les Misérables

    The Boublil and Schönberg musical about Jean Valjean and Javert: where it plays now, its Broadway history and how to choose seats.

    London, UK
    Abstract theater curtain illustration representing Moulin Rouge! The Musical
    Show

    Moulin Rouge! The Musical

    Where Moulin Rouge! The Musical plays after its 2026 Broadway closing, what the show is, who it suits, and how to choose seats.

    London and world tour
    Abstract theater curtain illustration representing Oh, Mary!
    Broadway

    Oh, Mary!

    Cole Escola's Tony-winning farce about Mary Todd Lincoln, a short, fast comedy at the 922-seat Lyceum Theatre with a rotating lead.

    New York, NY
    Abstract theater curtain illustration representing SIX
    Broadway

    SIX

    Where to sit for SIX, how short it runs, who it suits, when the Broadway run ends and how the North American tour works.

    New York, NY
    Abstract theater curtain illustration representing The Phantom of the Opera
    Show

    The Phantom of the Opera

    Where to see The Phantom of the Opera now that Broadway has closed: the North American tour, London, New York's Masquerade, and where to sit.

    North American tour
    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research

    London's Commercial Theater District

    The West End is London's equivalent of Broadway: about 40 large commercial theaters concentrated around Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden and the Strand in central London. For a US visitor its main draw is the overlap with Broadway and the gaps in it: some shows that have closed in New York still run here, and several Broadway hits started here.

    The scale is large. The Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the trade body for West End producers and theater owners, reported more than 17.1 million attendances in 2024 across about 18,500 performances, matching the 2023 record and roughly 5 million more than Broadway drew. London's top theater honor, the equivalent of the Tony Awards, is the Laurence Olivier Award.

    The Shows American Visitors Ask About

    • Les Misérables is the longest-running musical in West End history. It opened at the Barbican on October 8, 1985, moved to the Palace Theatre that December and has played the Sondheim Theatre (formerly the Queen's) since 2004, passing its 16,000th London performance on February 17, 2026. As of October 2026, tickets are on sale through October 2, 2027. It runs about 2 hours 50 minutes, including a 15-minute interval (the British term for intermission), and is recommended for ages 7 and up.
    • The Phantom of the Opera opened at His Majesty's Theatre in 1986 and is still there, now entering its 40th year in a revised staging that reopened on July 27, 2021. The Broadway production closed on April 16, 2023, so London is the place to see a sit-down production of this score; a North American tour is also running. The London show lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes with a 20-minute interval, and children under 4 are not admitted.
    • Moulin Rouge! The Musical has played the Piccadilly Theatre since it opened on January 20, 2022. With the Broadway run ended on August 30, 2026, London is one of the few places to see it, and the production releases one additional week of tickets each Monday, about five months ahead.
    • The Mousetrap, Agatha Christie's whodunit, has run continuously since 1952 and is the longest-running production in the world.

    Several Broadway titles also have London histories. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child premiered at London's Palace Theatre in July 2016 before Broadway; SIX began at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 and reached the West End in 2019; and Oh, Mary! opened at the Trafalgar Theatre in December 2025 and won the 2026 Olivier for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play.

    Seating Terms, Translated

    British theaters use different names for the same levels, and the difference trips up American buyers.

    • Stalls are the orchestra: the ground-level seats at or below the stage.
    • Dress circle (called the grand circle or royal circle in some houses) is the first raised level, the equivalent of a front mezzanine.
    • Upper circle is the next level up; in a three-tier house it may be called the grand circle or balcony, with the top tier sometimes known as the gods.
    • Boxes sit at the sides near the stage and trade sightlines for privacy.

    Level names vary by theater. At the Sondheim Theatre, for example, the levels are the Stalls, the Dress Circle and the Grand Circle. Always check the house's own seating plan.

    Many West End theaters date from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, so upper levels can be steep and some seats sit behind pillars. British listings commonly mark these as restricted view. Take the label seriously: in an older house a restricted-view upper circle seat can lose a significant part of the stage. The front rows of the dress circle are usually the best balance of view and value, and center stalls from the middle rows back clear the stage edge for most productions.

    How West End Tickets Work

    Prices are set and charged in pounds sterling, so a US card converts at the bank's rate on the day of purchase; check whether your card adds a foreign transaction fee. Long-running shows such as Les Misérables sell about a year ahead, while some productions release blocks in stages.

    • Same-day discounts. The Official London Theatre Ticket Booth in Leicester Square, run by SOLT, began in 1980 as the Half Price Ticket Booth and has been part of the TKTS network with New York since 2001. It reopened on June 18, 2025 after a refurbishment and sells discounted seats for the same day and up to a week ahead, with up to 50 percent off selected shows.
    • Kids Week. Despite the name, SOLT's family promotion now runs through the summer school holidays, typically July and August. One child aged 17 or under goes free with each adult paying full price, and more than 50 shows usually take part.
    • Resale. The secondary market is most useful for the busiest weekends and for shows with limited booking windows.

    Demand follows the tourist calendar. Summer, the Christmas season and school holidays fill up first, while weeknights in late winter usually have the widest choice.

    Planning a Show Into a London Trip

    • Mind the time change. London is usually five hours ahead of New York. A long musical on your arrival night is a test; a matinee later in the trip is easier.
    • Use the Tube. Most West End theaters are a short walk from Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden or Tottenham Court Road stations; for Les Misérables, the nearest Tube station is Piccadilly Circus and the nearest rail station is Charing Cross.
    • Check performance schedules. Days and curtain times vary by show and differ from Broadway's pattern, so confirm the specific performance before booking dinner.
    • Expect older buildings. Legroom in the upper levels of historic theaters is tight, and step-free access varies. Check access information directly with the theater if you need it.
    • Compare with Broadway. The same title can be a different production with different staging, so a show you have seen in New York may still be worth seeing again in London.

    SOLT publishes attendance figures on its data and research page, and the Les Misérables London FAQ is a good example of the venue and timing details to check before you go.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is the West End the same as Broadway?

    They are separate theater districts in London and New York. Many shows play both, but as separate productions with their own casts and sometimes different staging.

    What is the dress circle?

    The dress circle is the first raised level above the stalls in a British theater, roughly the equivalent of the front mezzanine on Broadway. Some theaters call it the grand circle or royal circle.

    Is The Phantom of the Opera still playing in London?

    Yes. As of fall 2026 it is at His Majesty's Theatre, where it opened in 1986, in a revised staging that reopened in July 2021. The Broadway production closed in April 2023.

    Can you get discount West End tickets?

    The Official London Theatre Ticket Booth in Leicester Square sells discounted tickets for the same day and up to a week ahead. In summer, SOLT's Kids Week lets one child aged 17 or under attend free with a full-price adult at participating shows.

    How long has Les Misérables been running in London?

    Since October 1985. It is the longest-running musical in West End history and plays the Sondheim Theatre, with tickets on sale into October 2027 as of fall 2026.

    Sources