If you're visiting London you may want to take the chance to see a show in the famous West End. There are so many different productions to choose from that it may be difficult to decide what to spend your hard-earned money on.
If you're American especially, you may recognize a lot of these names, although there's always a unique way that the UK puts on these productions. However, other shows are uniquely British or have found their home in the West End for many years. Here are 10 shows to watch if you're visiting London.
10 LES MISERABLES
Les Miserables based on one of the many failed French revolutions has been in London for a long time. While the show is closing for a little while as it visits other UK cities, its primary home will always be in the capital.
It's re-opening in December in the Sondheim theatre and it's actually marked as the cities longest-running musical of all time, after being part of the West End for over 30 years.
Anyone who gets the chance to see the intelligent set design with a moving stage and fantastic performances is definitely lucky.
9 MATILDA
Tim Minchin's Matilda, based on the famous book by British author Roald Dahl, has taken the West End by storm. It was a slow burner for some time but has now become one of the most popular musicals in the country, with its child actors capturing the imagination of their audience.
The set is absolutely stunning and the songs are so catchy that they have a life of their own beyond just the musical they feature in. The Cambridge Theatre hosts the show and it's an easy first West End production to jump into, especially if you don't know the story going into it.
8 ALADDIN
Disney has had a few different productions in the West End. In the past, they've featured classics like Mary Poppins. However, this entry on our list is the story about a boy, a princess, a magic carpet, a lamp, and a genie.
Aladdin has been running in the West End for a few years now and it feels like a very American version of the production. While many other shows have a British twist, the actors even use US actions, perhaps to match the films better. The special effects are breathtaking and the genie is by far the stand out of the show.
7 THE LION KING
Another Disney classic is The Lion King. There's a lot of history behind this production and a huge amount of artistry has gone into it. The story is based upon the puppets that the performers use to represent the animals and it's incredible to watch the story unfold.
The songs are timeless, as they always have been, but there's a raw energy and emotion to the performance that you might not get in other shows. While it's pricier than some of the other options on this list, if you haven't seen The Lion King in another theatre around the world then it's a perfect time to see a West End production.
6 THE CURSED CHILD
The Harry Potter series is now entrenched in British culture and London was very fortunate to have the first production in the world of The Cursed Child. Based on the script produced by J.K. Rowling herself, the play tells the story of the children of the three main Harry Potter characters.
The Cursed Child is currently housed in the Palace Theatre which is a breathtaking building with a lot of history present in its walls. The magical building is the perfect location for this fantastic show; a show which features no limits in terms of the set decoration and sorcery performed on stage.
5 THE PLAY THAT WENT WRONG
There are a couple of different versions of the Play That Went Wrong, all created by the same production company. There is currently also a version based on a bank heist that goes wrong. Despite the differences, it's worth seeing an iteration of this show.
The performances are pure British slapstick and verbal comedy at its finest. The productions reflect back to things like Monty Python and Blackadder and are usually a very meta show about some kind of play or in another case, a heist, that goes horribly wrong with chaos ensuing.
4 WICKED
The Wizard Of Oz is a classic part of film history and the novel is an all time favorite of so many. The spin-off production of Wicked continues to explore this world that has been created but does so in such a unique and imaginative way.
This show is a prequel of sorts, showing the life of the Wicked Witch of the West before her time in The Wizard of Oz. It answers a lot of questions fans might have about the character and the music is some of the best in all of the West End. The performances are also standouts in the area every single night and it's housed in the incredible Apollo Victoria Theatre.
3 SCHOOL OF ROCK
The School of Rock is a relatively new production in the West End. In the Gillian Lynne Theatre, the musical based on the Jack Back film has quickly started picking up a lot of fans. What was once expected to be a short term run has actually become a West End favorite.
What's surprising about the show is how far they have managed to push the music. With a number of original songs and a performance that replicates the work of Jack Black in some way, there's a uniqueness to this show that you won't get in other productions.
2 THE BOOK OF MORMON
This religious musical took everyone by surprise when it first released but has since carved out a niche place for itself on London's West End. The musical has found its home in the Prince of Wales Theatre and has now been there for some time.
While you can see this show in other locations in the world, the London performance is said to be especially good. The story is quirky and intriguing and the actors are absolutely incredible. It goes to show that you can see anything in the West End.
1 HAMILTON
The incredibly popular musical created by Lin Manuel Miranda has made its way to the UK and now lives in the Victoria Palace theatre. As one of the more expensive shows and difficult to obtain tickets for musicals on this list, if you're from Europe it's likely that you will want to see this as it's not a show that's widely available.
The story follows an incredibly important figure in American history, Alexander Hamilton. While it seems ironic that a production of the show would be in Britain, the interpretation of it is certainly interesting. The show is incredibly high in quality and one of the best in the West End today.