TRADGE'S TOP PICKS: Winter 2025/26

The bitter cold has begun to sting and nip at our noses, and there's arguably no better way to warm ourselves up that to spend the winter season enjoying some terrific theatre. Here are my picks for shows opening over the coming months that have presented plenty of cause for intrigue.

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LONDON

Into The Woods (Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine)

Bridge Theatre: opening 02/12

Tickets: book here

"Why would you go into the woods?

To sell the cow, To visit mother, To see the king, To lift the spell. In Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s dazzling musical, the Baker, the Baker’s Wife, the Witch, Jack, Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella and Rapunzel take us beyond happy ever after to discover what really matters." - Bridge Theatre

Runtime: not yet specified

Content warnings: mature themes, simulated violence (including self-mutilation and death), loud noises incl. bangs

Production warnings: smoke, haze, strobe

Age guidance: 12+

Accessibility information: click here

Oh, Mary! (Cole Escola)

Trafalgar Theatre: opening 03/12

Tickets: book here

"Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this 80-minute one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln, through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola). Declared “one of the best comedies in years” by The New York Times, Oh, Mary! received Tony Awards for Best Leading Actor in a Play (Cole Escola) and Best Direction of a Play (Sam Pinkleton)." - ATG tickets

Runtime: 1 hour, 20 minutes (no interval)

Content warnings: strong language, drinking/alcoholism, and references to violence

Production warnings: smoke, haze, gunshot, flashing lights

Age guidance: 14+

Accessibility information: click here

A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (Mischief Theatre)

Apollo Theatre: opening 06/12

Tickets: book here

"The Cornley Amateur Drama Society are back with tidings of chaos and joy, ready to tackle the Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol. A new production of CHRISTMAS CAROL GOES WRONG will be smashing into the West End for 7 weeks only from 6 December. Do not miss another Christmas catastrophe from Mischief, the multi award-winning company behind The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery." - Nimax Theatres

Runtime: 2 hours, 20 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: mild language, violence, alcohol use, partial nudity, loud bangs

Production warnings: smoke, haze, pyrotechnics

Age guidance: 8+

Accessibility information: click here

American Psycho (Duncan Sheif/Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa)

Almeida Theatre: opening 22/01

More info: click here

"There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory. 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…" - Almeida Theatre

Runtime: 2 hours, 45 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: Depictions of violence, including towards women; alcohol and drug use; homophobic, ableist and strong language; sexual content; references to suicide.

Age guidance: 15+

Accessibility information: click here

Ballad Lines (Finn Anderson/Tania Azevedo)

Southwark Playhouse Elephant: opening 23/01

Tickets: book here

"Spanning continents and generations, Ballad Lines follows three women bound together by blood, song, and choice. In 17th-century Scotland, Cait, a minister’s wife, wrestles with the constraints of her role. In 18th-century Ireland, Jean, a spirited teenager, faces an uncertain future. In 21st-century New York, Sarah is caught between the life she’s built and the pull of the past." - Southwark Playhouse

Runtime: 2 hours, 20 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: references to miscarriage, abortion, maternal mortality, and sexual abuse

Age guidance: 14+

Accessibility information: click here

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Passenger/Rachel Joyce)

Theatre Royal Haymarket: opening 29/01

Tickets: book here

"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. From Devon’s quiet lanes to the windswept streets of Berwick-upon-Tweed, his journey becomes a pilgrimage of love, redemption, and second chances." - Theatre Royal Haymarket

Runtime: 2 hours, 30 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: strong language, adult themes

Age guidance: 12+

Accessibility information: click here

TOURING/REGIONAL

Singin' in the Rain (Brown/Comden/Freed/Green)

Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester: currently playing until 25/01

Tickets: book here

"A timeless masterpiece, and perhaps one of the greatest musicals ever made, this charismatic, tap-dancing extravaganza tells the story of the highs and lows of Hollywood through the eyes of the infamous Don Lockwood, Lina Lamont, Cosmo Brown and Kathy Selden as a radical move is made from silent movies to the ‘talkies’." - Royal Exchange Theatre

Runtime: 2 hours, 45 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: Contains flashing lights, haze, an electronic cigar and cigarette, and the risk of getting splashed!

Age guidance: 8+

Accessibility information: click here

The BFG (Tom Wells)

RSC Theatre, Stratford: currently playing until 07/02

Tickets: book here

"Gather your chiddlers to see Roald Dahl’s powerful and darkly funny story, packed full of frobscottle and whizzpoppers. Tom Wells’ magical new adaptation is directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director Daniel Evans, whose previous productions include Quiz, South Pacific and Our Generation." - Royal Shakespeare Company

Runtime: 1 hour, 50 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: full list on RSC website

Age guidance: 8+

Accessibility information: click here

Prima Facie (Suzie Miller)

UK tour starting at Richmond Theatre: 23/01

More info: click here

"Directed by Justin Martin (Stranger Things: The First Shadow), Comer plays Tessa, a young, brilliant barrister who has worked her way up from working class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross examining and winning. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge in this “unforgettable moment of theatre” - Prima Facie website

Runtime: 1 hour, 40 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: click here for full trigger warning list, including victim support

Age guidance: 12+

Mean Girls (Benjamin/Fey/Richmond)

UK tour starting at Manchester Opera House: 23/02

More info/tickets: click here

"Meet The Plastics – Regina, Gretchen and Karen. They rule North Shore High and will burn anyone who gets in their way. Home-schooled Cady Heron may think she knows a thing or two about survival of the fittest thanks to her zoologist parents, but high school is a whole new level of savage. When Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung." - ATG Tickets

Runtime: 2 hours, 30 minutes (incl. interval)

Content warnings: adult themes, strong language

Age guidance: 10+

One Day (David Grieg/Abner & Amanda Ramirez)

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh: 27/02 - 05/04

Tickets: book here

"Emma walks into Dexter's life on the night of their graduation. One unsuspecting day that changes them both forever. But where will they be on this day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows? As Em and Dex's lives intertwine through joy and heartbreak, missed opportunities and second chances, they navigate love, ambition, and the unpredictable twists of life. The story which has touched millions as one of the most popular British novels this century is brought to the stage like never before..." - Royal Lyceum Theatre

Runtime: not yet specified

Content warnings: drug and alcohol misuse, strong language

Age guidance: 12+

Accessibility information: click here