Top London Shows - October 2015
by Kate Goldstone on Monday 5 October 2015, 9:47 am in Top London Shows
We're on the fringes of autumn and the nights are closing in. The festive season is glowing on the horizon, and the West End is on fire with bright lights, ready to welcome you for another month of fabulous theatrical entertainment. It's that time of the month again and we've totted up the numbers for you. Here's this month's top twelve most popular London stage shows, based on our ticket sales for September 2015. See one or see them all, you'll treasure the memories forever.
1. The Winter's Tale
Love the Bard? Will Shakespeare is up to his old tricks again, due to set the stage on fire with the latest version of The Winter's Tale, one of his most popular plays. The show opens its doors in mid-October and stars an exceptional cast including the living national institution Dame Judi Dench and the wonderful Kenneth Branagh himself. It's part of the Kenneth Branagh Season, it's on at the Garrick theatre and, crashing straight in at number one this month, we fully expect a sell-out.
The Winter's Tale Tickets
Love the Bard? Will Shakespeare is up to his old tricks again, due to set the stage on fire with the latest version of The Winter's Tale, one of his most popular plays. The show opens its doors in mid-October and stars an exceptional cast including the living national institution Dame Judi Dench and the wonderful Kenneth Branagh himself. It's part of the Kenneth Branagh Season, it's on at the Garrick theatre and, crashing straight in at number one this month, we fully expect a sell-out.
The Winter's Tale Tickets
2. Farinelli and The King
Love a charming story? The brilliant Mark Rylance stars in this gorgeous piece of theatrical drama, a little bit of pure class that's been in and out of our top 12 chart since it opened. The TV series Wolf Hall helped Rylance seal an already legendary reputation for very fine work and this production delivers more of the same. It'll draw you in, send you on an emotional roller-coaster of a ride and spit you out at the other end happily shaken and stirred. Pure class.
Farinelli and The King Tickets
Love a charming story? The brilliant Mark Rylance stars in this gorgeous piece of theatrical drama, a little bit of pure class that's been in and out of our top 12 chart since it opened. The TV series Wolf Hall helped Rylance seal an already legendary reputation for very fine work and this production delivers more of the same. It'll draw you in, send you on an emotional roller-coaster of a ride and spit you out at the other end happily shaken and stirred. Pure class.
Farinelli and The King Tickets
3. Sunset Boulevard
Love classic Hollywood glamour with a black-hearted twist? This one's perfect if you fancy watching some legendary Hollywood talent in action on the London stage. It's a well-loved tale, a deeply dark comedy based on the movie of the same name and starring Glenn Close. Tickets for the show only went on sale 29th Sept but business was so brisk that Sunset effortlessly took our third place position in just two days. If you want to see what all the fuss was about on Broadway, grab tickets now.
Sunset Boulevard Tickets
Love classic Hollywood glamour with a black-hearted twist? This one's perfect if you fancy watching some legendary Hollywood talent in action on the London stage. It's a well-loved tale, a deeply dark comedy based on the movie of the same name and starring Glenn Close. Tickets for the show only went on sale 29th Sept but business was so brisk that Sunset effortlessly took our third place position in just two days. If you want to see what all the fuss was about on Broadway, grab tickets now.
Sunset Boulevard Tickets
4. Elf Musical
Love a family favourite? Elf the musical opens at the end of this month. Thousands of children and grown ups are looking forward to an experience full of laughter and tears, a real crowd-pleaser of a tale and the perfect theatrical Christmas treat. It's wonderfully silly, too, and just as endearing as the smash hit movie. Everyone loves a happy ending and Elf delivers exactly that. It's huge fun, bright, colourful and noisy... in short, excellent.
Elf Musical Tickets
Love a family favourite? Elf the musical opens at the end of this month. Thousands of children and grown ups are looking forward to an experience full of laughter and tears, a real crowd-pleaser of a tale and the perfect theatrical Christmas treat. It's wonderfully silly, too, and just as endearing as the smash hit movie. Everyone loves a happy ending and Elf delivers exactly that. It's huge fun, bright, colourful and noisy... in short, excellent.
Elf Musical Tickets
5. The Play That Goes Wrong
Love a laugh? Down one from last month's number 4, this side-splitter of a play just keeps on giving. It must be lovely appearing in a play so funny it leaves your audience giggling helplessly every time. It's a feel-good masterpiece of a comedy about a hopeless amateur dramatics company and the things they get wrong... which turns out to be more or less everything they try. The results are quite simply hilarious, leaving critics and audiences alike in bits.
The Play That Goes Wrong Tickets
Love a laugh? Down one from last month's number 4, this side-splitter of a play just keeps on giving. It must be lovely appearing in a play so funny it leaves your audience giggling helplessly every time. It's a feel-good masterpiece of a comedy about a hopeless amateur dramatics company and the things they get wrong... which turns out to be more or less everything they try. The results are quite simply hilarious, leaving critics and audiences alike in bits.
The Play That Goes Wrong Tickets
6. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Love a classic children's story? Charlie is up one place on last month's chart, number seven last time and still a firm favourite. Some shows are popular for a while then wane. Others have staying power, and this fantastic fantasy by Roald Dahl is one of them. The plot is magical, the stage sets and costumes are remarkable and the effects will blow your mind. You will never feel the same way about chocolate again!
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory Tickets
Love a classic children's story? Charlie is up one place on last month's chart, number seven last time and still a firm favourite. Some shows are popular for a while then wane. Others have staying power, and this fantastic fantasy by Roald Dahl is one of them. The plot is magical, the stage sets and costumes are remarkable and the effects will blow your mind. You will never feel the same way about chocolate again!
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory Tickets
7. Sunny Afternoon
Love great British music? It's those Kinks again. This top class jukebox musical has legs. It keeps running and running. No surprise really, when it showcases such a star-studded collection of Kinks tunes performed to perfection by skilled musicians and vocalists. At the same time it tells the story of the band's life and times, a proper eye opener of a show. It's a great sing-along production and just as popular with Kinks newbies as it is with dyed-in-the-wool fans.
Sunny Afternoon Tickets
Love great British music? It's those Kinks again. This top class jukebox musical has legs. It keeps running and running. No surprise really, when it showcases such a star-studded collection of Kinks tunes performed to perfection by skilled musicians and vocalists. At the same time it tells the story of the band's life and times, a proper eye opener of a show. It's a great sing-along production and just as popular with Kinks newbies as it is with dyed-in-the-wool fans.
Sunny Afternoon Tickets
8. A Christmas Carol
Christmas isn't the same without a good dose of Dickens. So we're pleased to see tickets for A Christmas Carol selling with a bang, despite the fact it doesn't open for a couple of months. The star of the show is Jim Broadbent, he's all set to play a marvellous Scrooge and this is a brand new version of the well-loved story. Everyone knows it, but it never gets boring. Especially the ghosts. How will they do those famous ghostly scenes this time? Come along and see.
A Christmas Carol Tickets
Christmas isn't the same without a good dose of Dickens. So we're pleased to see tickets for A Christmas Carol selling with a bang, despite the fact it doesn't open for a couple of months. The star of the show is Jim Broadbent, he's all set to play a marvellous Scrooge and this is a brand new version of the well-loved story. Everyone knows it, but it never gets boring. Especially the ghosts. How will they do those famous ghostly scenes this time? Come along and see.
A Christmas Carol Tickets
9. Thriller - Live
Michael Jackson's stage legacy powers onwards and never seems to lose momentum. It's back in our chart again for the umpteenth time, set for yet another sell-out seasonal triumph. The thing is, Jackson's music lives on in millions of people's hearts, all over the world. And this show focuses exclusively on the music. If you've ever danced the night away to his songs, you'll love it. Forget the sad story of a ruined star. Just experience his genius.
Thriller - Live Tickets
Michael Jackson's stage legacy powers onwards and never seems to lose momentum. It's back in our chart again for the umpteenth time, set for yet another sell-out seasonal triumph. The thing is, Jackson's music lives on in millions of people's hearts, all over the world. And this show focuses exclusively on the music. If you've ever danced the night away to his songs, you'll love it. Forget the sad story of a ruined star. Just experience his genius.
Thriller - Live Tickets
10. The Book of Mormon
Last month's number 3, this popular stage comedy continues to deliver barrels of laughs in the capital. What happens when a couple of dedicated yet naïve Mormons take their faith to Africa? The locals run rings around them, and the resulting religious satire is horribly funny. Written by South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker, it's billed as God's favourite musical. And, as you can tell, it leads with a generous helping of irreverence. A hoot.
The Book of Mormon Tickets
Last month's number 3, this popular stage comedy continues to deliver barrels of laughs in the capital. What happens when a couple of dedicated yet naïve Mormons take their faith to Africa? The locals run rings around them, and the resulting religious satire is horribly funny. Written by South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker, it's billed as God's favourite musical. And, as you can tell, it leads with a generous helping of irreverence. A hoot.
The Book of Mormon Tickets
11. Memphis
Love sweet soul and rock 'n' roll? Love Beverley Knight? The lady always hits audiences in the right place, straight to the heart. She's amazing, and she's on stage in Memphis right now. But not for long – it closes at the end of October, which is why we had a rush on ticket sales last month. If you want to see it, book tickets now. Our special Flash Sale runs until Tuesday with tickets on sale at up to 44% off. After that Beverley Knight will play Gritzabella in Cats, kicking off on 23rd October.
Memphis Tickets
Love sweet soul and rock 'n' roll? Love Beverley Knight? The lady always hits audiences in the right place, straight to the heart. She's amazing, and she's on stage in Memphis right now. But not for long – it closes at the end of October, which is why we had a rush on ticket sales last month. If you want to see it, book tickets now. Our special Flash Sale runs until Tuesday with tickets on sale at up to 44% off. After that Beverley Knight will play Gritzabella in Cats, kicking off on 23rd October.
Memphis Tickets
12. Oresteia
Love the classics? Closing in early November, The Oresteia is a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus in 458BC, exploring the dramatic end to a curse on the House of Atreus. Adele Thomas directs a new version, freshly adapted for the Globe theatre by Rory Mullarkey. It contains brief nudity, smoking, incense and bloody violence, all of which hint at a classical drama so skin-crawlingly powerful it'll keep you awake at night. It's unmissable – and 2473 years' worth of theatregoers can't be wrong!
Oresteia Tickets
Love the classics? Closing in early November, The Oresteia is a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus in 458BC, exploring the dramatic end to a curse on the House of Atreus. Adele Thomas directs a new version, freshly adapted for the Globe theatre by Rory Mullarkey. It contains brief nudity, smoking, incense and bloody violence, all of which hint at a classical drama so skin-crawlingly powerful it'll keep you awake at night. It's unmissable – and 2473 years' worth of theatregoers can't be wrong!
Oresteia Tickets
It'll be interesting to see what develops this month as we sail inexorably towards the festive season and the capital bursts into even more vibrant life. In the meantime keep your eyes open for special theatre ticket offers and Flash sales, frequently available on this site. It's our job to provide excellent availability across the full seating range at a price you'll love. It's your job to sit down, relax and float away on the wings of fantasy. See you next month with another top 12 London theatre shows.