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Hello and welcome to 2026. Or if you’re reading this in 2025, welcome to… the future!!! January in London used to be an entirely predictable month, insofar as there were very few new openings apart from the mime festival and Cirque du Soleil, with the month essentially being carried by all the prestige shows that opened in December.
But these days it’s all change. Okay, not the bit about Cirque du Soleil or the mime festival (although the latter did change its name a few years back). But a recent trend is for big West End shows to begin previews in December and hold first nights in January, which may or may not be a way of deferring critical scrutiny throughout the lucrative Christmas period, but certainly peps up the January openings list.
The big guns are major new shows starring Denise Gough and Sheridan Smith, but it’s an enjoyably eclectic January that also takes in the return of the Almeida’s acclaimed American Psycho musical, London’s first chance to see Jade Franks’ acclaimed Edinburgh smash Eat the Rich (but not me mates x) and a truly mind-bending take on The Tempest from avant-garde legend Tim Crouch. Plus the mime festival and Cirque du Soleil.
The best new London theatre shows opening in January 2026
1. High Noon
The West End has a long and ignoble history of screen-to-stage play adaptations that sounded like a bad idea and were: who remembers The Exorcist? Or Fatal Attraction? There are also some pretty damn great ones: think Brief Encounter, think My Neighbour Totoro. Which will High Noon turn out to be? Impossible to say and the fact Fred Zinnemann’s classic allegorical Western ends in a massive shoot out presents a significant challenge on stage. But this production comes absolutely stacked with talent, from top Hollywood screenwriter Eric Roth to properly credible stars Billy Crudup and Denise Gough.
Harold Pinter Theatre, until Mar 7. Buy tickets here.
2. Woman in Mind
Last time Sheridan Smith starred in a West End show it was as lead in Ivo van Hove’s leftfield not-exactly-a-musical Opening Night, which famously (and IMHO undeservedly) tanked. She clearly didn’t let it get to her as she bounces back to anchor a revival of this high concept 1980s Alan Ayckbourn about a woman having a breakdown who starts to experience a fantasy version of the world. Somewhat remarkably, Romesh Ranganathan co-stars.
Duke of York’s Theatre, until Feb 28. Buy tickets here.
3. The Tempest
Avant-garde legend Tim Crouch may have spent the last 20 years or so deconstructing the very notion of theatre itself – but he’s also a big fan of Shakespeare. This month he combines his two passions with a full scale indoor production of The Tempest that’ll be staged with a considerable leftfield twist, following the core characters – led by Crouch’s own Prospero – as they enact the story of the play not as real events, but ritual.
Shakespeare’s Globe, Jan 17-Apr 12.
4. American Psycho
Rupert Goold began his superlative tenure at the Almeida with the world premiere of Duncan Sheik’s musical adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’s American Psycho. And so he’ll end it: although we have another year of Goold’s programming, this revival is the last show he’ll personally direct before heading off to run the Old Vic. Sheik’s droll electro-pop take on Ellis’s gory yuppie satire was a lot of fun in 2013 and promises to reveal new depths in the era of Trump, Tate et al.
Almeida Theatre, Jan 22-Mar 14.
5. A Ghost in Your Ear
The word is strong regarding this unsettling high concept piece of horror theatre from writer/director Jamie Armitage and pioneering sound designers Max and Ben Ringham, which has been in previews for a good chunk of December. It follows an actor called up at the last minute to do a voice recording of a text he’s never read – during the session, terrifying things start to happen, here enhanced by the headphones-based binaural sound design.
Hampstead Theatre, until Jan 31.
6. Guess How Much I Love You?
There are some insanely high-profile shows in the Royal Court’s 70th birthday season, but it gets underway in relatively low key fashion with the first new work from Luke Norris in aeons. Directed by Jeremy Herrin, Guess How Much I Love You? stars Rosie Sheehy and Robert Aramayo as a pregnant couple facing tough choices.
Royal Court Theatre, Jan 16-Feb 21. Buy tickets here.
7. MimeLondon
The smaller successor to the more grandiose London International Mime Festival has had to leave its usual home of the Barbican this year due to the arts centre’s extensive renovations. Fortunately Sadler’s Wells and The Place have taken it in, and you can see exciting physical theatre from familiar faces like Gecko (pictured) and Ockham’s Razor.
Various venues, Jan 21-31.
8. Eat the Rich (but not me mates x)
Jade Franks’s ebullient monologue about her culture shock experience of Cambridge University as a working class Liverpudlian was the breakout hit of the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It’s sold out for its London debut, but it’ll doubtless be back and if you do have a ticket or snag a return you’ll have a ball with her winning – if probably slightly exaggerated – fish out of water account of her first year of uni.
Soho Theatre, Jan 12-31.
9. Cirque du Soleil: OVO
January at the Royal Albert Hall means only one thing: Montreal circus legends Cirque du Soleil are back for their traditional start of the year tenure. If you’re keeping track, OVO is their one about insects, although it hardly matters: expect spectacular set piece circus tricks and stunts that’ll make your jaw drop, and light relief clowning that will at least amuse younger kids.
Royal Albert Hall, Jan 9-Mar 1. Buy tickets here.
10. Beautiful Little Fool
This is an intriguing one: Southwark Playhouse hosts a lot of fringey new American musicals, but few of them come with a director as storied as Michael Greif, who helmed the inaugural Broadway productions of Rent and Dear Evan Hansen. It’s a chamber musical about F Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald as narrated by their daughter Scottie, and while there’s not much advance word on it, you have to assume Greif’s presence means Hannah Corneau and Mona Mansour’s show is worth checking out.
Southwark Playhouse Borough, Jan 15-Feb 28.