British Theatre News: 29 December 2025 to 02 January 2026

The final days of 2025 and the first of 2026 bring a significant milestone in West End history, as The Book of Mormon becomes the twelfth longest-running musical in the history of the West End. OVO, Cirque du Soleil's acrobatic spectacular, opens its seasonal run at the Royal Albert Hall, and the New Year provides an opportunity to look both at what the theatre has achieved in 2025 and at what 2026 has in store. The Book of Mormon has achieved a significant milestone in the history of the West End, becoming the twelfth longest-running musical in the venue's long theatrical history as it passes another durability threshold in the early days of January 2026. The show, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone alongside Robert Lopez, opened in London in 2013 after its extraordinary Broadway success and has sustained its run through a combination of consistent critical admiration and strong audience word of mouth. The Book of Mormon's longevity is particularly notable given the nature of the show: its combination of extreme comedy, religious satire and unexpected sincerity was not obviously the formula for a long-running West End hit. That it has sustained itself over more than a decade reflects both the quality of the writing and the capacity of the production to renew its appeal as new cast members bring their own perspectives to roles that have been defined across many years of performance. Becoming the twelfth longest-running West End musical places the show in distinguished company. The productions above it on the list are ones that have become part of the fabric of London's theatrical life over decades, and the fact that a show as formally unconventional as The Book of Mormon has achieved this standing is a reflection of how the West End's definition of sustained theatrical achievement continues to evolve. Cirque du Soleil's OVO has opened its seasonal run at the Royal Albert Hall, bringing the Canadian company's acrobatic and theatrical spectacle to one of London's most celebrated performance venues. Cirque du Soleil productions have become a regular feature of the London theatrical calendar, and OVO's celebration of the insect world through extraordinary physical performance provides the kind of experience that sits at the boundary between circus arts, dance and theatrical spectacle. The Royal Albert Hall is a particularly resonant venue for this kind of production: its vast round space creates a different relationship between audience and performance than conventional theatre buildings, and the sense of occasion generated by the venue adds to the impact of the Cirque du Soleil visual experience. For audiences looking for entertainment that spans the family age range and provides spectacle on a scale that conventional theatre cannot match, OVO at the Royal Albert Hall represents an option unlike any other in the current London programme. The new year brings with it a programme of anticipated openings that will shape the first months of 2026. Several new productions have been announced for January and February, including Arcadia at the Bridge Theatre in late January, and the spring season is taking shape as producers confirm their schedules. The Olivier Awards ceremony is confirmed for April 2026, making this the beginning of the final stretch of eligibility for productions that have opened since February 2025. January openings will be among the last to enter the eligibility window, and producers who have shows opening in the new year will be aware that the critical attention their productions receive in January and February will have a direct bearing on their awards prospects. Les Misérables continues its run into the new year as the programme's most enduring musical, its combination of theatrical scale and emotional ambition undiminished across what is now an extraordinary West End history. January is traditionally one of the quieter months in the West End commercial calendar, with the Christmas audience having dispersed and the spring season not yet fully established. However, the pattern of January openings has strengthened in recent years, and the productions confirmed for the month will add fresh energy to a programme that continues to offer a strong range of choices. For audiences visiting London in January, the combination of reduced post-Christmas pricing at some productions and the opportunity to see the autumn's new openings before they potentially close makes the month a more attractive theatrical proposition than its reputation sometimes suggests. The Lion King and Matilda the Musical continue for audiences seeking the established West End programme. For the full current programme across London theatre venues, BritishTheatre.com provides comprehensive listings into the new year. For tickets with real-time availability and seat maps, tickadoo covers all major West End shows. tickadoo also offers theatre gift vouchers.