Best theatres in London

London theatre runs from the West End down to the smallest fringe room above a pub, and the city rarely goes dark. Plays, musicals, one-off performances and previews fill the calendar across every borough, and the stages that earn a reputation are the ones with something on most nights, switching between runs and giving new work a place to land.

The theatres below are ordered by how busy their calendar is, drawn from the number of performances each has coming up. It is a snapshot of where the activity is rather than a judgement on the productions, so a stage near the top is one with plenty on that you can go and see in person.