The reliable big hitters
Wicked, Les Misérables, The Lion King, Hamilton, SIX and The Phantom of the Opera have all been running for years for a reason — they're proven, technically polished productions that rarely disappoint. If you're taking a group with mixed tastes, or it's someone's first ever West End trip, one of these is the safest bet.
Of that group, SIX is the shortest and punchiest at around 80 minutes with no interval, which makes it a good pick if you want a big night out without a late finish. Hamilton and Les Misérables are the more emotionally heavyweight choices if your group wants something with more dramatic weight.
What's new this year
The Producers, Mel Brooks' farce about two Broadway producers trying to engineer a flop, is transferring to the West End after a sold-out smaller run and is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about openings of the year. If you like sharp, fast comedy, it's worth tracking the on-sale date closely — transfers like this tend to sell their best seats quickly.
It's also worth keeping an eye on shorter limited runs featuring big names in straight plays — these come and go faster than the long-running musicals and don't always get a second chance, so they suit people who are flexible on dates rather than fixed on a specific weekend.
How to choose between them
If you want a guaranteed crowd-pleaser: go with one of the long runners above. If you want a shorter, snappier night: SIX. If you want to see the show everyone will be talking about this year before it potentially becomes hard to get into: look at what's newly transferred, like The Producers.