New London Theatre Shows Opening in December 2025

Emmie Newitt 19 November, 2025, 17:40

With Christmas fast approaching and a brand-new year on the horizon, London’s theatre scene is still geared up with an exciting wave of new productions heading to the stage before 2025 wraps up. In December, there’s a vibrant mix of festive delights like Sleeping Beauty at the London Palladium alongside West End premieres like High Noon at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Oh, Mary! at the Trafalgar Theatre. We’ve rounded up just a selection of the must-see shows you’ll want to add to your plans in December 2025.

new london theatre shows in december 2025

Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes, Sadler's Wells

the red shoes matthew bourne sadlers wells Artwork for Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes.

The double Olivier Award-winning, smash hit production by Matthew Bourne, inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s timeless tale, returns to Sadler’s Wells for a strictly limited run this December. A global success, The Red Shoes promises audiences an unforgettable blend of dance, drama and storytelling that is awe-inspiring. You don’t have to be a fan of ballet to enjoy what this production has to offer.

The Red Shoes Tickets

The Playboy of the Western World, National (Lyttelton)

The Playboy of the Western World artwork.

A bold new revival of John Millington Synge’s play, hailed as one of Ireland’s most beloved plays, heads to the National Theatre, directed by Caitriona McLaughlin. This story about a murderer who worms his way into the hearts of an Irish village boasts an impressive all-star cast, including Nicola Coughlan, Éanna Hardwicke, and Siobhán McSweeney.

The Playboy of the Western World Tickets

Paranormal Activity, Ambassadors Theatre

paranormal activity west end Artwork for Paranormal Activity.

Created from the global horror sensation, Paranormal Activity is perfect for anyone craving heart-pounding thrills over the colder months. This new production, which opens in London following a premiere in Leeds last year, will immerse audiences in a world of psychological tension with innovative staging and chilling soundscapes. Be prepared to be left on the edge of your seat!

Paranormal Activity Tickets

Into the Woods, Bridge Theatre

into the woods bridge theatre new artwork Artwork for Paranormal Activity.

Stephen Sondheim’s dazzling musical receives a major new revival at the Bridge Theatre this December, marking its first London staging since 2016. Into the Woods intertwines some of the most iconic fairytale characters in a darkly humorous yet heartfelt story that has long captivated theatregoers.

Into the Woods Tickets

High Noon, Harold Pinter Theatre

Artwork of HIGH NOON. Image courtesy of production.

Adapted from the gripping 1952 Western classic, High Noon brings its heroic marshal, Will Kane, to the West End stage for the very first time this December. Written by the award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth, watch the ultimate face off with the vengeful outlaw Frank Miller in a striking new production which stars Tony and Emmy Award winner Billy Crudup.

High Noon Tickets

Oh, Mary!, Trafalgar Theatre

oh mary west end premiere Artwork for Oh, Mary!

Hailed as “howlingly funny”, the smash hit Broadway production heads overseas and arrives in the West End this December. Written by the Tony Award-winning writer Cole Escola, Oh, Mary! delivers a 30-minute one-act play centred on Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Expect big laughs from this new play in London, which stars Mason Alexander Park and Giles Terera.

Oh, Mary! Tickets

Twelfth Night, Barbican

twelfth night barbican Artwork for Twelfth Night at the Barbican.

For a dose of Shakespeare this winter, Twelfth Night, the Bard’s witty and mischievous comedy of mistaken identities and tangled love triangles by the Bard, makes its way to the Barbican for a joyous run this festive season. Samuel West stars in the production which plays for a limited six-week run.

Twelfth Night Tickets

Kenrex, The Other Palace

kenrex the other palace Jack Holden in Kenrex. Photo by Manuel Harlan

If you haven’t experienced this true crime thriller, which is infused with a live Americana soundtrack, now is your chance with Kenrex’s debut at The Other Palace kicking off this month. Hailed by The Stage as “Gloriously and essentially theatrical”, the one-man show will have you gripped like your favourite true crime box set this Winter.

Kenrex Tickets

Top Hat, Queen Elizabeth Hall

The cast of TOP HAT. Image courtesy of production.

Irving Berlin’s classic tap-dancing musical comes to Queen Elizabeth Hall on the heels of a critically acclaimed UK tour and summer run at the Chichester Festival Theatre. This glittering, glamorous stage adaptation arrives in a splendour of romance and passion which the biggest fans of musical theatre will adore during its limited run.

Top Hat Tickets

If you’re seeking standout Off-West End gems this December, be sure to catch Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at the Young Vic, the vocal-comedy spectacle Dracapella at Park Theatre, and the much-anticipated return of Cockfosters at Southwark Playhouse Borough.

Of course, people want to embrace the festivities in December and there’s a fantastic selection of Christmas shows to watch in London in 2025. If you want a quick recommendation, then the London Palladium pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, is an essential for some people in the lead up to the big day. December is a fantastic opportunity for you to head to the theatre with your friends and family, with so much on offer across the city, we know you’ll be spoilt for choice!