44 Best Performing Arts in London, England

Works by Shakespeare have been performed here every summer (from mid-May to mid-September) since 1932, with casts including luminaries such as Vivien Leigh, Dame Judi Dench, and Damien Lewis. Today, in addition to live music and comedy one-offs, the theater also mounts productions of classic plays, Broadway musicals, and shows for family audiences among its four annual productions. A Midsummer Night's Dream is the one to catch, if it's on—never has that enchanted Greek wood been better evoked, especially when enhanced by genuine birdsong and a rising moon.

There's a covered restaurant for pretheater dining, an informal grill, a pizzeria, and, of course, a bar. You also can order picnic hampers in advance. The park can get chilly, so bring a blanket. Performances proceed rain or shine (umbrellas aren't allowed although rain hats are), with refunds only in case of a very heavy downpour.

In summer, well-loved operas and imaginative productions of lesser-known works are presented under a spectacular canopy against the remains of Holland House, one of the first great houses built in Kensington. The company has successfully branched out into opera for families in recent years, too. There are 1,000 tickets offered free to those ages 7–18 every season. Tickets go on general sale in April (earlier for members). After the opera season is over in August, the venue hosts under-the-stars showings of recent movies on a giant screen.

Sadler's Wells's West End annex, this modernist theater near the London School of Economics (which sometimes uses it as a lecture hall during the day) focuses on younger companies and features popular dance genres like flamenco, tango, and hip-hop.

For decades, the Royal Court was one of Britain's leading showcases for exciting new theatrical voices and premieres of groundbreaking works, and it still continues to produce important British and international dramas. Ticket prices range from £12 to £49.

This popular playhouse is devoted to finding, commissioning, and fostering new work and talent, and therefore is a prolific presenter of plays by young, emerging, and established writers. With three performance spaces, it also puts on its fair share of comedy, cabaret, drag, and dance shows, and unsurprisingly the bar is always buzzing.

Chamber music, organ recitals, and orchestral concerts are held at this baroque church behind Westminster Abbey. There are three or four lunchtime recitals a month, and a café in the crypt.

This gleaming theater on the banks of the River Thames by Tower Bridge is the brainchild of director Nicholas Hytner and producer Nick Starr, who together oversaw a golden age at the National Theatre before handing over the reins of the Bridge to current artistic director Rufus Norris. The program at this totally adaptable space is a blend of the classics (Hytner's Julius Caesar was a huge hit in 2018) and riskier new works, though big-name actors (e.g., Ben Whishaw, Laura Linney) are a constant.

One of the oldest cinemas in the country, this refurbished Portobello Road art house screens mainstream and international movies. The emphasis is on comfort, with leather sofas, armchairs, side tables for your wine and appetizers, cashmere blankets, and even double beds in the front row.

This is London's only theater dedicated solely to contemporary dance, and with tickets often under £20, it's a good value, too. The Resolution festival, held in May and June, is the United Kingdom's biggest platform event for new choreographers. There's also an excellent bar and café.

This quirky two-screen repertory film theater just north of Leicester Square and on the edge of Chinatown offers you a chance to catch up with indie arthouse films, documentaries, and even classic blockbusters you may have missed. A second screen upstairs shows newer movies at more typical West End prices. With 300 velvet seats, this is where London's "Singalong Screenings" took off; come in character and sing along to the likes of The Sound of Music, Grease, Dirty Dancing, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and other cult classics.

Running from April to throughout the summer, Underbelly offers a packed calendar of stand-up comedy, cabaret, and circus from its pop-up location in Cavendish Square, just north of Oxford Street. The range of shows caters to all ages, from family-friendly daytime events to risqué after-hours parties. Shows take place in a self-contained, inflatable, cow-shaped venue (hence the name of the festival). Tickets can be purchased in advance or on the day. There's also a sister festival in Earl's Court.

Dedicated to innovative work for young audiences, this modern theater hosts plays, musicals, and interactive theater for everyone from toddlers to preteens. Inclusivity is a major focus, with performances for those with visual and hearing and other impairments taking place regularly.

This eight-week extravaganza of fringe theater and stand-up comedy is a chance to see some of the United Kingdom's most innovative and engaging performers. The atmosphere in the eerie tunnels beneath Waterloo Station (where the festival takes place) is always buzzing.

Just down the road from its elder sibling The Old Vic, this offshoot hosts big names performing alongside emerging talent, often in daring innovative productions of both new and classic plays that appeal to a more diverse audience than is traditionally found on the London scene. Good food is served all day at the bustling bar.