With this year being the first full year back following the pandemic, it wasn’t easy to choose our Top Ten shows of 2022. Restrictions may have eased, but putting on any kind of performance work remained just as challenging.
But theatre rose to that challenge as they always do. From musicals and plays, and from the biggest West End houses to smaller off-West End venues, our Top Ten shows of 2022 are the one’s that made this year special.
Check out our Top Ten Shows of 2022 here:
10- The Seagull at The Harold Pinter Theatre
Following a delay caused by the pandemic, Emilia Clarke finally made it to the West End as Jamie Lloyd directed Chekhov’s The Seagull.
9- Diva Live From Hell at Turbine Theatre
Luke Bayer starred in this one-person musical, inspired by the classic Bette Davis movie, ‘All About Eve’, with book and characters by Nora Brigid Monahan and music and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen.
8- 9 Circles at Park Theatre
From House of Cards writer Bill Cain and The Shark is Broken director Guy Masterson, the European premiere of 9 Circles was based on a true story of a repatriated US Army Private accused of war crimes.
In a psychological thriller told through the eyes of the accused, 9 Circles asks how a soldier can be trained as a cold-blooded killing machine while clinging on to the threads of his humanity.
7- After The End at Stratford East
After the End, Dennis Kelly’s chilling play directed by Lyndsey Turner starred Nick Blood and Amaka Okafor.
6- Dirty Dancing at Dominion Theatre
The iconic story of Baby and Johnny, featuring the hit songs ‘Hungry Eyes’, ‘Hey! Baby’, ‘Do You Love Me?’ and the heart stopping ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’, returned to London following two blockbuster West End runs, four hit UK tours, and multiple sensational international productions.
5- The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Following success in the US, the European premiere of David Yazbek and Itamar Moses’ multi-Tony award-winning The Band’s Visit, came to London directed by Donmar Artistic Director Michael Longhurst.
4- The Poltergeist at Arcola Theatre
Joseph Potter starred in Philip Ridley’s award-winning darkly comic play The Poltergeist at The Arcola Theatre, following a critically acclaimed digital run at Southwark Playhouse during the pandemic.
This production, presented by Arcola and Flying Colours Productions, reunited the original company with Wiebke Green directing.
3- My Fair Lady at The London Coliseum
Bartlett Sher’s lavish production of My Fair Lady opened at the London Coliseum with an incredible cast including Amara Okereke as Eliza Doolittle, Harry Hadden-Paton as Henry Higgins, Dame Vanessa Redgrave as Mrs Higgins, Maureen Beattie as Mrs Pearce and Sharif Afifi as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.
2- To Kill a Mockingbird at The Gielgud Theatre
Bartlett Sher again! This time directing To Kill a Mockingbird the new play by Aaron Sorkin, based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The production, which was delayed because of the pandemic, opened at the Gielgud Theatre in March with Rafe Spall playing Atticus Finch (Matthew Modine is currently in the role). But it was Harry Redding’s ‘impressive and compelling debut’ as Jem Finch that had audiences talking.
1- Newsies at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Newsies, the award-winning Broadway musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein, blew audiences away with it’s UK premiere at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, in a new immersive staging and a tremendous cast led by Michael Ahomka-Lindsay.
