The 25 best things to do in London in 2025

Wednesday 01 January 2025 1:05 pm
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Wednesday 01 January 2025 1:31 pm

Theatre, movie, exhibitions, barmy occasions: listed below are the very best 25 issues to do in London in 2025

One other new yr and, Dry January apart, there’s a lot to be excited for. Sure, our capital is stepping as much as mark 1 / 4 of a century for the reason that millennium bug (really feel outdated but?) with oodles of sensible new occasions to e-book. Listed here are only a few of the them.

We’ll fess up, there have been too many for us to maintain this listing to 2025, so we’ve listed a few additional ones only for good luck. In our spirit of extra, we hope you discover some unimaginable issues to do in London this new yr.

The very best issues to do in London in 2025: Hercules on stage, Peter Kay returns and the most well liked new music

Theatre

Titanique

The songs of Celine Dion are the focus on this barmy-sounding new musical concerning the Titanic. After big success on Broadway, Titanique is threatening to be probably the most enjoyable London theatre opening of the yr. It may appear a little bit insensitive, however this off-the-wall story imagining a world wherein the diva was on board the HMS when it capsized is certain to be a dialog starter. Taking part in now, till 2 March

Oliver!

It’s been 15 years for the reason that Charles Dickens basic landed within the West Finish, the final manufacturing starring a comically chic Rowan Atkinson as Fagin. Everybody loves Oliver!, and Lionel Bart’s adaptation returns with new manufacturing from dance supremo Matthew Bourne. Count on an experimental twist on the basic. Taking part in now, till 28 September

Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright

British Black comedy TV programme Inside Quantity 9 turned a cult hit when it launched in 2014, and a decade on present creators Reese Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton have devised a dwell theatrical model. It stars each males, who additionally wrote the unique and this stage model. Count on extra of the identical format: the TV present launched a brand new story and recent characters in each episode, and the one hyperlink was that the story is said not directly to quantity 9. From 18 January

Learn extra: Inside The Berkeley’s rooftop pop-up with Winter Wonderland views

Elektra

Brie Larson makes her West Finish debut in Elektra, a model of the Historical Greek tragedy of Sophocles. The Oscar winner from Room and Captain Marvel is collaborating with director Daniel Fish, behind the Younger Vic’s barnstorming model of Oklahoma! that stripped away just about every little thing bar the actors and a few musical devices. 24 January

Unicorn

Perennially round TV and stage favorite Stephen Mangan returns to the London stage this yr in Unicorn, a brand new play from visionary author Mike Bartlett. Probably the most lauded up to date creatives, Bartlett’s work is usually involved with id, and Unicorn – a couple of heteronormative married couple who determine to open their relationship – appears like a usually Bartlett-esque examination of relationships and sexuality within the trendy period. From 4 February

The Rating

Succession’s Brian Cox can’t get sufficient of the London stage in the meanwhile. Not lengthy after his critically-acclaimed run in Lengthy Day’s Journey Into Night time, the 78-year-old returns in new play The Rating, wherein the appearing titan performs German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. From 20 February

Learn extra: Spencer Matthews: My greatest problem this Dry January, and why I hate mocktails

The Seagull

Cate Blanchett returns once more to the London stage this yr in a brand new model of Chekhov’s existential play The Seagull. Blanchett has grow to be some of the celebrated working actors of her day, with a number of Oscars to her title, so to see her deal with such a seminal piece of nineteenth century literature is tremendously thrilling. From 26 February

My Grasp Builder

It’s a big yr when it comes to A-Listers eschewing the large display to tread the boards. Ewan McGregor tackles Ibsen, returning to London theatre nearly twenty years since his final stage outing in a a lot much less intense piece: a musical adaptation of Guys & Dolls. The Star Wars actor clearly fancies upping the stakes. From 17 April

Right here We Are

The ultimate Stephen Sondheim musical arrives in London this yr after a critically-acclaimed run on Broadway. The legend behind reveals like Sweeney Todd, Follies, Firm and A Little Night time Music has tailored two darkish comedy books for this present that can really feel just like the composer’s emotional departure for a lot of of his big fanbase. From 8 Might

London Street

Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork’s musical concerning the murders of prostitute employees in Ipswich redefined shock in up to date theatre when it debuted on the Nationwide Theatre in 2011. Individuals have been asking whether or not a musical concerning the lives of individuals affected by homicide was acceptable, and a verbatim one at that, which means the precise phrases of the victims are translated into tune on stage. Regardless of the way it would possibly sound, the top result’s a surprisingly heat and soul-stirring feat. From 5 June

4.48 Psychosis

If you happen to suppose London Street is provocative, attempt 4.48 Psychosis: when this play debuted in 1996 on the Royal Courtroom, the Each day Mail’s critic on the time described the piece as a “disgusting feast of filth,” initiating new conversations about appropriateness on stage. The existential piece paperwork the thoughts of somebody fighting melancholy, and was written by the playwright Sarah Kane within the late-nineties shortly earlier than her suicide. James Macdonald, considered one of Britain’s most revered administrators, is on board. From 12 June

Hercules

The large household musical of the yr might be this new adaptation of Disney’s Hercules. Starring Luke Brady because the titular muscle man deriving from Greek legend, this story concerning the hero’s journey of self-discovery has music and lyrics by Alan Menken, behind the music within the authentic Disney movie. From 24 June

Movie

Bridget Jones

Britain’s OG singleton (effectively, maybe that was Jane Austen, however nevermind) lastly returns for a fourth instalment this Valentine’s Day, after the Hollywood strikes considerably impacted manufacturing. Hugh Grant returns as horrible a**gap Daniel Cleaver, though it’s not been revealed fairly how scriptwriters shoehorned Bridget’s ex again into the image. There’s no Colin Firth although – in his place, a a lot youthful lover. Cue hundreds of thousands of articles about what trendy feminism means as we speak and the way Bridget is both a) a poisonous pin-up or b) the girl we must always all aspire to be extra like. 13 February

Mickey 17

New from Bong Joon Ho, the director of Parasite, is Mickey 17 starring Twilight’s Robert Pattinson. On this sci-fi comedy, he performs a clone who tries to beat his programming to proceed residing past his sell-by date. It doesn’t sound that humorous to us, however given the cache round Joon Ho, this’ll be one the cinephiles purr over. 17 March

Mission Unattainable – The Last Reckoning

He famously does all his personal stunts – however how for much longer can 62-year-old Tom Cruise sustain the motion man guise? Not for much longer, Mission Unattainable – The Last Reckoning, suggests, given the title and all. Anyway, followers of the franchise might be pre-booking for this ultimate outing an unimaginable 19 years after the primary hit cinemas in 1996. 21 Might

28 Years Later

The creatives that introduced us the British zombie cult basic 28 Days Later are again with one other invoice. 28 Years Later sees the return of the unique film’s director Danny Boyle alongside a brand new solid together with Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor Johnson, the actor hotly-tipped to be the brand new James Bond. 20 June

Learn extra: Traits for 2025: Mr Lyan reckons pop-ups are again

The Bare Gun

Pamela Anderson has been distancing herself from the pin-up picture of her Nineteen Nineties Baywatch period. The Final Showgirl, about an ageing feminine performer, is launched early this yr, however later down the road Anderson stars on this reboot of the much-loved Leslie Nielsen spoof The Bare Gun. She performs a harmful feminine who will get romantically concerned with Frank Drebin Jr, the detective character performed by Liam Neeson. 8 August

Blissful Gilmore 2

Nearly twenty years after the unique, Netflix is placing out a follow-up to Adam Sandler basic Blissful Gilmore, about an aspiring hockey participant who joins an expert tour to attempt to increase cash to save lots of his grandma’s home. This one might go both method: however amid the development for ’90s nostalgia, it’ll be an unmissable new addition to the canon. Summer season 2025

Different unmissable issues: the very best issues to do in London in 2025

Monster Vehicles

Monster Vehicles – yep, these large autos that run over vehicles whereas folks cheer – are coming to London this January. We’ve no concept both, however when you fancy a night of fully OTT extra, and possibly loads of screaming Individuals watching brightly colored vehicles flatten smaller ones, that is absolutely the left-field ticket. 10 – 12 January

Peter Kay

The massively gifted comic has evaded the limelight not too long ago, cancelling his tour in 2017 for private causes. He made a comeback in 2022 to stage his first comedy tour in 12 years, and this yr the person from Larger Manchester returns with a brand new present touchdown on the 02 on 25 January, 22 February, 20 March and 4 April.

Billie Eilish

Glastonbury headliner, Bond theme tune hitmaker and Gen Z favorite Billie Eilish additionally lands again in London this summer season with a few nights on the 02. Now that Taylor Swift hysteria has stepped again, anticipate Eilish to fill a few of that void together with her moody, atmospheric pop from 10 – 17 July (not 12).

SXSW London

SXSW – South by Southwest – is an annual music pageant that takes place in Austin, Texas, with dwell peformances in addition to panel discussions and different occasions. That is the primary time the pageant has been held within the UK, so e-book out this weekend in your calendar to expertise a few of the world’s most enjoyable breaking new music expertise. 2 – 7 June

The Guinness microbrewery opens

London famously ran out of Guinness shortly earlier than Christmas – however hopefully that’ll be a factor of the previous now that Guinness is opening their very personal brewery right here within the capital. The Previous Brewer’s Yard vacation spot will run excursions and permit visitors to typically stand up nearer and extra private with the nation’s favorite stout, and there’ll be loads of tasting alternatives. No date but

Ikea lastly launches on Oxford Road

The large Oxford Road retail unit that previously housed Topshop and Topman has been shuttered since 2021, however the area is lastly as a consequence of be put to make use of once more this yr because the central London department of Ikea. Count on the famously low cost meatballs and possibly loads of sofas designed to suit into each kind of weirdly formed London condo. Spring 2025