Best new musicals, London 2019

& Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre

Pop song-writer supreme Max Martin presents a new jukebox musical that gives Juliet an alternative ending and a feminist life after Romeo. Prepare yourself for pop hits including 'Baby One More Time', 'Everybody (Backstreet's Back)', 'Love Me Like You Do' and 'Can’t Feel My Face'.

Pretty Woman: the Musical, Piccadilly Theatre

Rags-to-riches romance comes to London as the musical theatre adaptation of 1990 rom-com Pretty Woman transfers to the West End after impressing on Broadway.

The Boy Friend, Menier Chocolate Factory

Sandy Wilson's 1956 musical jitterbugs onto the Menier Chocolate Factory stage just in time for Christmas. A pastiche of 1920s musicals, The Boy Friend balances irony on light-hearted scales, delivering the happy endings one might anticipate from such a youthful, buoyant host of characters.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, London

Rumour has it the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge is transferring to London after impressing on Broadway. Based on Baz Lurhmann's Oscar-winning film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical transports audiences to bohemian romance of Montmartre with a medley of pop's greatest hits.

Amélie The Musical, The Other Palace

Who is not charmed by the whimsical Amélie? The award-winning French film comes to the London stage this Christmas.

Dear Evan Hansen, Noel Coward Theatre

Teenage dreams are about to come true as a smash hit Broadway musical about adolescence transfers to London. Dear Evan Hansen is the heartfelt story of a misfit who accidentally becomes a social media sensation.

Mary Poppins, Prince Edward Theatre London

Get ready for a flurry of kites, jolly holidays and spoons full of sugar as everyone's favourite nanny flies back onto the London stage. Fifteen years after its impressive premiere, Disney's stage show Mary Poppins returns to its original home, the West End's Prince Edward Theatre

Back to the Future musical

Great Scott! After a seven year development process, the stage adaption of Back to the Future has a confirmed premiere. The new musical based on beloved 1985 movie will open at Manchester Opera House in February 2020, before transferring to the West End (the theatre is still to be confirmed).

Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Travel back in time and across the Atlantic for a story of love and loss on the Maine coast. Rogers and Hammerstein's 1945 hit musical carousel comes to life at the Open Air Theatre in a new revival by artistic director Timothy Sheader and Olivier-winning choreography Drew McOnie. Get ready for dance moves Bustin' All Over the aisles.

101 Dalmatians, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

We can already spot the hit of summer 2020... 101 Dalmatians will come to life in Regent's Park in a new musical at the Open Air Theatre. Dodie Smith's beloved 1956 novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians tells the story of puppies poached by the villainous Cruella de Vil. It is adapted for the stage by Zinnie Harris (book) and Douglas Hodge (music and lyrics).