2021 was a funny year for theatre… and for everyone on the planet. But somehow the West End got through it, primarily down to the resilience and brilliance of the people working tirelessly in front of and behind the curtain.
Despite the extraordinary setbacks, people who love theatre continued to buy tickets and go to see a show, and our annual look at what sold the best on WestEndTheatre.com during 2021 is testament to that.
This Top Ten list highlights the Plays – the comedies, dramas and thrillers that are the lifeblood of the West End. Ranking is by numbers of tickets sold, and Number One is a brand new play in London – Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort of) (pictured) at the Criterion Theatre. A hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, mega-producer David Pugh saw the potential and whipped the hugely talented cast down to London for its current successful run at the Criterion.
Other highlights include Constellations, the Donmar Warehouse revival of Nick Payne’s smash-hit at the Vaudeville Theatre, that featured four different casts: Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah; Peter Capaldi and Zoë Wanamaker; Omari Douglas (Cabaret) and Russell Tovey; and Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O’Dowd. Plus the forthcoming production of COCK starring Jonathan Bailey and Taron Egerton in a revival of Mike Bartlett’s razor sharp play directed by Marianne Elliott.
Also check out our Top 10 best-selling musicals of 2021.
