Everything you need to know about Beetlejuice in London

The ghost with the most is making quite the splash in the West End this year in Beetlejuice. The hit Broadway musical with something of a cult following made its London debut earlier this year. Here’s everything you need to know about this spooktacular musical and why you should see it.

Beetlejuice made its West End debut earlier this year, playing a limited run at the Prince Edward Theatre until April 2027. Based on the iconic Tim Burton film that starred Michael Keaton as the titular ghost with the most, the musical has entered the cultural zeitgeist with a bang. It’s developed a cult following, thanks to the viral Broadway cast recording, and an online presence that helped it make the leap to the UK.

Whether you’ve been itching to your favourite film on stage, or you’re out of the loop on new musicals in the West End, here’s what you need to know about Beetlejuice.

View live availability for Beetlejuice tickets here

Key dates and venue

Theatre: Prince Edward Theatre
Booking dates: Runs until 17 April 2027.
Tickets: See availability for Beetlejuice here

What is Beetlejuice about?

Beetlejuice tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a teenager still raw with grief after her mother’s death. She and her father Charles, along with his eccentric life coach girlfriend Delia, move into an old house.

Unbeknownst to them, the house is already occupied by Barbara and Adam Maitland, a sweet couple who died in a freak accident and are now stuck haunting their own home, entirely unprepared for the afterlife’s bureaucracy.

Enter Beetlejuice: a filthy, wisecracking, self-described ‘bio-exorcist’ demon who’s been trapped in the Netherworld for centuries and is desperate for a way back into the land of the living. He strikes up an unlikely alliance with Lydia, who can see and hear the dead, and who is inexplicably drawn to Beetlejuice’s chaos.

The story is a riotous comedy with plenty of gags, but at its heart, Beetlejuice is ultimately more than just a fun time. It’s a show about death, grief and being seen in those darker moments.

Beetlejuice The Musical - London. Photo by Johan Persson — Beetlejuice The Musical – London. Photo by Johan Persson

The history of Beetlejuice

This is one musical with a very interesting backstory. Long before it arrived in the West End, it had an unexpectedly stop and start journey to the stage. First announced in 2016, with director Alex Timbers attached, the musical went through several years of readings and staged workshops before doing a trial run in Washington D.C.’s National Theatre in 2018.

From there it was reworked until it arrived at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre in April 2019. The musical became a genuine word-of-mouth hit and a favourite with young audiences, building a fan community that became known as the ‘BeetleBabes’.

The production then faced a series of setbacks. The Winter Garden Theatre was needed for another production, forcing Beetlejuice to move. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing the production to close.

The musical wouldn’t reopen until April 2022 before finally closing in January 2023. Despite the shaky ground, the fans continued to show their support: the cast recording has surpassed 350 million global streams and the show built such a devoted following that it returned to Broadway for a second run in 2025, with enough momentum that it moved to the West End.

It’s a remarkable example of a musical beating the odds.

Beetlejuice The Musical announces London cast. Photo via production

Who is in the show?

Starring as the titular wisecracking demon is West End star David Fynn, best known for starring as Dewey Finn in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation of School of Rock in 2016. He was nominated for an Olivier Award for the role. Since then, he’s also made many television appearances, including Game of Thrones, Sherlock, Doctor Who, The Inbetweeners, Black Mirror and Peep Show.

Fynn is joined by Hannah Nordberg as Lydia Deetz. Most recently, she appeared on HBO’s Euphoria and appeared as Olive Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine at Second Stage Theatre in New York.

David Hunter and Chelsea Halfpenny play the Maitlands, alongside Alasdair Harvey as Charles Deetz and Summer Strallen as Delia.

The creative team

Book: Scott Brown and Anthony King
Music and lyrics: Eddie Perfect
Director: Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Just in Time)
Choreographer: Connor Gallagher
Scenic designer: David Korins (Hamilton)
Costume designer: William Ivey Long (The Producers)
Puppet designer: Michael Curry (The Lion King)
Special effects: Jeremy Chernick (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

The musical has some musical theatre heavy hitters on the creative team, so it’s no wonder that the overall production has seen plenty of praise for its world-building: critics called the design ‘drop-dead gorgeous’, adding a ‘beautiful sense of hallucinogenic spectacle’.

Director Alex Timbers is no stranger to the movie adaptation. He brought Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Rocky to the stage, alongside other hit shows like Here Lies Love and Just in Time.

Costume designer William Ivey Long also lends his Broadway gravitas to the production. The award-winning designer’s career dates back decades and he’s put his stamp on many a Broadway production including Guys and Dolls (1992), Chicago (1996), Cabaret (1998 & 2014), The Producers (2001), Hairspray (2002), Cinderella (2013), Big Fish (2013) and more.

Screen history

Beetlejuice started its life as a film, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton in the title role, Winona Ryder as Lydia, and Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis as the Maitlands.

The 1988 film was a critical and commercial success and has since become a cult classic. More recently, the film got a legacy sequel, directed again by Tim Burton and reuniting Keaton and Ryder decades later.

The sequel’s success is also credited with increased attention on the musical, just as it was preparing to return to Broadway and transfer to the West End, giving the show a useful cultural tailwind.

Beetlejuice The Musical - Prince Edward Theatre London. Photo by Johan Persson — Beetlejuice The Musical – Prince Edward Theatre London. Photo by Johan Persson

Why the show matters

Beetlejuice makes for a fascinating case study on the power an audience has to help a show succeed. It might not have won any Tony Awards, but the devotion of the fans has brought this musical back again and again.

The musical has seen a longer life than it might have otherwise, including a second Broadway run, a US tour and multiple international productions, thanks to the devotion of the fans. It wasn’t traditional marketing that got people to see the show; it was the show’s strong social-media life.

Better still, Beetlejuice is proof that meaningful shows can come from unlikely source material. The film was certainly an unusual choice to adapt, but as a musical, it digs a little deeper. Under the show’s vibrantly anarchic surface, there’s a real emotional depth. The musical shifts the story to centre more on grief and being unseen, particularly through Lydia, which is a large part of why it resonates so strongly with audiences.

What to expect on the night

This is a big, loud, effects-driven show rather than an intimate one: you’re getting large-scale puppetry, trapdoors, a genuinely enormous sandworm, and stagecraft built to wow audiences. The production boasts huge laughs, catchy songs, jaw-dropping sets and plenty of amazing visual effects, illusions and stage magic.

Some reviewers noted it can feel relentless, packing in gags and spectacle, but they also praised the high-energy performances and the ‘devilishly clever’ design and effects. One critic even commented that the audience ‘audibly loved’ the show.

If you’re a big Beetlejuice fan and want to go the extra mile, dressing on theme is also encouraged. Don’t be surprised if you see others in the audience rocking black-and-white vertical stripes (much like Beetlejuice’s suit) or touches of neon green and purple.

At 2 hours and 30 minutes, it’s a fun night out at the theatre. The content carries a recommended age of 12+, citing strong language, adult humour, mature themes and drug references. The show does market itself as family friendly, so use your discretion.

Is the musical worth seeing?

If you’re looking for a fun musical with a great atmosphere, this is one you’re going to enjoy. Audiences are clearly loving it, and that can only add to the experience. It’s not an exact like for like of the film, but it’s just as fun, zany and over the top. There’s even a sandworm or two. Tim Burton fans and musical theatre enthusiasts alike will have a delightful time.

Critics offered mixed opinions on the show, with some more critical than others. Still, despite all the varying opinions, there was plenty of praise for Beetlejuice: some critics enjoyed the overall effect, while others felt the design of the show alone was a sight to see. It’s less of a highbrow theatre experience, so if that is more to your taste, Beetlejuice probably isn’t for you.

If you’re looking for a fun night out or want to indulge in a little zany comedy, Beetlejuice is one to book. The musical only runs until April 2027, so make sure you don’t miss it!

Book tickets to Beetlejuice at Prince Edward Theatre here

Plan Your Visit to Beetlejuice the Musical

Theatre: Prince Edward Theatre, 28 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4HS
Booking dates: Runs until 17 April 2027.
Performance schedule: Monday to Saturday evenings; Friday and Saturday matinees
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes (including interval)
Age guidance: Recommended 12+ with adult supervision. The show features strong language, adult humour, mature themes and drug references.
Getting there: Nearest tube stations are Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly) and Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo, Piccadilly), both a short walk from the theatre in Soho.
Access: Confirmed access performances so far include a Captioned Performance on Monday 7 September 2026, an Audio Described Performance on Monday 28 September 2026, and a Signed (BSL) Performance on Wednesday 7 October 2026, all at 7.30pm.
Tickets: See all the details for Beetlejuice