Twopenny Theatre

Photo: David Iliff, CC BY-SA 3.0

Fancy a spot of theatre this weekend? Look no further than West End LIVE, an annual, open-air variety show held in the famous confines of Trafalgar Square. This year’s event will take place during the afternoons of June 22 and 23, and the best part is that it’s absolutely free – no tickets required.

Co-sponsored by Official London Theatre and the City of Westminster (where most West End theatres are located), the event is a talent show of sorts for London’s theatre scene, with casts from a bevy of productions given 5-20 minute slots to showcase a scene or musical number (or two). This year’s lineup finds many of the city’s top shows (mainly musicals) represented, including Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Hadestown, and many, many more. Also included (particularly in the later afternoons after other shows’ matinees have begun) are segments for a number of more eclectic shows and solo performances, like Showstopper! The Improvised Musical and a performance by John Owen Jones.

While the event is completely free, it’s also in central London, so expect a queue to get into the performance area. Gates open at 10:15 am on Saturday and 11:15 am on Sunday, (45 minutes before the first performance of the day), and after capacity is reached it’s one-out, one-in from thereafter. As the event is in the middle of the Square, there’s also no cover or amenities – be prepared to stand, and dress for the weather.

Fear not if you can’t make it to the event – all performances are recorded and eventually posted to Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel (see here for last year’s performances). For more details, including the full line-up of shows for 2024, check out the event’s official website.