Not only has sunshine and warm temperatures returned to London, but this weekend one of the city's most beloved cultural events is back. The annual West End Live will take place on Saturday and Sunday, a two-day free festival of musical theatre held in Trafalgar Square.
West End Live is often called 'the Glastonbury of musical theatre,' and while it's not exactly like Glasto, you can see the comparison: West End Live invariably secures performances—usually five to ten minutes long—from every musical currently running in Theatreland and beyond. This year, once again, the lineup includes everyone, from long-running classics like Les Misérables, The Lion King, and Phantom of the Opera, to brand-new hits including Beetlejuice, Sinatra, and Paddington.
As ever, the big names are clustered around Saturday morning and early afternoon, as they can fit the WEL performance in around a matinee schedule. But there are plenty of interesting shows on Sunday, which leans more towards fringe and touring shows and previews of productions coming to London in the future. There are a couple of surprise shows on Sunday too—we have genuinely no idea what they are, but hopefully they're worth keeping secret.
When is West End Live 2026?
West End Live will run Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Where is West End Live?
It's in Trafalgar Square—you absolutely cannot miss it.
West End Live 2026 Line-Up and Schedule
Saturday, June 20
- 11:00am: Disney's Hercules
- 11:05am: High Society
- 11:10am: Avenue Q
- 11:20am: Wicked
- 11:35am: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
- 11:45am: Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- 11:55am: The Devil Wears Prada
- 12:00pm: Paddington the Musical
- 12:10pm: Cabaret
- 12:20pm: Sinatra the Musical
- 12:25pm: Hadestown
- 12:40pm: Hamilton
- 12:45pm: Oliver!
- 12:55pm: Les Misérables
- 1:05pm: Phantom of the Opera
- 1:10pm: The Producers
- 1:15pm: The Book of Mormon
- 1:30pm: Operation Mincemeat
- 1:35pm: Beetlejuice the Musical
- 1:45pm: Mamma Mia!
- 2:00pm: Performances from English National Opera
- 2:10pm: Disney's High School Musical
- 2:15pm: I'm Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical
- 2:25pm: Into the Woods
- 2:30pm: Six
- 2:45pm: The Choir of Man
- 2:55pm: Magic Mike Live
- 3:05pm: Now You See Me Live
- 3:10pm: Kimberly Akimbo
- 3:20pm: Liberace and Liza: A Tribute
- 3:30pm: Shantify
- 3:40pm: RepresentAsian: An Evening of Asian Talent
- 3:45pm: The Last Ship
- 3:50pm: Roles We'll Never Play
- 4:00pm: In Pieces
- 4:15pm: Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical
- 4:20pm: Here Comes J. Edgar! A Comedy Musical
- 4:30pm: Sirens: The Concert Series
- 4:35pm: Shanay Holmes
- 5:00pm: Event ends
Sunday, June 21
- 12:00pm: Disney's The Lion King
- 12:10pm: Titanique
- 12:15pm: Matilda the Musical
- 12:25pm: My Neighbour Totoro
- 12:30pm: Hot Mess
- 12:40pm: Dark of the Moon
- 12:50pm: Love Never Dies in Concert
- 12:55pm: Waitress
- 1:10pm: Inala
- 1:20pm: Kinky Boots
- 1:25pm: Six
- 1:40pm: The Karate Kid – The Musical
- 1:50pm: The Harder They Come
- 2:00pm: Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage
- 2:05pm: Bliss the Musical
- 2:10pm: Magic Mike Live
- 2:20pm: Showstopper! The Improvised Musical
- 2:35pm: Noël Coward in the West End: Robert Hazle & Helena Northcote
- 2:45pm: Little Shop of Horrors
- 2:50pm: Surprise show
- 2:55pm: Heathers: The Musical
- 3:00pm: Redcliffe
- 3:10pm: The Jonathan Larson Project
- 3:15pm: Surprise show
- 3:20pm: Jane Eyre
- 3:25pm: G4
- 3:40pm: Ride the Cyclone
- 3:45pm: Jersey Boys
- 4:00pm: Event ends
Do I need tickets for West End Live?
No, it's completely free. There was a prize draw for fast track entry, but this has now closed.
What time should I arrive?
This is the big question. For Saturday, people queue from around 4am (and earlier) to get the best spots when the gates open at about 10:15am. This is not recommended, but it does happen and has caused controversy. It's generally accepted that if you're in the queue by 8:30am, you'll probably get in, though there are no guarantees. Sunday is much more relaxed, with no need to arrive extremely early for the 11:15am gate opening, but expect some queues.
Weather forecast
Saturday, June 20: fairly sunny, some clouds but no rain, 21°C–26°C. Sunday, June 21: very sunny, 25°C–29°C.
West End Live is at Trafalgar Square on June 20 and 21. For more information, check out the best new London theatre shows to book for in 2026 and the most unmissable open-air theatre shows in London this summer.
