The best LGBTQIA+ gay theatre shows and gay plays in London can be found at the following venues and if you’d like to purchase theatre tickets then please click on the link to the Theatre where you’ll find theatre tickets.
Best Gay LGBTQ+ Queer Theatre in London for May 2025 onwards
Midnight Cowboy at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, 4 April – 17 May 2024
Two broken souls navigate the streets of New York City, clinging to the hope of finding fortune as Midnight Cowboy, a new musical, premieres at Southwark Playhouse Elephant. Joe Buck, desperate to escape his past, teams up with the equally lost Rico ‘Ratso’ Rizzo. Together, they pursue their dreams, facing the harsh realities of the city that requires sacrifice. Based on James Leo Herlihy’s novel and the Oscar-winning 1969 film in which John Voight played Joe Buck and Dustin Hoffman played Rizzo, this adaptation features a book by Bryony Lavery, exploring themes of friendship and ambition, with a soundtrack by Ivor Novello Award-winner Francis ‘Eg’ White.
Tickets: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/midnight-cowboy/
Southwark Playhouse Elephant, 1 Dante Place, London SE11 4RX, United Kingdom.
Faygele at Marylebone Theatre, 30 April – 31 May 2025
Written by Shimmy Braun, Faygele tells the story of 13-year-old Ari Freed, whose Bar Mitzvah takes a devastating turn when his father refers to him as “faygele”, a derogatory Yiddish term for “faggot”. The play delves into themes of identity, faith, love, and survival as Ari grapples with adolescence and the emotional consequences of this life-altering moment.
Tickets: https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/productions/faygele
Marylebone Theatre, 35 Park Road, London NW1 6XT, United Kingdom.
Goner at Battersea Arts Centre, 6 – 10 May 2025
The audiences will be on the edge of their seats. Goner is a captivating and suspenseful choreographic journey that explores the depths of psychological horror. This is a story of alienation, migration, and violence, creating a radical visual culture from the perspective of marginalised communities. In 2019, Malik Nashad Sharpe was recognized as a Rising Star in Dance by Attitude Magazine. In 2022, he was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for his remarkable choreographic achievements.
Tickets: https://bac.org.uk/whats-on/goner/
Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN, United Kingdom.
Saria Callas at Camden People’s Theatre, 6 – 17 May 2025
Seemia Theatre presents Saria Callas, a captivating multimedia play that tells the powerful story of a young woman aspiring to become a singer in a community where singing is strictly forbidden for women. Set against the backdrop of cultural and societal constraints, we revisit Tehran, the school-bus parties, the wannabe prayer-caller and the secret w**ks at the all-girls’ school.
Tickets: https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/Saria-Callas
Camden People’s Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PY, United Kingdom.
LIZA in TYPSY! at the Menier Chocolate Factory, 7 – 11 May 2025
The Guardian described Trevor Ashley as elevating comedy to a “hysterical pitch”. He has amazed audiences as Liza, performing from the Sydney Opera House to New York’s Sony Hall and the West End’s Vaudeville Theatre. Now, he raises the bar with outrageous gags, stunning vocals, and an abundance of sequins—more than at Studio 54—all while enjoying a few too many cocktails. Backed by a sensational live seven-piece band, this is Liza like you’ve never seen her before: dazzling, decadent, and delightfully tipsy!
Tickets: https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/tickets/trevor-ashley-is-liza-in-typsy/
Menier Chocolate Factory, 4 O’Meara Street, London SE1 1TE, United Kingdom.
After the Act at Royal Court Theatre, 21 May – 14 June 2025
In 1988, a law was introduced that banned the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in schools. Now, this new musical tells the story of Section 28 – and the teachers, pupils and activists who lived through it. By Billy Barrett and Ellice Stevens, composed by Frew and directed by Billy Barrett. ★★★★ ‘This musical feels exceptional… A massive achievement’ – The Guardian.
Tickets: https://royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/after-the-act/
Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, 50-51 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS, United Kingdom.
Have You Met Stan? At Kings Head Theatre, 26 – 28 May 2025
Fresh from having been awarded the Brighton Fringe Musical Theatre Bursary Award and after a successful premiere at Oxford’s OFFBEAT Festival, Have You Met Stan? is set to return with performances in London and Brighton and London. This new musical highlights the experiences of queer EU migrant voices in post-Brexit Britain. Have You Met Stan? Is a musical tale of bead-clenching Catholic mothers, EU migration, and shabby Irish pubs.
Tickets: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/31/by-bart-thiede/have-you-met-stan-a-new-musical
King’s Head Theatre, 116 Upper Street, London N1 1QN, United Kingdom.
The Watch at The Glitch, 28 May – 9 June 2025
A contemporary queer love story, The Watch explores the messy, tender, and transformative nature of young queer love. It captures the fragility of time, the complexity of identity, and the beauty of human connections in all their imperfect forms. This tale blends tender romantic comedy with dreamlike storytelling. When insomniac Hannah meets clockmaker Zoe, days blur into nights, reality gives way to desire, and love becomes both fleeting and infinite.
Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vaultcreativearts/1617333
The Glitch, 134 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AE, United Kingdom.
The Ministry Of Lesbian Affairs at Kiln Theatre, 13 June – 12 July 2025
It is a feel-good musical comedy featuring the only lesbian choir in the country. In a run-down church hall, The Ministry Of Lesbian Affairs is trying to win a place on the Pride main stage. With an OWL (Older, Wiser Lesbian) at the helm, the rag-tag choir navigates love and loss and tries to agree on their song list. Yet, despite their best intentions, they find that harmony comes at a cost.
Tickets: https://kilntheatre.com/whats-on/the-ministry-of-lesbian-affairs/
Kiln Theatre, 269 Kilburn High Road, London NW6 7JR, United Kingdom.
Who is Claude Cahun? at Southwark Playhouse Borough, 18 June – 12 July 2025
This gripping production tells the true story of Claude Cahun, a Jewish lesbian artist who defied the Nazi regime through acts of artistic resistance in Jersey during WWII.
Tickets: www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/who-is-claude-cahun
Southwark Playhouse Borough (The Little), 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD, United Kingdom.
96 Festival at Omnibus Theatre, 21 June – 12 July 2025
An array of artists gather to celebrate queerness and theatre. Now in its 10th year, the 96 Festival is an extravaganza celebrating theatre, comedy, cabaret, music, art, and activism.
Tickets: https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/whats-on/
Omnibus Theatre, 1 Clapham Common Northside, London SW4 0QW, United Kingdom.
Schrödinger’s Lesbians at Omnibus Theatre, 4 – 5 July 2025
It’s the 6th Century BCE: Sappho’s back, and she’s single. Based on Sappho’s fragments, Schrödinger’s Lesbians is a joyful, irreverent new play from Themis Theatre about love, lesbians, and how to cope with a history that’s written you out of it. Written by Libby Boyd, the play takes a dive into the highs and lows of queer female friendships while asking: ‘can you be just friends with someone you’re into?’ Part of 96 Festival.
Tickets: https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/schrodingers-lesbians/
Omnibus Theatre, 1 Clapham Common Northside, London SW4 0QW, United Kingdom.
Premier LGBTQIA+ Gay Theatre In London:
VENUE CLOSED Above The Stag Theatre London
An independent Charity and Theatre Company serving the LGBTQIA+ community and its supporters that performed many gay plays in London. It is the only designated queer theatre in London and is located in Vauxhall. It´s very convenient for after theatre drinks at one of the many gay venues in the area, so you have an excellent opportunity to make a night of it. The theatre is London’s delightful LGBT thespian oasis. A gorgeous corner of performance and campery, and they’re the only theatre in the UK that’s exclusively LGBT-focused! They also have a very nice bar so you can enjoy pre-theatre and interval drinks, plus bar snacks.
To purchase LGBT+ theatre tickets visit the QXTickets portal with links to theatre websites that are currently staging LGBT+ gay theatre London.
The Soho Theatre London
Soho Theatre is one of the country’s busiest venues with a year-round festival programme of theatre, comedy and cabaret featuring several gay plays. There are six shows a night across three stages, with a very popular bar. The Theatre is based in the heart of gay soho and a very gay friendly theatre in the heart of Soho that includes a lot of queer theatre content in its programming. Tickets at The Soho Theatre
Soho-Theatre-Whats-On-LGBT
The Pleasance Theatre London
Located in Islington, The Pleasance Theatre has three production spaces. Mainhouse: Capacity 230. Downstairs: Capacity 75. Stagespace: Capacity 54. This Off-West End theatre welcomes artists at all stages of their careers with a commitment to new work that pushes boundaries. They stage several LGBTQ and gay theatre shows every year. Tickets at The Pleasance Theatre
Park Theatre London
Located very close to Finsbury Park station, Park Theatre describes themselves as a neighbourhood theatre with a global ambition. They focus on staging a mix of both new writing and modern revivals. This stunning playhouse aims to stage content that resonates and reflects the world around them and the neighbourhoods close by. This London Theatre therefore includes a lot of LGBTQ+, queer and gay theatre in their programming. Located very close to Finsbury Park station, Park Theatre describes themselves as a neighbourhood theatre with a global ambition. They focus on staging a mix of both new writing and modern revivals. This stunning playhouse aims to stage content that resonates and reflects the world around them and the neighbourhoods close by. Tickets at the Park Theatre
Kings Head Theatre
Located in Upper Street, Islington and established in 1970, The King´s Head was the first pub theatre to be founded since Shakepeare’s day and has staged numerous LGBTQ+ and gay plays in it. The pub is a cozy traditional Victorian pub and a great place to meet up. In the winter customers get to enjoy a roaring fire! The theatre is located at the back. This is the Theatre where Hugh Grant made his acting debut. The Theatre is firmly committed to equality and diversity in everything it does. It regularly stages LGBTQI+ gay theatre shows and will run a whole season of gay theatre in London. Tickets at The Kings Head Theatre
Brixton House Theatre
As they embark on a new journey as Brixton House, the team told QX, “we are proud to continue expanding on Ovalhouse Theatre’s renowned legacy for creating safe-spaces for artists across the LGBTQI+ community and beyond, to authentically create and fearlessly share their voices with audiences keen to hear their stories.” Tickets at Brixton House.
The Other Palace Theatre
A theatre situated 3 minutes for Victoria tube. There is a 300-seat Main Theatre space and a smaller Studio space that accommodates up to 120 people. They offer a varied programme of drama, musical theatre, cabaret and jazz. There is also an excellent restaurant and bar. Tickets at The Other Palace.
The Vaults
London’s home for immersive theatre and alternative arts is set in a maze of disused railway arches under Waterloo Station and regularly puts on LGBTQ+ focused shows and gay plays in London. They are on a mission to inspire. Tickets at The Vaults
Southwark Playhouse
The Playhouse is 5 minutes from Borough Station in an area with excellent eateries. Described as quirky and classy at the same time (The Stage), the theatre has two distinctive theatre spaces. They seek to showcase the U.K.’s best up and coming talent in London, including queer theatre, offering such talent the opportunity to present their first fully realised productions. Content focuses on reinterpreting classic plays and contemporary plays of note. Tickets at the Southwark Playhouse
The Donmar Warehouse
This is a 251-seat, not-for-profit theatre in Covent Garden, and they have won more than 100 awards in their 27-year history. They bring together a wide variety of people in an intimate warehouse space. For this theatre representation really matters. Tickets at The Donmar Warehouse.
Other Theatres that stage excellent LGBTQIA+ gay theatre shows in London:
ICA
The Apollo Theatre : Everybody´s talking about Jamie
Charing Cross Theatre
Leicester Square Theatre
And many other fantastic gay theatres across London…
Please send press releases for LGBTQ+ gay plays in London and LGBTQ+ gay theatre London releases to info@euroworldwidemedia.co.uk
Other sources of London gay plays and London gay theatre shows in London
