Long running shows in London
West End shows can run for just a few weeks, or continue on for decades. Musicals tend to have longer runs than dramas. The longest running musical in West End history is Les Misérables. It overtook Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats, which closed in 2002 after running for 8,949 performances and 21 years, as the longest running West End musical of all time on 8 October 2006. Other long-runners include Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, still running after 21 years, and Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, currently in its 20th year. However the non-musical Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap is the longest running show in the world, and has been showing since 1952.
There are eleven long running shows still playing in London’s West End:
* The Mousetrap at the St Martin’s Theatre – opened 25 November 1952 originally at the Ambassadors Theatre[2] – 55th Year.
* Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre – opened 8 October 1985 originally at the Barbican Theatre – 23rd Year
* The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre – opened 9 October 1986[4] – 22nd Year
* Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre – opened 28 July 1988 originally at the Albery Theatre[5] – 20th Year
* The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre opened 15 February 1989 originally at the Strand Theatre – 19th Year
* Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story – opened 6 October 1995 at the Victoria Palace Theatre
* Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre – opened 18 November 1997 originally at the Adelphi Theatre- 11th Year
* Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre – opened 6 April 1999 originally at the Prince Edward Theatre – 9th Year
* Disney’s The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre – opened 19 October 1999 – 9th Year
* We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre – 14 May 2002 – 6th Year
* Stomp at the Ambassadors Theatre opened 25 September 2002 – 6th Year
