As the U.S sets off fireworks, grills an obscene amount of meat, and watches bizarre sports with insane rules (why does American Football stop every 23.6 seconds?) we’re eyeing something else: a stellar lineup of Broadway productions. Yes, the breakup anniversary has reminded us of all the good things we miss about our ex, and 249 years feels long enough to try and have a civil relationship (that doesn’t end in a civil war).
We’ve already managed to stake a claim on the best of Broadway, including; Wicked, The Lion King, and (perhaps most ironically of all) Hamilton, but there are plenty more we would like to liberate for the West End.
We’ve shared stars, and stories for decades. So let’s keep the cultural exchange going. Because if Boop! the Musical can’t live forever on Broadway, it can have a new lease of life in London.
Maybe Happy Ending
The surprise of the Tony Awards this year, Maybe Happy Ending is a quietly beautiful story about two outdated helper robots, Oliver and Claire, who meet in a future Seoul where humans no longer need them. As they share music, memories, and the flicker of something like love, the musical becomes a moving reflection on connection and obsolescence. It picked up six Tony Awards at this year's ceremony, including Best Musical, and made Darren Criss the first Asian-American actor to win Best Leading Actor in a Musical. With its soulful score and delicate design, this is a gentle standout with plenty of emotional weight.
Death Becomes Her
Based on the 1992 cult film, this musical adaptation follows Madeline and Helen, two women who drink a mysterious potion that grants eternal youth. However, it’s only after drinking the luminous green liquid that they discover it has some seriously nasty side effect. Who would have thought, eh? With sharp humour, high stakes, and more animal print than London Zoo, Death Becomes Her leans into the absurdity of immortality. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards at this year's ceremony, taking home the prize for Best Costume Design - and if you’ve Lisle Von Rhuman’s outfit reveal on the show's Instagram page, you’ll understand why.
Boop! The Musical
The 1930s cartoon got a new, if brief, lease of life in Boop!. The new musical tells the story of Betty Boop as she tries to break free from the cartoon world to experience real life for the first time. As she navigates New York City with a wide-eyed sense of wonder, Boop discovers independence, identity, and the power of optimism. Its run has been short and sweet, just like the main girl herself, but during their brief time on Broadway they managed to pick up three Tony Award nominations. The musical was praised for its blend of nostalgic charm and inventive stagecraft, including one of the most inventive visual transitions of the season. Check out their instagram for some insane technicolour quick-changes.
Oh, Mary!
Cole Escola’s solo play follows Mary Todd Lincoln in the final weeks before her husband’s assassination. In this camp and comical production, the First Lady is portrayed as a chaotic and frustrated cabaret performer, desperately trying to hold things together. It sounds odd (because, well, it is), but it just works. What begins as a series of misbehaving monologues becomes a sharp, strange, and emotionally rich meditation on failure, legacy, and performance itself. The play earned two Tony Awards at this year’s ceremony, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and Best Direction, and due to phenomenal demand has had its limited run extended to January 2026. We may have to wait a little to see it this side of the pond, but we know it’ll be worth the wait.
Just In Time
This biographical musical charts the life of singer Bobby Darin, from his breakout as a teen pop star to his later evolution into a politically conscious artist. The show balances a catalogue of classic hits with an honest portrayal of Darin’s health struggles and personal reinvention. It was nominated for six Tony Awards and has earned praise for its thoughtful writing and emotional depth. It may not have the loudest marketing campaign, but with Jonathan Groff in the starring role, it’s built a strong cult following . Darwin may not have been as big of a star in the UK, but we think that this emotionally charged tale (and some seriously impressive tap dances and chorus lines) would hit the right notes with West End audiences.
The Notebook
Though it premiered last season, The Notebook continues to draw attention and praise. Based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks, it tells the story of Noah and Allie, whose love endures across decades and memory loss. The musical structure cleverly divides their story across different ages, allowing three sets of performers to play the same couple at different points in their lives. It was nominated for three Tony Awards and remains one of the most emotional (read: very sad) new musicals of recent years. The West End is crying out for another show we can cry out loud to (we love it, but there’s only so many times we can have a cathartic cry to Les Miserables) and this would be the perfect pick.
Beetlejuice
If we say it three times, will it appear in the West End? A few years removed from its original run, Beetlejuice remains a cult hit, and fan enthusiasm is still high - even more so since the release of the second film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in 2024 . Based on the original Tim Burton film, the musical follows a recently deceased couple and a mischievous demon as they haunt the living to reclaim their home. It’s irreverent, highly visual, and full of inventive theatrical moments. The show received eight Tony nominations in 2019 and (fittingly) was brought back from the dead thanks to online buzz and a devoted following. The show has been touring the US since 2022, and will be returning to Broadway this October for 8 weeks only. But where will it go after that? We’re hoping the answer is London. It would be a nice reward for the avid theatre fans who have been watching its success from the other side of the pond, but haven’t had enough Avios points to get there.
John Proctor is the Villain
This isn’t your mum’s The Crucible... Set in a modern high school literature class, this play uses The Crucible as a jumping-off point for a deeper discussion about power, gender, and justice. When real-life events start to echo those in Miller’s text, the students, and their teacher, are forced to re-examine the stories they’ve been told. Winner of the 2023 Obie Award for Best New American Play, and recipient of seven Tony Award nominations at this year’s ceremony, it’s sharp, timely, and deeply engaged with contemporary conversations. The West End’s appetite for urgent, issue-driven drama (Prima Facie, Punch) makes this an ideal candidate for a transfer.