Theatre in the UK

The tonight page lists every show on our calendar tonight by start time, and the calendar lets you filter by day, city and kind of show. We start with sixteen cities, from London to Belfast, and check the programmes every day. →

Musicals play in the West End and at the big touring houses of the cities, such as the Bristol Hippodrome, which ATG's page calls Bristol's West End Theatre, and the Birmingham Hippodrome. The calendar shows which titles are running. →

A pantomime is a British festive stage comedy for families: a well-known story such as Cinderella or Aladdin retold with songs, topical jokes and audience participation. Most big theatres stage one between late November and January, for example the Glasgow King's (Aladdin, 21 November to 3 January), the London Palladium (Cinderella, 5 December to 10 January) and the Belfast Grand Opera House (The Little Mermaid, 28 November to 10 January). Each theatre's page has its own dates and the recommended age. →

Official London Theatre, the ticket site of the Society of London Theatre, lists on-the-day discounts and advance bookings with a “tickets from” price for each West End show, and runs a Ticket Booth in Leicester Square Gardens. Elsewhere, ask the box office about concessions and book from the box office or the theatre's own website; resale sites often charge more than face value. →

The start time is on your ticket and on the show's page. Doors usually open earlier, with the bar and the programme in the foyer, and matinees run in the afternoon. At musicals it pays to arrive early for the bag check. →

No. Most people wear what they would wear to a nice dinner, and jeans are fine. At opera evenings and press nights you see more suits and evening dresses, but it is not required. →