As restrictions start to ease, there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.
From May 17th, shows can reopen with social distancing.
From June 21st, shows are tentatively planned to reopen with less restrictions. However, this has not been confirmed - some theatres are clearly expecting to open straight away while others are playing it safe and not setting their return dates until later this year.
I have gathered all of the currently confirmed reopening dates for all shows planning to open or return to the West End this year. It is all easily arranged by date, clearly saying whether shows from now until July are socially distanced or not.
All dates are correct at time of posting and to be included in this list I have obnly included shows that are running for longer than 3 weeks at any West End venue:
WHAT? The Mousetrap
WHEN? Monday 17th May
WHERE? St Martin's Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from https://uk.the-mousetrap.co.uk/
WHAT? Cruise
WHEN? Tuesday 18th May - Sunday 13th June
WHERE? Apollo Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from nimaxtheatres.com
WHAT? Death Drop
WHEN? Wednesday 18th May - Sunday 11th July
WHERE? Garrick Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from nimaxtheatres.com
WHAT? Everybody's Talking About Jamie
WHEN? Thursday 20th May
WHERE? Apollo Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from nimaxtheatres.com
WHAT? Les Miserables - The Staged Concert
WHEN? Thursday 20th May -
WHERE? Sondheim Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? Six
WHEN? Friday 21st May - Sunday 22nd August
WHERE? Lyric Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from nimaxtheatres.com
WHAT? Amelie
WHEN? Friday 21st May
WHERE? Criterion Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from https://www.criterion-theatre.co.uk/
WHAT? ABBAMania
WHEN? Friday 21st May - Sunday 6th June
WHERE? Shaftesbury Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from http://www.shaftesburytheatre.com/shows/abba-mania/
WHAT? Romeo & Juliet
WHEN? Thursday 17th June - Saturday 24th July
WHERE? Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from https://openairtheatre.com/whats-on
WHAT? The Play That Goes Wrong
WHEN? Friday 18th June
WHERE? Duchess Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from nimaxtheatres.com
JUNE 21ST - RULES CHANGE
As part of the Governments roadmap, no earlier than Monday 21st June, theatres should be able to reopen without social distancing measures.
However, this is far from confirmed as yet. Some of the following shows are selling social distancing measures for a limited time, for their entire run (with the plan to add more seats in if restrictions are lifted) while others are selling at full capacity.
For the shows selling at full capacity, it is possible that the start dates may be pushed back further - these are the current dates they are planning to reopen or are booking from:
WHAT? Hairspray
WHEN? Monday 21st June - Wednesday 29th September
WHERE? London Coliseum
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes until Sunday 18th July.
Booking at full capacity from Tuesday 20th July.
Tickets from https://londoncoliseum.org/whats-on/hairspray/
WHAT? Heathers
WHEN? Tuesday 22nd June - Saturday 11th September
WHERE? Theatre Royal Haymarket
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
Tickets from https://tickets.trh.co.uk
WHAT? Cinderella
WHEN? Friday 25th June
WHERE? Gillian Lynne Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED?: No
WHAT? Be More Chill
WHEN? Wednesday 30th June - Sunday 5th September
WHERE? Shaftesbury Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
WHAT? The Prince of Egypt
WHEN? Thursday 1st July
WHERE? Dominion Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes, until Saturday 4th September.
Booking at full capacity from Monday 6th September.
Tickets from https://www.theprinceofegyptmusical.com/tickets/
WHAT? Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
WHEN? Thursday 1st July - Sunday 5th September
WHERE? Criterion Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No.
WHAT? Pretty Woman
WHEN? Thursday 8th July - Sunday 12th December
WHERE? Savoy Theatre (moving from its previous home of the Piccadilly)
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No.
WHAT? Wonderment
WHEN? Friday 16th July – Monday 30th August 2021
WHERE? The Palace Theatre
WHAT? Billionaire Boy
WHEN? Saturday 17th July – Sunday 22nd August
WHERE? Garrick Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
Tickets from https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/shows/billionaire-boy/
WHAT? Oleanna
WHEN? Wednesday 21st July - Saturday 23rd October
WHERE? The Arts Theatre
Tickets from https://artstheatrewestend.co.uk/
WHAT? Come From Away
WHEN? Thursday 22nd July
WHERE? Phoenix Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
Tickets from atgtickets.com
WHAT? Anything Goes
WHEN? Friday 23rd July - Sunday 17th October
WHERE? Barbican
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
WHAT? The Phantom of the Opera
WHEN? Tuesday 27th July
WHERE? Her Majesty's Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
WHAT? Jersey Boys
WHEN? Wednesday 28th July
WHERE? Trafalgar Studios
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
WHAT? Tina
WHEN? Wednesday 28th July
WHERE? Aldwych Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
Tickets from https://tinathemusical.com/uk/
WHAT? The Lion King
WHEN? Thursday 29th July
WHERE? Lyceum Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? No
Tickets from https://thelionking.co.uk/london/
WHAT? Carousel
WHEN? Saturday 31st July - Saturday 25th September
WHERE? Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
SOCIALLY DISTANCED? Yes
Tickets from https://openairtheatre.com/whats-on
From August all shows are booking without social distancing.
WHAT? Mary Poppins
WHEN? Saturday 7th August
WHERE? Prince Edward Theatre
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? Leopoldstadt
WHEN? Saturday 7th August - Saturday 30th October
WHERE? Wyndhams Theatre
Tickets on sale from Friday 30th April from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? Hamilton
WHEN? Thursday 19th August
WHERE? Victoria Palace Theatre
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? Back To The Future - The Musical
WHEN? Friday 20th August
WHERE? Adelphi Theatre
WHAT? Mamma Mia
WHEN? Wednesday 25th August
WHERE? Novello Theatre
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? Frozen
WHEN? Friday 27th August
WHERE? Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tickets from https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/frozen-musical/
WHAT? The Woman In Black
WHEN? Tuesday 7th September
WHERE? Fortune Theatre
WHAT? Wicked
WHEN? Wednesday 15th September
WHERE? Apollo Victoria
Tickets back on sale this month from https://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/
WHAT? Matilda
WHEN? Thursday 16th September
WHERE? Cambridge Theatre
Tickets on sale Monday 10th May from lwtheatres.co.uk
WHAT? The Last Five Years
WHEN? Friday 17th September – Wednesday 13th October
WHERE? Vaudeville Theatre
WHAT? &Juliet
WHEN? Friday 24th September
WHERE? Shaftesbury Theatre
Tickets from https://www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk/
WHAT? Les Miserables
WHEN? Saturday 25th September
WHERE? Sondheim Theatre
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? Only Fools and Horses
WHEN? Friday 1st October
WHERE? Theatre Royal Haymarket
Tickets from https://tickets.trh.co.uk
WHAT? Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical
WHEN? Friday 1st October
WHERE? Lyric Theatre
WHAT? Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 and 2
WHEN? Thursday 14th October
WHERE? Palace Theatre
WHAT? Magic Goes Wrong
WHEN? Thursday 21st October – Sunday 27th February 2022
WHERE? Vaudeville Theatre
WHAT? The Ocean at the End of the Lane
WHEN? Tuesday 26th Oct - Friday 12th Feb 2022
WHERE? Duke of York's Theatre
Tickets from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane/duke-of-yorks-theatre/
WHAT? Dear Evan Hansen
WHEN? Tuesday 26th October
WHERE? Noel Coward Theatre
Tickets on sale from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? The Life of Pi
WHEN? Sunday 14th November
WHERE? Wyndhams Theatre
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
WHAT? The Drifters Girl
WHEN? Thursday 4th November - Saturday 26th March 2022
WHERE? Garrick Theatre
WHAT? Moulin Rouge
WHEN? Friday 12th November
WHERE? Piccadilly Theatre
Tickets on sale soon from atgtickets.co.uk
WHAT? The Book of Mormon
WHEN? Monday 15th November
WHERE? Prince of Wales Theatre
Tickets from https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/
I'll update this post as more shows are announced or any dates change so keep an eye on it regularly.