The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Embark on a journey to Theatre Royal Haymarket for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a new musical with songs by Passenger. This life-affirming story of a man who goes out to post a letter to a dying friend, but ends up walking the length of the country, comes to London following a world premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre, and stars Mark Addy (The Full Monty) and Jenna Russell (Hello, Dolly!). Adapted by Rachel Joyce from her Man Booker Prize longlisted novel.
Save up to £25.00
Booking from 29 January 2026 until 18 April 2026
Grace Pervades
What’s more important, art or life? Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison star in Olivier Award winner David Hare’s acclaimed historical drama Grace Pervades, direct from Theatre Royal Bath. Reimagining the passionate on and offstage relationship between Victorian acting titans Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, this “love letter to theatre” (The Guardian) runs at Theatre Royal Haymarket for a strictly limited season in 2026, and is set to be one of the most fascinating - and brilliantly acted - new shows of the year.
FIND TICKETS
Booking from 24 April 2026 until 11 July 2026
Box Office Contacts
| Box Office: | 020 7930 8800 |
| Access Booking: | 020 7930 8800 |
| Group Booking: | 020 7930 8800 |
| Stage Door: | 020 7930 8890 |
History
One of the West End’s oldest theatres, the Theatre Royal Haymarket officially opened in 1720 with a French play entitled La Fille a la Morte, ou le Badeaut de Paris. Successful early productions included The Beggar’s Opera (1729) and The Dragon of Wantley (1734).
The current building opened in 1821 with a production of The Rivals, followed by Our American Cousin (1862) An English Gentleman (1871) and a number of burlesque performances.
Following this, the Haymarket became synonymous with light comedies, such as The Palace of Truth (1870), The Wicked World (1873), Charity (1864), The Zoo (1875) and the premiere of Engaged (1877). Oscar Wilde premiered a variety of his productions at the theatre, including A Woman of No Importance (1893) and An Ideal Husband (1895).
During the late 19th to early 20th century, the venue made its name hosting plays and comedies, including Under the Red Robe (1896) and J.M. Barrie’s The Little Minister (1897), as well as Bunty Pulls the Strings (1911), Ghosts (1914) and The Widow’s Might (1916).
Soon, productions began to run for an extended amount of time, with J. M. Barrie’s Mary Rose (1920) running for 399 performances and Yellow Sands (1926-1927), which ran for 610 shows. Notable productions after this included The First Mrs Fraser (1929), starring Marie Tempest, Noel Coward’s Design for Living (1939), The Importance of Being Earnest (1948) and a production of The Glass Menagerie, starring Helen Hayes.
The mid 1900’s saw some rarer plays performed, such as Flowering Cherry (1957), Terence Rattigan’s Ross (1960), Ides of March (1963), directed by John Gielgud and A Voyage Round My Father (1971-1972), starring Alec Guinness.
By this point, the Theatre Royal Haymarket was known for a quick turnover of plays featuring star casts. Productions of note were Virginia (1981), with Maggie Smith, Hobson’s Choice (1982), starring Penelope Keith and Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya (1982) and The Cherry Orchard (1983). Throughout this time, the theatre produced many plays in repertory, including The Aspern Papers (1984), with Vanessa Redgrave, who also appeared in Antony and Cleopatra (1986).
Toward the end of the 20th century, works from a number of playwrights were performed at the theatre, comprising Terence Rattigan, John Osborne, J.M. Barrie, David Mamet, Jean Anoulih, Tom Stoppard, Henrik Ibsen, Oscar Wilde, Neil Simon and more. Renowned actors such as Derek Jacobi, Robert Lindsay, Alan Bates, Martin Shaw, Jessica Lange, Steven Berkoff and Richard Dreyfuss appeared at the theatre.
21st century productions have included The Royal Family (2001), starring Judi Dench, Lady Windermere’s Fan (2002), starring Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson, The Breath of Life (2002), with Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes in Brand (2003) and When Harry Met Sally (2004).
2005 saw Victoria Wood’s hilarious Acorn Antiques the Musical premiere, starring Julie Walters and Celia Imrie, followed by Hay Fever (2006), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (2006), The Last Confession (2007) and The Country Wife (2007), amongst many more.
Trevor Nunn’s Olivier Award-winning production of Flare Path transferred to the theatre in 2011, starring Sheridan Smith, followed by the National Theatre’s One Man, Two Guvnors (2012), Fatal Attraction (2014), Great Britain (2015), Taken at Midnight (2015), starring Penelope Wilton, Harvey (2015), Elephant Man (2015), starring Bradley Cooper, and McQueen (2015).
2016’s shows included Mr Foote’s Other Leg, Bad Jews, How the Other Half Loves and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, directed by Nikolai Foster and starring Pixie Lott. Dominic Cooper then took to the stage in The Libertine, before the RSC’s Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing came to the theatre in 2017.
Damian Lewis and Sophie Okonedo starred in Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, followed by Edward Fox in Sand in the Sandwiches and the RSC transfer of Queen Anne, starring Emma Cunniffe and Romola Garai. 2017 rounds off with dark comedy Venus in Fur, starring Natalie Dormer and David Oakes, followed by Christmas With The Rat Pack.
The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas kicked off 2018, featuring well-known hits from the iconic trio. Jonathan Munby directed Bryony Lavery's acclaimed play Frozen, starring Suranne Jones, Jason Watkins and Nina Sosanya. 2018 also sees the Maly Drama Theatre return with limited performances of Uncle Vanya and Life and Fate, followed by Christopher Hampton's adaptation of Molière’s Tartuffe.
2018 saw West End transfer of cult hit Heathers the Musical, followed by Take That musical The Band.
The world premiere of new musical Only Fools and Horses took place in early 2019 at the theatre, starring Paul Whitehouse. In April, family show Where is Peter Rabbit? hopped into the theatre to play morning and early afternoon performances. Children's classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea played a limited run over the 2019 festive period and will return for a summer season in 2021.
Like all other West End venues, the Theatre Royal Haymarket closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A production of the play Love Letters starring Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove was one of the first plays to open in the West End following the period of closure in December 2020.
Heathers the Musical returned to the theatre for a summer season in 2021, running alongside The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Only Fools and Horses returned to the venue in October 2021, continuing its open-ended run. Children’s show Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever played over the Christmas period in 2021 and 2022.
In April 2023, Only Fools and Horses The Musical closed, and Theatre Royal Haymarket announced plans to become a home for short-run plays in the West End. In summer 2023, The Tiger Who Came To Tea returned for another season, alongside a transfer of Lyric Hammersmith's acclaimed revival of Accidental Death of an Anarchist starring Daniel Rigby.
In September 2023, Noises Off returned to London for a season at Theatre Royal Haymarket, starring Felicity Kendal.
In 2024, Dominic West starred in a revival of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge, followed by another summer season of The Tiger Who Came To Tea. In August 2024, Farm Hall made its West End debut for a strictly limited one-month run. Later in 2024, a re-imagined production of Waiting for Godot starring Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati made its West End debut.
Over Christmas, families enjoyed Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out, the latest Peppa Pig live show in London. In early 2025, Brian Cox returned to the West End in the critically acclaimed play, The Score, followed by The Deep Blue Sea starring Tamsin Greig.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea returns to Haymarket for another summer season this year. Beth Steel's latest play Till The Stars Come Down transferred from the National Theatre for a limited season, starring Sinead Matthews, followed by David Harewood and Toby Jones in Othello, Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison in Grace Pervades, and the new Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry musical.
The current building opened in 1821 with a production of The Rivals, followed by Our American Cousin (1862) An English Gentleman (1871) and a number of burlesque performances.
Following this, the Haymarket became synonymous with light comedies, such as The Palace of Truth (1870), The Wicked World (1873), Charity (1864), The Zoo (1875) and the premiere of Engaged (1877). Oscar Wilde premiered a variety of his productions at the theatre, including A Woman of No Importance (1893) and An Ideal Husband (1895).
During the late 19th to early 20th century, the venue made its name hosting plays and comedies, including Under the Red Robe (1896) and J.M. Barrie’s The Little Minister (1897), as well as Bunty Pulls the Strings (1911), Ghosts (1914) and The Widow’s Might (1916).
Soon, productions began to run for an extended amount of time, with J. M. Barrie’s Mary Rose (1920) running for 399 performances and Yellow Sands (1926-1927), which ran for 610 shows. Notable productions after this included The First Mrs Fraser (1929), starring Marie Tempest, Noel Coward’s Design for Living (1939), The Importance of Being Earnest (1948) and a production of The Glass Menagerie, starring Helen Hayes.
The mid 1900’s saw some rarer plays performed, such as Flowering Cherry (1957), Terence Rattigan’s Ross (1960), Ides of March (1963), directed by John Gielgud and A Voyage Round My Father (1971-1972), starring Alec Guinness.
By this point, the Theatre Royal Haymarket was known for a quick turnover of plays featuring star casts. Productions of note were Virginia (1981), with Maggie Smith, Hobson’s Choice (1982), starring Penelope Keith and Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya (1982) and The Cherry Orchard (1983). Throughout this time, the theatre produced many plays in repertory, including The Aspern Papers (1984), with Vanessa Redgrave, who also appeared in Antony and Cleopatra (1986).
Toward the end of the 20th century, works from a number of playwrights were performed at the theatre, comprising Terence Rattigan, John Osborne, J.M. Barrie, David Mamet, Jean Anoulih, Tom Stoppard, Henrik Ibsen, Oscar Wilde, Neil Simon and more. Renowned actors such as Derek Jacobi, Robert Lindsay, Alan Bates, Martin Shaw, Jessica Lange, Steven Berkoff and Richard Dreyfuss appeared at the theatre.
21st century productions have included The Royal Family (2001), starring Judi Dench, Lady Windermere’s Fan (2002), starring Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson, The Breath of Life (2002), with Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes in Brand (2003) and When Harry Met Sally (2004).
2005 saw Victoria Wood’s hilarious Acorn Antiques the Musical premiere, starring Julie Walters and Celia Imrie, followed by Hay Fever (2006), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (2006), The Last Confession (2007) and The Country Wife (2007), amongst many more.
Trevor Nunn’s Olivier Award-winning production of Flare Path transferred to the theatre in 2011, starring Sheridan Smith, followed by the National Theatre’s One Man, Two Guvnors (2012), Fatal Attraction (2014), Great Britain (2015), Taken at Midnight (2015), starring Penelope Wilton, Harvey (2015), Elephant Man (2015), starring Bradley Cooper, and McQueen (2015).
2016’s shows included Mr Foote’s Other Leg, Bad Jews, How the Other Half Loves and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, directed by Nikolai Foster and starring Pixie Lott. Dominic Cooper then took to the stage in The Libertine, before the RSC’s Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing came to the theatre in 2017.
Damian Lewis and Sophie Okonedo starred in Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, followed by Edward Fox in Sand in the Sandwiches and the RSC transfer of Queen Anne, starring Emma Cunniffe and Romola Garai. 2017 rounds off with dark comedy Venus in Fur, starring Natalie Dormer and David Oakes, followed by Christmas With The Rat Pack.
The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas kicked off 2018, featuring well-known hits from the iconic trio. Jonathan Munby directed Bryony Lavery's acclaimed play Frozen, starring Suranne Jones, Jason Watkins and Nina Sosanya. 2018 also sees the Maly Drama Theatre return with limited performances of Uncle Vanya and Life and Fate, followed by Christopher Hampton's adaptation of Molière’s Tartuffe.
2018 saw West End transfer of cult hit Heathers the Musical, followed by Take That musical The Band.
The world premiere of new musical Only Fools and Horses took place in early 2019 at the theatre, starring Paul Whitehouse. In April, family show Where is Peter Rabbit? hopped into the theatre to play morning and early afternoon performances. Children's classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea played a limited run over the 2019 festive period and will return for a summer season in 2021.
Like all other West End venues, the Theatre Royal Haymarket closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A production of the play Love Letters starring Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove was one of the first plays to open in the West End following the period of closure in December 2020.
Heathers the Musical returned to the theatre for a summer season in 2021, running alongside The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Only Fools and Horses returned to the venue in October 2021, continuing its open-ended run. Children’s show Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever played over the Christmas period in 2021 and 2022.
In April 2023, Only Fools and Horses The Musical closed, and Theatre Royal Haymarket announced plans to become a home for short-run plays in the West End. In summer 2023, The Tiger Who Came To Tea returned for another season, alongside a transfer of Lyric Hammersmith's acclaimed revival of Accidental Death of an Anarchist starring Daniel Rigby.
In September 2023, Noises Off returned to London for a season at Theatre Royal Haymarket, starring Felicity Kendal.
In 2024, Dominic West starred in a revival of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge, followed by another summer season of The Tiger Who Came To Tea. In August 2024, Farm Hall made its West End debut for a strictly limited one-month run. Later in 2024, a re-imagined production of Waiting for Godot starring Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati made its West End debut.
Over Christmas, families enjoyed Peppa Pig's Fun Day Out, the latest Peppa Pig live show in London. In early 2025, Brian Cox returned to the West End in the critically acclaimed play, The Score, followed by The Deep Blue Sea starring Tamsin Greig.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea returns to Haymarket for another summer season this year. Beth Steel's latest play Till The Stars Come Down transferred from the National Theatre for a limited season, starring Sinead Matthews, followed by David Harewood and Toby Jones in Othello, Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison in Grace Pervades, and the new Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry musical.
