How Long Is Each West End Show? Running Times for Every Major Musical and Play

The single most common question people ask before booking a West End show is a simple one: how long is it? Knowing the running time helps you plan dinner, arrange a babysitter, catch the last train and decide whether a matinee or an evening performance suits you better. This guide gives the approximate running times for the major shows currently playing in London's West End, along with which run straight through and how the intervals work.

As a quick answer: most West End musicals and plays run between about 2 hours 15 minutes and 2 hours 50 minutes, including one interval. The shortest big show is Six at 1 hour 20 minutes with no interval, while the longest single sitting is Stranger Things: The First Shadow at around 3 hours. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a special case, which we cover below.

West End show running times at a glance

Times below are approximate and include an interval where the show has one. They are ordered from shortest to longest, so you can scan straight to the length that fits your evening.

Show	Approximate running time
Six	1 hour 20 minutes (No interval)
Titanique	1 hour 40 minutes
The Play That Goes Wrong	2 hours 5 minutes
The Mousetrap	2 hours 15 minutes
Kinky Boots	2 hours 25 minutes
The Book of Mormon	2 hours 30 minutes
Hadestown	2 hours 30 minutes
The Phantom of the Opera	2 hours 30 minutes
The Lion King	2 hours 30 minutes
Mamma Mia!	2 hours 35 minutes
Moulin Rouge! The Musical	2 hours 35 minutes
Beetlejuice	2 hours 40 minutes
My Neighbour Totoro	2 hours 40 minutes
Oliver!	2 hours 40 minutes
Hamilton	2 hours 45 minutes
Wicked	2 hours 45 minutes
Matilda the Musical	2 hours 45 minutes
Paddington the Musical	2 hours 45 minutes
Les Misérables	2 hours 50 minutes
Billy Elliot	2 hours 50 minutes
Stranger Things: The First Shadow	3 hours

Running times can vary slightly from performance to performance and change over a show's run, so always treat these as a guide and check the show page when you book.

How long is Beetlejuice the Musical?

Beetlejuice runs for approximately 2 hours 40 minutes, including one interval, at the Prince Edward Theatre. That makes it a fairly standard full-length musical evening: a 7.30pm start typically finishes around 10.10pm. See performance dates and availability at Beetlejuice.

How long is Paddington the Musical?

Paddington the Musical runs for approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, including one interval, at the Savoy Theatre. It is a good length to know if you are bringing younger children, as the interval gives a natural break roughly halfway through. Check current dates and availability at Paddington the Musical.

Is Six a musical or a concert, and how long is it?

This is one of the most searched questions about the show, and the answer is both. Six is a musical, but it is staged like a live pop concert, with the six queens of Henry VIII performing as a girl group backed by an onstage band. It runs for about 1 hour 20 minutes with no interval, at the Vaudeville Theatre. The straight-through format is part of the appeal: it is the ideal length for a pre-dinner show or a first trip to the theatre with teenagers.

How long is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre is the longest story in the West End, because it has been told across two parts. In the two-part version, Part One runs about 2 hours 40 minutes and Part Two about 2 hours 35 minutes, each including an interval, seen either on the same day or across two evenings. A newer single-part version of the play runs for approximately 2 hours 55 minutes, including an interval. Because the format is changing during 2026, check which version is playing on your chosen date before you book.

Do West End shows have an interval?

Most full-length West End shows have one interval, usually lasting about 15 to 20 minutes, which is your chance to stretch, use the facilities or pick up a drink. A handful of shorter shows run straight through with no interval, including Six. If a break matters to you, it is worth checking the show page, as running straight through changes how you plan your evening.

How early should I arrive?

Aim to arrive at the theatre about 30 minutes before the advertised start time. West End venues have bag checks and security on the door, and the auditorium usually opens around half an hour before curtain up, so arriving early means you can find your seats without rushing. If you do arrive after the show has started, most theatres hold latecomers until a suitable break in the performance, at the discretion of the venue, so a little buffer time is always worth building in.

A note on running times

The times in this guide are approximate, include an interval where the show has one, and can change over the course of a run. For the most current running time, cast and performance schedule, use the individual show page. You can see live availability and running times for every show across London's West End at britishtheatre.com and through tickadoo.