List of the longest-running West End shows
List

#
Title
Genre
Opening date
Closing date
Performances
Comment
1
The Mousetrap
P
25 November 1952
-
27,672
Currently running at the St. Martin's Theatre 6 October 1952 – Production premiere at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham 25 November 1952 – Opened in the West End at the New Ambassadors Theatre 13 September 1957 – Longest-running West End play 12 April 1958 – Longest-running West End show overall, 2239 performances 9 December 1964 – 5,000 performances 23 March 1974 – Closed for 2 days to transfer to the St.
2
Les Misérables
M
8 October 1985
13 July 2019
13,785
Currently running at the Queen's Theatre Opened at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Barbican Theatre. Transferred to the Palace Theatre on the West End on 5 December 1985.
3
The Phantom of the Opera
M
9 October 1986
-
13,450
Currently running at Her Majesty's Theatre
4
The Woman in Black
P
7 June 1989
-
12,147
Currently running at Fortune Theatre
5
Blood Brothers
M
28 July 1988
10 November 2012
10,013
-
6
Cats
M
11 May 1981
11 May 2002
8,949
Opened in London at the New London Theatre The show closed on its 21st anniversary, when it was broadcast in Covent Garden for those who couldn't acquire a ticket It held the record for longest running West End Musical for four years before it was overtaken by Les Misérables, the current record holder.
7
Mamma Mia!
M
6 April 1999
-
8,318
Currently running at Novello Theatre This is the longest running jukebox musical Opened at the Prince Edward Theatre Moved to the Prince of Wales Theatre on 9 June 2004 Moved to Novello Theatre in September 2012
8
The Lion King
M
19 October 1999
-
8,079
Currently running at Lyceum Theatre
9
Starlight Express
M
27 March 1984
12 January 2002
7,406
-
10
No Sex Please, We're British
P
3 June 1971
16 January 1987
6,761
-
11
Stomp
D
25 September 2002
7 January 2018
6,512
Opened at the Vaudeville Theatre Moved to the Ambassadors Theatre on 27 September 2007
12
Chicago
M
18 October 1997
1 September 2012
6,187
This is the longest running revival Show opened at the Adelphi Theatre Moved to the Cambridge Theatre in April 2006 Moved to the Garrick Theatre in November 2011
13
Wicked
M
27 September 2006
-
5,202
Currently running at Apollo Victoria Theatre
14
Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story
M
12 October 1989
3 March 2002
5,140
Opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre Moved to the Strand Theatre (now the Novello Theatre) in October 1995
15
We Will Rock You
M
25 September 2002
31 May 2014
4,659
-
16
Billy Elliot the Musical
M
11 May 2005
9 April 2016
4,566
-
17
Miss Saigon
M
20 September 1989
30 October 1999
4,264
-
18
Thriller - Live
R
26 January 2009
-
4,186
Currently running at Lyric Theatre
19
Jersey Boys
M
18 March 2008
26 March 2017
3,787
-
20
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
P
7 March 1996
3 April 2005
3,744
-
21
The 39 Steps
P
14 September 2006
5 September 2015
3,731
-
22
Jesus Christ Superstar
M
9 August 1972
23 August 1980
3,357
-
23
Me and My Girl
M
12 February 1985
16 January 1993
3,303
This is a revival of the 1937 musical.
24
Evita
M
21 June 1978
18 February 1986
3,176
-
25
Matilda
M
24 November 2011
-
3,048
Currently running at Cambridge Theatre

Question: Was the Phantom of the Opera one of the longest running West End musicals?
Answer: The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical) is the third longest running West End musical, after Les Misérables and The Mousetrap.