# List of the longest-running West End shows

**Section:** 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?