By now, we’re sure you know what you’re getting when you book to see Wicked for £20, Mamma Mia! for £30, or Les Misérables for £40. But what about some of the lesser known shows in the New Year Sale?

For the adventurous among you, we’re here to highlight a few hidden gems in case that are taking part in the New Year Sale, so you can try something new for 2026.

Ballet Shoes

What’s it about? Three adopted sisters get taken into the house of an Edwardian explorer and paleontologist. Under the guidance of his niece and childhood nanny, the three girls grow and fight to pursue their differing passions in a world not built for women with ambition.

Why should I see it? The National Theatre’s adaptation of this 1930s novel was loved by children and adults alike when it premiered in November 2024 – so much so they brought it back a year later.

The three girls are full of fire and charisma; you can’t help be charmed by their never-say-die attitude. The set is like a madcap box of wonders that’s a delight to look at and the show will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £20, £30, £40, £50, £60 for Tue – Thu performances in Jan and Mon – Thu performances in Feb until 20 Feb.

Evening All Afternoon

What’s it about? Jennifer is about to become Delilah’s stepmother. She wants to connect but they couldn’t be further apart.

Why should I see it? The Donmar Warehouse is a great venue – with only three rows on each side of the stage, you’re always close to the atmosphere which is perfect for these kind of intimate two-handers. Anna Ziegler’s last play, Photograph 51, won Evening Standard and WhatsOnStage Awards, with an Olivier Award nomination for Nciole Kidman in the lead role. This could be another award winner in the making.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £40 or £50 on all performances (19 Feb – 11 Apr).

Gerry & Sewell

What’s it about? Two Geordie best friends Gerry & Sewell haven’t got a lot going from them – with no jobs, Gerry’s family falling apart and Sewell’s dad in ill-health – so they set their sights on their ultimate dream: A season ticket to Newcastle United.

Why should I see it? It’s an underdog story that celebrates the unexpected hero in all of us, as well as the importance of friendship and shared passions. Like the story, the play itself is an underdog, having started at Laurel’s – a small social club in the North East – and earned its way up to a two-week run in the West End.

What’s the offer? Top price tickets for £40, £50 or £60 all performances – must end 24 January.

High Noon

What’s it about? In the the days of the Wild West, small town marshall Will Kane prepares to leave town after marrying Amy Fowler. But word arrives that Frank Miller, a vicious outlaw, has been released from prison and will arrive by the noon train. Torn between the honour of his new wife and the duty of his old job, Will must make a choice by noon.

Why should I see it? The 1952 Gary Cooper / Grace Kelly Western film, on which the play is based, is in the conversation for greatest movie ever made. While this play stays true to the source material, the production has changed its inspiration from McCarthyism to current world events to remain as timely as ever. Plus it unites two great acting talents in Tony Award winner Billy Crudup (The Morning Show) and Olivier Award winner Denise Gough (People, Places And Things and Andor)

What’s the offer? Tickets for £30, £40, or £50 for Mon – Fri performances for weeks beginning 26 Jan and 2 & 9 Feb.

Mrs. President

What’s it about? Already having todeal with the grief of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, his widow, Mary Lincoln has to contend with social attacks from an envious elite. She engages the help of the world’s first celebrity photographer, Mathew Brady, who helped her husband win the presidency. But their partnership soon unravels in a battle for creative control.

Why should I see it? The play is written by playwright and historian (and artist) John Ransom Phillips so promises to be an accurate and thought-provoking account of power, female agency and representation. Of course, if you’re less concerned with historical accuracy and more concerned with a barrel of laughs, Mary Lincoln is also the lead character in outrageous camp comedy Oh, Mary! at the Trafalgar Theatre – also taking part in the New Year Sale.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £10, £20, £30 or £40 for all performances (23 Jan – 8 Mar).

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

What’s it about? Set in the murky world of the Cold War, British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is ready to retire and ‘come in from the cold’. But following the killing of his most reliable source, Leamas is tempted into one dangerous, deceptive and personal final mission.

Why should I see it? This is the first stage adaptation of a novel by John le Carré, the master of the modern spy thriller. Performed in Sohoplace’s intimate in-the-round space with period costume, this a tense, sophisticated and provocative look at the political era that shaped the modern world. Must end 21 February.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £60 (£20 off) for performances on 21, 26, 27 & 28 Jan and 2 & 3 Feb. Last few tickets remaining.

Summerfolk

What’s it about? During the hot and beautiful Russian summer of 1905, Russia’s elite holiday in the countryside to enjoy the best things in life. But as the party continues, how long can they ignore the storm on the horizon?

Why should I see it? Maxim Gorky was one of Russia’s most successful authors of the age, with five Nobel Prize nominations, although he was also imprisoned for his work as he dared to criticise the status quo. This exciting new version by siblings Nina and Moses Raine (descended from Dr Zhivago author Boris Pasternak) promises to be a razor-sharp portrait of class, privilege and denial.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £20, £30, £40, £50 for most performances from 12 Mar – 29 Apr.

This week we caught up with Sam Jenkins-Shaw, who plays Mathew Brady in the acclaimed Mrs President – opening at the Charing Cross Theatre on 31 January.

1. My route into theatre was…

An amazing English teacher in sixth form, lots of drama societies at university and then two years at LAMDA.

2. My West End idol is…

Mark Rylance.

Mark Rylance in Juno And The Paycock, 2024. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

3. My colleagues would describe me as…

Really really really average.

4. My favourite show is…

I loved Machinal at The Old Vic.

5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…

Just keeping working really.

6. The hardest part about my job is…

The insecurity of it.

7. If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…

Unfulfilled.

8. Something people don’t know about me is…

I was born on the same road as David Bowie!

9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…

“Trust your senses”.

10. The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is… 

You’re going to be fine.

Step into Mrs President, a gripping one-act play that takes you behind the curtain of history – revealing the triumphs and tragedies of Mary Lincoln, a woman ahead of her time. Book your tickets via Official London Theatre.