Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre: What you need to know about this incredible musical and how to find tickets

Learn all about this fresh spin on a classic musical comedy and plan your Guys and Dolls London trip

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The popular musical theatre version of Damon Runyon’s colourful tale, Guys and Dolls follows the travails of two romantic pairs. Nathan Detroit, who runs an illegal card game, has been engaged to showgirl Adelaide for 14 years. He needs money, so he bets famous gambler Sky Masterson that Sky can’t take Save-A-Soul Mission member Sarah Brown to Havana.
Sky takes the bet, but is rebuffed by Sarah – until he makes her a trade, offering to bring sinners to her failing mission. Nathan is forced to pretend that he’s finally going to marry Adelaide, in order to hide his floating crap game, but he lets her down again. Will the dolls ditch them both, or is a happy ending on the cards?
The show is jam-packed with hilarious lines, vivid characters and wonderful songs by Frank Loesser, including Luck Be a Lady Tonight and Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat. Plus this promenade Bridge Theatre production features an immersive set design that completely reinvents the musical. For pure entertainment, it’s the safest bet in town.
You can find seats for the London production of Guys and Dolls on Telegraph Tickets. You can stand among the action, which is great fun, or get a fantastic view of it all from a seat. Check Telegraph Tickets for the latest prices.
Plenty of big names have appeared in Guys and Dolls over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, Vivian Blaine and Marlon Brando in the Hollywood movie adaptation. This Bridge Theatre production opened with West End powerhouse Marisha Wallace and screen star Daniel Mays.
However, the recent cast change has proved both that there’s plenty more talent out there, and that the production itself is a megastar. You can currently see Celinde Schoenmaker (The Phantom of the Opera) as Sarah, Owain Arthur (One Man, Two Guvnors) as Nathan, George Ioannides (An Officer and a Gentleman) as Sky, and Timmika Ramsay (Moulin Rouge!) as Adelaide.
The show is directed by Nicholas Hytner, the former artistic director of the National Theatre. It features choreography by Arlene Phillips and James Cousins – who won an Olivier Award for their work – and an extraordinary design by the multi-Olivier-winning Bunny Christie (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time).
Guys and Dolls runs at the Bridge Theatre, a fantastic new London venue right by Tower Bridge. The nearest station is London Bridge.
Guys and Dolls is 2hr 40mins, including an interval.
Guys and Dolls is currently booking to January, 2024. 
Children under five cannot be admitted to the venue. Under 12s must have a seated ticket and cannot enter the standing area. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 
Yes, the show runs some captioned and audio-described performances. Upcoming dates can be found on the theatre website.
“Nicholas Hytner’s extravaganza explodes every which way… Slabs of stage rise and fall from view – furnished on the spot by the crew, with a card-sharp’s dexterity, to denote the welter of locations.” Read the full Telegraph review.
If you book a standing ticket, you’re right in the thick of the action. You can stand inches away from the performers, and there are even a few chances to become part of the show. However, if you’d rather just watch, that’s great fun too. You’re seated in the round, so you still feel close to it all, and you can enjoy seeing the actors playing off the crowd.
The production runs at just under three hours. It’s worth getting there early to see the pre-show fun (you can watch the New Yorkers hawking pretzels and hats). At the interval. don’t linger at the bar too long – there’s extra musical entertainment in the auditorium. The whole cast parties with the crowd at the end.
The Guys and Dolls set is constantly moving and transforming, and the action moves all around the stage too. That means you’ll have the best view in the house at some point in the show. However, you’ll feel most immersed, and have the most consistently good view, in the centre of either a stalls or gallery block seat.