Looking for inspiration? Check out our picks of the best West End and other family shows – from toddlers to teenagers Pure novelty value: Paddington Credit : Johan Persson Dominic Cavendish Chief Theatre Critic Dominic Cavendish has been writing about theatre and comedy since the mid-1990s and became the Telegraph's lead theatre critic in 2014. He is the founding editor of the leading audio resource theatrevoice.com, now run by the V&A. In 2008, he adapted and produced the first UK stage adaptation of George Orwell’s Coming Up for Air. See more Published 02 May 2026 12:00pm BST Whether you want to introduce your tots to the theatre with stage adaptations of familiar favourites such as Hercules and Paddington , or make Tudor history exciting for teenagers with Six the Musical , our chief theatre critic has picked the best shows and musicals on offer for every age group. You can buy discounted tickets for shows such as Matilda the Musical and The Lion King with Telegraph Tickets .…