Benedict Cumberbatch, John Boyega and the Wicked West End opening – our best pictures from the archives

With hundreds of shows opening on an annual basis, a year can seem to last a lifetime in theatreland. But we thought we'd go hunting through the photo archives to find our favourite classic pictures, ranging from the outright hilarious through to modern-day stars back when they were a bit more fresh-faced.

1. Spider-Man himself was top of the bill

2. Wicked's West End opening

3. When Star Wars was still in a galaxy far, far away…

4. The original cast of Skins has some pretty recognisable faces

5. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart were still a timeless double act

6. James Earl Jones and Adrian Lester hug it out on Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

7. (Another) Spider-Man, Newt Scamander and Christian Grey at press night

8. Benedict Cumberbatch tried an interesting look

9. Nicole Kidman bagging her WhatsOnStage Award

10. Ben Whishaw, Rupert Grint, Colin Morgan, Danny Mays all got their Mojo on

11. Kwame and Diane (a decade before he was artistic director at the Young Vic)

12. When Geri met Harold

13. Daniel Radcliffe and James Corden have a smooch

14. Mark Rylance, Michelle Gomez, Roger Allam, Tamzin Outhwaite and Daisy Beaumont did a curtain-call dance

15. Indira Varma had a close shave

16. Ralph Fiennes giving some expert side-eye during Richard III