London West End Theatres

 
 
 
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Her Majesty's Theatre

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Her Majesty's Theatre
Novello Theatre
Novello Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre
Aldwych Theatre
Aldwych Theatre
Ambassadors Theatre
Apollo Theatre
Duchess Theatre
Duke of York's Theatre
Garrick Theatre
Gielgud Theatre
Haymarket Theatre Royal
London Palladium
Old Vic Theatre
Playhouse Theatre
Savoy Theatre
Savoy Theatre
Shaftesbury Theatre
Wyndhams Theatre
Ambassadors Theatre
Cambridge Theatre
Cambridge Theatre
Criterion Theatre
Criterion Theatre
Harold Pinter Theatre
The Lyceum Theatre
The Lyceum Theatre
Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue
New London Theatre
New London Theatre
Noel Coward Theatre
Piccadilly Theatre
Prince Edward Theatre
Prince Edward Theatre
Prince Edward Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
St Martin's Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
Dominion Theatre
Trafalgar Studios
 

 

From all singing, all dancing musicals and glitzy productions to satirical comedies and renowned dramas, London's West End Theatres boast a year-round world-class programme of productions. Here, LondonTown.com lists the theatres to ensure you never miss out on the hottest ticket in town.

 
 

Aldwych Theatre

Historic West End theatre which has been the home of both farce and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Aldwych, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 4DF

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Temple Station, Holborn Station

 
 

With the Waldorf Hotel sandwiched in between them, the Aldwych and Novello theatres were originally built to work as a pair. The Aldwych is probably most noted for being the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (1960 to 1982), and for Ben Travers' famed Aldwych Farces (1925 to 1933). Previous notable productions include Noel Coward's Private Lives and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

 
 
 

Ambassadors Theatre

A mid-sized theatre which gained fame as the home of 'The Mousetrap'.

West Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9ND

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Covent Garden Station, Tottenham Court Road Station

 
 

From the outside, it appears impossible that an entire West End theatre could be fitted into this two-storey Soho corner. However, not only is there a medium-sized auditorium, cheerfully over-decorated, but the whole Louis XVI interior feels spacious and airy. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap opened at the theatre in 1952 and played here for more than two decades before transferring to St Martin's Theatre.

 
 
 

Apollo Theatre

The first West End theatre of the Edwardian age.

29 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1D 7EZ

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

The first West End theatre of the Edwardian Age, the Apollo has a pleasingly over-the-top design that takes in facades, statuary, and a gypsy coat-of-arms that was intended to bring good luck. Playing host mainly to relatively small-scale shows rather than more obvious crowd-pullers, this compact theatre has never really established an important role in the West End.

 
 
 

Apollo Victoria Theatre

Art Deco theatre - one of the largest in London.

17 Wilton Road, Victoria, London, SW1V 1LG

Tube: Victoria Station

 
 

In the days before cheap air travel, the first thing travellers from the continent would see as their trains pulled into London was the vast Apollo Victoria, a single building that took up an entire block. This huge theatre has played host to some classic shows over the years, with the outstanding popular favourite Starlight Express delighting millions in a run that stretched over a decade.

 
 
 

Cambridge Theatre

An Art Deco theatre which has been home to blockbuster musicals and some spectacular bombs.

Earlham Street, Seven Dials, Soho, London, WC2H 9HU

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Leicester Square Station, Tottenham Court Road Station

 
 

The Cambridge Theatre is a 1930s design classic in the Art Deco style, with smooth, sparsely decorated curves and two stunning gold murals. Its simplicity is belied by a long history of bizarre and spectacular productions, from the West End's first ice dancing (John Curry's Theatre of Ice), through the high-camp of Return to the Forbidden Planet to the all-singing, all-dancing Ku Klux Klan members in Jerry Springer, the Opera. In its time, this dignified auditorium has played host to a cinema, an opera company, the Comedie Francaise, the National Theatre, a magic show and some of the most important figures in theatre.

 
 
 
 

Criterion Theatre

A subterranean theatre in the West End that has a romantic interior.

218-223 Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, Soho, London, W1V 9LB

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

The tiny entrance of the Criterion Theatre is almost invisible among the massive advertisements, traffic and crowds of Piccadilly Circus. To ignore it, however, is to miss one of London's most enchanting theatres. Use of mirrors and stunning murals of clouds and cherubs turns this underground labyrinth into an airy paradise.

 
 
 

Dominion Theatre

This large venue has been host to big, over the top musicals for decades.

268-269 Tottenham Court Road, Bloomsbury, London, W1T 7AQ

Tube: Tottenham Court Road Station

 
 

Huge theatre which plays host to big, rocking musicals, the Dominion Theatre, though built in 1928, underwent a £6 million restoration in 2017. Originally used as a cinema before turning to theatre and musicals, The Dominion has a huge stage and hundreds of seats - on a packed night here noise levels are like those at a rock concert. In the past, Universal hired The Dominion for its movie 'Phantom of the Opera', and Charlie Chaplin's City Lights was shown here with synchronised music and sound effects. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Dominion played host to long runs of The Sound of Music and South Pacific. More recently its been home to Christopher Wheeldon musical An American in Paris.

 
 
 

Duchess Theatre

One of the smallest theatres in the West End.

Catherine Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5LA

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Temple Station

 
 

The Duchess Theatre is one of the smallest in The West End, which is not entirely a bad thing. The seating is almost on top of the stage, creating an intense engagement between audience and actors of the kind usually reserved for the fringe. This has made the Duchess a favourite with actors and directors, in spite of cramped backstage conditions.

 
 
 

Duke of York's Theatre

A medium sized West End theatre that has been home to plenty of solid hits.

St Martins Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4BG

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Charing Cross Station, Covent Garden Station, Piccadilly Circus Station, Embankment Underground Station

 
 

This theatre has more than its share of name changes. Originally called The Trafalgar in 1894, it became the Duke of York's to honour the future King George V. During the late '90s, the name was temporarily changed to The Royal Court Theatre. Over the years, the theatre also hosted ballets and operas and is also where the world was first introduced to the play (and character) of Peter Pan, in 1904.

 
 
 

Fortune Theatre

The first theatre to be built after World War I.

Russell Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5HH

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Holborn Station

 
 

This intimate theatre was built on the site of the old Albion Tavern, and opened in November 1924. The beginnings of the Fortune Theatre were anything but fortunate. The opening play, 'Sinners' by Laurence Cowen, closed after two weeks. Over the next few decades, the Fortune Theatre had to resort to showing amateur plays and during World War II the venue was used by ENSA, the concert party corps of the Forces. But in the 1960s the theatre's fortunes began to change and blockbuster hit, Stephen Mallatratt's The Woman in Black (1989) has been performed (over 5000 times) at the theatre ever since.

 
 
 
 

Garrick Theatre

This theatre is largely associated with comedies and dramas.

2 Charing Cross Road, Soho, London, WC2H 0HH

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Charing Cross Station, Covent Garden Station, Piccadilly Circus Station, Embankment Underground Station

 
 

Named after the great 18th century actor-manager David Garrick, The Garrick is a fantastic piece of late-Victorian kitsch. In recent years this venue has played host to a number of hugely popular shows including the Lieutenant of Inishmore and Tommy Cooper tribute Jus' Like That. The Garrick has also proved to be something of a magnet for Hollywood starlets, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Anna Paquin.

 
 
 

Gielgud Theatre

A Louis XVI style theatre named in honour of the famous actor, John Gielgud.

Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1D 6AR

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

The Gielgud Theatre is an impressive sight, towering four storeys over Shaftesbury Avenue. For such an impressive theatre, it has had a surprisingly chequered history, with few long-running shows and notable flops. Still, there have been some high points in its history: the 1943 production of The Importance of Being Earnest is widely regarded as being the definitive version of one of the great British comedies.

 
 
 

Harold Pinter Theatre

Victorian theatre with a reputation for staging landmark productions in both comedy and drama genres.

6 Panton Street, Soho, London, SW1Y 4DN

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

The Harold Pinter Theatre's 1881 interior is one of the oldest in London and one of the most charming, in spite of the damage wrought by an ill-considered restoration in 1954. The Renaissance-style auditorium, with its wooden panels, and gold ceiling and wallpaper, still retains many original features, while the unpretentious exterior is the most attractive and unspoilt among London's smaller theatres. Though in its early years it lived up to its name, the theatre has become known more recently for high-quality drama, notably the works of Harold Pinter (hence the name) - five of which have been performed here since 1991.

 
 
 

Haymarket Theatre Royal

One of the oldest theatres in London, with a colourful past.

18 Suffolk Street, Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4HT

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station, Charing Cross Station

 
 

The Haymarket Theatre was built by John Potter on the site of the King's Head Inn and the Gun Smith shop in 1702. It has had a colourful history, complete with riots, death by stampedes, falling chandeliers and censorship - as well as plenty of smash hits. It was also one of the most forward thinking theatres and in 1873 became the first venue to introduce a matinee performance.

 
 
 

Her Majesty's Theatre

A large theatre which was a long history of staging operas and blockbuster musicals.

Haymarket, St James's, London, SW1Y 4QL

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

For much of the 18th century, the building on this site, mostly used for opera, was the largest theatre in England. Though rebuilt since, its operatic roots can still be seen in a grandiose exterior that includes a turreted dome and the popular Royal Opera Arcade. The interior is equally plush, with marbled pillars, gold statuary around the stage and three tiers of luxurious boxes.

 
 
 
 

London Palladium

Luxurious Victorian Theatre known for hosting variety shows.

8 Argyll Street, Soho, London, W1F 7TF

Tube: Oxford Circus Station

 
 

For those who owned televisions in the 1950s and '60s, the London Palladium is the most famous variety theatre in the world. Stars who had previously been mere voices on the radio, leapt into the living room when Sunday Night at the London Palladium was first broadcast. The tiered auditorium, the second-largest in the West End, is undeniably impressive, as is the richly-ornamented foyer and staircase.

 
 
 

The Lyceum Theatre

A 2,000-seat theatre located just off The Strand.

21 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 7RQ

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Temple Station

 
 

A few theatres have previously inhabited The Lyceum's site, including one designed by Samuel Beazley. Following a fire in the theatre the majority of Beazley's building had to be demolished, but the current building, opened in 1904, still retains Beazley's formidable original portico and facade. Despit the threat of demolition in 1939, the theatre has continued to host major productions.

 
 
 

Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue

The oldest surviving theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1D 7ES

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

The Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue's oldest theatre was opened in 1888, just two years after the street itself was completed. An indistinct red brick building, it lacks the grandeur of the neighbouring Gielgud and Apollo, but has a charm and unassuming beauty that are all its own. The auditorium is also unconventional, with u-shaped balconies offering fine unrestricted views and bringing the audience closer to the action than in many large theatres. Though designed as a home for comic opera, the Lyric's major successes have been with serious drama.

 
 
 

New London Theatre

Versatile theatre that is a classic of 1970s design

166 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5PW

Tube: Holborn Station , Covent Garden Station

 
 

Although this site has been an entertainment venue since at least the mid-19th century, the New London Theatre only opened its doors in 1973, making it one of the West End's newest theatres. The building is sleek and impressive, with a stunning mirrored facade. The amphitheatre was designed along the hyper-modern lines of post-war continental theatres. Stage, seats, lights, even the walls, can all be made to change their position. This allows directors to choose between conventional and in the round productions, as well as any number of different sizes and shapes for their stages. In practice, this wealth of choice rather bamboozled directors and it was nearly a decade before this revolutionary space had a major hit.

 
 
 

Noel Coward Theatre

A mid-sized theatre where Noel Coward debuted as an actor and playwright.

St Martin's Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4AU

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Covent Garden Station, Charing Cross Station, Piccadilly Circus Station

 
 

Built as a companion to the Wyndham's Theatre, the Noel Coward theatre was originally named the New Theatre. It shook off its unimaginative and inaccurate name on its 70th birthday, becoming the 'Albery', and was renamed the Noel Coward Theatre after a 2006 refurbishment. Noel Coward appeared in 'I'll Leave It To You' at the theatre in 1920, the first West End production of one of his plays.

 
 
 
 

Novello Theatre

One of the most impressive theatres in London, with a long record of hits.

Aldwych, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 4LD

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Temple Station

 
 

Built in 1905 to form a pair with the near-identical Aldwych Theatre, the Novello Theatre is one of London's more spectacular theatres and has matching roster of hit shows. An attractive columned exterior gives way to a gorgeous foyer and auditorium, with marble, polished brass and gold the dominant materials. It was also at this theatre that Buddy became the most successful rock and roll musical of all time.

 
 
 

Old Vic Theatre

One of the oldest and greatest theatres in the world.

103 The Cut, South Bank, London, SE1 8NB

Tube: Waterloo Station , Southwark Station, Lambeth North Station

 
 

With the exception of The Globe, the Old Vic has had a greater influence on the history of drama than any theatre standing today. From John Gielgud to Judi Dench, the Vic has played host to generation after generation of stars. Charles Dickens and Bernard Shaw reviewed plays here and it was the first theatre to perform the complete works of William Shakespeare as a series.

 
 
 

Palace Theatre

Five storey theatre dominating Cambridge Circus, which is known for its musicals.

Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1A 4AF

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Covent Garden Station, Tottenham Court Road Station, Piccadilly Circus Station

 
 

The towering Palace Theatre dominates Cambridge Circus. Five storeys of dark-red brick with octagonal towers on the top give it a looming aspect better suited to a court than a theatre. This sinister atmosphere is continued inside, with heavy blocks of marble, and Renaissance style arches in the foyer and stairwells.Previous performances at the theatre include The Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miserables and its current production, which has run since February 2012, Singin' in the Rain.

 
 
 

Piccadilly Theatre

A simple exterior conceals this grandiose Art Deco theatre.

16 Denman Street, Soho, London, W1D 7DY

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

A simple exterior conceals this grandiose Art Deco theatre, whose huge auditorium is decorated in shocking pink. A patchy production history has included few major hits. A celebrated John Gielgud production of Macbeth was ended in 1942 by the traditional misfortunes that haunt this play: four of the cast died, a designer committed suicide then the theatre was hit by a stray German bomb. In the 1960s and 1970s it improved its reputation with a series of successful transfers from Broadway. In its incarnation as a cinema, it also premiered the first talking picture to be shown in Britain.

 
 
 

Playhouse Theatre

Stylish theatre just south of the main West End.

Northumberland Avenue, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DE

Tube: Embankment Underground Station , Charing Cross Station

 
 

A short step away from the main strip of West End theatres, the Playhouse's stylish curved facade is rather lost among the towering architecture of Charing Cross and Embankment. If the exterior is a little too restrained however, the same cannot be said for the auditorium, which is a sumptuous tribute to theatrical excess.

 
 
 
 

Prince Edward Theatre

A popular Soho-based theatre that has premiered several major musicals.

Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 4HS

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Tottenham Court Road Station, Covent Garden Station, Piccadilly Circus Station

 
 

The Prince Edward Theatre was designed by Edward Stone and opened in 1930 with a performance of the musical Rio Rita. Just a few years later, the space was converted into a dance and cabaret hall, and was renamed the London Casino. After a few more name changes, the building was turned back into a theatre, re-christened with its original name, and opened in 1978 with the world premiere of Evita.

 
 
 

Prince of Wales Theatre

Art Deco theatre with a long history of presenting musicals.

Coventry Street, Soho, London, W1D 6AS

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

Various theatres have stood on this spot since 1884, perfectly placed to draw the attention of the great crowds moving between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. The original theatre on this site, called The Prince, had the distinction of showing the first ever musical comedy. The current building has stood since 1937, its seven-storey tower standing out even in the heart of London.

 
 
 

Queen's Theatre

A theatre famous for short runs of high quality drama.

51 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London, W1D 6BA

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 
 

The paradox of the Queen's Theatre, so ugly outside, so gorgeous within, is explained by a German bomb, which destroyed the faade and foyer in 1940. For almost twenty years, the theatre stood empty, before a reconstruction in 1959 created the current curve of concrete and brick. A photo in the foyer shows the theatre as it once looked, but if you want to see it in reality, the Gielgud Theatre is almost identical to the original design.

 
 
 

Savoy Theatre

An elegant theatre located next door to the Savoy Hotel.

Strand, Covent Garden, London, WC2R 0ET

Tube: Embankment Underground Station , Charing Cross Station, Covent Garden Station, Temple Station

 
 

This elegant Art Deco theatre opened in 1881, financed by Richard d'Oyly Carte, who had banked a fortune from Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas. The Savoy Theatre was originally meant to be a showcase for opera, but it was not a success. In the 1950s onwards, the Savoy did much better with Agatha Christie's The Spiders Web and Alibi For A Judge.

 
 
 

Shaftesbury Theatre

A large Edwardian theatre that has been home to some of the biggest hits in the West End.

210 Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 8DP

Tube: Tottenham Court Road Station , Covent Garden Station, Holborn Station

 
 

A large and appealingly shabby Edwardian theatre which has produced almost a century of successful popular drama and musicals. The most notorious of these was Hair, infamous both for onstage nudity and an unfortunate ceiling collapse that terminated its near 2000 performance run. With other successful productions including Rent and Carousel, the Shaftesbury has a history of pleasing both audiences and critics alike.

 
 
 
 

St Martin's Theatre

This theatre is home to Agatha Christie's 'Mousetrap'.

West Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 0DP

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Covent Garden Station, Tottenham Court Road Station

 
 

Designed as a companion theatre to the New Ambassadors, St Martin's was completed in 1916. This theatre has had its successes in the past, but its performance history is dominated by a single show. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap transferred here in 1974 to continue its successful run. It has done that and more, continuing for threedecades and becoming in the process the world's longest-running play.

 
 
 

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The oldest theatre in London, and the most beautiful.

Catherine Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5JF

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Holborn Station, Temple Station

 
 

London's oldest theatre is also its most spectacular, with a palatial auditorium that is among the most impressive in the world. The first theatre on this site was built in 1662 on the orders of Charles II. It has been rebuilt a number of times since then, but the current auditorium incorporates many elements from as long ago as 1820. As a result, this vision in cream and gold possesses an elegance unmatched in the West End. Its broad staircases, its chandeliered salon, its statuary and panels speak of an older, more glamorous theatrical age.

 
 
 

Trafalgar Studios

Pair of studio theatres housed within the former Whitehall Theatre.

14 Whitehall, Westminster, London, SW1A 2DY

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Embankment Underground Station

 
 

The Trafalgar Studios are two venues housed within what was London's Whitehall Theatre. The building itself is Grade II listed, and is an excellent example of simple, unadorned Art Deco style. The interior, however, is spectacular, with complex, cubist designs and sweeping curves of moulding and ironwork. Set among the great palaces that house the administrative machinery of British government, the Trafalgar Studios seat 380 and 80 people respectively and act as one of the London bases for the RSC who have been leading a somewhat nomadic existence since they vacated the Barbican Theatre.

 
 
 

Vaudeville Theatre

1920s theatre that has traditionally specialised in light comedy and cabaret.

404 Strand, Covent Garden, London, WC2R 0NH

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Charing Cross Station, Embankment Underground Station, Leicester Square Station

 
 

Designed by CJ Phipps, the Vaudeville is the third theatre to be built on this site. The current Vaudeville opened on 23rd February 1926 with a revue called RSVP. One of the theatre's major successes was in 1954 with the musical 'Salad Days', starring Julian Slade and Deborah Reynolds. Since its opening, the Vaudeville has presented a wide range of shows, from comedy to melodrama.

 
 
 

Victoria Palace Theatre

Giant, grandiose theatre on the South-West edge of the West End.

Victoria Street, Victoria, London, SW1E 5EA

Tube: Victoria Station

 
 

Originally known as Moy's Music Hall, a theatre has always existed on this site since 1832. The Victoria Palace Theatre as we know it today was built in 1910 and many of its original features remain (or have been restored). One of the theatre's biggest hits was 'Me and My Girl' (1937) starring Lupini Lane. In recent years, the Victoria Palace has been home to Grease and Billy Elliot.

 
 
 

Wyndhams Theatre

A gorgeous Edwardian Theatre in Charing Cross.

Charing Cross Road, Soho, London, WC2H 0DA

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Covent Garden Station, Charing Cross Station, Piccadilly Circus Station

 
 

Wyndham's Theatre opened in Charing Cross Road in 1899. One of its biggest hits was Sandy Wilson's The Boy Friend which ran for 2078 performances before transferring to Broadway. More recent times have seen the world premiere of The Ride Down Mount Morgan, the British premiere of Edward Albee's Three Tall Women and the West End run of The History Boys.

 
 
 
 
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