Three of the greatest London Theatres

When people think of romantic, culturally diverse, historic cities, London is not surprisingly one of the very first examples that come into people’s minds. London is a stunning city, stepped in national culture and heritage, and it’s one of the most visited cities on the entire planet. Every year people from all corners of the globe flock there in droves to see some of the historic sites and landmarks that London has to offer, such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge, the London eye, and the Houses of Parliament. Another great reason that so many people decide to visit this fantastic city, is the fact that it has some of the greatest theatres and the greatest stage show productions on the entire planet. If you’re a lover of the arts, and can think of no better way to spend an evening than by settling down in a comfortable spacious theatre to watch the stage production of your favourite show or musical, then this article is for you, as we’ll be looking at a few helpful hints and tips for booking tickets to see your favourite shows, as well as the actual historical buildings that play host to these magnificent shows. First off, here are three of the greatest theatres in all of London.

The Lyceum theatre – This theatre, located in London’s world-famous West End, is a 2, 100 seat theatre, which has been located on Wellington Street since the year 1765, although back then, it was actually the home of a circus. It served as the English opera house from the year 1816 until the year 1830. Soon after that, there was actually a fire, which resulted in the building having to be re-built in the year 1834. It remained as a theatre building for much of the time following this period, until the year 1939, when it was about to be demolished. It was eventually saved, and remained operational until 1986, when it was finally closed. Not for long however, as it reopened 10 years later, and remains stronger and more popular than ever. One of the main attractions of the Lyceum is most certainly the fact that it’s the home of the hugely successful, critically acclaimed The Lion King show, which is now in its 15th year, and is still hugely popular. It also served as a popular venue for pop concerts and TV broadcasts some decades ago.

London Palladium – The Palladium, which opened in 1910, is considered by many to be the most famous variety theatre on the planet, due mainly to the fact that the London Palladium has hosted more Royal Variety shows than any other theatre in the world. As if that wasn’t enough, it was also the theatre which held London debuts for hugely famous acts including Bob Hope, and Frank Sinatra. Two of the most popular musicals hosted here have been Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice collaboration, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Sound of Music. You can find The Palladium on Oxford Street.

The Soho Theatre – The Soho Theatre company was actually founded by Fred Proude and Verity Bargate back in 1969, although it didn’t actually have a permanent home until the year 2000 when it located on Dean Street. It was the very first theatre to be built using national lottery money, and it quickly gathered a reputation for being home to a number of very different genres of shows; comedy, cabaret, theatre and writers’ events. A number of stand up comedians also regularly hold shows there including Jimmy Carr. One of its most notable stage show productions was the wonderfully talented Toby Young’s How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.

Tips on buying tickets – London is home to a huge number of theatres that alone should tell you how popular the theatre scene actually is in this stunning city. There is a show for anybody and everybody here in London. Whether it’s relatively new releases that tickle your fancy, shows such as Jersey Boys, or classics such as The Mousetrap, the longest running show of any kind in the entire world, you can rest assured that somewhere in London, you’ll find a theatre that caters to your every need. For that reason however, getting tickets for the shows you want can sometimes be difficult, and expensive!

  • A great tip to help save money on theatre tickets is purchasing the London Theatre Passport, which allows you to choose from a selection of limited shows on the day, all at a discounted price.
  • Another great tip is to use Viator. Viator is another great company to help save money on a selection of wonderful shows. They cover a number of the “big shows” in London, and they have a ‘low price guaranteed’ promise.
  • Tkts Half Price Ticket Booth in Leicester Square offers half price and discount tickets on behalf of London theatres. You may be lucky and get your desired ticket on the day of the show and up to two weeks in advance.
  • Try com/tickets and lastminute.com for a handsome discount to the West End shows.

Comments

London Theatres — 2 Comments

  1. Being a theater freak and visiting London for the purpose at least a couple times a year, I can tell you that the only way to guarantee the tickets to a performance you want is to shop them online well in advance. The more popular the show, the earlier you have to make your bookings. With shows like The Mouse Trap and The Cats that meant almost a year in advance. You could theoretically also get your tickets through the black market,but as you understand, the prices are so high it makes no sense unless you’re a millionaire. You can take a walk to the various ticket booths in central London or try your luck at theaters’ door before the performance as well, but that will typically get you access to less popular shows. If you just want to experience a theater night that is a nice option too.

  2. Spending an evening at the stunning Shakespeare’s Globe Theater is a real experience. Although the theater opened it’s doors as recently as 1997, it is built according to the model of a theater that was first built almost at the very spot in 1599. Situated at the Borough of Southwark, at the banks of River Thames, it easily travels your mind a few hundred years back to the days, when William Shakespeare and his plays “ruled” in London. Therefore, the best possible play to see is one by Shakespeare. The theater has a seating capacity of almost 1,500 people, whilst its original ancestor could welcome about 3,000 visitors.

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