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.
The performance history here is the history of popular theatre in Britain. From Nell Gwynne’s debut, when Charles II fell in love with the 15-year-old actress, through the great Colley Cibber, to a three decade stint by David Garrick, London’s greatest stars have appeared beneath the Theatre Royal’s gorgeously decorated arch.
Noel Coward’s Cavalcade (1931), with a 250-strong chorus, brought audiences to their feet every night, before Ivor Novello took the theatre up to the Second World War with a series of shows which he scored, wrote and starred in. After the war, the Theatre Royal blazed a trail into the modern world of long-running musicals, with a series of hits including Oklahoma, South Pacific, 42nd Street and Miss Saigon, which ran for 4,236 performances.
What's on at
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Oliver! 12th December 2008 - 26th February 2011 Lionel Bart's smashing Victorian musical has had two previous London...
Oliver!
Theatre Royal Drury Lane, WC2B 5JF
Until 26th February 2011
Lionel Bart's smashing Victorian musical has had two previous London productions which both ran for over 100... More
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Catherine Street, WC2B 5JF
The West End's oldest and most spectacular theatre
The first theatre on this site was built in 1662 on the... More
The Producers
Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine Street, WC2B
Three years after becoming the most successful Broadway musical in three decades and winning a record-breaking 12... More
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Lionel Bart's smashing Victorian musical has had two previous London productions which both ran for over 100 performances, but there's every chance that this new ...More
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The best of the Americas over two floors of this grade II listed building in the heart of Covent Garden and overlooking Waterloo Bridge. Lobsters ... More
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This
was once a sleazy Soho strip club, as the name suggests, and it really
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velvet curtains ... More
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Lionel Bart's smashing Victorian musical has had two previous London productions which both ran for over 100 performances, but there's every chance that this new ...More
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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. 
