London Theatres | West End Theatres
At the heart of the West End's theatrical landscape are its iconic venues, each with its own unique charm and history. There are a total of 39 theatres in London’s West End, From the grandeur of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with its extravagant interiors and historic past, to the intimate ambiance of the Harold Pinter Theatre, there's a venue to suit every taste and preference.
‘Theatreland’ is London’s main theatre district and is located in the heart of the West End of London. It is traditionally defined as the Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the West and Kingsway to the east. There are a few other theatres just outside this area that is considere as the West End. These include the Apollo Victoria Theatre and the Victoria Palace Theatre, which are located over in Victoria.
The biggest capacity theatres are the Palladium and the Apollo Victoria Theatre, each featuring around 2,300 seats, closely followed by Drury Lane will around 2,220. Then on the other hand there are a couple of smaller, intimate venues like the Arts Theatre which holds just 350 people. Other smaller West End venues include the Fortune Theatre, which has a capacity of 440, and the Ambassadors Theatre, which has 450 seats.
Shaftesbury Avenue is the most famous street in London’s West End with six West End theatres on that street alone. The street is home to the Apollo Theatre, the Gielgud Theatre, the Sondheim Theatre, the Lyric Theatre, the Palace Theatre and the Shaftesbury Theatre. The oldest theatre in London is the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which opened in May 1663.
The West End is also the home to a vast majority of London’s major attractions, shops, restaurants and bars.
