A GUIDE TO LONDON'S THEATRELAND. 

London's Theatreland is situated in the City of Westminster's West End and predominantly takes in the area in and around Picadilly Circus with Drury Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue and The Strand housing the majority of venues.

Although the entirity of London has hundreds of theatres, this particular area is considered representative of the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking world, along with New York's Broadway theatres.

Theatreland consists of 40 Receiving Houses ( theatres that receive productions from elsewhere ) and 13 Production Houses ( theatres that produce their own material ) and cover mainly Musicals, Classics, Comedy, Opera and Middle Brow Play performances, which attract over 13 million attendances every year.

Most of Theatreland's venues are Victorian or Edwardian buildings with luxurious, period interiors, which are mostly privately owned and managed.

The area has been synonomous with British Theatre since the opening of The Adelphi Theatre on London's Strand in 1806.

Today the 50 odd theatres and 2 Opera Houses which make up London's Theatreland are home to some of the biggest names in mainstream professional theatre, with world famous names such as The London Palladium, The London Apollo and The Theatre Royal, to name but a few. 

                                                              THE LONDON PALLADIUM.

London's top five, longest running plays, in the West End are -

The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie - playing at St Martin's Theatre, St Martin's Lane.Opened on 25th of November 1952. Run of 58 years, making this play the longest running production in the world.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - playing at The Queen's Theatre,Shaftesbury Avenue. Opened on the 8th of October 1986. Run of 25 years.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Laroux - playing at Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket. Opened on the 9th of October 1986. Run of 24 years.

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell. - playing at the Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road.Opened on the 28th of July 1988. Run of 22 years.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill - playing at the Fortune Theatre, Russell Street.Opened on the 15th of February 1989. Run of 22 years.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, ran for 21 years from 11 May 1981 - 11 May 2002.

Below I have listed some of Theatreland's most famous venues, as well as the cinemas which are also prevalent in this area.

For ease of access I have listed each venue's nearest underground ( tube / metro ) station. 

For a complete guide of all the London shows, please visit     www.london-theatreland.co.uk

                                                                   THE HAYMARKET THEATRE.

SHAFTESBURY AVENUE. - Picadilly Circus station.

The Lyric Theatre.

The London Apollo.

The Curzon Theatre.

The Gielgud Theatre.

The Queen's Theatre.

CHARING CROSS ROAD. Covent Garden station.

The Astoria Theatre.

The Arts Theatre.

The Garrick Theatre. 

The Phoenix Theatre. 

Wyndham's Theatre.

THE STRAND. - Charing Cross station.

The Adelphi Theatre.

The Savoy Theatre.

The Vaudeville Theatre.

ALDWYCH.- Covent Garden station.

The Aldwych Theatre.

The Novello Theatre.

DRURY LANE. - Covent Garden station.

The Theatre Royal.

The Royal National Theatre.

ST MARTIN'S LANE. - Covent Garden station.

The London Coliseum.

Saint Martin's Theatre.

English National Opera.

BOW STREET, COVENT GARDEN.- Covent Garden station.

The Royal Opera House.

The Royal Ballet.

HAYMARKET. - Picadilly station.

The Haymarket Theatre.

Her Majesty's Theatre.

ARGYLL STREET. - Oxford Circus station.

The London Palladium.

GREAT WINDMILL STREET, SOHO. Picadilly Circus station.

The Windmill Theatre.

WELLINGTON STREET. - Covent Garden station.

The Lyceum Theatre.

CAMBRIDGE CIRCUS, SOHO. Covent Garden station.

The Palace Theatre.

TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD. Tottenham Court Road station. 

The Dominion Theatre.

LEICESTER SQUARE. - Leicester Square station.

The Odeon, Leicester Square.

The Odeon, West End.

The Empire Leicester Square.

The Vue.

                                      St Martin's Theatre, home of the long running Mousetrap 

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