A Guide To The Best Theatres In London

London itself has more than 230 theatres, ranging from the enormous, glitzy ones in Theatreland to the small theatre companies in different boroughs throughout the City. A theatrephile's seventh heaven is made up of the history of theatre and, of course, all the illustrious theatres in London.

The heart of London's West End, "Theatreland," which is home to the city's most well-known theatre sector, contains more than 40 venues. The traditional limits are the Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Kingsway to the east, however a few more neighbouring theatres are also referred to as being in the "West End" despite being beyond the region. For instance, Westminster's The Apollo Victoria Theatre). Drury Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue, and The Strand are notable theatre streets.

1. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre could look a little out of place when situated next to the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge. After all, it was modeled after the 1599-built original Globe Theatre.

Since the current Globe Theatre is an oak-and-thatch replica of the original Elizabethan playhouse from 1599, guests will experience a sense of time travel while attending a performance there.

Visitors to the theatre have the option of sitting on the 340-seat wooden benches that surround the stage, in any of the two tiers of galleried seating, or in the standing rabble, as theatre goers would have during the Elizabethan era.

2. Royal Opera House

Numerous tourists visit Covent Garden in London to shop, eat, or take in the street performers in the dazzling Covent Garden Piazza. However, if you are an opera, ballet, or classical music fan, a visit to Covent Garden for a performance at the Royal Opera House is a must see experience.

Visitors can take the Backstage Tour, which includes information about the venue's past, present productions, and—though it's not always guaranteed—the opportunity to observe the Royal Ballet in a classroom.

3. Brick Lane Music Hall

Brick Lane Music Hall, the only permanent home for music hall, is a fully distinctive venue that presents a variety of events, including classic music hall bills as well as newly created production shows with more contemporary and cutting-edge content.

A three-course candlelit meal is served before an evening performance, which is followed by dancing until the wee hours. A delicious afternoon tea is served during the intermission of matinee performances, and lunchtime performances feature a three-course lunch.

Brick Lane Music Hall, which is proud of its East London legacy in London's Docklands, was named for its original location on Brick Lane.

4. The Magic Circle

Despite being renowned for its secrets, The Magic Circle is not a covert organisation. Far from it; public events, tours, and discussions are held in its magnificent headquarters close to Euston.

Visitors are welcome to explore the facility, which features a tiny theatre and rooms filled with magical memorabilia including a Houdini straight jacket and the shoes Dynamo wore to cross the Thames. It's an intriguing place, for sure.

5. Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane has earned a reputation for producing some of the most spectacular, jaw-dropping productions ever seen on a West End stage for more than 100 years.

In the heart of Covent Garden and London's West End, a destination for entertainment, afternoon tea, dining, drinking, art, and culture is now open all day. Each of The Lane's venues, from the informal and modern to the formal and theatrical, has a distinct charm.

6. Her Majesty's Theatre

This old playhouse's walls could probably tell some interesting tales if they could talk. Her Majesty's Theatre has been renamed, reconstructed, and renovated multiple times since 1705. It continues to be the centre of London's live performance scene and to represent the chic soul of British musical theatre. It is fittingly symmetrical that it still presents The Phantom of the Opera, a timeless classic with a long history, the West End's second-longest running play.

7. The Old Vic

The Old Vic, one of the oldest and most renowned theatres in the world, has earned the nickname "The Actors' Theatre" due to its role in launching the careers of some of the greatest performers and actresses in British history.

Every year, The Old Vic hosts a number of different performances, with each one lasting one to two months on average.

Visitors can now tour The Old Vic with Stage Door Manager, learn more about the theater's most famous patrons, and even hear some ghost stories, in addition to attending an unforgettable and award-winning performance at one of the world's most prominent venues.

8. Regents Park Open Air Theatre

The greatest time to visit London is in the summer when the days are longer and the sun is shining and it is when the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is open.

Watching a play outside in The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is an incredible experience that you will remember for a lifetime, with the sounds of birds singing close, the wind brushing at your face, and big trees towering over you.

Since it was first built in 1932, this award-winning open-air theatre with 1,250 seats has grown to be a landmark in London. It is positioned at the southernmost point of The Regent's Park. Shakespearean plays and performances were the theater's original purpose, but over time, it has expanded its repertoire to include musicals, acoustic concerts, movie screenings, comedy acts, children's theatrical productions, and a tonne more.

9. Barbican Centre

Don't be deceived by the Barbican's outward appearance; inside its walls is a veritable gold mine for fans of the performing arts, music, and art.

This enormous arena in London, the largest of its kind in the UK, serves as a cultural centre featuring theatres, a concert and music hall, three cinemas, an art gallery, and exhibition spaces. Aside from attending a critically acclaimed performance, guests can take one of three scheduled tours to learn more about the Barbican's distinctive architectural style or even tour the Barbican's resident gardens with a knowledgeable guide.

10. The National Theatre

The National Theatre has developed into a haven for theatre enthusiasts from all over the world because of its four separate auditoriums, which present up to 25 different performances a year, as well as its significant presence in London's West End theatre sector.

This enormous theatre, perched on the South Bank of the river, doubles as a learning facility and offers year-round theatrical tours. Its National Theatre Live Stream, which is also free to UK schools, broadcasts to cinemas around the world.