Top 10 Best Theatres in London

Posted on Jul 22, 2024 | By Carly Clements-Yu

The West End has the best plays and musicals in the world. It’s also the home of the most beautiful theatres in the world. We’re not saying you should go to the theatre to have a nose around, but while you’re there, you may as well take a look. Here’s a list of the best theatres in London, and we’re taking architecture, history, and comfort into consideration.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Shakespeare and theatre are synonymous. So, how could Shakespeare’s Globe not be on this list? Experience theatre like a 17th-century punter and watch an expertly performed play while standing in the pit. The Globe was rebuilt in 1997. Though contemporary safety regulations mean the open-air theatre’s capacity has been reduced to 1,400 attendees (compared to the former 3,000), visitors can experience Shakespeare's plays like their original audiences in the 1600s.

Every year, the Royal Shakespeare Company puts together an astounding programme. This year, you can see Antony and Cleopatra, Princess Essex, and The Comedy of Errors from as little as £13!

London Coliseum

If you want opulence and glamour, head to the London Coliseum. The West End is laced with gold, packed with chandeliers, but with lift for patrons with mobility difficulties, it isn't stuck in the past!

Built by Frank Matcham, the venue opened in 1904. For over a century, it’s hosted some of the biggest and best productions London has ever seen, including Hairspray, Sweeney Todd, and currently, Spirited Away, before Swan Lake comes gliding in in August. Though many companies have called the London Coliseum home, Sadler’s Wells Opera Company took residence in 1968. The company was renamed the English National Opera in 1974.

Not only is the London Coliseum one of the best theatres in London, it’s also one of the largest, with a capacity of 2,359 seats. And despite its size and grandeur, it’s one of the more comfortable theatres in the West End.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Don’t want to be stuck in a stuffy theatre for a few hours? Then the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is for you. The al fresco auditorium seats 1,300 people and is only open for 18 weeks a year.

First opened in 1932, it has a rich history. It was one of only two theatres that remained open throughout World War II. From 1963, it was the home of the New Shakespeare Company, which renamed itself the Regents Park Theatre in 2010 when it moved away from only performing Shakespearean plays.

Offering both day and evening performances, you can experience the same play in completely different ways. The classic musical, Fiddler on the Roof, will be recieving the Open Air treatment when it opens this summer.

Bridge Theatre

One of London’s newest theatres is the Bridge Theatre. Having opened in 2017, its beautiful location and flexibility have quickly made it one of the best theatres in London.

Sat next to Tower Bridge, the modern and spacious theatre has a spacious bar area in the entrance hall, making it the perfect place to meet with friends before the performance.

As seating is in the round, there isn’t a bad view in the house. Due to the venue’s flexible design, productions have much more freedom when it comes to design. You can currently see the promenade production of Guys and Dolls, though traditional seats are available if you’re unable to stand for over two hours.

Trafalgar Theatre

Located just a stone’s throw away from Trafalgar Square, Trafalgar Theatre is tucked away from the usual theatre crowd. It was previously named Trafalgar Studios and has recently had a full multi-million pound renovation. The simple, modern space only seats 630 people over two levels - the Stalls and the Dress Circle. Due to its intimate size, shows there are electric. There isn’t a bad seat in the house - and we mean that comfort-wise, too.

The first show to run at the newly refurbished venue was Jersey Boys in 2021. It’s currently the home of the incredible People, Places & Things, with The 39 Steps making its grand London return later this year. From September, The Duchess starring Jodie Whittaker will be taking it's reign.

Barbican Theatre

The epitome of brutalist architecture, the Barbican Centre is unlike any other theatre in London. Beautiful, grand, opulent and stark, the complex building is worth visiting for its design alone.

Opened in 1982, the Barbican Centre was designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon. Featuring a 1,154-seater theatre and a 1,943-seater hall, both designed with audience proximity to the stage and acoustics in mind, it’s one of the best theatres in the UK.

In recent years, it’s housed the world premiere of My Neighbour Totoro. Kiss Me, Kate is currently delighting audiences, before the RSC moves in for its Christmas season.

The Old Vic

The iconic venue sits just across the road from Waterloo station. It’s actively staged some of the most critically acclaimed productions of the past 200 years.

As a non-commercial theatre, it offers some of the richest and artistically led shows in London. Matthew Warchus is the current artistic director and has brought the likes of Groundhog Day, A Christmas Carol, and Lungs to life.

A magnet for famous actors, The Old Vic has seen Dame Judi Dench, Sally Field, Bill Pullman, Andrew Scott, Michael Sheen, and Richard Burton, to name but a few. Currently James Corden and Anna Maxwell Martin star in The Constituent. Over the next year, Rami Malek and Indira Varma will star in Oedipus.

Royal Court Theatre

Just down the road from Harrods sits the Royal Court Theatre - a non-commercial West End theatre, famed for premiering critically acclaimed shows from established and new writers. Over the years, it’s had many names, but its charm and appeal have never wavered.

The intimate auditorium seats just 400 people, which gives each performance an intensity that can’t be imitated elsewhere. Upstairs from the main auditorium is a smaller 90-seat space, offering a unique experience to theatregoers who venture there.

@sohoplace

Theatreland’s newest addition, @sohoplace is London’s first newly built West End theatre in 50 years. The 602-seat theatre opened in 2022 and is fast becoming a hotspot for theatre lovers.

Built for modern audiences, every detail has been taken into consideration. The flexible space has perfect acoustics and sightlines. There are no obstructed views, and no seat is more than six rows away from the stage.

The theatre’s programme is as experimental as the space. In July 2024, Clint Dyer and Roy Williams’ series of interconnected plays - Death of England: Delroy, Death of England: Michael, and Death of England: Closing Time - will be staged in the round. The plays will be playing concurrently, alternating performance times.

Royal Albert Hall

The world-famous concert hall is best known for hosting the BBC Proms and Olivier Awards each year. However, the arts venue - along with its gilded 5,272-seat auditorium - may not be known as a theatre space, it has been home to momentous productions, including Cirque du Soleil: Corteo.

The Royal Albert Hall opened in 1871, the imposing and impressive exterior is enough to draw in the crowds with tourists traveling to get snaps of the stunning architecture. Inside, the auditorium features comfy swiveling seats in the stalls, extremely private boxes, and a lift for those sitting (or standing) up in the balconies.

It’s a bucket list venue that everyone should visit at least once.

What’s the most prestigious theatre in London?

For innovative and celebrated productions, the Royal Court Theatre and Donmar Warehouse rank amongst the best theatres in London. For architectural prowess, the London Coliseum, Royal Albert Hall, Barbican, National Theatre, and Theatre Royal Drury Lane are some of the best theatres in the UK.

What theatre should I go to in London?

If you’re not seeing a West End staple like Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, MAMMA MIA!, or The Mousetrap, London has some of the best musicals and best plays in the world. If you want to go to any theatre to experience the West End, stroll down St Martin’s Lane and choose what looks best to you.

St Martin’s Lane is the home of the London Coliseum, Duke of York’s Theatre, and Noël Coward Theatre. Stroll down one of the lanes, and you’ll find the Garrick Theatre and Wyndham’s Theatre. Each theatre has its own beauty and history, so you can’t go wrong no matter which you pick.