A Quick Guide to London Theater by a London Theater-Goer

London is famous for its varied and top quality entertainment, and the city’s wonderful theaters are among the best-loved in the world.

Theater breaks provide an excellent way of absorbing this most treasured pastime. in the heart of London’s West End lies Theaterland, an area stretching from Piccadilly Circus to Covent Garden and taking in around 40 theaters.

West End theaters are mainly concentrated around Leicester Square, The Strand and Shaftesbury Avenue and generally put on large, commercial, expensive productions.

Ticket prices can be high so be warned. however, the cheapest tickets can be as low as 15 depending on the day of the week (although they may not be great views).

Some theaters which are classed as West End are not actually located in the West End – a couple are in Victoria, but because of their size (seating capacities can exceed 2,000) they are categorized with theaters in the more traditional area known as ‘Theatreland’.

Venture a little further out from this central area and you can find a further 18 theaters, including the unique, open-air theater at Regents Park, one of London’s Royal Parks and a really splendid setting for a theater.

Also beyond the West End are the National Theatre (NT) and Shakespeare’s Globe – both located on the South Bank of the River Thames.

2008 saw the London theater industry celebrate its centenary, having been established one hundred years ago by the Society of West End Theater Managers (now renamed the Society of London Theatre, or SOLT).

Today, visitors to London can see shows in genres ranging from dance and musicals to opera and drama – with a healthy dose of mainstream entertainment thrown in.

Current musical productions include Jersey Boys, which charts the story of Frankie Valli & the four Seasons, the smash-hit, Mamma Mia – based on the hits of Swedish supergroup Abba – and Thriller, an all-singing, all-dancing tribute to Michael Jackson’s legendary career.

Fans of more traditional musicals can choose from classics such as Carousel, Chicago, Grease, Hairspray, The Lion King, Les Misrables and the Dickens classic, Oliver. Click here to read more about West End musicals.

A Quick Guide to London Theater by a London Theater-Goer