London's West End is filled with an incredible range of theatres, some of which have been presenting the world's best musicals and plays for hundreds of years. You can book to see a show in many of the most popular through our amazing value hotel deals; here, we have come up with a short list of our favourites and why we believe they rank amongst the capital's premier locations.

1. The Adelphi Theatre – Although it has undergone several transformations, name changes and even four complete reconstructions, the Adelphi is renowned by theatre lovers the world over as being one of London's foremost dramatic destinations, having played host to some of the very finest productions and actors since first opening in 1806 as the Sans Pareil (which appropriately translates into ‘without compare' from French). With a capacity of 1,500 people, the Adelphi is one of London's larger venues, and twenty-five years ago was officially recognised for its historical importance and received Grade II listing. The Bodyguard saw its world premiere here in November 2012, and the theatre was also the site where, during a run which lasted eight and a half years, Chicago became the longest showing American musical ever in the West End.

2. Her Majesty's Theatre - Without doubt steeped in more heritage than almost every other venue of its kind in the UK, the origins of Her Majesty's Theatre in Haymarket can be traced all the way back to 1705. Nowadays best known amongst the theatregoing public as the undisputed home of the West End's and perhaps the world's favourite musical, The Phantom of the Opera (it started showing here in 1986), the site has also hosted premieres from the likes of Noel Coward, J. B. Priestly and George Bernard Shaw. Amazingly, many of the special effects that are created onstage at Her Majesty's Theatre today are achieved via the use of the building's genuine Victorian-era machinery.

3. The Savoy Theatre - World famous as being a theatre which has a colourful and impressive history, and is also a centre for innovation and experimentation, the Savoy was originally purpose built by Richard D'Oyly Carte in 1881 as the venue for the first showing of Gilbert and Sullivan's light comic operas. Many landmarks have been reached there over the years, including being the first public building in the whole world to be lit solely by electricity, as well as being chosen as the UK home of the Legally Blonde musical in 2009, which won three prestigious Olivier awards. More recently, the Savoy has been the setting for Rufus Norris's interpretation of the much loved stage classic, Cabaret.

This is just a tiny selection of the dozens of brilliant dramatic venues which can be enjoyed on one of our excellent London theatre breaks, so why not decide which one you'd most like to visit soon? The West End is simply unrivalled as being the European capital of plays and musicals, and is a guaranteed way of adding yet more fun and excitement to your stay in the UK's most vibrant and cultural city.


Published on 16/11/2012.



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