List of London venues

This is a partial list of entertainment venues in London, England.

Theatres

The majority of London's commercial "theatre land" is situated around Shaftesbury Avenue, the Strand and nearby streets in the West End. The theatres are receiving houses, and often feature transfers of major productions from the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company. (See the article "West End theatre", and see also Theatre companies in London).

The following list also includes the major non-commercial theatres in London, many of which are to be found beyond the West End.

West End theatres

Also see List of West End theatres for further specifications.

Outside the West End

Many major important theatres and National venues are sited beyond the traditional West End theatre land. They include the Royal National Theatre on the South Bank; the nearby Young Vic, Old Vic and Globe Theatres; Sadler's Wells in Rosebery Avenue and Barbican Arts Centre to the east; and the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea.

Former theatres

The List of English Renaissance theatres covers the period from the establishment of the first Tudor theatres, through to their suppression by parliament at the beginning of the English Civil War.

The List of Former theatres in London covers the period from the reopening of the playhouses after the English Restoration through to the 21st century. It includes music halls.

Opera, ballet and dance

The two main opera houses are:

• Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (the home of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet)
• London Coliseum, Charing Cross (the home of English National Opera and English National Ballet)

Both of the above also stage ballet. Holland Park Opera stages opera at an outdoor venue in the summer. Several of the theatres listed have staged opera in the past, including the following:

• Sadler's Wells - London's main dance theatre
• Barbican Theatre - regularly hosts leading touring dance companies
• Savoy Theatre, the former home of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company (Gilbert and Sullivan - inactive)

Experimental, contemporary and fringe opera is occasionally programmed at Riverside Studios, which also hosts the annual Tete-a-Tete The Opera Festival. The Arcola Theatre also hosts a contemporary fringe opera festival called 'Grimeborn'.

Live music

Cinema

There are cinemas throughout Greater London, particularly multi-screen venues, however the majority of first run and independent films are shown in cinemas around Leicester Square.

• Odeon Leicester Square
• Odeon West End
• Empire, Leicester Square
• Prince Charles Cinema
• Vue West End
• National Film Theatre
• London IMAX
• Apollo cinemas

Clubs

There are clubs throughout Greater London, with many performing on a temporary basis. The more permanent ones are listed, but there is also a group of clubs in the Shoreditch and Hoxton areas.

• Chuckle Club, a comedy club that began in 1986 and has changed venues over time
• Electric Ballroom, a performance venue located in Camden Town constructed in the 1930s
• Hippodrome, built in 1900, this building was used for most of its lifetime as a venue for revues and musical comedy; it now functions as a private (for-hire) event venue
• HeyJo Club, Mayfair based Private Members Club owned by Dave West

Conference venues

• Olympia London's Conference Centre
• Altitude 360
• Hilton London Metropole
• Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
• Cavendish Conference Centre
• Mayfair Conference Centre
• ICO Conference Centre
• America Square Conference Centre
• Museum of the Order of St John
• Cavendish Venues
• London Art House
• W12 Conferences

Former venues

• The 2i's Coffee Bar (1956–1970)
• Camden Palace (1982–2004) – nicknamed Cammy Pally – reverted to KOKO in 2004
• Infinity Club (2003–2005) – best known for its association with Carl Barât and The Libertines
• London Astoria (indie rock and pop, closed and demolished 2009)
• Mean Fiddler (indie rock and pop)
• Turnmills
• Windsor Castle, Maida Vale

References

This page was last edited on 24 April 2024, at 07:20