London

London

• Actors Touring Company (ATC)

  Actors Touring Company produces and tours innovative contemporary work from the international repertoire and collaborates with emerging theatre and comedy writers, designers and choreographers both in the UK and internationally. The company also offers education and training programmes.

  
  
• Adelphi Theatre

  West End Theatre, owned by Really Useful Theatres/Nederlander, which is currently showing Michael Grandage's production of Lloyd Webber's Evita. Chicago played there from 1997 until 2006 and other long running shows include Sunset Boulevard and Me And My Girl.

  
  
• Aesop's Touring Theatre Company

  Specialises in touring schools, art centres and theatres nationally throughout the year with plays and workshops specifically written and designed for nursery, infant and junior age groups.

  
  
• Albery Theatre

  Originally known as the New Theatre, the Albery opened in 1903. A host of famous names have appeared on-stage at the theatre including Sir John Gielgud, Sybil Thorndike, Sir Laurence Olivier and Peggy Ashcroft.

  
  
• Aldwych Theatre

  Since 2000, this theatre has hosted a mixture of plays, comedies and musical theatre productions. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Whistle Down the Wind played until 2001, and Fame enjoyed an extended run from 2002 to 2006. Since then, the venue has hosted Dancing in the Streets, which subsequently moved to the Playhouse Theatre, and since September 2006 has been the home to the British stage version of Dirty Dancing.

  
  
• Almeida Theatre

  The Almeida is in the heart of Islington, North London. It produce a range of British and international drama and links its work with its local community. Almeida Festival produces an annual festival of contemporary opera, music and theatre each summer. Almeida Projects delivers a range of activities to make theatre accessible to young people.

  
  
• Apollo

  Shaftesbury Avenue (West End) theatre which is popular with big name comedians, as well as hosting occassional drama productions. At the time of writing, Dylan Moran and Ross Noble were due to take over the venue for extended residencies.

  
  
• Apollo Victoria Theatre

  For 18 years, the theatre was home to Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Starlight Express, for which it was extensively redesigned to accommodate a multi-tier roller skating arena. The Bee Gees musical Saturday Night Fever, which was initially put in as a short filler, then played to packed houses for the next four years. It is one of the largest theatres in the capital which a capacity of 2,208.

  
  
• Arc Theatre

  Educational theatre company based in North-East London, who have focussed since 1984 on diversity and equality issues for young people and adults.

  
  
• Arcola Theatre

  Arcola runs one of the largest youth and community programmes in east London. Activities include a Turkish & Kurdish Theatre Group, a writers’ group, youth theatre, annual youth music productions and capoeira classes. Regular internships are offered in event management, technical production, marketing, arts admin and youth and community work. Front of house volunteering opportunities are also often available. The Arcola claims to be trying to become the world's first carbon neutral theatre.

  
  
• Artichoke

  Artichoke is a creative company that puts on extraordinary shows that change the way people look at the world. We work with the best creative minds to produce events that live in the memory forever.

  
  
• Artsdepot

  North London's exciting new arts venue.

  
  
• Barbican

  The Barbican is Europe's largest multi-arts and conference venue presenting a diverse range of art, music, theatre, dance, film and education events. It is also home to the London Symphony Orchestra.

  
  
• Battersea Arts Centre (BAC)

  BAC aims to create and promote exciting, innovative, accessible, high quality and surprising arts activity through creative collaboration between artists, staff and public.

  
  
• Bernie Grant Arts Centre

  Designed by award winning architect David Adjaye, the Bernie Grant Arts Centre is the latest addition to London’s cultural arts scene. This purpose built multi-arts centre includes a 300-seat auditorium, 70-seat studio/rehearsal space, café/bar, multimedia workspaces and open spaces.

  
  
• Bloomsbury Theatre

  The Bloomsbury Theatre, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008, is the only West End theatre on a university campus (University College London). A schools and outreach programme is at the heart of its programme and includes activities linked with UCL departments, which enable young people to explore other aspects of university life. Its Young People's Theatre offers courses for school years 7-13 (ages 9-18), all working towards final performances on the main stage at the theatre.

  
  
• Blue Elephant Theatre

  The Blue Elephant is the only professional theatre in Camberwell: a vibrant arts venue, aiming to nurture new and emerging artists across all art-forms. "Camberwell's coolest venue" The Guardian

  
  
• Box Clever Theatre Company

  Box Clever is a writer-led, multi-disciplinary company that creates contemporary theatre with and for young people. The company's school tours include new writing on life issues and adaptations of curriculum set texts. Box Clever is also a partner in the development of special projects in the areas of social, health and environmental education.

  
  
• Bush Theatre

  The Bush is an internationally renowned champion of playwrights. It has produced hundreds of premieres since its inception in 1972, and receives more than 1,000 scripts every year, and reads and responds to them all. This is one small part of a comprehensive playwrights development programme. It has also launched a new education, training and professional development programme, bushfutures, providing opportunities for different sectors of the community and professionals to access the expertise of Bush playwrights, directors, designers, technicians and actors, and to play an active role in influencing the future development of the theatre and its programme.

  
  
• Cafe Theatre Scripts

  This website puts the drama repertoire of the long established Artaud Company and the Café Theatre, the London home of the Company, at the disposal of theatre professionals or amateurs and the general reader.

  
  
• Cambridge Theatre

  Productions at the Cambridge Theatre have been characterised by relatively short runs. Notable exceptions include Tommy Steele in Half a Sixpence in 1963 (678 performances) and Bruce Forsyth in Little Me in 1964 (334 performances). More recently the musical Return to the Forbidden Planet opened in September 1989 and lasted until early 1993. The controversial show Jerry Springer - The Opera has recently finished at the Cambridge Theatre, and was the longest running show on record at the theatre.

  
  
• Camden People's Theatre (CPT)

  Camden People's Theatre is small scale experimental company dedicated to the creation of new work. It produces, promotes and supports professional theatre from innovative emerging companies. It places special emphasis on making theatre accessible on a cross-cultural basis and prioritises work which has been developed through collaboration.

  
  
• Canal Cafe Theatre

  Canal Café Theatre is one of London’s leading fringe theatre venues with an award-winning reputation for comedy and increasingly for new writing.

  
  
• Cardboard Citizens

  Cardboard Citizens is the UK's only homeless people's professional theatre company and the leading practitioner of Forum Theatre in the UK. The company works with homeless and ex-homeless people, including asylum seekers and refugees. Their work is wide ranging and includes professional productions, participatory projects, and professional training in forum theatre.

  
  
• Charles Cryer Studio Theatre

  A fully equipped studio space which can provide a more intimate area for performance as well as discussion forums and group training. The venue has the capacity to seat up to 110 people and has full lighting and sound equipment. It is the heart of many local community groups and the friendly atmosphere offers a wide variety of styles of performance including drama, dance, musicals and comedy.

  
  
• Chelsea Players

  Chelsea Players - London-based fringe theatre company producing new writing and established work.

  
  
• Chicken Shed

  Specializes in musicals, ballets, mime, and dance. Based in Southgate, North London.

  
  
• Circo Rum Ba Ba

  A well-established women's circus theatre company which is know for its elaborate costumes. The octopus on our CV clinic page is from one of their shows, called Octopus Ocean.

  
  
• Circus Arts Forum (CAF)

  Promotes and represents all aspects of the circus community. The forum organises a National Circus Day, annual conferences, offers a general advice service and strategic support such as lobbying.

  
  
• Circus Space

  The Circus Space is a centre of excellence in the circus arts, working in partnership with the public and private sectors at local, regional and international levels to redefine perceptions of circus and broaden its appeal. It offers a diverse programme that includes the UK's only degree-level education in the circus arts, professional development opportunities for aspiring and established performers and participatory and leisure activities for young people and adults.

  
  
• Clean Break Theatre Company

  Clean Break works with women within the criminal justice system and women ex-offenders. The company commissions and produces new plays and provides a comprehensive accredited theatre training programme.

  
  
• Cochrane Theatre

  The Cochrane Theatre is a receiving and producing house that aims to present all aspects of the performing arts within a proscenium arch.

  
  
• Cockpit Theatre

  The theatre is well-known in the arts and entertainments industry and the venue's engaging atmosphere and reputation for innovative work (and easy evening parking) makes it popular with press, VIPs and audiences alike.

  
  
• Comedy Theatre

  A West End theatre showing a mix of drama and musicals. Rallied against censorship in the 50s, opening its own club where censored plays could be performed. In more recent times, an eight week sell out of Little Malcolm and his Struggle Against the Eunuchs in 1999, starring Ewan McGregor and directed by Denis Lawson smashed all box office records. The Rocky Horror Show made its West End debut here in 1979.

  
  
• Company FZ

  Company F.Z are innovators in the field of physical comedy, visual theatre and circus.

  
  
• Creative Process

  Creative Process is a regeneration agency working with the creative sector in London, mainly in Lewisham and Greenwich. It provides business support, runs a creative network, runs and supports festivals and works with the Learning and Skills Council to deliver apprenticeships for young people.

  
  
• Criterion Theatre

  Home to The Reduced Shakespeare Company until 2005, the Criterion Theatre is currently playing The 39 Steps. Interestingly, its underground auditorium was requisitioned by the BBC during WWII and a series of light entertainment shows were broadcast from there.

  
  
• David Glass New Mime Ensemble

  David Glass Ensemble is an innovative ensemble, playing an important role in developing physical theatre and ensemble work. His participatory work has been particularly important in relating physical theatre to the needs of young people.

  
  
• Deafinitely Theatre

  Deafinitely Theatre was set up in Janurary 2002 to produce performance ideas by deaf people. All the work is Deaf led but is accessible to hearing people as well. The company also runs projects and workshops for youth theatre's, community groups, colleges and schools.

  
  
• Dominion Theatre

  We Will Rock You, a musical based on the songs of Queen created by Queen guitarist Brian May and comedian Ben Elton has run here since 2003. Other notable shows include Jesus Christ Superstar, David Ian and Paul Nicholas' new production of Grease, Scrooge - The Musical, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and Disney's Beauty & The Beast. The prog rockers amongst you may be interested that Tangerine Dream's album Logos was recorded here in 1982.

  
  
• Donmar Warehouse

  As well as presenting at least six productions a year at its home in Covent Garden, the Donmar presents work nationally and internationally. Every year the Donmar tours one in-house production in the UK. Donmar-generated productions have received 35 Olivier Awards, 20 Critics’ Circle Awards, 19 Evening Standard Awards, one South Bank Award and 14 Tony Awards from nine Broadway productions. Committed to education, Donmar runs schools matinees, a student rep scheme and many resources and projects aimed at young people.

  
  
• Duchess Theatre

  This is one of the smallest proscenium arched West End theatres with just 479 seats on two levels. Notable productions include Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, which completed a record run of 1,997 performances in 1942 and Tom Eyen's The Dirtiest Show in Town, which ran for just under 800 performances in the 1970s. Marc Camoletti's Don't Dress For Dinner played for five years in the 90s.

  
  
• Duckie

  Duckie specialises in professional theatre by and for lesbian and gay audiences.

  
  
• Duke of York's Theatre

  Notable shows at this West End theatre include The Royal Court and Ambassador Theatre Group's highly acclaimed co-production of The Weir, which ran for over two years and won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best New Play and Stones In His Pockets, winner of the 2001 Olivier Awards for Best Comedy and Best Comedy Actor. Other acclaimed shows have included Shared Experience's After Mrs Rochester, Stephen Poliakoff's Sweet Panic, The Holy Terror by Simon Gray, Ronald Harwood's The Dresser starring Nicholas Lyndhurst and Julian Glover and Richard Eyre's production of Hedda Gabler starring Eve Best.

  
  
• Emergency Exit Arts

  Emergency Exit Arts is one of the UK's leading street arts companies, providing arts services for community events, public celebrations and arts in education projects. It also creates and produces one-off performances and site-specific events.

  
  
• English Stage Company (Royal Court Theatre)

  This is the UK’s leading theatre for new writing. It develops and produces new plays at its recently refurbished home in Sloane Square and also runs a dramaturgical service, comprehensive programmes for young writers and international work.

  
  
• English Touring Theatre (ETT)

  English Touring Theatre tours productions of classical plays. A broad and wide reaching programme of workshops, talks and special events accompanies every tour.

  
  
• Etcetera Theatre

  A London fringe theatre venue.

  
  
• Extant

  Extant challenges the idea held in mainstream theatre, that blindness impedes exciting physical performance. It has developed working methods with blind actors that have started to break down these barriers.Its youth theatre programme is aimed at 13-25 year olds with a visual impairment.

  
  
• Festival Republic (Latitude Festival)

  Previously known as Mean Fiddler, Festival Republic is the main player in the UK festivals market, promoting Reading, Leeds and Latitude Festivals. It also has operational responsibility for Glastonbury. Latitude, a music and arts festival with a big interest in theatre, was launched in 2006. It takes place annually in Suffolk.

  
  
• Fortune Theatre

  Since 1989, The Fortune has played host to Woman in Black, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the book of the same name by Susan Hill. It has now been seen by over seven million people at this West End venue.

  
  
• Frantic Assembly

  Frantic Assembly is a physical theatre company, founded in 1994. The company specialises in creating contemporary physical theatre and has a strong new writing policy. As well as working in London, Frantic Assembly tours the UK extensively and runs regular educational workshop programmes to complement its productions.

  
  
• Futures Theatre Company

  Futures Theatre Company was founded in January 1992 to promote plays written by women. It now works in theatre-in-education and claims to have reached 40,000 young people with its performances and drama workshops, across 17 London boroughs.

  
  
• Garrick Theatre

  This West End theatre has mostly been associated with comedies and comedy dramas. Notable productions include No Sex Please We're British and the Royal National Theatre's multi-award winning production of JB Priestley's An Inspector Calls.

  
  
• Gate Theatre

  The Gate specialises in international work, including new plays and new work in translation. The theatre runs an education and outreach programme in its local community that has links with international aspects of the programme and is regarded as an important training ground for younger practitioners.

  
  
• Germination

  Germination is a creative production company, working in the spaces between society, technology and culture. Its aim is to engage audiences in ideas around positive social change through film, performance and digital media.

  
  
• Gielgud Theatre

  This Shaftesbury Avenue (West End) theatre has been known as the Gielgud since 1994, in anticipation of the opening of a reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on the South Bank. Called the Globe Theatre since 1909, it was the Hicks Theatre for three years previous to that. Now owned by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres (who are not planning na further name change), it has presented several Alan Ayckbourn premieres, including Man of the Moment and notable productions have included Oscar Wilde's classic comedy An Ideal Husband (1992) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (2004).

  
  
• Graeae Theatre Company

  Graeae is a disabled-led theatre company that profiles the skills of actors, writers and directors with physical and sensory impairments. Their artistic approach creates aesthetically accessible productions for disabled and non-disabled audiences.

  
  
• Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre

  Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre (GLTPT)provides a wide range of opportunities for young people to learn through drama and theatre arts, including workshops and its schools education programme. It also has an established arts and theatre programme for young refugees and asylum seekers in South East London.

  
  
• Greenwich Playhouse

  London’s newest, purpose studio theatre which is located in SE10. The Greenwich Playhouse is prominently situated in the forecourt of the new Greenwich Connex South East Rail and Docklands Light Railway Station. The venue boasts state-of-the-art facilities and has a resident artistic director.

  
  
• Greenwich Theatre

  In all aspects of both programming and producing Greenwich Theatre is committed to supporting the production of musical theatre. It is also committed to providing a nationally unique programme of educational opportunities for young people, primarily through the operation of the Greenwich Musical Theatre Academy.

  
  
• Hackney Empire

  Built in 1901 by legendary architect Frank Matchum (who also designed Blackpool Tower), the Hackney Empire aims to present entertainment for everybody, ranging from comedy, variety, music and dance to drama, opera and family shows. It has previously served as a television studio, a stand up comedy venue and a bingo hall and has hosted performances from legends including Louis Armstrong, Liberace and Tony Hancock. It now also produces its own productions and plans to start touring these around the country.

  
  
• Half Moon Young Peoples Theatre

  The Half Moon produces professional theatre and provides training, youth theatre, and other participatory opportunities for young people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

  
  
• Hampstead Theatre

  Throughout its fifty year history, Hampstead Theatre has been associated with new writing. Its free to join youth theatre heat&light company has opportunities for performers, writers, technicians and stage managers aged 10-25. Pam Gems, David Hare, Stephen Jeffreys, Mike Leigh and Harold Pinter have all had breakthrough plays produced at Hampstead Theatre and the careers of Jude Law, Alison Steadman, Jane Horrocks and Rufus Sewell were launched at the theatre.

  
  
• Her Majesty's Theatre

  Since 1986 Her Majesty's has been the London home of The Phantom of the Opera. The West End venue was the setting for the popular ITV1 variety series Live from Her Majesty's, which ran on television from 1982 to 1985. It was on this programme that Tommy Cooper collapsed and died on stage in 1984. The name of the theatre changes from Her Majesty's to His Majesty's Theatre if there is a male monarch.

  
  
• HMV Hammersmith Apollo

  Major music venue, also hosting comedy and children's productions, the Hammersmith Apollo became the HMV Apollo in January 2009. It is one of 11 live music venues now owned by HMV and the MAMA Group. Who’s played here? Who hasn’t? The roll call includes ABBA, Aerosmith, David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, The Jacksons, Prince, Queen and The Who.

  
  
• Immediate Theatre

  Immediate Theatre works with community groups in and around Hackney to create theatre. Past projects have worked with 16-25-year-olds, primary schools, people at high risk of exclusion, substance misuse groups and other vulnerable young people. AS well as participatory work, they also create theatre for young people and recent shows have explored issues including childhood obesity, hoax calls to the emergency services and road safety.

  
  
• Immediate Theatre

  Immediate Theatre was set up in Hackney in 1996. From the outset the company's vision was to work closely with locally based organisations and community groups to create theatre which engaged people in the process of change.

  
  
• Improbable

  Under the leadership of three artistic directors, Improbable is a theatre company committed to finding new ways to tell stories using puppetry, mask, live music and improvisation. Projects are primarily based on stories connecting people to each other and to the world.

  
  
• In Toto Theatre

  In Toto Theatre specialise in creating ‘total theatre’ by, with and for young audiences; a highly visual, musical style of theatre using an approach which is inclusive and very accessible to a wide range of ages and abilities. Its work transcends cultural and language barriers by using a combination of puppetry, live music, storytelling and dance. It is a registered arts award centre, currently offering accreditation in Bronze and Silver Arts Awards with plans to offer Gold Arts Awards to young people from Spring 2008.

  
  
• Independent Street Arts Network

  ISAN provides a range of services for promoters of street arts. Providing networking and information services in the UK, the organisation has raised the profile of the sector and the level of debate about the artform. It also has useful international links and a track record in enabling collaborations to present new work.

  
  
• Informal European Theatre Meeting

  A membership organisation which exists to stimulate the quality, development and contexts of contemporary performing arts in a global environment.

  
  
• International Workshop Festival (IWF)

  This provides professional development for performing arts practitioners. Its main event is an annual festival of workshops led by nationally and internationally renowned artists.

  
  
• Julie McNamara

  Julie McNamara's theatre practice offers a programme of artform development from a disability perspective.

  
  
• Kali Theatre Company

  Kali is an Asian-led theatre company founded in 1990 to promote new writing by Asian women. Our support will help it develop a rolling programme of complementary and integrated projects that encourage, promote and increase access to quality writing for performance by Asian women.

  
  
• Kaos

  Kaos Theatre is an ensemble company that combines a cappella singing, physicality, storytelling and intimate performances to create highly original visual interpretations of classics, adaptations and new writing. Company also offers education and training programmes.

  
  
• Kazzum Arts Project

  Kazzum is a company at the forefront of dynamic, creative work for younger audiences, drawing on a range of artistic and cultural influences and practices.

  
  
• Kinetika

  Kinetika has 10 years experience in the design, production and performance of extraordinary shows that retain the essence of carnival whilst telling a story, working as a team of professional artists alongside young people. Kinetika’s past projects and performances include Atlanta Olympics, Kolkata Carnival in India, 'Beijing 2008' Olympic Cultural Festival, Notting Hill Carnival, London Olympic Torch Relay, London Jazz Festival, Thames Festival, Baishakhi Mela and Nelson Mandela's statue unveiling at Parliament Square.

  
  
• Kings Head Theatre

  A London fringe theatre venue.

  
  
• Landor Theatre

  A London fringe theatre venue.

  
  
• Little Angel Theatre

  The Little Angel Theatre is "the home of British puppetry" and one of only two building-based puppet theatres in England. For over 45 years it has been providing high quality puppet theatre aimed at family audiences, and continues to extend its work for young children and adults. Not only does it produce its own shows which play in-house and tour nationally and internationally, but it also welcomes puppetry companies from around the UK and overseas.

  
  
• London Bubble Theatre Company

  London Bubble runs a year round programme of work allowing people of all ages to make theatre.

  
  
• London Coliseum

  Home of the English National Opera. Schools projects are at the core of their activity.

  
  
• London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT)

  LIFT programmes contemporary and innovative world theatre including international co-production and outdoor theatre events.

  
  
• London International Mime Festival (LIMF)

  The London International Mime Festival is an annual festival of mime, puppetry and visual theatre attracting the highest quality international and national work.

  
  
• London Palladium

  Sunday Night at the London Palladium was broadcast live throughout the 50s and 60s and hosted first by Tommy Trinder and then by Bruce Forsyth. In the late 1980s the venue was once again the setting for the popular ITV1 variety show, Live from the Palladium, compered by Jimmy Tarbuck. From 2002-05, the Palladium played host to a popular theatrical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Sister Act staring Sheila Hancock was showing at the time of writing.

  
  
• Lyceum Theatre

  The Lyceum has been home to the musical version of The Lion King since 1999. In the 60s and 70s it was used as a music venue, with notable performances from The Grateful Dead, The Clash, Led Zepellin, U2 and Culture Club. A chequered history save the theatre under threat of closure in both 1939 and 1968, going dark in 1986 and finally in 1996 it was restored into a venue for large scale musicals.

  
  
• Lyric Theatre Hammersmith

  The Lyric hosts theatre, music and comedy and even boasts shows for children aged from just three months. Lyric Young Company is for young people aged 14-21 and offers workshops, masterclasses, work experience and £5 theatre tickets. Creative learning programmes for young people living in west London, aged 11-19, run throughout the year and summer holiday activities are numerous.

  
  
• Mimbre

  Mimbre are three female circus artists who create innovative and highly skilled acrobatic performances using physical theatre and different forms of movement and dance.

  
  
• Montage Theatre

  London-based theatre company and training for acting, dancing and singing (all ages).

  
  
• Music Ally

  Music Ally, has been providing publications, consulting, research, events and training to the music and technology industries since 2001.

  
  
• National Operatic and Dramatic Association

  Provides information and support for amateur companies.

  
  
• National Theatre

  The Royal National Theatre produces a full range of new, contemporary and classic plays in its three theatres, performing to all age groups and communities. It tours and hosts work from other countries, and carries out an intensive programme of education and development in the studio.

  
  
• National Youth Theatre of Great Britain

  The National Youth Theatre gives young people aged 14-21 throughout the UK the chance to participate in theatre to a high professional, artistic and practical standard. It contributes to their social and cultural development and encourages them to aspire to excellence.

  
  
• New Ambassadors Theatres

  The Ambassadors opened in 1913 - three years late as a result of World War I. It was built with the intention of being an intimate, smaller theatre and is situated opposite celeb-fave restaurant the Ivy.

  
  
• New End Theatre

  Presents issue–led writing, including musicals, comedy and classic revivals. The building housing the New End Theatre was constructed in 1890 as the mortuary of the former New End Hospital. A tunnel connecting the hospital and mortuary allowed the bodies to be transported under the road.

  
  
• New London Theatre

  This Drury Lane theatre is about as new as ABBA, opening in 1973. Between 1981 and 2002 it was home to the musical Cats, during which time it became the longest running musical in West End history. Between 2003 and 2005 the theatre hosted Bill Kenwright's revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

  
  
• New Peckham Varieties

  NPV (New Peckham Varieties) is based at the Magic Eye Theatre in south east London and offers training and education opportunities for all, with a particular emphasis on young people.

  
  
• New Wimbledon Theatre

  Not new at all, being built in 1910, this Grade II listed theatre is topped by the Goddess of Gaiety, a winged angel standing high on the dome watching out over London. The Georgian Renaissance style venue hosted the world premieres of Half A Sixpence and Oliver! and has welcomed stars including Gracie Fields, Noel Coward and Marlene Dietrich and Dirk Bogarde to its stage. With the support of the Wimbledon Civic Theatre Trust it attracts up to 2,000 young people to over 35 education events and activities each year. New Wimbledon Studio is a 50-80 seater fringe venue located within the main theatre.

  
  
• News Revue

  A London fringe theatre venue.

  
  
• Nimax Theatres

  A group of London theatres. On the 26th September 2005, producers Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer purchased the Apollo, Lyric, Duchess and Garrick Theatres from Andrew Lloyd Webber, creating Nimax Theatres Limited. The Vaudeville Theatre, solely owned by Max Weitzenhoffer, completes the Nimax portfolio.

  
  
• Nitro

  Nitro commissions and produces Black-led music and theatre, particularly for younger audiences.

  
  
• Noel Coward Theatre

  Named after the playwright, composer and actor who made his West End debut here in 1920, the famous dressing gown wearer is not the only major name to tread the boards at this historic theatre. Alan Rickman, Diana Rigg, Cate Blanchett, Helen Mirren and John Hurt have all played in sell out shows in more recent years. Notable productions have included junk opera Shockheaded Peter (2002), the Olivier Award winning Children of a Lesser God (1981), Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers (1988) and A Month in the Country (1994), the theatre’s most successful play ever. Prior to 2006, this theatre was called the Albery.

  
  
• Novello Theatre

  Now named after the actor who lived in the flat above the theatre for 38 years from 1913 to 1951, this West End theatre was called the Strand until 2005. One of its longest running shows was Buddy, Alan Janes' musical about the life of Buddy Holly, which had audiences dancing in the aisles for seven years until 2002. When it closed for major refurbishment in 2005, the popular show The Rat Pack transferred to the Savoy.

  
  
• Official London Theatre

  This site lists all the members of SOLT and what's showing where

  
  
• Oily Cart Company

  Oily Cart specialises in producing theatre for three to five-year-old children, and innovative work for young disabled people with multiple impairments.

  
  
• Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park

  The oldest, professional outdoor theatre in Britain has been presenting Shakespeare plays for over 75 years. It has an association with the Young Shakespeare Company and delivers workshops for primary and secondary schools.

  
  
• Orange Tree Theatre

  The Orange Tree, in Richmond-upon-Thames, produces high quality theatre-in-the-round. It also provides schools’ projects and training opportunities for new directors.

  
  
• Out of Joint

  Out of Joint is an outstanding new writing company with an international reputation. It tours new plays to middle scale venues throughout the country.

  
  
• Oval House Theatre

  The Oval House supports, promotes and encourages the development of new work. It has a strong policy of supporting disability arts, Black and Asian theatre companies, and also runs an extensive programme of theatre and workshops for young people.

  
  
• Pacitti Company

  Pacitti produces highly original group and solo theatre with a unique visual style that uses aspects of fine art, film and new technology.

  
  
• Paddington Arts

  A West London youth arts organisation that is committed to developing talent and creativity in the community.

  
  
• Paines Plough

  Paines Plough is a theatre company that specialises in developing new writing talent. It tours to small and middle-scale theatres throughout the country. The company also offers education and training programmes.

  
  
• Palace Theatre

  The Palace Theatre was intended to be the home of British grand opera when it opened in 1891. Currently playing Priscilla Queen of the Desert staring Jason Donovan, whether it has fallen short of or indeed exceeded its expectations is a matter of taste! The last years of the twentieth century saw two exceptional runs at The Palace: Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Misérables. The latter ran for 18 years, having transferred from the Barbican in December 1985. The show is still running at the Queen's Theatre just 100m further up Shaftesbury Avenue. Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White received its world premiere in September 2004 and ran for 19 months. Monty Python's Spamalot had its London premiere at The Palace in October 2006.

  
  
• Peacock Theatre

  The Peacock Theatre is Sadler’s Wells West End venue. The 999-seat house is part of the London School of Economics and Political Science campus, which also uses the theatre for lectures, public talks, conferences, political speeches and open days. The venue often plays host to dance performances, conferences, ballet, pop concerts and award ceremonies.

  
  
• People Show

  People Show is a long established company committed to creating multidisciplinary, multimedia live theatre. There is no artistic director and shows are developed through the ideas of the core and associate artists.

  
  
• Phoenix Theatre

  The current production Blood Brothers, a musical by Willy Russell, which transferred from the Albery in 1991, is the longest running show ever at the Phoenix. Noel Coward's Private Lives featuring Coward himself, along with Gertrude Lawrence, Adrienne Allen and a young Laurence Olivier launched the theatre in 1930 and coward continued his association throughout the 30s-50s.

  
  
• Piccadilly Theatre

  At its grand opening in April 1928, the Piccadilly Theatre was one of the largest theatres to be built in London, as its souvenir brochure claimed, 'If all the bricks used in the building were laid in a straight line, they would stretch from London to Paris'. The 1990s witnessed an expansion in musicals, ballet and dance at the theatre. Currently playing the musical Grease.

  
  
• Playhouse Theatre

  Owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group, The Playhouse Theatre is in the West End, near to Trafalgar Square. It was used by the BBC for recording live performances throughout the 1950s-70s. In 1988 Jeffrey Archer bought the theatre for around £1million and sold it in 1992 for twice what he had paid for it. La Cage aux Folles has been playing there since 2008.

  
  
• Pleasance Islington

  The London branch of the extremely successful Edinburgh fringe venue.

  
  
• Polka Theatre

  Polka Theatre is the only theatre venue in Britain exclusively dedicated to children. The theatre has been developing new writing for children and is at the forefront of theatre for early years (0–6 year olds). It produces its own plays and presents the work of other companies.

  
  
• Prince Edward Theatre

  Mamma Mia!, the musical love story featuring Abba's greatest hits, broke all previous box office records when it sold out for five years before transferring to the newly refurbished Prince of Wales Theatre in June 2004. This West End theatre, redeveloped by Delfont Mackintosh in the early 1990s along with the Prince of Wales, is now playing Jersey Boys, The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

  
  
• Prince of Wales Theatre

  Current show Mamma Mia! moved from the Prince Edward Theatre in 2004 and is now booking until 2011. Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love (1989), based on the novel by David Garnett, played to over 1 million people at 1,325 performances. More recently the West End theatre has been home to musicals and dance shows such as West Side Story, Fosse, The Witches of Eastwick, Rent and the British premiere of The Full Monty.

  
  
• Puppet Barge

  Puppet Barge theatre presents marionette and rod puppet shows on a barge throughout the year in London (Little Venice) and along the River Thames.

  
  
• Queen's Theatre

  On 3 April 2004 Cameron Mackintosh's musical phenomenon Les Miserables transferred from the Palace Theatre where it had run for more than 18 years and 7,602 performances. It is still going strong at this Shaftesbury Avenue theatre.

  
  
• Questors

  The Questors is the largest community theatre in Europe, with an audience membership of around 3,000, of whom around 600 are actively involved in productions.

  
  
• Quicksilver Theatre Company

  Quicksilver Theatre tours schools and venues in London, nationally and internationally with productions for children and young people aged three to 11.The company also offers education and training programmes specifically aimed at young people.

  
  
• Reality Productions

  Reality Productions aims to change the face of theatre by focusing on disabled and culturally diverse writers.

  
  
• Red Room

  Red Room is a new writing company that cultivates and produces radical new theatre.

  
  
• Red Shift Theatre Company

  Red Shift is a London based company which tours nationally to small and middle-scale venues throughout the UK. The company's work combines traditional narrative with art-house performance, creating work that is both challenging and accessible.

  
  
• Richmix

  Rich Mix is located within the buzzing heart of Shoreditch. Since opening in Spring 2006, this vast former garment factory has played host to the newest releases and exciting film festivals in our three-screen cinema and events for clients such as Lily Allen, Google, Bacardi and the BBC. In short, it’s 62,000 square feet of activity and innovation, designed to bridge cultures and disciplines to create an entirely new kind of arts centre.

  
  
• Ridiculusmus Theatre Company

  Ridiculusmus make comic theatre that is provocative, bold and unconventional. Their work is created through improvisation and is comitted to being both accessible and experimental, with the company placing particular emphasis on the nature of their relationship with the audience. The company tours both nationally and internationally.

  
  
• Ripstop Productions

  Ripstop Productions creates visual theatre for children, with shadow theatre and live music integral to their work. It has a policy of creating theatre that can tour easily to different venues, including schools and theatres.

  
  
• Roundhouse

  The Roundhouse hosts a multidisciplinary programme of theatre, physical theatre, music and performance art, and an arts training centre for young people in the Undercroft.

  
  
• Royal Albert Hall

  The Royal Albert Hall is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage.

  
  
• Royal Court

  Britain’s first national theatre company, which sees itself as a writers’ theatre. John Osbourne’s Look Back in Anger, which opened there in 1956, is now considered the play that marks the start of modern British drama. Runs playwriting groups for ages 18-25s, for Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers and Unheard Voices, for Muslim playwrights. The Royal Court Young Writers Festival is a two-yearly national writing competition open to everyone aged 25 and under. The New York Times has described the Royal Court as the most important theatre in Europe.

  
  
• Royal Opera House

  The Royal Opera House is one of the most historic lyric theatres in the world and home to The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. As a resource to the nation it gives over 700 performances each year, alongside a programme committed to learning, promoting new talent and reaching as wide an audience as possible.

  
  
• Saddler's Wells Theatre

  Sadler’s Wells calls itself London’s dance house and hosts all kinds of performances from contemporary dance to tango, flamenco and family shows. Sadler’s runs projects for school years 5-11 to encourage young people to go to the theatre. Other community activities include movement classes for toddlers, the Connect festival programme of workshops and performances, signed pre-performance talks for deaf audiences and arts activities for older people.

  
  
• Sadler's Wells Theatre

  Sadler’s Wells calls itself London’s dance house and hosts all kinds of performances from contemporary dance to tango, flamenco and family shows. Sadler’s runs projects for school years 5-11 to encourage young people to go to the theatre. Other community activities include movement classes for toddlers, the Connect festival programme of workshops and performances, signed pre-performance talks for deaf audiences and arts activities for older people.

  
  
• Savoy Theatre

  The Savoy TheatreA massive fire closed the Savoy Theatre in1990 and when it reopened in 1993, with its auditorium and public areas faithfully restored to their original 1929 glory, it received unprecedented worldwide media coverage. In recent years major players on the Savoy’s stage have included Anthony Sher, Ruthie Henshall, John Gordon Sinclair, Dawn French, Alison Steadman and Griff Rhys Jones.f the old Savoy Palace in London as a showcase for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan.

  
  
• Scarabeus

  Scarabeus is one of the UK’s foremost exponents of multidisciplinary performance. It uses visual theatre, stilts, abseiling, dance and acrobatics to create challenging work outside conventional performance spaces. The Company also runs an education programme for children and adults.

  
  
• Scarlet Theatre

  Scarlet produces imaginative theatre, which tours in London, nationally and internationally. It provides education programmes linked to productions.

  
  
• Shaftesbury Theatre

  Currently showing Hairspray with Brian Conley, the Shaftesbury is a West End theatre with a capacity of 1,400, situated on the famous Shaftesbury Avenue. On July 20 1973, part of the ceiling fell in, closing the production of the musical Hair which had been running since 1968. Recent productions include musical theatre and comedy.

  
  
• Shakespeare Schools Festival

  A unique arts-education initiative, enabling teachers and pupils to perform a half-hour play at their local professional theatre.

  
  
• Shakespeare's Globe

  The reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe on London's Bankside. Over 100,000 people of all ages and nationalities, from pre-school to postgraduates, participate in Globe Education's year-round programme of public events, workshops and courses. From October to April, all workshops and courses include practical work on the Globe stage. Globe Education also runs an extensive programme in the Southwark community and creates national and international outreach projects for students and teachers. Graduates and scholars are invited to participate in Globe Research seminars, symposia and conferences and to make use of the Globe Library and Archive.

  
  
• Shared Experience Theatre

  Shared Experience has gained a national and international reputation for its highly physical interpretations of classic novels. It is acclaimed across the world for its powerful dramatic performances and visual imagery.

  
  
• Soho Theatre Company

  Soho Theatre produces and presents new plays, runs workshops and pre-show platform discussions, presents workshop productions and encourages the development of new writers through its Writers’ Centre. Soho Connect is the theatre’s community and education programme and it includes workshops for writers aged 18-25, Soho Slam! events that showcase new work and even a playwriting programme for under 11s.

  
  
• Southbank Centre

  Southbank Centre consists of the Royal Festival Hall, The Hayward, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Saison Poetry Library. It's programme includes wide-ranging programme - classical & world music, rock & pop, jazz, dance, literature and the visual arts

  
  
• Southwark Playhouse

  Southwark Playhouse's central vision is that of a vibrant theatre in the heart of the London Borough of Southwark, serving the widest possible constituency within the borough and beyond, providing a platform for emerging theatre practitioners and a programme of performance, education work and community drama.

  
  
• Spare Tyre Theatre Company

  Spare Tyre Theatre Company uses theatre with voiceless communities to provide opportunities for people's life stories to be shared, and celebrated creating community theatre that transforms lives and challenges social prejudice.

  
  
• Sphinx

  Sphinx nurtures the work of women writers and brings them together with other leading female artists, creating innovative theatre.

  
  
• Spiral Flight

  Spiral Flight brings together collaborative creative teams of artists, engineers and performers to produce street theatre and installation art.

  
  
• St Martin's Theatre

  The home of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery The Mousetrap since 1952. It is the longest running stage show of any kind in the modern era.

  
  
• Stage Jobs Pro

  Stage Jobs Pro is an online directory which allows members to create a profile, find jobs, network and browse a unique film database. Those looking for crew or staff can post their requirements on the site free of charge or search the database of theatre professionals.

  
  
• Stage Management Association

  The SMA supports stage mangers with a range of services. Its members include students, graduates and people working in stage management. The SMA produces publications, runs training courses and annual awards, holds regular networking events, has online forums and generally represents stage managers in the UK. With over 700 members, it is growing every year. The SMA is not a union but an association representing those working in the industry.

  
  
• Stage One Theatre Company

  Stage One is a musical theatre company working in south east London and Essex.

  
  
• STEP (Southwark Theatres’ Education Partnership)

  A borough-wide partnership linking the theatre community and the education and youth sector in Southwark. STEP works with Southwark schools, youth and community groups and theatres and performing arts organisations to encourage young people to achieve their full potential.

  
  
• Studio3Arts

  Runs community arts projects in the outer East London boroughs. Projects have included working with story telling, creative writing, digital art, set design, puppetry, textiles and video.

  
  
• Talawa Theatre Company

  Talawa is a Black producing theatre company presenting plays from the African diaspora and new interpretations of classics. The company also runs an education programme and a scheme to develop Black women writers.

  
  
• Tamasha Theatre Company

  Tamasha produces new and popular touring theatre productions of contemporary relevance for Asian communities and audiences in multicultural Britain. The company also provides an education programme.

  
  
• The Actors' Temple

  A London-based acting company of actors getting together and doing it for themselves. Actor trainers as well as independent artists.

  
  
• The Albany

  The Albany, in the heart of Deptford, is a multi-use performing and digital arts venue, with a strong focus on working with diverse, local communities.

  
  
• The Ant Theatre Company

  Professional touring theatre company, focusing on new talent, both on and off stage.

  
  
• The Courtyard

  A London fringe theatre venue.

  
  
• The Little Angel Theatre

  The Little Angel Theatre is one of the country's oldest children's theatres, and one of only three purpose-built puppet theatres in England.

  
  
• The London International School of Performing Arts

  Initiation and advanced course of theatre study based on the teachings of Jacques Lecoq. It also offers an evening course for more experienced theatre practitioners from all disciplines.

  
  
• The Lyric Theatre

  The Lyric Theatre is the oldest theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, having opened in December 1888. It was originally built for impresario Henry J Leslie as a home for operetta. Since then the building has hosted drama, comedy and musicals.

  
  
• The National Youth Music Theatre

  Gives young people the opportunity to participate in all aspects of music theatre.

  
  
• The Old Vic

  Through Old Vic New Voices, The Old Vic aims to support young and emerging talent, to source and develop new work for production on The Old Vic stage, and to open up the building to new and diverse audiences. The New Voices Club for young practitioners supports actors, writers, directors and producers aged 18 to 25 build a career in theatre.

  
  
• The Puppet Centre

  The Puppet Centre Trust is a national development agency for the art form of puppetry.

  
  
• The UCL Bloomsbury Theatre

  Online information and listings for comedy, drama, music and dance events at the UCL Bloomsbury theatre in London.

  
  
• Theatre Centre

  Theatre Centre has been one of the leading companies for young people for half a century, producing high quality theatre in schools and arts venues around the country.

  
  
• Theatre de Complicite

  Théâtre de Complicité specialises in touring productions of physical-based theatre and also provides a programme of professional workshops and educational initiatives.

  
  
• Theatre Rites

  Theatre-Rites has been creating high quality and innovative theatre experiences for young people since 1995. They tour both nationally and internationally and also create site-specific shows performed in spaces as diverse as derelict houses to working hospitals.

  
  
• Theatre Royal Drury Lane

  Currently booking Oliver!, staring Rowan Atkinson until 2011, Theatre Royal Drury Lane has a proud history of long running shows. Schönberg and Boublil's Miss Saigon played at this West End venue for over 4,000 performances throughout the 1990s. More recently, Mel Brooks’ The Producers ran for three years until 2007.

  
  
• Theatre Royal Haymarket

  Maggie Smith, Simon Callow, Sir Ian Mckellan, Dame Judi Dench, Julie Walters, Rob Lowe, Ralph Fiennes, Prunella Scales, Joely Richardson and Vanessa Redgrave are just some of the acting royalty who have appeared at the Theatre Royal Haymarket over the last few years. Dating back to 1720, it is the third oldest London playhouse still in use. In 1873 it pioneered the matinee (afternoon performance). In 2004, during a stage production of When Harry Met Sally, staring Luke Perry, some of the audience was hit by plasterwork when the central chandelier came away from the ceiling, which is slightly less of a claim to fame. No one was seriously injured. Check out free Masterclass events for ages 17-30, which take place at least one Friday a month, focusing all aspects of theatre from acting and directing to writing and producing. There’s also a Saturday drama school and summer schools for children and young people.

  
  
• Theatre Royal Stratford East

  TRSE Youth Arts runs three youth theatre groups and a young artists’ LAB (ages 16-30) as well as taking theatre education out into the community. It has a strong tradition of supporting new writing: Voices in Exile is a programme for writers from refugee backgrounds, Young Voices is for writers aged 16-24 and the theatre even runs a group for musical theatre writers. Spoke Lab is developing spoken word performance alongside theatre work.

  
  
• Theatre Venture

  Theatre Venture is a long established community theatre arts resource, producing theatre and participatory arts work, primarily in the borough of Newham, for local communities.

  
  
• Theatre503

  Theatre503 is a new writing theatre in Battersea. It specialises in promoting new plays and new playwrights and produce many in-house productions.

  
  
• Tiata Fahodzi

  Tiata Fahodzi produces new work that reflects and mirrors the lives of West African communities in England. The company’s work is for an all-inclusive British audience but provides a theatrical voice identifiable from a specific cultural perspective.

  
  
• Time Won't Wait

  Time Won't Wait is a creative force dedicated to producing dynamic and honest live performance and cross-platform participatory events. It commissions and produces new projects in partnership with local communities, national partners, agencies and international artists.

  
  
• Told by an Idiot

  Told by an Idiot specialises in devised and physical theatre led by key practitioners in the field. The company tours original productions to venues regionally, nationally and internationally.

  
  
• Total Theatre Network

  Total Theatre plays an increasingly effective role in promoting and developing work in physical performance and circus.

  
  
• Trafalgar Studios

  Trafalgar Studios is a West End theatre which opened two studio spaces in 2004 on the site of the old Whitehall Theatre. It has been called ‘a revolution for the West End’ by the Daily Telegraph and sees itself as a gateway for new productions in London. Big names to appear there include James Nesbitt and Anthony Sher.

  
  
• Tricycle Theatre

  Tricycle has one of the largest primary, secondary and community education programmes of any London theatre. The Tricycle’s social inclusion programme targets young refugees; young people who have been, or are at risk of being excluded from mainstream education; young people living in areas of high crime, young people experiencing economic deprivation, young carers, and vulnerable young women.

  
  
• Unicorn Theatre

  The Unicorn is the UK’s flagship theatre for young people. As well as creating its own productions, it host visits by some of the UK and world’s other great theatre companies for young people. It stages over 620 performances a year as well as a wide range of special events, workshops and other theatre activities. Its extensive education programme includes youth theatre for 10-16s, young company for 16-19s, family days, work experience, volunteering opportunities and summer projects.

  
  
• Vaudeville Theatre

  West End theatre, situated on The Strand. At the time of writing, booking comedian Ed Byrne and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

  
  
• Victoria Palace Theatre

  The home of Billy Elliot The Musical since March 2005, other long running shows at The Victoria Palace have included Buddy (1989-1995), Jolson, staring Brian Conley, Grease and Tonight’s The Night – The Rod Stewart Musical.

  
  
• Wimbledon Studio Theatre

  Housed in what was the Ballroom of the Wimbledon Theatre, the Studio is part of the small-scale touring circuit and offers a broad range of theatre and arts activity. The theatre plans to develop creative partnerships with a number of key companies, to provide new work for its catchment area and particularly for young people over the age of 13.

  
  
• Wyndham's Theatre

  West End theatre owned by Delfont Mackintosh. Recent shows include The Play what I Wrote, Vincent in Brixton, directed by Richard Eyre, Up for Grabs in which Madonna made her West End debut, the National Theatre production of Democracy and Heroes translated from the French by Tom Stoppard.

  
  
• Y Touring Theatre Company

  Y Touring is Central YMCA’s award-winning theatre company based in King's Cross, London. Through creating high quality theatre and drama, it aims to highlight important, often difficult, current issues and empower its audiences of young people and adults to generate change in themselves, others and society.

  
  
• Yellow Earth Theatre

  Yellow Earth produces high quality ensemble physical performance works using the traditions of east and west. Yellow Earth explores and celebrates multicultural and multilingual heritage and the contemporary east Asian experience by reinterpreting traditional texts and developing new work.

  
  
• Young Vic

  The Young Vic produces a programme of major classical works and contemporary plays, tours nationally and hosts leading international companies. The company plays an important role in training and developing young directors and designers, and runs an extensive education and outreach programme in Lambeth andSouthwark .

  
  
• Youth Music Theatre

  YMT: UK was started in 2003 by a group of experienced and committed people who were determined to create a dynamic, vibrant and participatory company which could bring together young people from around the UK in music theatre projects. All these projects involve young people creating and devising the work themselves, supported by professional directors, choreographers and musical directors. The company provides a full range of residential workshops, mostly in universities, boarding schools or activity centres, during the school and college holidays.