Musical Today London, United Kingdom
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
1,996 seats
The oldest theatre site in London still in use: a stage here since 1663, and the present building since 1812. Jesus Christ Superstar plays here from 16 October 2026 to 9 January 2027.
Inside Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Thomas Killigrew built the first theatre here in the early 1660s, when the Restoration let London's playhouses reopen. The building that stands now is the fourth on the site, opened in 1812 after its predecessor burned down in 1809. David Garrick ran the theatre before it, and so did Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
For most of two centuries it was one of the patent theatres, licensed with a monopoly on spoken drama in London, and it could fairly claim to be the city's leading stage. It faces Catherine Street, and backs onto the lane it is named after.
With 1,996 seats on four levels it is the largest of the London theatres on this site. LW Theatres, Andrew Lloyd Webber's company, owns it and sells its tickets direct.
Opening dates, capacities and architects on this page come from the theatre's own history pages and from Wikipedia.
Getting there
Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line is the nearest station; Holborn and Temple are each about ten minutes' walk.
