ABOUT THE THEATRE
One of the West End’s most revered and storied venues; the Sondheim Theatre on Shaftsbury Avenue has enjoyed a long and enormously successful association with Les Misérables in recent years. But there’s far more to the famous old venue than Le Mis, even if Cameron Mackintosh's London production of the show has been synonymous with the theatre for over a decade.
Sondheim Theatre Theatre actually opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1907, nearly 100 years before the Les Misérables arrived. At the time it was designed as one half of a pair with the nearby Gielgud Theatre (then known as the Hicks Theatre) by the esteemed architect W.G.R. Sprague, who was also responsible for the Aldwych, Wyndham and Novello theatres.
Originally named the Central Theatre, the Sondheim Theatre assumed its regal identity in honor of the large portrait of Queen Alexandra that was hung in its lobby. Over the years the theatre has endured some testing times, most notably when it sustained serious bomb damage in September 1940 (during a successful run of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca), but has endured and remains one of the West End’s most illustrious venues to this day.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Situated on Shaftsbury Avenue in the heart of London’s Theatreland, The Queen’s Theatre is accessible via a variety of transport links.
By Tube
The nearest tube station is Piccadilly Circus, just 250 yards away, which is on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines. Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines) is also a short walk away while Charing Cross rail station is 10 minutes from the venue.
By Bus
Nearby bus stops can be found on Shaftsbury Avenue and Regent Street:
Shaftesbury Avenue: 14, 19 & 38
Regent Street: 6, 13, 15, 23, 88, 139, 159 & 453
By Bike
Nearby Santander bike hire docking stations can be found a minutes’ walk away on Wardour Street (near the junction with Old Compton Street) and five minutes away in Golden Square.
