West End Theatres

London wouldn’t be the same without the many wonders of the West End, and the district’s array of well-loved theatres is a staple part of the city’s culture. The West End maintains such an iconic status that its only real rival is New York’s Broadway.

The West End theatres vary in character and appearance. The Theatre Royal Drury Lane was founded in 1663 and enjoys an elegant, stately interior. The Lyceum was opened in 1834 and has hosted Disney’s The Lion King ever since 1999.

The city’s West End theatres have always been vastly popular, but these days, they welcome a huge number of tourists from the UK and around the world.

• Ivor Novello, the vastly popular British composer, actor and entertainer was known to have lived in the Novello theatre for almost 40 years. 
  
• The Palace Theatre keeps two seats permanently bolted. These are perennially reserved for the theatre ghosts to sit in.
  
• During its construction in the late 19th century, building work became difficult after a river was found running beneath the site.