Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Catherine Street is the oldest theatre site in continuous use in London, with a Theatre Royal standing here since 1663 under a royal charter granted by King Charles II. The present building, the fourth on the site, opened in 1812 to a design by Benjamin Dean Wyatt and is a Grade I listed landmark, its grand portico and sweeping rotunda among the most impressive theatre interiors in the country. It is one of the largest houses in the West End, seating well over 2,000.

Few stages carry as much history: the theatre is associated with the actor David Garrick, the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan and the actress Nell Gwyn, and it keeps a long tradition of legend, including the well-known ghost known as the Man in Grey. Between 2019 and 2021 the theatre underwent a comprehensive restoration led by Andrew Lloyd Webber and his LW Theatres group, returning the grand rooms, staircases and rotunda to their Regency splendour while rebuilding the stage and public spaces for modern large-scale musicals.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane Covent Garden: open all day

Since the restoration The Lane has become an all-day destination, open daily to the public with no ticket required. Visitors can take a guided theatre tour, book afternoon tea, eat and drink in the restored ground-floor rooms and bars, or sit out on the terrace in summer, which opens from 4.30pm on Monday and Tuesday and from midday Wednesday to Sunday.

What to expect on a visit

The theatre stands between Covent Garden Piazza and the Aldwych, a short walk from Covent Garden, Holborn and Temple stations, with coach bays at the base of Kingsway. Tickets for performances are sold through the official LW Theatres box office online, by telephone and in person, with matinee and evening shows and access dates across each run, and the grand rooms are available for private hire. The Duchess Theatre sits directly opposite, and the full list of Covent Garden theatres is here.