Palace Theatre London

Venue Information

Palace Theatre
Address: 109-113 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1V 8AY
Nearest Tube or Train: Leicester Square (Northern line, Piccadilly line)
Nearest Buses: 14, 19, 24, 29, 38, 40, 176

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What's on at the Palace Theatre?

Frequently Asked Questions

What's on at the Palace Theatre?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a current production at the Palace Theatre. The latest booking period for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre started 14 October 2021 and runs until 23 October 2022. Tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child start at £36 and are available to book now.

How do I get to the Palace Theatre?

Public transport is recommended to travel to the Palace Theatre. The nearest tube stations are Leicester Square (Northern line, Piccadilly line). If arriving by bus, then the nearest bus lines are 14, 19, 24, 29, 38, 40, 176. If driving to the theatre, the nearest car parks are Q-Park Chinatown and Q-Park Soho (more parking information).  For directions to the Palace Theatre see our Google Maps directions or Apple Maps directions.

Theatre Quick Facts

Date opened: 31 January 1891
Designer: Richard D’Oyly Carte
First production: Arthur Sullivan's Opera Ivanhoe
Number of seats: 1404
Theatre owner: Nimax Theatres
Other facts: Originally named the The Royal English Opera House; converted in 1892 into a variety Theatre and renamed the Palace Theatre of Varieties

Theatre History

The Palace Theatre is an outstandingly late Victorian theatre, which was built for Richard D’Oyly Carte,producer of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, as a home for his English grand opera.

It was designed by Thomas Edward Collcutt and opened as the Royal English Opera House in January 1891 with a huge production of Arthur Sullivan’s opera Ivanhoe. D’Oyly Carte then leased the theatre to Sarah Bernhardt for a season, and then sold the opera house within a year at a loss.

Following this, the theatre was then converted into a grand music hall and renamed the Palace Theatre of Varieties, first managed by Sir Augustus Harris and then Charles Morton.

In 1897, the theatre began to screen movies, and then in 1904 Alfred Butt became manager and continued to combine variety entertainment, including dancing girls, with films.

Notable productions include musical comedy No, No, Nanette (1925), The Marx Brothers in 1931, performing selections from their Broadway shows; The Sound of Music (1961) running for 2,385 performances; Jesus Christ Superstar (1972 – 1980); Les Misérables (1985) ran for 19 years at the venue; Monty Python’s Spamalot (2006); Priscilla Queen of the Desert (2009); and Singin’ in the Rain (2012).

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened in 2016.