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Home » West End Theatre History

West End Theatre History

Explore the history of London's theatres with our West End Theatre History Guide. London theatre is steeped in history, from Shakespeare's London theatres in the Elizabeth era, to Jacobean, Regency, the roaring Twenties, post War and beyond. This guide explores the history of the theatres themselves, and the practitioners who created London's theatre and the shows they staged.

London’s Most Haunted Theatres – West End ghosts & phantoms
London's Most Haunted Theatres
31 October 2025

London’s Most Haunted Theatres – West End ghosts & phantoms

What happened to the West End’s Clarence Derwent Awards? [Updated]
Clarence Derwent Awards
1 October 2024

What happened to the West End’s Clarence Derwent Awards? [Updated]

EGOT Winners: Full list of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award winners
EGOT Winners
18 September 2024

EGOT Winners: Full list of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony Award winners

Clarence Derwent Awards (UK) West End Awards – 1948 to 2020 awards
Clarence Derwent Awards
8 August 2024

Clarence Derwent Awards (UK) West End Awards – 1948 to 2020 awards

Clarence Derwent Awards (US) Broadway Awards – 1945 to 2024 awards
Clarence Derwent Awards
8 August 2024

Clarence Derwent Awards (US) Broadway Awards – 1945 to 2024 awards

Pre-Theatre Restaurants in the West End
Lasdun Restaurant at the National Theatre
30 October 2023

Pre-Theatre Restaurants in the West End

Bill Kenwright interview in The New York Times, February 1994
Bill Kenwright. Photo provided by the Society of London Theatre / UK Theatre
26 October 2023

Bill Kenwright interview in The New York Times, February 1994

London’s top Backstage Tours
London Backstage Tours
27 September 2023

London’s top Backstage Tours

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 – in pictures
2 July 2023

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 – in pictures

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 – Full List of Winners
2 July 2023

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 – Full List of Winners

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 – Nominations announced
The South Bank Sky Arts Awards
15 June 2023

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2023 – Nominations announced

Top 5 Mysterious Deaths in the Theatre
18 May 2023

Top 5 Mysterious Deaths in the Theatre

What’s On Stage Awards 2023 – Winners announced
12 February 2023

What’s On Stage Awards 2023 – Winners announced

The Offies 2023 Awards – Winners announced
Offies Awards
12 February 2023

The Offies 2023 Awards – Winners announced

Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2022 announced; Jodie Comer, James McAvoy, Best of Enemies, Oklahoma! amongst winners
Evening-Standard-Theatre-Awards
12 December 2022

Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2022 announced; Jodie Comer, James McAvoy, Best of Enemies, Oklahoma! amongst winners

Desert Island Discs rescued episodes brings back West End stars
BBC Desert Island Discs
14 October 2022

Desert Island Discs rescued episodes brings back West End stars

Useful Theatre Links
Useful Theatre Links
13 October 2022

Useful Theatre Links

V&A celebrates Musical Theatre in new exhibition Re:Imagining Musicals
V&A Re-imagining Musicals
13 October 2022

V&A celebrates Musical Theatre in new exhibition Re:Imagining Musicals

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2022 – Full list of winners
The South Bank Sky Arts Awards
10 July 2022

South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2022 – Full list of winners

Tony Awards 2022 – Full list of Winners
Tony Awards
13 June 2022

Tony Awards 2022 – Full list of Winners

Olivier Awards 2022 – Full list of winners; Cabaret, Life of Pi big winners at Olivier Awards
Olivier Awards 2022
10 April 2022

Olivier Awards 2022 – Full list of winners; Cabaret, Life of Pi big winners at Olivier Awards

What’s On Stage Awards 2022 winners announced at the Prince of Wales Theatre London
Samantha Barks in Frozen (Photo buy Johan Persson)
28 February 2022

What’s On Stage Awards 2022 winners announced at the Prince of Wales Theatre London

The Stage Awards 2022 winners announced
The Stage Awards
31 January 2022

The Stage Awards 2022 winners announced

Tony Awards 2020 – The Full List of Award Winners
Tony Awards
27 September 2021

Tony Awards 2020 – The Full List of Award Winners

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