 The Barbican
Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
What's on at Barbican Theatre
Nearest underground:
Barbican (Circle Line, Hammersmith and City Line, Metropolitan Line), Moorgate (Northern Line, Circle Line, Hammersmith and City Line, Metropolitan Line)
Nearest rail:
Moorgate
A unique institution, the Barbican is one of the capital’s most important arts centres. It is a monolithic, towering complex, with mazes of levels, a lake, incorporated apartments and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. A beacon for the arts in the corporate atmosphere of the city, it houses a library, three cinemas, two theatres, concert hall, two art galleries, conference and exhibition space and numerous cafes and bars. On opening it in 1982, the Queen suitably pronounced it to be ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’.
Together the Barbican and Pit theatres encompass a broad spectrum of drama and dance. Shakespeare is a staple and central too is the international festival of theatre and dance, lasting for six months of each year. Originally, the Royal Shakespeare Company was resident at the centre; in fact it collaborated in designing the space and was ‘temporarily’ at the Old Vic for 13 years waiting for the centre to be completed. During a refurbishment in 1997 however, it announced it was to spend half of each year away touring. Their residency finally ended in 2002 when they moved to present around the West End, although including some shows here.
What's on at Barbican Theatre
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