Playhouse Theatre
Northumberland Avenue , London , WC2N 5DE .

Nearest underground:
Embankment (District Line, Circle Line, Northern Line, Bakerloo Line)

Nearest rail:
Charing Cross

Standing almost by the river Thames , the Playhouse is slightly detached from most of the other West End theatres so maybe this has contributed to how it has seemed to struggle in the past. It opened as the Royal Avenue Theatre in 1882 and it is said that it was the site was bought speculatively by property developers hoping that Charing Cross station would expand and need the land. It never happened though, and the theatre still stood. Since then it has changed hands many times, fared some ‘dark’ periods and some flops too. Tragedy struck in 1905 too, when during a refurbishment, masonry falling from the station crashed through the roof killing six and injuring many others.

Inside, the auditorium is beautifully decorated, with caryatids, golden pillars and carved balustrades, and shining gold decoration. It has seen many great moments; Shaw premiered Arms And The Man here, the BBC recorded here, including the famous radio shows Hancock’s Half Hour and The Goon Show and it has recent hits with Naked (1998) and An Inspector Calls (2001).

What's on at Playhouse Theatre

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