Apollo Theatre London guide including map, nearby hotels, restaurants, show information and ticket booking links.

The Savoy Theatre opened on 10th October 1881, on the site of the old Savoy Palace in London. The theatre was built by Richard D’Oyly Carte, who wanted to showcase the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. The theatre became famous when it was opened as the first public building in the world to be lit entirely by Incandescent lights.

The theatre, after suffering demolition in 1929 and being ravaged with a fire in 1990, was reopened and restored on 19th July, 1993.

The reopening was done in the presence of HRH The Princess of Wales with a Royal Gala performed by the English National Ballet and a tribute to Gilbert and Sullivan.

Theatrical performances returned to the Savoy with Noel Coward’s Relative Values. Following this performance the theatre has shown opera, Shakespeare, non-musical plays, and musicals including Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel, Of Mice and Men, Peter Pan, and Blithe Spirit. The original London production of Legally Blonde opened at the Savoy Theatre in December 2009 and is currently being shown.

The Ambassadors Theatre, one of the smallest West End Theatres, was designed by W G R Sprague, with the intention of being an intimate, smaller theatre. It seats a maximum of 195 people in the Dress Circle, and 251 in the Stalls. Sprague has designed other famous West End theatres as well, including St. Martin’s Theatre next door and the Aldwych Theatre in Covent Garden.

The longest running production in Britain, The Mousetrap, by Agatha Christie opened at the Ambassadors Theatre on 25th November 1952, and remained at the theatre for 21 years, until it moved to the larger St. Martin’s Theatre next door. Following this production the theatre saw a variety of shows including, Les Liasions Dangereuses, Love Song, and the revival of Little Shop of Horrors.

The Prince Edward Theatre, named after the Prince of Wales, was opened on 3 April 1930, designed by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Marc-Henry Levi and Gaston Laverdet. It opened with a performance of Rio Rita. Over the years it was used as a cinema and casino, before being converted back to a theatre in 1978, reopening with the world premiere of the musical Evita. The theatre has also showed a revival of Crazy For You, held the premiere of the ABBA musical, Mamma Mia, and hosted Mary Poppins until January 2008.

Nearest Tube Station

Leicester Square (300m)

Bus routes

14, 19, 38

Parking

Meters on Greek Street

Master Park at China Town and Poland Street

NCP at Wardour Street, Denman Street, Newport Place and Brewer Street

The Lyric Theatre, opened on 17 December 1888, was designed by C. J. Phipps and built by producer Henry J. Leslie. Leslie funded the project with the profits he earned from the successful staging of the comic-opera Dorothy at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The outside of the theatre still remains in its original form, the façade of Dr. William Hunter’s 1766 home. However, the rest of the building was gutted to make way for the facilities needed for the theatre. Notable shows at the theatre include The Little Hut, Blood Brothers, and Death of a Salesmen.

Nearest Underground Station

Piccadilly Circus (250m)

Bus routes

14, 19, 22B, 38, 53, 88, 94 and 159

Parking

MasterPark at Poland Street and China Town.

NCP at Wardour Street, Newport Place, Denman Street, Lexington Street.

The Jermyn Street Theatre is a small theatre based on Jermyn Street.