Garrick Theatre

Garrick Theatre London


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History of the Garrick

The Garrick Theatre was designed by eminent theatre architects CJ Phipps and Walter Emden and named after David Garrick, the influential Shakespearean actor.

Construction of the Garrick initially ran into problems because of the depth of excavations and an underground river than ran beneath the site. The theatre initially had 800 seats but the gallery level was forced to close, reducing this number.

The Garrick opened in 1889 with a play by A.W. Pinero called The Profligate and continued to host melodrama until it became closely associated with drama and/or comedy pieces. The theatre now welcomes a wide variety of productions.

During the Second World War, the Garrick became a designated a Forces Theatre and after the conflict the theatre played host to a number of hits such as the Laurence Olivier directed production of Born Yesterday in 1947 and To Dorothy a Son, transferred to the theatre by Richard Attenborough in 1950.

vIn recent history, actors as famous as Judi Dench, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Christian Slater have all appeared at the Garrick Theatre.

Travel Details

You can find the Garrick Theatre on the borders of Trafalgar Square, adjacent to the National Portrait Gallery and opposite Leicester Square. It is located conveniently near Chinatown and close to the bars and restaurants of Soho.

Garrick Theatre

2 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0HH

Bus routes: 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, 15, 24, 29, 30

Leicester Square (2 minutes' walk)


Charing Cross Tube and Mainline Station (4 minutes' walk)


It is within the Congestion Charge Zone (7am until 6pm). The nearest car park is the Q Park Chinatown Car Park (20 Newport Place, WC2H 7PR).


Garrick Theatre
2 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0HH

Garrick Theatre London Seating Plan

The Garrick Theatre has a capacity of 732 seats arranged over three levels: the stalls, the dress circle and the grand circle. The pillars in the stalls area may restrict some views, however this will not be a problem for seats in more central areas. Please contact the box office for further information.




Disabled access

The Garrick theatre would advise you to notify the management staff ahead of your visit so they can accommodate your needs.

For the hard of hearing there is an infra-red system in place with up 8 headsets available for use.

Accessible toilets can be found in the main foyer area, where there is a ramp leading to the dress circle. There are 2 spaces for wheelchairs in the auditorium and 4 transfer seats. Guide dogs are allowed in the theatre or a dog-sitting service is available should you require.

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