THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE

About the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

This beautiful theatre is one of only three Grade One listed theatres in London. First erected in 1663 by Thomas Killigrew under royal charter, Nell Gwynne made her stage debut here in 1665 and was subsequently discovered by her most famous lover, Charles II. The theatre was frequented by Samuel Pepys and was destroyed by fire in 1672. Undeterred, Thomas Killigrew designed the second incarnation of the theatre which opened its door to the public in 1674.

Charles Macklin is reported to have killed a fellow actor in the green room backstage of the theatre. His ghost is said to reside in the same spot where the actor was murdered - adding to the legend that Drury lane Theatre Royal is one of the most haunted theatres in the capital.

Notable productions must include Noel Coward's 1931 production Cavalcade which involved a cast of four hundred actors (including a very junior Sir John Mills). The play took advantage of the hydraulic attributes of the theatre and ran for almost a year. The play followed three generations of the Marryott family from the Relief of Mafeking, through to the funeral of Queen Victoria and onto the onset of the First World War.

What's on at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane?

Tickets for Hercules - The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London

What is the capacity of Theatre Royal Drury Lane?

The Theatre has a capacity of 1,996 .