13 Best Performing Arts Venues in London, England

Hollywood stars often perform at this not-for-profit theater in diverse and daring new works, bold interpretations of the classics, and small-scale musicals. Heavy-hitters like Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ewan McGregor have all graced the stage.

When this complex designed by Sir Denys Lasdun opened in 1976, Londoners were slow to warm up to the low-rise brutalist block, with King Charles III once describing it as "a clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London without anyone objecting." But whatever you think of the outside, the inside offers generally superb theatrical experiences at (relatively) friendly prices—several of which (like War Horse or One Man, Two Guvnors) have gone on to become long-running Broadway hits. Interspersed with the three theaters—the 1,150-seat Olivier, the 890-seat Lyttelton, and the 450-seat Dorfman—is a multilayered foyer with exhibitions, bars, restaurants, and free entertainment. Musicals, classics, and plays are performed by top-flight professionals, whom you can sometimes catch giving foyer talks as well. Seventy-five-minute backstage tours incorporating prop-making and scene-painting workshops as well as the architecture of the building are offered on weekdays at 5 pm and Saturdays at noon. Each weekend in August, the free outdoor River Stage Festival presents live music, dance, family workshops, and DJ sets in front of the theater. There are £10 Friday Rush tickets for some performances.

In 2015, Matthew Warchus, the director behind Matilda the Musical, took over as artistic director of this grand venerable theater, where stage legends like Maggie Smith, Vivien Leigh, Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, and Judi Dench once trod the boards. Today, you'll still find some of the best shows in town here—both new work and revivals of modern classics—some featuring contemporary stars like Andrew Scott and Claire Foy.

This Off West End venue, helmed by artistic director Rupert Goold, premieres excellent new plays and exciting twists on the classics, often featuring high-profile actors. A good café-bar serves tasty food, wine, and cocktails.

The history of this treasure of a theater is drama in its own right. Charlie Chaplin is said to have appeared at Hackney Empire during its days as a thriving variety theater and music hall in the early 1900s. The venue now hosts traditional family entertainment and variety shows, opera, music, musical theater, dance, and drama, often with a multicultural slant. Its annual Christmas pantomime show is legendary.

Located in nearby Swiss Cottage, this handsome theater specializes in commissioning and producing new work. Established names like Mike Bartlett, Terry Johnson, and Joe Penhall have debuted plays in the upstairs theater (with several productions eventually going on to the West End), while fresh voices are produced in the downstairs studio theater at friendly ticket prices. It's also known for its productions of recent Pulitzer Prize–winning plays imported from the United States. There's a good café that's open all day as well as during performances.

This converted industrial space has become celebrated for its inspired reworkings of classic musicals, with several of its productions eventually transferring to the West End and even winning Tonys on Broadway. It's not unusual for shows to feature top British talent and stars-of-tomorrow, like Sharon Horgan and Tom Hollander, before they become famous. It also hosts comedy nights.

Works by Shakespeare have been performed here every summer (from mid-May to mid-September) since 1932, with casts including luminaries such as Vivien Leigh, Dame Judi Dench, and Damien Lewis. Today, in addition to live music and comedy one-offs, the theater also mounts productions of classic plays, Broadway musicals, and shows for family audiences among its four annual productions. A Midsummer Night's Dream is the one to catch, if it's on—never has that enchanted Greek wood been better evoked, especially when enhanced by genuine birdsong and a rising moon.

There's a covered restaurant for pretheater dining, an informal grill, a pizzeria, and, of course, a bar. You also can order picnic hampers in advance. The park can get chilly, so bring a blanket. Performances proceed rain or shine (umbrellas aren't allowed although rain hats are), with refunds only in case of a very heavy downpour.

For decades, the Royal Court was one of Britain's leading showcases for exciting new theatrical voices and premieres of groundbreaking works, and it still continues to produce important British and international dramas. Ticket prices range from £12 to £49.

This popular playhouse is devoted to finding, commissioning, and fostering new work and talent, and therefore is a prolific presenter of plays by young, emerging, and established writers. With three performance spaces, it also puts on its fair share of comedy, cabaret, drag, and dance shows, and unsurprisingly the bar is always buzzing.

This gleaming theater on the banks of the River Thames by Tower Bridge is the brainchild of director Nicholas Hytner and producer Nick Starr, who together oversaw a golden age at the National Theatre before handing over the reins of the Bridge to current artistic director Rufus Norris. The program at this totally adaptable space is a blend of the classics (Hytner's Julius Caesar was a huge hit in 2018) and riskier new works, though big-name actors (e.g., Ben Whishaw, Laura Linney) are a constant.

Dedicated to innovative work for young audiences, this modern theater hosts plays, musicals, and interactive theater for everyone from toddlers to preteens. Inclusivity is a major focus, with performances for those with visual and hearing and other impairments taking place regularly.

Just down the road from its elder sibling The Old Vic, this offshoot hosts big names performing alongside emerging talent, often in daring innovative productions of both new and classic plays that appeal to a more diverse audience than is traditionally found on the London scene. Good food is served all day at the bustling bar.