Theatre-Inspired Days Out in London

A visit to the West End to see a show is the central event in a theatregoer's London day, but the city offers a great deal more that connects to the history, architecture and culture of theatre. London has been a centre of theatrical life since the sixteenth century, and the traces of that history are visible throughout the city: in the streets of Theatreland, along the South Bank, in the collections of major museums and in the buildings that have housed performance for generations. This guide suggests how to build a day around a theatre visit and make the most of what London's theatrical culture has to offer beyond the performance itself. The streets around Shaftesbury Avenue, the Strand and Covent Garden form the heart of London's commercial theatre district, and they are worth exploring on foot before or after a performance. The concentration of theatre buildings in a relatively small area makes it possible to see more of the architecture of the West End than the view from a taxi or the Underground would suggest. Many of the West End's theatre buildings are architecturally significant in their own right, dating from the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. Walking along the Strand from Waterloo Bridge toward the west takes in several theatre facades, and the streets around Shaftesbury Avenue reveal the layers of London's entertainment history in their architecture and their signage. The Royal Opera House on Bow Street, the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane and the major venues clustered around Cambridge Circus all reward a slow walk at street level. Covent Garden, adjacent to the principal theatre cluster, is the logical starting point for a day in Theatreland. The Piazza and the surrounding streets have connections to London's theatrical and entertainment history that pre-date the current West End, and the area remains one of the most concentrated zones of street performance and cultural activity in the city. The South Bank offers a different kind of theatre-related day out: concentrated, walkable and rich in connections to British theatrical culture across different periods. The area between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge contains the National Theatre, the Royal Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery and, further along, Shakespeare's Globe. The National Theatre building is worth visiting even when you have no performance to attend. The public foyer spaces are open throughout the day, and the building's bookshop, exhibitions and riverside terraces provide context for the institution and its productions. Free performances take place in the foyers throughout the year, making the building a cultural destination in itself during daylight hours. The riverside walk from the National Theatre eastward along the South Bank toward Bankside combines outdoor exploration of one of London's most historically significant theatrical zones with access to Tate Modern and the Bankside area's further attractions. The reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on Bankside, close to the site of the original sixteenth-century playhouse, is one of London's most distinctive theatrical destinations. The building itself is a detailed reconstruction using traditional materials and techniques, and it operates as both a working theatre and an educational venue throughout the year. The Globe's exhibition beneath the main theatre provides context for Elizabethan and Jacobean theatrical practice, the history of Bankside as an entertainment district and the reconstruction project itself. It is one of the most coherent introductions to the history of British theatre available as a day-visit attraction in London. For audiences whose interest in theatre extends to its history, and particularly to the Shakespeare plays that are central to the West End and National Theatre repertoire, a visit to the Globe is a natural complement to attending a performance elsewhere in the city. For visitors interested in the further history of Bankside and theatrical London, the site of the original Globe is a short walk away, and the area retains traces of its pre-modern character as London's principal entertainment district outside the city walls. The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington holds one of the most significant collections of theatrical material in Britain. The Theatre and Performance galleries contain costumes, set designs, production photographs and archival material relating to British theatrical history from the seventeenth century to the present day. For audiences who want to understand the design and production history of shows they have seen or plan to see, the V&A's collections provide context that is not available anywhere else in London. Original costume designs for landmark productions, set models, prompt scripts and personal archives of major directors and designers are all represented in the collection, and the galleries make accessible a visual record of British theatrical culture across several centuries. A visit to the V&A can be combined easily with a South Bank evening, taking the Underground or bus across to South Kensington in the afternoon before crossing the city to a Waterloo or West End venue in the evening. A well-constructed theatre day in London might begin with a morning exploration of the South Bank, including a visit to the National Theatre building and the Globe exhibition, followed by lunch in the Waterloo or Southwark areas before crossing the river for an afternoon in the Covent Garden and Theatreland district. Pre-theatre dining in Covent Garden or along the Strand gives access to a wide range of restaurants at different price points, and the area around West End venues has enough variety to suit most preferences and budgets. The theatre visit in the evening is the centrepiece of the day, and choosing a show that has relevance to the historical and cultural context you have been exploring earlier in the day can give it a richer resonance. Productions like Hamilton, Les Misérables and Hadestown all engage with historical or mythological narrative in ways that reward some contextual awareness, and seeing them as the culmination of a day spent thinking about theatre and its history gives them an additional dimension. For tickets to West End shows and the full London theatre programme, tickadoo covers all major venues with seat maps and pricing. For the complete listing of current productions across the West End and beyond, BritishTheatre.com provides full production details. tickadoo also offers theatre gift vouchers. What can I do near West End theatres before a show? The Covent Garden Piazza and the streets around Shaftesbury Avenue offer pre-theatre dining, street performance and the architecture of London's theatre district. The area is rich in history and worth exploring on foot. Is Shakespeare's Globe worth visiting as a tourist attraction? Yes. The Globe on Bankside is both a working theatre and a visitor attraction with an exhibition covering the history of the original playhouses and Elizabethan theatrical culture. It is one of the most informative and atmospheric theatre-related destinations in London. Does the V&A have a theatre collection? Yes. The Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington has significant Theatre and Performance galleries covering British theatrical history through costumes, set designs, production photographs and archival materials. What is the best area to explore for London theatre history? The South Bank between Waterloo Bridge and Bankside, and the Theatreland district around Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden, are the two most concentrated areas for theatre history and culture. A day that takes in both gives a substantial overview of London's theatrical geography from the Elizabethan period to the present.