Apollo Theatre, London

Venue Address:

31 Shaftesbury Avenue,
London,
W1D 7ES

Important Information:

The balcony of the Apollo is considered one of the steepest of London’s theatres – so avoid if you have trouble with heights.

The Apollo is immediately next door to the Lyric Theatre – be sure you are entering the right theatre.

The Apollo Theatre, the Hammersmith Apollo and the Apollo Victoria Theatre are three separate venues, all in very different parts of London. Please double check where your performance is.

Year Built:

1901

Capacity:

775

Venue Facilities

Air conditioned
Bar
Disabled toilets
Infrared hearing loop
Toilets
Wheelchair accessible

Venue Information

Set in royal tones of gold and silver with walls of cream and terracotta, the Apollo is a modestly-sized theatre which compensates those seated highest up with a superb view of its delicately carved ceiling and a glorious mural that crowns the stage.

Travel

Nearest Tube Station:

Piccadilly Circus

Tube Lines:

Bakerloo, Piccadilly

Directions From Tube:

The Apollo Theatre is situated on Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End of London, close to Piccadilly Circus tube station.

Bus Numbers:

(Shaftesbury Avenue) 12, 14, 19, 38; (Regent Street) 6, 13, 15, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453

Night Bus Numbers:

(Shaftesbury Avenue) 14, N19, N38; (Regent Street) 6, 12, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453, N3, N13, N15, N109, N18, N136

Nearest Rail Station:

Charing Cross

Nearest Car Park:

Brewer Street (2mins)

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Apollo Theatre

31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7ES

History

The fourth theatre to be built on Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of Theatreland (and the first with King Edward VII on the throne), the Apollo Theatre – initially intended to be a musical venue only – was named for the Greek and Roman god Apollo, god of music and the arts. Interestingly, it was built by Lewin Sharp, a newbie to the theatre building world who created a structure that was well-received nonetheless.

Its first production The Belle of Bohemia caused some controversy on opening night, as audience members were invited exclusively instead of being ticket-buying members of the general public, causing some reviewers to even boycott the elitist premiere. This first production only ran for a handful of performances, but it was the Apollo Theatre’s decision a few years later to branch out of just musical entertainment that offered it a new lease of life as a premium venue for plays.

Having hosted dozens of plays, its two biggest hits were from the farce writer Marc Camoletti. Boeing Boeing and Don’t Dress for Dinner ran three years and 19 months respectively at the Apollo before transferring to other theatres for longer runs. In its recent years, it’s hosted acclaimed hits including the Olivier and Tony Award-winning Jerusalem (now returning for a second run at the Apollo) and the David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker run of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.

Inside Track

The Apollo was briefly a member of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group from 2000 to 2005 – it was bought out by Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer of Nimax Theatres.

The front façade is adorned by four angels, perched at the top of the theatre.

The original intended name for the theatre was The Mascot Theatre, after a lion and lizard adorned badge belonging to the owner that decorated the theatre, believed to bring good luck.

Seat Plan

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Nearest Restaurants

Make the most of your trip on the town with a delicious meal before the show. Check out our top recommendations below. All these restaurants are just a stone’s throw away from your theatre. So you can relax before enjoying a slice of world class entertainment. Simply add your theatre tickets to your basket and select the restaurant of your choice.