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- The term was first used in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross.
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- West of the City, North of the River Thames. The term ‘the West End’ is an abbreviation of The West End of London and it describes a specific area of Central London that’s to the North of the famous River Thames.
- Leicester Square. With Covent Garden and its bustling markets to the East and Piccadilly Circus and all of its attractions to the West, Leicester Square sits right in the heart of the West End.
- Piccadilly Circus. The area known as Piccadilly Circus is best known for its large neon billboards and video screens but despite its name, it isn’t and never has been home to any circus of any kind.
- Covent Garden. Arguably the area of the West End that is steeped in the most history is that of Covent Garden, a place where you’ll find markets selling all manner of hand-made goods, antiquities and fine fashion items.
The modern West End is closely associated with this area of central London. Lying to the west of the historic Roman and medieval City of London, the West End was long favoured by the rich elite as a place of residence because it was usually upwind of the smoke drifting from the crowded City.
- Theatre Royal Drury Lane Founded
- The Sans Pareil Theatre Was Founded
- The Lyric and Garrick Theatres Opened
- The Shortest Run in West End Theatre History
- An Inspector Calls Makes Its British Premiere
- The Mousetrap Opens at The Ambassadors Theatre
- The National Theatre Is Founded
- Les Misérables Opens
- The Phantom of The Opera Opens
- A Fire Destroys The Savoy Theatre
First built on the orders of Restoration-era dramatist and theatre manager Thomas Killigrew, the Theatre Royal Drury Laneis the West End’s oldest theatre. Theatre Royal Drury Lane was originally known as the Theatre Royal in Bridges Street, and King Charles II’s mistress Nell Gwynn is said to have trodden the boards of the theatre.
The Sans Pareil Theatre was built by John Scott, investing £10,000 in buying the leases of old properties located at the side, and in the rear, of his dwelling house, and built a small theatre. On 75% of the programmes there was a line in italics stating that “the whole of this evening’s entertainment is written by Miss Scott.” Now, the Sans Pareil...
Although it was the second theatre to be built on Shaftesbury Avenue, the Lyric Theatreis now the oldest along the famous West End street. The Lyric Theatre initially staged light operettas when it first opened before subsequently staging light comedies and dramas. The Garrick Theatrewas built in the same year, with deep excavations made at the tim...
Some shows run for decades, others haven’t even had one full run-through. The Intimate Revue ran for just half a performance at the Duchess Theatreon 11 March, 1930. After some of the scene changes began taking up to 20 minutes each, seven scenes were scrapped in order to get to the finale before midnight. The performers were under-rehearsed and we...
J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls is a gripping three-act drama that takes place over the course of one evening. The play is a scathing attack on the theatregoing upper classes and caused a stir at the time. An Inspector Callsis typically studied by GCSE Drama and English students, and remains a firm favourite.
Originally written by Agatha Christie to celebrate Queen Mary’s 80th birthday, nobody could have expected The Mousetrap to be so successful. The Mousetrap is now the longest-running play of all time and a legendary piece of theatre history. Although over ten million people have seen The Mousetrap, it’s a tradition that no one reveals the murderer’s...
The National Theatre Company was born in 1963, but a National Theatre location wouldn’t exist until 1976. For the first 13 years, its founding members including Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier performed at the Old Vic. After growing demand, the National Theatre opened on the Southbank, quickly becoming one of the capital’s most prestigious theatr...
Since premiering in 1985, Les Misérableshas been produced around the world in 44 countries, translated into 22 languages and been seen by over 70 million people. The first reviews in 1985 were negative, saying it was too over the top, but its continuous West End run shows that the musical is still a big hit today. The musical features the most powe...
Just one year later, West End audiences were treated to The Phantom of the Opera. Featuring a score from the legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and produced by theatrical juggernaut Cameron Mackintosh, The Phantom of the Operais the epitome of the musical theatre genre. Combining spectacular scenery and jaw-dropping special effects with some of...
The inside of the Savoy Theatre, where many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas were first staged, was destroyed by a fire while it was being renovated, leaving only the stage and backstage areas intact. It took 3 years to rebuild, and a cause of the fire is still unknown to this day. A spokesman for the fire department said flames as high as 50 feet de...
Come from Away is a musical, with book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It is based on the events in the Newfoundland town of Gander during the week following the September 11 attacks , when 38 planes, carrying approximately 7,000 passengers, were ordered to land unexpectedly at Gander International Airport .
Feb 4, 2023 · The West End of London, or simply the West End, is an area of London known for being the commercial and entertainment center of the city. The region is known for its tourist attractions, hotels ...
History. Era. Immigrant Neighborhood. Where is the West End? Executive Director Sebastian Belfanti explains the many answers to a common question: where, geographically, is the West End? It’s quite common for visitors to the WEM to ask where the geographic boundaries of the neighborhood are.
Oct 10, 2019 · 2233. London’s West End is a melting pot of culture, food, experience and historical significance. From the streets of Chinatown to the majesty of Trafalgar Square, you could find yourself exploring for days, pausing only to get a bite to eat at one of the restaurants in West End London.
