Piccadilly Theatre
Denman Street, London, W1D 7DY.

Nearest underground:
Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly Line, Bakerloo Line)

Nearest rail:
Charing Cross

The opening night’s programme proudly proclaimed that if all the bricks used in the Piccadilly’s construction were laid end to end they would stretch from London to Paris. From the Piccadilly’s impressive and heavyweight curving exterior of Portland stone, the 1,232-seater announces that it is definitely one of London’s largest theatres. However, it nestles in a backstreet in the very south of Soho, away from passing trade, perhaps partly the reason why it has always been known for rather short runs.

It opened in 1928 with a production of Jerome Kern’s Blue Eyes, starring Evelyn Laye. The theatre was then briefly put to use by Warner Bros to show films, starting with Al Johnson’s second film, The Singing Fool. Various assorted shows followed, in no particular vein, meaning that the Piccadilly never acquired a reputation for any particular style of show unlike most other theatres. But it has had its moments, Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit (1941) saw its premier on its stage, and throughout the 1960s and 70s American dramas and musicals boosted its fortunes.

What's on at Piccadilly Theatre

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