Trafalgar Studios
14 Whitehall , London , SW1A 2DY

Nearest underground:
Charing Cross (Northern Line, Bakerloo Line)

Nearest rail:
Charing Cross

Standing impassively on Whitehall in the midst of government institutions is the Trafalgar studios. Its history has been far spicier than its conservative location suggests. It opened as The Whitehall in 1930, but really made a mark with the 1942 revue show The Whitehall Follies. This famously featured the West End ’s first stripper, Phyllis Dixey, who bypassed rules on stage nudity by remaining completely immobile once having disrobed. The Whitehall was also venue for the cheeky, trouser-dropping Whitehall Farces, steered by Brian Rix in the 1950s. These were eventually replaced by Pyjama Tops (1969) harkening back to the days of Miss Dixey with its nudity. The theatre was even controversially used as a museum for war memorabilia in the 1970s, breaching its licence, and it was shut down for a period.

A total overhaul of the theatre was recently undertaken and in 2004 and 2005, two sparkling new studio spaces opened. Seating was reduced to create a more intimate atmosphere, Studio 2 has just 100 seats. The original arresting art deco interior has been preserved, black walls struck with silver lines offset by Cubist and Greek inspired panelling. Whilst the smaller space is used for new and experimental plays, the larger studio’s first season was exclusively presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

What's on at Trafalgar Studios

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