Theatres and Cinemas in Covent Garden London
See films, plays and the hottest musicals
Following the first part of our guide to shopping in Covent Garden, come browse through the next set of must-see hot spots in one of London’s most iconic hubs.
THEATRE – Spend on Live Experiences
There are more than twenty theaters in Convent Garden; some of them are almost 400 years old. The variety is as impressive as the quality; you can watch plays, classics you may have heard of like Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, a semi-autobiographical play based on the Nobel Prize winner’s infidelity, or modern ones, musicals like the stage adaptation of the Disney hit The Lion King or Tina Turner, a musical based on the life of the legendary American musician. No other urban centre in the world can boast of this variety. You should definitely make this part of your holiday or even business trip.
Quality theater has almost disappeared in Nigeria, so a visit to London is an opportunity to discover or revisit the pleasure of live drama. And it’s quite easy to do-read up a bit about what’s currently playing and how best to get tickets. Then hop on a bus, London traffic is often easy to navigate, at least compared to Lagos. We are sure you will enjoy the experience, perhaps more than shopping, and make a visit to the theater part of every holiday experience. If you feel adventurous, you may also try seeing ballet or opera performances. All you need is an open mind and a bit of cash.
Here are some Covent Garden theatres:
NOVELLO THEATRE
This theatre is named after Ivor Novello, the composer and actor who used to live in the flat above the theatre. Before that Novello had been known by various names- The Waldorf, The Strand, The Whitney, The Strand again and then Novello. It housed the Royal Shakespeare Company productions for years, notably the Convent Garden run of David Tennant’s Hamlet which was a massive hit amongst tourists and local theater lovers. Novello’s current production, the musical Mamma Mia!, should be popular with Nigerians over 35. Mammia Mia!, based on the songs of ABBA (including Does Your Mother Know?, Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Take A Chance On Me), one of the biggest bands the world has ever seen, has been a run-away success. The storyline nods to our own Nollywood. Sophie, a young bride is determined to know her father, so she invites three male acquaintances from her mother’s colourful past to her wedding, unbeknownst to the old girl. To Sophie’s surprise the three suspects turn up! A battle then ensues over which of the men will walk down the aisle.
Address
5 THE ALDWYCH
COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
WC2B 4LD
Opening hours
Monday – Saturday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
LYCEUM THEATRE
Lyceum first opened its doors in 1772, making it a grand Covent Garden institution. It has hosted legendary acts like Bob Marley and John Lenon as well as several beautiful ladies vying for the Miss World crown. Current production is Disney’s The Lion King, the much-loved musical stage adaptation of the hugely successful animated film. Now in its 19th year, over 14 million theatregoers have seen The Lion King. It’s now the West End’s sixth longest-running musical ever.
Address
21 WELLINGTON STREET
COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
WC2E 7RQ
Opening Hours
Monday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday – Saturday10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
ALDWYCH THEATRE
This is one of London’s most famous venues. Aldwych is associated with world-famous productions such as A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by the legendary Laurence Olivier. It has seen debuts by titans such as Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The current production is TINA-The Tina Turner Musical, an autobiographical musical which tells the gender-, age- and race-defying story of Tina Turner’s rise from modest beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee to global stardom.
Address
49 ALDWYCH
COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
WC2B 4DF
Opening Hours
Monday- Friday 08:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 09:00 am – 7:30 pm
Sunday 09:00 am – 7:00 pm
DUCHESS THEATRE
One of Covent Garden’s smaller theatres, The Duchess currently has a phenomenally successful hit, The Play That Goes Wrong. The Play is based on the attempt of the fictional Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society to stage a production of a 1920s murder mystery. Everything goes wrong in the reenactment of the murder mystery- collapsing sets, forgotten lines, broken fourth walls, absent props and unfortunate injuries aplenty. The gaffes make for continuous riotous uncontrollable laughter.
The Duchess has had runaway hits over the decades, like Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker. It is known for imaginative roster of new plays and spirited revivals, including Mark Rylance in Endgame, Dominic West in Butley and Lenny Henry in Fences.
The Play That Goes Wrong won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 2015. A must see when you are in London.
Address
DUCHESS THEATRE
CATHERINE STREET
COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
WC2B 5LA
Opening Hours
Monday 10:00 am – 6:30 pm
Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
SAVOY THEATRE
The Savoy is reputed to the first public building in the world to be completely lit by electricity. It may not offer any insights on how to resolve Nigeria’s electricity crisis but its productions are still full of sparks. The Savoy stands out for its opulent setting. It also offers a mix of revivals of classics and new blockbusters. Nigerians will relate to the current production – 9 to 5, a musical based on the Dolly Parton hits.
Address
THE STRAND
COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
WC2R 0ET
Opening Times
Monday – Saturday 10:00 am – 7:30 pm
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
Ok, this is high “high culture”. Going to watch operas in opulent, historic theatres like the Royal Opera House (built 1858) can feel intimidating to even middle-class English people. The place is usually filled with upper class people in tuxedos. But you can really enjoy it if you love music and/or drama. According to Kasper Holten, Director of Opera for The Royal Opera, “Going to the opera is and should be special, a treat for yourself, where you go far away from everyday life and into the stuff that really matters in life,..You will be seeing and hearing amazing artists who have trained for years and years performing for you in incredibly beautiful surroundings. Celebrate it.” (emphasis added).
Alexandra Svokos of Huffington Post wrote in a very good piece promoting operas to “new comers”, young and old, “But underneath the grandeur (and layers of makeup), are poignantly human stories to the tune of beautiful music”. She urges seeing operas as different kinds of films you like: “Rom-com fan? Try “Don Pasquale.” Psychodrama? “Lucia di Lammermoor.” Bawdy humor? “The Marriage of Figaro.” More into big explosions and theatrics? You’re probably better off with some Wagner. Then there’s always the classic ABCs of opera: “Aida,” “La Boheme” and “Carmen.””
Read Svokos’ beginner’s guide to the opera.
We take inspiration from Wole Soyinka in encouraging you to go watch a performance at the Royal Opera House: all cultural outputs of the world belong to one global pool, consume and appropriate from it without guilt. If you can buy expensive shoes and jackets made by foreigners, you can also enjoy their “high culture” (this may spur us to preserve and package our own folk dances, dramas and songs. Countries like Philippines, Syria, Malaysia, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates have opera houses). Your Friday smart casual should be ok. You may do “national dress” if this means Osinbajo-style “South South” with a fez cap for a bit of formality. We don’t advise flowing babanriga as you may end up competing with the performers for attention (besides a certain Governor has given this particular national dress a bad reputation).
Legends such as Maria Callas, Margot Fonteyn, Luciano Pavarotti and Rudolf Nureyev have performed at the ROH. The current production: Mayerling, Das Rheingold, Die Walküre and Siegfried.
Check out the list of shows you can see in other opera houses in London.
From the list above, South Africa’s Musa Ngqungwana sings Porgy in Porgy and Bess at the Grange Park Opera. The Opera tells the story of Porgy, a disabled beggar in a Charleston slum. Porgy tries to rescue Bess from Crown, her violent boyfriend and Sporting Life, the thug who sells her drugs.
Discover more about Musa Ngqungwana:
Important tip: “research” what you have decided to watch for like 2 minutes to get an idea of the story (you won’t enjoy it if you read so much you know the whole story).
Address
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
BOW STREET
COVENT GARDEN
LONDON
WC2E 9DD
Opening Hours
Monday – Saturday 10:00 am – 8pm
Also check out the English National Opera
Continue to part 3.
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