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Her Majesty’s Theatre

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About Her Majesty’s Theatre

Second only to Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Her Majesty’s Theatre is one of the oldest playhouses in London dating back to 1897, though the site has been home to a succession of theatre venues since 1705. From the Queen’s Theatre to the King’s Theatre and finally to Her Majesty’s Theatre (in honour of Queen Victoria), the ornate venue was primarily known for showing popular operas and ballets for the first two centuries of its history. Following a string of productions by renowned composers and performers, the Queen’s Theatre was demolished and rebuilt by the famous actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who used the venue to establish the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In the twentieth century, the esteemed theatre was known mainly for its acclaimed productions of Shakespeare plays and premieres of work of famous playwrights like George Bernard Shaw and Noël Coward. Eventually, Her Majesty’s Theatre became known as an idyllic venue to show grand musical theatre productions given its wide stage and large auditorium, and has been showing some of the best-loved musicals in the West End since World War I.
  • Fun Facts About Her Majesty’s Theatre
  • The famous actress Sarah Bernhardt was featured in her own seasons twice at the theatre venue in 1889 and 1901.
  • The theatre’s name changes with the gender of the current reigning monarch. For the first half of the twentieth century the theatre was renamed His Majesty’s Theatre after King Edward VII’s ascension, and changed back to Her Majesty’s Theatre when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1952.
  • At the time the original Queen’s Theatre was erected in 1705, the programming had to be opera and ballet because playing straightforward dramas was prohibited for all but two theatres in London.
Notable Shows and Performances: The historic site was originally home to multiple world-famous opera premieres including Bizet's “Carmen” and Wagner's “Ring Cycle.” Her Majesty’s Theatre hosted the original production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion,” and multiple record-breaking musical runs including “The Phantom of the Opera,” the second longest-running musical in West End history.
London, SW1Y 4QL
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Transportation & Parking

The nearest car park is in Leicester Square. If you are planning to drive into the city we recommend that you take advantage of Q-Park’s Theatreland Parking Scheme – simply have your car park ticket validated at Her Majesty's Theatre and the 50% discount will automatically be applied when you pay at the car park pay machine. Find out more on the Q-Park website. Participating Car Parks Chinatown Pimlico Soho Park Lane/Marble Arch Trafalgar Sq Oxford Street Alternatively, there is an NCP car park in Brewer Street. Bus Routes: 6, 13, 15, 23, 139, 159, 453
    Piccadilly
    Bakerloo
    Piccadilly Circus

Nearby Points of Interest