Theatres in London

How many theatres are there in London?

As the world’s theatre capital, it’s no surprise that London is simply bursting with theatres, from huge West End venues to small fringe spaces above pubs with as few as 30 seats.

London’s West End is the largest theatre district in the world. And a study by the Society of London Theatre and the National Theatre revealed that London has the biggest theatre audience of any city globally, beating even New York!

In total, there are 76 West End and Off West End spaces across London, but this doesn’t include the countless fringe venues scattered throughout the city.

What events can you hold in a London theatre space?

Theatres don’t just have to be used for plays and concerts. They make fantastic event venues for all sorts of different occasions, particularly events that have a performative element to them, such as talks or presentations. Here are a few ideas of event types that are particularly well-suited to London theatre spaces.

Conferences

Theatres can make fantastic conference venues. Not only are theatre auditoriums themselves naturally set up perfectly for conferences, with a stage and theatre-style seating, but they often have bars, cafes and foyers that can be used for breakout sessions and networking spaces too. Of course, theatres are used to providing a high level of production value on the shows they host, so you’ll often find that they have all the equipment and technical capability you need to level up your conference.

Award ceremonies

If you’re looking for an award ceremony venue, you can’t get much better than a theatre. Award ceremonies need a bit of red-carpet glamour, so hiring a lavish theatre, such as one on the West End, would be the perfect location. Just imagine your guests walking in the shoes of stars as they climb up to the stage to receive their award!

Fashion shows

If you’re looking for a space in which to showcase your latest designs in the world of fashion, a theatre could be right up your street. Theatres can range from plush spaces with velvet curtains and seats to thrust stages where you’ll have that ready-made catwalk. Whatever vibe you’re after in a fashion show venue, there’s sure to be a theatre that fits.

Gala dinners

Gala dinners may not typically be the kind of event you’d expect to host in a theatre, but trust us on this one. Many theatres have removable seating, like the Eventim Apollo, which means those traditional theatre seats can be replaced with tables and chairs. Not only do you then have dramatic theatre lighting at your disposal, but you also have the stage free to use for those mid-dinner speeches, auctions and more!

Talks, presentations and panel discussions

If you’re hosting a talk, presentation or panel discussion, look no further than a theatre venue. They’re purposely designed for sharing content with an audience. So, the layout, facilities and equipment will normally be exactly as you need them, without you having to lift a finger. And you’ll benefit from those lovely theatre acoustics too!

Why hire a theatre space in London for your event?

Theatres come with a whole host of benefits and can really help you to take your event to the next level. Here are our favourite things about using theatres as event venues.

• Production value. Theatres are designed to host shows, which means they’ll usually be kitted out with first-class lighting and sound equipment, as well as AV technology. You’ll often be able to benefit from all of this in-house kit, helping you to notch up your event’s production value without the cost of hiring it all in.

• Unusual. Theatres could definitely be classed as unusual event venues when it comes to events such as conferences. So, it’s a great way to ensure that your event sticks in your attendees’ minds long after it has ended.

• Exclusive. There’s something that feels very exclusive about hosting an event in a large and lavish West End theatre – especially one that’s played host to stars of the stage and screen. This makes theatres ideal for events where you want to ramp up the glitz, glamour and sense of occasion, like award ceremonies.

• Experienced. Theatres are experienced at hosting events. In fact, some have been doing so for centuries – the oldest theatre site in London is the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which was built in 1663 and has been welcoming theatregoers for over 350 years. This means your event will be in safe hands.

• Breakout space. Very often, hiring a theatre comes with the hire of a theatre bar or cafe, which is ideal for events that require space for guests to congregate. Some bigger theatres may even have multiple bars and foyers that can be used as breakout space for your event.

What theatre spaces are there for hire in London?

Theatres come in all different sizes, capacities, layouts and styles. Here are some of the different kinds of theatres you can hire in London.

West End theatre hire

The West End makes up the heart of London’s theatre district. Plus, it’s bang in the centre of town, which makes it an excellent choice when it comes to transport links and bringing all the buzz and energy of central London into your event.

Our top West End theatre for hire is the Dominion Theatre, which is just a short stroll from Tottenham Court Road tube station. Like many West End theatres, it’s complete with plush seats, velvet curtains and ornate ceilings. Plus, it seats a whopping 2,069 people! It’s got that red-carpet feeling you’ll need for events like award ceremonies and galas in spades.

Proscenium stage hire

A proscenium stage or theatre is one where there’s a structure in front of the stage (the proscenium arch) that frames the onstage action. Proscenium stages are generally end-on, similar to lecture theatres – which makes them ideal for things like presentations and talks where you want to be able to take in the whole audience at once.

Most West End theatres have proscenium stages, but there are lots of proscenium stages across the rest of London too. A couple of our favourites include the Barbican Theatre and Sadler’s Wells Theatre – two beautiful big theatres with excellent sightlines that are accustomed to catering for business events like conferences and dining.

At the other end of the scale, you have the stunning Roundhouse. The complete opposite of a proscenium stage, this space allows you to seat your attendees in the round, to create a really intimate and immediate experience, even in a large space.

Small theatre hire

There are lots of smaller theatres that you can hire in London too. This includes a plethora of fringe theatres that fall outside of the main institutions and often program more experimental work.

If you’re looking for a small theatre to hire, check out The Yard in Hackney Wick. Made entirely from recycled materials, this purpose-built 110-seat venue features a beautiful untreated concrete floor as well as lighting, sound and projection facilities. Another of our top choices is The Vaults Theatre. With a capacity of 176, this alternative theatre space is located beneath Waterloo station in a series of tunnels and has its own bar, lounge area and dressing rooms.

Also just a short walk from Waterloo station is the smallest theatre space we have available for hire on Hire Space. The Calder Theatre Bookshop has just 32 seats, making it ideal for meetings and workshops.

Studio theatre hire

Studio theatres are small theatres where the seats and staging can often be rearranged or laid out in different configurations. This can make them really handy for more intimate events where you want to be able to adapt the space for your own individual needs.

Our favourite studio theatre available for hire on Hire Space is the Theatre Space at the Young Actors Theatre Islington. This space has retractable seating, making it equally suitable for workshops and team building events as for talks and performances.

What are typical theatre hire costs?

Theatre hire costs vary wildly depending on a number of factors, including:

1. The theatre’s size and capacity.
2. Where in London it’s located.
3. How long you hire the venue for.
4. When you host your event (time, day of the week and season).
5. The theatre’s facilities.

Costs will also vary based on how a theatre charges you. Many will charge a set rate per day, but others will charge you per hour, per attendee or even based on a minimum spend.

As a rough guide, you can expect to pay around £7,800 a day for a theatre space with a capacity of 760. With this in mind, you could expect to pay in the region of £10 per seat the venue has. However, this is a very rough estimate, and you can normally expect to spend significantly less per seat for small venues than for large ones, although there are always exceptions!

How to find cheap theatre hire in London

Keen to hire a theatre for your next event? Looking for a way to bring theatre hire prices down? Here are some things you can do to help.

1. Consider hiring during off-peak times. Evening hire is generally harder to find with theatres, so it will normally come with higher costs than daytime hire. Similarly, if you want to keep costs down, you should consider hosting your event during off-peak days of the week (earlier in the week is usually cheapest) or off-season (often during summer months).

2. Hire further off the beaten track. The closer you are to central London, the higher your theatre hire price is likely to be. Consider hiring a theatre that’s a bit further from the heart of the capital to lower your costs. For instance, the Eventim Apollo is a large, impressive theatre in Hammersmith.

3. Hire smaller theatres. Larger theatres don’t only come with more seats – they often also come with more facilities, such as cloakrooms, bar space and breakout areas. This can all come at a high cost. Hiring a smaller theatre will cut your budget significantly.

4. Go hybrid. To allow you to host your event in a smaller, cheaper theatre, you could consider making your event hybrid. This way, you can invite fewer guests to attend your event in-person as you can make the event accessible to many more online.

5. Reduce your build time. If you can reduce the amount of time it takes you to set up your event, you won’t need to hire the theatre space for as long. If the theatre charges you a day rate, consider whether you can get your event in and up in a day. Or, if it charges you per hour, see how lean you can make your set-up schedule in order to reduce your hire cost.

What to consider when hiring a London performance space

Before you start your search for a London theatre space, there are some things you’ll need to take into account. Brush up on these specifics before signing anything to make sure you’re setting yourself and your event up for success.

Location

Consider where your audience is coming from and make sure that you choose an area of London that would be easy for them to get to.

If many of your attendees will be travelling from out of town, hiring a theatre in central London will probably be easiest as it will be more easily accessible from the main railway stations. But if you’re hosting an event for Londoners, you could branch out a bit further and consider theatres in the north, east, south or west of the city, providing there are decent transport links. As we’ve mentioned previously, hiring a theatre a bit further from the heart of the capital will usually reduce your theatre hire cost.

Facilities

When you’re hiring a theatre, it can be tempting to just consider what the auditorium is like. But you’ll also need to think about whether the theatre has the facilities you need to make your event a success. This might include the number of toilets available and how much breakout space you can use across bars and foyers.

It’s also worth noting that many older theatres, especially those in the West End, aren’t particularly accessible for those with mobility requirements. These buildings can be quite small considering their capacities, and are often complete with lots of stairs and tight corners. Be sure to ask lots of questions and schedule a viewing before booking.

Hybrid

Make sure that you decide whether or not you want your event to be hybrid before you settle on a theatre space to hire. A hybrid event is one that has attendees joining both in-person and online.

There are a few things you’ll need to look out for when choosing a hybrid event venue. For example, a strong internet connection is crucial. Many modern theatres are very well set up for hybrid events, with in-house AV capability and strong internet connections, but some older theatres can lack fast wifi which could be a dealbreaker. Just ask your contact at the venue about hybrid events and they’ll normally be able to help.

What’s included

It’s important to find out exactly what you’re paying for when you agree to hire a theatre. For example, will you have support from the venue’s front-of-house team and ushers, or will you be expected to staff that side of your event yourself?

Similarly, it’s important to learn how much technical support you’ll receive. If there’s currently a show running in the theatre, you probably won’t be able to adjust the position of the theatre lights, and you may also need to host your event against the backdrop of the play’s set. Be sure to request information about what exactly the setup will be before signing anything, so that you don’t come across any unwelcome surprises on the day!

Suppliers

Once you know what’s included in the theatre hire, you can start to create a list of all the suppliers you need to source to make your event a success.

Some theatres will have their own in-house cafe or restaurant and may be able to provide the catering for you. But usually, you’ll need to work with an external caterer. Often, you’ll be able to get a list of your theatre’s preferred suppliers, but many will give you free reign.

If you’re looking to really make an impact, consider commissioning a supplier to create memorable food experiences like Sixth Sense, a supplier that provides everything from dip-your-own ice lolly labs to dragon breath popcorn stations (popcorn that lets you snort plumes of liquid nitrogen vapour from your nose and mouth!). Remember that suppliers can help you to polish every aspect of your event, from the production side to theming, event technology and more.

Find a London theatre to host your event

Now you’re ready to start your search for a London theatre to hire for your event. Here’s all you need to do.

1. Collate details. Gather together all the information you have about your event, from your event type to your target audience, budget and extras. Put them in order of priority to help guide your search.

2. Shortlist locations. Next, put together a selection of locations that would be suitable for hosting your event in. Make sure to think about who your target audience is, where they’re based and how easy these locations will be for them to get to.

3. Use Hire Space! Finally, you can just use Hire Space to search for your ideal venue quickly and easily. Remember to use our handy filters to find a venue that fits your needs exactly.

Looking for more tips on finding a venue for your event in London? Read our complete guide to venue finding. Or, feel free to get in touch with our venue experts if you’d like an extra hand. They’ll be able to recommend some venues that could be perfect for your next event.