Lyric Theatre
The Lyric Theatre opened in 1888 and is the oldest surviving theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.
It is the current home of Hadestown and has a seating capacity of 938.
The Lyric Theatre is located on Shaftesbury Avenue, near to Piccadilly Circus in London’s West End. Below you can find information on how to get to the theatre and a map showing the location of the venue.
- Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines)
- Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines)
The Lyric is well served by bus routes –
see which buses stop nearby.
The closest mainline station is Charing Cross.
- JustPark at Trafalgar Square
- NCP Brewer Street
- Titan Leicester Square
The bars and auditorium open approximately 45 minutes before the start of each performance.
There are a number of places to dine in the immediate vicinity of the Lyric Theatre. A few options are listed below for you to consider before or after your performance:
Banana Tree,
103 Wardour St,
London W1F 0UG
Banana Tree presents regional specialities from the Indochina region. Crafting their authentic flavours since 1991, Banana Tree places special focus on the lemongrass-growing areas in South East Asia, including Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.
Bill’s,
36-44 Brewer St,
London W1F 9TB
Contemporary European restaurant dishing up everything from breakfast, afternoon tea, lunch and dinner menus.
Brindisa,
46 Broadwick St,
London W1F 7AE
Starting as a market food bar at Borough Market 20 years ago, Brindisa is a Spanish tapas restaurant inspired by the Roman Silver Route that crosses Spain from South to North. Enjoy authentic Spanish flavours, and fresh ingredients.
Hawksmoor,
5A Air St,
London W1J 0AD
Up in a sweeping Art Deco space overlooking Regent Street, Hawksmoor is an award-winning restaurant serving delicious British steaks and sustainable seafood with great cocktails.
Miznon,
8-12 Broadwick St,
London W1F 8HW
Miznon, meaning ‘kiosk’ in Hebrew, offers unapologetic street food, born out of the bustling streets of Tel Aviv. Miznon serves fresh pitas and seasonal dishes for lunch and dinner.
Preto,
73 Shaftesbury Ave,
London W1D 6LN
Considered as one of the best Brazilian restaurants in the UK, Preto is a traditional Brazilian Churrascaria steakhouse in the heart of Soho.
Wong Kei,
41-43 Wardour St,
London W1D 6PX
Wong Kei is a go-to Chinatown favourite for those seeking hearty, authentic Chinese cuisine in an unpretentious setting. Enjoy communal dining and vast menu of Cantonese classics.
Speedboat Bar,
30 Rupert St,
London W1D 6DL
Speedboat Bar will transport you to the bustling late-night canteens of Bangkok’s own Chinatown. Serving aromatic curries, stir fries, drunken noodles and zingy seafood salads, it is a late night destination open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Please note that food and drink details are provided for information only and do not constitute a recommendation from Nimax Theatres.
The Lyric Theatre first opened on 17 December 1888, making it the oldest surviving theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. Designed by architect C. J. Phipps for the producer Henry Leslie, the façade is of the Renaissance style in red brick and Portland stone. The theatre was originally built for operetta and has since hosted a diverse mix of drama, comedy, and musicals, including Five Guys Named Moe, By Jeeves, Closer, Cabaret and the original production of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers.
In recent years, the Lyric became closely associated with Michael Jackson, as Thriller Live! enjoyed a record-breaking 13-year run. The theatre then welcomed Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Story before making way for Hadestown—a contemporary reimagining of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set to a New Orleans jazz-infused score.
Nimax Theatres has owned the Lyric Theatre since 2005.
