Going to the Theatre

Thousands of people go to the theatre every week to watch plays, musicals, operas, ballets and even pantomimes. The theatre used to be a place for the rich and famous to meet up and to watch the latest comedy or tragedy. Today, however, all comers are welcomed through the theatre doors, regardless of status or wealth.

A Short History of the Theatre

People have been going to and enjoying the theatre since the ancient Greeks were doing the performing. The Greeks liked to build semi-circular theatres on the sides of hills and they had the stereotypical tiered seating that many large theatres have today. The Romans, who took the idea of theatre to a new level, built monuments like the Coliseum in which to do their acting. The actors in early Roman times were normally slaves, however, the citizens soon began to realise that the life of an actor was fairly easy – and so everybody wanted to have a go. The plays that were performed in the formative years of the theatre were mainly comedies or tragedies and some better plays were both.

As time went by and the concept of the theatre spread to other areas, priests and monks became the main actors and their subject was the bible stories. In the 16th century theatre moved indoors with the first one being just outside London. The original Globe followed shortly after, as did William Shakespeare. The 19th century saw new forms of theatre emerging, including burlesque, romantics, melodramas and revivals of the classics. Today people can see all sorts of art forms at the theatre, many of which are enhanced by special effects and stunning stage scenery.

Cheap Theatre Tickets

The Main Theatres of the UK

There are literally hundreds of theatres in the UK, most of which can be found in the major cities. Some of the main theatres include:

The Alexandra and the Hippodrome Theatres, both of which are in Birmingham. The Alexandra opened in 1901 and since then hundreds of stars have appeared on the stage including Sir Laurence Olivier, Jon Pertwee, Brit Ekland and Eric Sykes plus a whole host of famous comics. The Hippodrome is one of the largest touring venues in the UK and it hosts a wide range of theatre forms each year. This particular theatre is popular with childrens’ shows and family entertainments. Birmingham actually has 12 theatres listed, some of which are speciality theatres but most of which run a wide range of family entertainments.
‘Theatreland’ or ‘The West End’ are the local terms for the area of London where all the main theatres stand. There are 40 large theatres within the area including the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, the Apollo and the Adelphi. These theatres mostly play musicals although they also have a number of classics and comedies running as well. Some of the theatres are better suited for children and run matinee performances of the box offices hits, such as the Lion King and Mamma Mia.
The New Theatre in Cardiff which hosts a selection of musicals, dramas, operas, dance groups and childrens’ shows each year. This theatre boasts one of the largest stages in the country and has been presenting performances since its opening in 1906. In addition to the performing arts, the New Theatre also holds art exhibitions which are open to visitors as well.
The Manchester Opera House and the Manchester Palace Theatre. Surprisingly the Manchester Opera House is a bit of a misnomer as it doesn’t hold many operas today. Instead it presents some of the best current stage shows around, including musicals like Thriller and Footloose and classics like Riverdance. The Manchester Palace Theatre is similar, however, the majority of its shows are the popular musicals. Both Theatres have guest appearances and shows from big stars that only last for one or two nights and so the itinerary is constantly changing.
The Empire Theatre in Liverpool is the main Theatre in Liverpool but there are at least 7 further large venues that also hold top quality shows. The Empire Theatre has a main show each month plus a number of short running events that only last a couple of nights. Many of the monthly shows are musicals whereas the short running events include live music, comics and plays.
The Edinburgh Playhouse which is slightly more varied than most of the other main theatres in the UK. This theatre regularly hosts top stand up comedians, new plays, popular musicals and even psychic mediums. They also have live music from some well known artists and sing-a-long evenings where the audience join in the famous songs.

The Current Leading Shows in the UK

Most of the leading shows in the UK’s theatres are musicals, many of which have been running for a good number of years. Les Miserables became the longest running musical in history when Cats closed its doors in 2002 and it is still one of the most popular west end shows today. Other popular shows include, The Sound of Music, Blood Brothers, Lord of the Rings, the Lion King, Mamma Mia and Joseph.

Most of these musicals are also playing around the country as tour groups take them from theatre to theatre. One show that isn’t a musical but is still on the stage after 50+ years is Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap. This opened its doors in 1952 and is still one of the most popular London shows today.