Photos

Theatre Royal Drury Lane: first look photos at the refurbished venue released

Have a look at the epic space

The rotunda
The Rotunda
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
First look photos have been released for the brand new, massively redeveloped Theatre Royal Drury Lane, ahead of first performances of Frozen at the West End venue next month.

Following a two-year, £60 million restoration, the space boasts a plethora of food and drink spaces, that will be opening up over the coming weeks for guests – including the Grand Saloon (opening tbc), the all-day dining area The Garden, serving cocktails, coffee, and light bites and a cocktail bar, inspired and named after high society photographer and theatre costume designer Cecil Beaton. Finally, the Rotunda Bar will get champagne flowing for enthusiasts, under Shakespeare's gaze. Have a behind-the-scenes look at the two years of development here.

Owner Andrew Lloyd Webber commented: "The task of restoring the Theatre Royal was threefold. How to reinstate Wyatt's glorious "front of house" rooms, how to fix the 1922 auditorium and, third, how to make this extraordinary building a versatile, vibrant heart of the artistic soul of Covent Garden. I believe that the Lane is now one of London's most warm and beautiful auditoriums, and the most versatile historic theatrical space anywhere in the world.

"The restoration of the Theatre Royal, uniting my two great passions of theatre and architecture, has been a colossal task rendered very difficult by the Covid pandemic. It simply would have ground to a halt without the dedication of our extraordinary craftsmen and the team overseeing the project in, at times, almost impossible circumstances. Madeleine and I hope that the Theatre Royal will become a vital part of the Covent Garden community. We want to welcome you all through it's doors all day and every day for everything from cocktails to coffees and lots, lots more."

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The Grand Saloon

The Grand Saloon
The Grand Saloon
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The Grand Saloon
The Grand Saloon
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The Grand Saloon
The Grand Saloon
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The Grand Saloon
The Grand Saloon
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo

Madeleine Lloyd Webber said: "From the very start, we wanted to do something different with this iconic building. I wanted to encourage the use of our bars, tea rooms, bistro all day long, whether you have a theatre ticket or not. This was about setting the bar really high on customer experience, from butler service at your theatre seat, to luxury (and plentiful) ladies loos. This star of the West End is about fabulous shows, but also a place to meet and socialise for coffee, cocktails or just enjoy the art and architecture. With a range of brilliant collaborators, we have created something truly special. Covent Garden needs energy and life more now than ever before and we are so pleased that we have played our part in the revival of this building, and London's West End."

The Auditorium

The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE
The auditorium
The auditorium
© PHILIP VILE

The Rotunda

The rotunda
The rotunda
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The rotunda
The rotunda
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The rotunda
The rotunda
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo