Photos

Theatre Royal Drury Lane's refurbishment: how it happened

The mammoth project has been ongoing for two years – have a look at what happened in that time

Alex Wood

Alex Wood

| London |

23 July 2021

Seat renovations
Seat renovations
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
After its grand unveiling (check out the photos) – have a look at how the mammoth restoration of Theatre Royal Drury Lane actually happened!

The two-year, £60-million project has installed new eatery areas as well as a variety of exciting new facilities – as well as entirely remodelled auditorium. You can read out more about it all here.

Owner Andrew Lloyd Webber explains: "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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Seat renovations
Seat renovations
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The seats
The seats
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The auditorium
The auditorium
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The auditorium
The auditorium
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
The auditorium
The auditorium
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
© LW Theatres
© PHILIP VILE
© www.michael-bowles.com
Drury Lane renovations progress 14-8-20
Drury Lane renovations progress 14-8-20
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
Drury Lane's refurbishment
Drury Lane's refurbishment
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
© www.michael-bowles.com
TRDL restoration October 2020.
TRDL restoration October 2020.
© Andy Paradise/Paradise Photo
© Andy Paradise/PARADISE PHOTO
© Paradise Photo
© Paradise Photo
© Paradise Photo

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