Palace Theatre, West End theatre in Cambridge Circus, City of Westminster, United Kingdom.
The Palace Theatre is a Victorian theatre building with a red-brick facade at Cambridge Circus in the City of Westminster. The auditorium holds 1,400 seats distributed across multiple tiers in a traditional horseshoe arrangement.
Richard D'Oyly Carte commissioned the building in the late 1880s, and it opened in January 1891 with Arthur Sullivan's opera Ivanhoe. After the opera season failed, the venue quickly shifted to variety and musicals that have defined its stage ever since.
The building took its current name in 1911 after beginning life as the Royal English Opera House and later serving as a variety venue. Today the stage hosts long-running musical productions that define the West End and draw visitors from around the world.
The entrance sits directly at Cambridge Circus, where Shaftesbury Avenue meets Charing Cross Road, with several Underground stations within walking distance. The lobbies and auditorium span multiple levels, requiring stairs to reach all areas.
The building hosted the first Royal Variety Performance in Britain in 1912, a charity event that continues nationwide to this day. Since 2016, the production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child transforms the entire venue into a magical environment with décor throughout lobbies and staircases.
Location: City of Westminster
Inception: 1891
Architects: Thomas Edward Collcutt
Official opening: January 1891
Capacity: 1400
Address: 109-113 Shaftesbury Avenue, Cambridge Circus, London, Westminster, W1D 8AY, England
Website: http://palacetheatrelondon.org
GPS coordinates: 51.51320,-0.12947
Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:22
Ambassadors Theatre
112 m
St Martin's Theatre
132 m
Coach and Horses
52 m
West Street Chapel
95 m
Former Welsh Presbyterian Church
45 m
St Mary's Church, Charing Cross Road
59 m
26, Litchfield Street Wc2
79 m
34, Romilly Street W1
44 m
Kettner's Restaurant
78 m
24 And 24A, Litchfield Street Wc2
68 m
Fw Collins And Son
117 m
22, Tower Street
119 m
101, Charing Cross Road
84 m
North Wing
145 m
Welsh Presbyterian Church Manse
32 m
5-8, Tower Court
141 m
10, Tower Court
149 m
2, Old Compton Street
77 m
22, Earlham Street
138 m
27, Litchfield Street Wc2
85 m
13, Moor Street W1
54 m
25, Litchfield Street Wc2
73 m
6, Old Compton Street
77 m
4, Old Compton Street
78 m
4, Romilly Street W1
65 m
24 And 26, Earlham Street
150 m
99A, Charing Cross Road
60 m
40B, Greek Street W1
74 mVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
Discover hidden gems everywhere you go!
From secret cafés to breathtaking viewpoints, skip the crowded tourist spots and find places that match your style. Our app makes it easy with voice search, smart filtering, route optimization, and insider tips from travelers worldwide. Download now for the complete mobile experience.
A unique approach to discovering new places❞
— Le Figaro
All the places worth exploring❞
— France Info
A tailor-made excursion in just a few clicks❞
— 20 Minutes