Rose Theatre, Kingston

The Rose Theatre is a modern venue in Kingston upon Thames featuring a thrust stage with approximately 820 seats arranged in a semicircular formation around the central performance area. The building combines historic design principles with contemporary comfort and technical equipment for staging diverse theatrical productions.

The theatre opened in 2008 with a production of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya directed by Sir Peter Hall. The venue's creation was inspired by the historic Rose Theatre from 1587, which once operated in London's West End.

The venue stages numerous theatrical productions throughout the year, from Shakespearean classics to contemporary plays and musical performances.

The venue sits within walking distance of Kingston railway station and provides accessible seating, a café, and a bar for visitors. Arriving early allows you to comfortably reach your seat and explore the available facilities before the performance starts.

The building was designed to mirror the original Rose Theatre from 1587, translating ancient stage principles into modern materials and technology. This reconstruction reveals how Elizabethan theatre spaces actually looked and functioned for contemporary audiences.