Criterion Theatre, Theatre in Piccadilly Circus, London, United Kingdom.
The Criterion Theatre is an underground theater in Piccadilly Circus with 588 seats spread across three levels that form balconies. The entrance hall leads to a wide staircase descending into the auditorium, where visitors find ornamental ceilings and curved rows of seating facing a stage with a red curtain.
Thomas Verity designed the theater in 1874 on the site of a 17th‑century inn. During World War II, the BBC used the underground rooms as a recording studio because they were protected from air raids.
The theater sits directly below street level, so visitors descend a steep staircase to reach the auditorium. The name comes from the restaurant of the same title that the architect designed alongside the theater building and that still operates nearby today.
Tickets can be booked online, and most performances take place in the evenings during weekdays and weekends. The theater offers accessible entry, although visitors must descend the staircase to the auditorium.
The theater retains its Victorian interior while using modern LED lighting to reduce energy use. A nonprofit trust operates the building and reinvests all profits back into maintenance and restoration of the historic rooms.
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