Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, which was completed in 1997. I…read morevisited with my husband on a recent trip to London earlier this month and had a great time. There are a couple of ways to experience the Globe. You can attend a performance (they typically have 1-2 performances per day at a range of rates) or you can tour the theater. The performance times didn't work well with our schedule (such a short trip), but we were able to fit in a tour, which was great. Our tour guide was wonderful. We started the tour inside the attached visitor/admission center, where he provided some context. Then we walked over to the theater itself and sat on each of the three levels to get a sense of the different individuals who attended Shakespeare's plays and how they would have experienced the performances they attended. We learned that the theater was built in 1599, when there was only bridge connecting Bankside and London. People either took barges across the river or - if they didn't have the money for a boat - walked to and across the bridge. We learned how much a performance cost for people sitting in different sections of the theater. We learned that the Globe burned down during a performance of Henry VIII in 1613 (the theater was rebuilt the following year but closed by 1642 and torn down in 1645). The modern recreation you can visit now is close to the original site (you can find the original site just a few steps away) and based on historical drawings and designs. It's as close to Shakespeare's Globe as we can get, and it's an incredible thing to see and experience. If you can fit in a performance, I'm sure it's amazing. But the tour was pretty great, too. I learned a lot about Shakespeare, the Globe, and London. We had a pretty tight schedule due to it being a shorter trip, and a tour of the Globe was a great way to take in such a historic and important site.

Even if you're not planning on seeing a show here, do the tour!…read more William Shakespeare's company built The Globe Theater very close to this spot in 1599. This is a replica of Shakespeare's theater which was built in the late 1990s. Originally, the idea was to mostly perform Shakespeare plays during the summer months, demonstrating exactly how those plays might have been seen in Elizabethan/Jacobean London. So, all-male casts, no modern technology, etc. Nowadays they make a lot more concessions with the aim of putting on enjoyable shows, but this is still an outdoor venue with a courtyard "groundlings" area that has no seats. The outer ring is covered and has wooden bench seating, with cushions available to rent. If you're a tourist who has spent the day hoofing it around this great city, you should probably make sure you have a seat. Furthermore, you might consider that a back-row seat would allow you to lean back, which you can't do in the other rows. This is very much a true professional theater experience. It's not just a gimmick; the original artistic director was no less than Sir Mark Rylance so you know you are going to see a high-quality production. However, the expertise on hand regarding the history of William Shakespeare makes for a very informative tour. I've done it multiple times and always loved it. But the production I saw of A Midsummer Night's Dream was lots of fun, easy to recommend. They involve the audience a lot, even bringing people on stage during actual scenes. Anyone who considers themselves a theater nerd owes themselves a visit. I strongly recommend the tour, and if you can make it to an actual show, you won't regret it. There are concession stands with a decent selection of snacks and drinks, alcoholic and otherwise. And there's a very large gift shop which was closed at the end of the show I went to, sadly. I would have bought something. But that's normal. NOTE: a second stage has been added to this complex, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It's a traditional indoor theater. If you're booking tickets, you might want to make sure you know which stage it's on, as that greatly impacts the experience. ANOTHER NOTE: I spoke to some people who believed the final scene of the movie Hamnet was filmed here. Although that might sound right, it is incorrect. That sequence was all done at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.

I love this little spot on the Southbank between HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge. It's a modern day…read moreamphitheatre where they host a lot of independent events. I've been to the London Penguin Walk: Where we broke the world record for the number of people in penguin suits. Water Stories: a photography exhibition and most recently The Globes Complete Walk of Shakespeare films. Such a lovely place to have events.

The Scoop is a unique space: a little amphitheatre basically carved into the sidewalk. They…read moreroutinely put on free theatre, and that's what drew me here. Right now they are playing a 4.5-hour long adaptation of Wagner's "The Ring of the Nibelung" cycle. The original is a very intense, 15-hour-long German operatic epic that is performed over four nights. This is a much more digestible and family-friendly version of that, and it was done very well -- good writing, pacing, acting, production, all the more impressive because it's outdoor theatre where you inherently have less control of the environment. It's a very well-designed space. Acoustically, its below-street-level placement is an advantage because most of the noise from the street is drowned out, but it's not a very loud area anyway because there are no pubs/bars/restaurants in the immediate vicinity - you'll just occasionally be interrupted by an airplane overhead. The theatre can accommodate quite a lot of people, but the seats are stacked high enough as they go back, so that your view is never obscured by the person in front of you. They let you bring food and drinks (just no glass bottles) into the theatre, so pack a picnic and a few beers! It's not protected at all from the elements though, so if it rains you're kind of screwed. Also, at night it gets chilly, so bring a blanket and layers to put on.

The South London Theatre is a community theatre, this means all the backstage workers,set builders,…read moredirectors, actors and even the bar staff are volunteers and anyone can get involved regardless of experience. It is great fun and with over twenty shows a year there is plenty of opportunity to get involved. There is also a very active youth section with classes on a saturday morning for a whole range of ages.

What a fantastic venue! We went to see "A Christmas Carol" play at this theater and the production…read morewas just perfect. The stage was located in the middle with the audience sitting all around it. It felt like we were part of the play. It was nothing like the theaters in the US. We loved it. Can't wait to be back in London and see another play at the Old Vic!

Love The Old Vic! It oozes history and class. The interior decor is stunning and the exterior looks…read morepretty swell too especially when lit up at night. I was so excited to be there for one of the previews of 'Other Desert Cities' and curious as to how that would work with the theatre having just been reconfigured to 'in the round'. It actually worked very well, and while we in the upper level, I can imagine it would be particularly interesting to be in the seats that were vitrually part of the set. I think I spied Melvin Bragg Down there. Who-ever it was he seemed to enjoy the show as much as us. OK perhaps it wasn't what I would call must-see theatre but it had a little something for everyone, and despite its dark nature in places, we had plenty of knowing belly laughs too. Since press night its been garnering a solid four stars. Perhaps because the show was in preview we were able to bag reasonably priced tickets at the box office direct. The staff were very friendly and helpful when we popped in the day before to check on availability. If there was a down-side it was that the seats were uncomfortable and the leg room very cramped, and thats coming from someone who is just 5ft & 2 inches! My companion had another foot on me and found the cramped seating a distraction from the show. Perhaps the more expensive seats are more comfortable. Wish everywhere had seats as cosy and roomy as The National Theatre! Conveniently located just along the road from Waterloo station for tube, rail and taxis.

Heard service and food was improved. It's still awful!…read more Avoid this place! Worst fish and chips ever, double cooked and fish was all batter. How do they stay in business? It's a disaster for service and food.

2019 update - things have gone downhill from a high point about 2 years ago…read more Visited on a quiet Tuesday night and it took 1hr 20 mins for 4 main courses to all arrive. Not acceptable and no forewarning at the till. Felt like Gordon Ramsay was hiding somewhere about to pop out.... Valiant front of house staff let down by, presumably, ineptitude and chaos in the kitchen. Around us one table of 8 diners had been waiting an hour plus to be served only to send back the 2 dishes which did arrive. Another table had been waiting for 60 mins plus for four starters and four mains. Our food was edible if slightly over done - but really nothing special and really not worth the wait, especially bearing in mind that our 4 mains were served staggered over a good 15 mins - long enough for me to have finished eating while the last member of our party was still waiting to be served. As things stand I can only recommend you avoid this place - I won't be back for a long time.

We saw Les Misérables and it was phenomenal!! I cried and laughed and was so taken by the voices of…read morethe entire cast! My friend has seen this show on broadway (NEW YORK) and she said this cast and theater was SO MUCH better! Even after the show finished and the cast were taking their bows it brought tears to my eyes again because of how amazing they were. Standing ovation was the least the audience could do after this breath taking performance!!

It was almost surreal to be able to purchase last minute tickets to see Les Mis at Queen's Theatre…read more I was in town for a few days and couldn't let the opportunity slip away. First of all, the theatre is beautiful. We had seats with limited view. I wasn't able to see the front, left portion of the stage but it really didn't take away anything from the performance. The staff members were very helpful. They were plentiful and led everyone to their seats. The line and security went rather quickly. Everyone had an opportunity to use the toilet during the intermission and didn't miss a second. I loved how everything started on time...I say this because this never happens in the US haha. If you're ever in London, take a few hours and watch a show at this theatre. Extremely worth it and forever memorable.

I do believe I have been changed for the better!…read more I love the story of Wicked and what a magical opportunity to get to see it in London. The theater is right next to a major tube station making it really easy to get to. I purchased my tickets well in advance and sat in Circle G34 and 35. In my opinion, these are some of the best seats in the house because they are in the first row of the section but they are a two-seater. If you're coming as a couple, it feels like you have complete privacy with some of the best views. One thing to note is that the actors in the show all speak and sing with British accents. It wasn't something I thought about but for some shows, they speak in American accents, but not here. Someone had advised me that that bothered them, but it didn't make a difference to us! A great show in a great theater!

800th review! I…read morecannot explain how much I adore this musical. No joke, it may or may not be the best musical I have ever seen and I have watched Broadway shows, musicals that are on National Tour, the Muny (in St. Louis), etc. and this is the best one I've seen. I've always loved the songs from Wicked and never got the chance to see it until now and I have definitely been missing out. Bought tickets pretty close to the stage for around $50 at a half priced ticket booth in the West End. I looked online and they were all $100+ for the seats we got so I thought it was a pretty good deal. When we came, they initially sat us near the far right aisle but we soon moved closer to the center when we saw how many empty seats there were. Honestly the theater was more than half empty which is just so sad but good, I guess, for the guests so they can get a better seat. The musical itself was amazing. The performers were such great singers and actors, the ensemble were amazing dancers, and the set was absolutely mind-blowing. I think one of the most impressive parts was when the dragon on top of our heads on the stage began to move, I genuinely thought that was only for decoration sake. I won't spoil too much about the show, but I will say that the experience is absolutely amazing. The British accent actually works really well for this musical and I honestly cannot wait to come back to see it again. Never have I been inclined to buy a souvenir from a musical after I saw it, but I really did, it was absolutely amazing.

Great little theatre in honour of Bob Hope who was born in Eltham. Once a year it opens it's doors…read morefor free to locals for a free tour and historical information. We went on this tour in the summer and it really was worthwhile, it has a lot of memorabilia about Bob Hope, a great bar and coffee area with a bronze bust of Bob himself and a plaque on the wall to show he visited. The auditorium is light and airy, there's a small stage but it puts on great shows all year and is run by volunteers.

Lovely Theatre with an interesting connection to Mr Bob Hope. I've seen 3 plays and 4 pantos here…read moreand all have been good! Lovely building with friendly staff. Worth a visit for sure.

This is a great musical ten times better than the film which I found a bit run of the mill. It had…read moreenergy, with great costumes great singing and dancing by the cast. Not a famous actress the lead actress though the villain was the famous Peter Davidson of Tristan fame from the 'It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet' series of the seventies.The story is a bit hairbrained where an ambitious salonist get into Yale Law school to get revenge on her former boyfriend who has dumped her for somebody more suitable. Hence 'legally blonde' in that she will always be a bimbo but not so as she unbelievably passes with honours and gets a brilliant boyfriend to boot. If this sounds incredulous because it is. Only fiction but great entertainment. Ismat J. Amin Theatre Critic

CallIum and Alice are elite, give em a raise Couldn't have hosted a better night, really made our…read morenight

The bar staff are amazing. I left my drinks at the bar for a moment. When I realised, I went back…read moreand they made me a fresh batch for free.