It was built in 1905 as one of a pair of theatres that were constructed with identical facades on either side of the Waldorf Hotel; its twin is now called the Novello Theatre.

The Aldwych Theatre was designed and decorated in highest Georgian style, and according to reports of the day, it was quite beautiful but more importantly it was also very comfortably fitted out.

The theatre became well known for the “Aldwych Farces”, a series that took place there from 1925 to 1933. These farces were written by Ben Travers and the company included Ralph Lynn, Tom Walls, and Winifred Shotter.

Nearly thirty years later, the programs at the Aldwych Theatre had moved from perhaps the ridiculous to the sublime when it was announced that the Royal Shakespeare Company of Stratford-upon-Avon would be moving its London location to the theatre. This was an arrangement that was supposed to last only 3 years, but they actually ended up staying at the Aldwych for more than 20 years.

During this time, numerous Shakespeare plays were performed here starring quite a few famed actors.

In the years following, the theatre hosted many very successful plays by writers like Harold Pinter, Noel Coward, and Edward Albee.

The Aldwych Theatre had a long run of Andrew Lloyd Webber's “Whistle Down the Wind” and “Fame - The Musical” ran at the theatre from 2002 to 2006.

Since 2006 the theatre has been hosting the stage musical “Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage”. This production is a very faithful adaptation of the 1987 movie starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey; indeed the actors and costumes are complete look-alikes for the film version.

It has proven to be extremely popular with London theatregoers.

The London Theatre District is fortunate to have within its boundaries a venue as special as the Aldwych Theatre.

Aldwych Theatre

Address: Aldwych, Covent Garden, WC2B4LD

Telephone: 020 7379 3367

Photo courtesy: By AndyRob

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