The Phoenix Theatre in London opened in 1930 at the corner of Charing Cross Road and Flitwick Street.

The theatre has a white neoclassical facade with four pillars supporting a canopy. Much of the interior is of an Italianate design, with mirrored corridors and geometric designs very typical of the Art Deco period when it was constructed.

There are carved wooden doors and beautifully decorated ceilings throughout the theatre, as well as murals and painted panels.

There is a bar in the foyer which is named after Noel Coward who had a very long association with the Phoenix Theatre.

The first play to open at the theatre in 1930 was Noel Coward's "Private Lives" which starred Noel Coward, Gertrude Lawrence, and a very young Lawrence Olivier. Over the years, Noel Coward would return several times to perform and stage plays at the Phoenix Theatre.

In the 1940s, the Phoenix Theatre hosted John Gielgud's "Love for Love" and in the 1960s, an adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" had a 2000 performance run at the theatre.

In the 1980s and 1990s, many successful plays were at the Phoenix Theatre, including ones by Stephen Sondheim and Stephen Schwartz.

Kenneth Branagh put on a series of Shakespeare's plays during this time frame that was very popular, proving yet again that the Bard of Avon's appeal is quite timeless.

The Phoenix Theatre's current play is "Blood Brothers", a musical by Willy Russell that has been playing there since 1981. It is the longest running show in the history of the Phoenix Theatre, and shows no signs of slowing down in popularity.

In 2010, the lead role of Mrs. Johnstone was being played by Melanie Chisholm, the entertainer formerly known as "Sporty Spice" when she was a member of the Spice Girls band.

With its timeless themes of social inequality and unemployment, "Blood Brothers" is considered to be one of the greatest British musicals.

The Phoenix Theatre in London still puts on as good a show as they did back in Noel Coward's day.

Visiting Phoenix Theatre

Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road, Covent Garden, WC2H 0JP

Telephone: 0870 060 6634

Photo courtesy: AndyRob

Return from Phoenix Theatre in London to Guide to London Theatres

Return from Phoenix Theatre in London to Best London Attractions