Gielgud Theatre
35-37 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 6AR
Gielgud Theatre Tickets
Oliver!
Gielgud Theatre
4.9 514 reviews 4.9 514 reviews Tickets from £24.00Lionel Bart's musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved novel returns to the stage with the story of the orphaned Oliver Twist, who escapes a cruel workhouse and ends up in the seedy criminal underworld of Victorian London. Experience Dickens' incredible, moving, and hopeful story in this musical packed with lively choreography, dynamic sets, a truly talented cast, and all the songs you know and love - perfect for the whole family to enjoy.
- Booking until: Sunday, 14 March 2027
- Running time: 2hr 40min. Incl. interval.
- Playing at: Gielgud Theatre
- Booking until: Sunday, 14 March 2027
Gielgud Theatre Facilities
- Air cooled
- Bar
- Disabled toilets
- Infrared hearing loop
- Member of Q-Park scheme
- Toilets
- Wheelchair/scooter access
Gielgud Theatre Access Tickets
Disabled theatregoers and their carers can get discount tickets. Please phone the Gielgud Theatre access line on 0344 482 5137.
Gielgud Theatre Location
Travel Information
Nearest Tube station
- Piccadilly Circus
- Leicester Square
Nearest Rail Station
- Charing Cross
Tube lines
- Bakerloo
- Piccadilly
- Northern
Day buses
- (Shaftesbury Avenue) 12, 14, 19, 38; (Regent Street) 6, 13, 15, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453
Night buses
- (Shaftesbury Avenue) 14, N19, N38; (Regent Street) 6, 12, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453, N3, N13, N15, N109, N18, N136
Gielgud Theatre Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to the Gielgud Theatre?
The theatre is at 35 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6AR, on the corner of Rupert Street. Piccadilly Circus is two minutes on foot and Leicester Square about five. Drivers can use Q-Park Chinatown or MasterPark.
Is the Gielgud Theatre an accessible space?
Yes, and like several houses on this street the step-free way in is to the Dress Circle, not the Stalls: a ramp and side entrance on Rupert Street. Up to four wheelchair spaces can be made by removing seats A3–A6 and A30–A33, all with straightforward aisle transfers. There is an adapted toilet in the foyer, infra-red hearing headsets, and guide dogs are welcome and can be looked after during the performance.
What time should I arrive at the Gielgud Theatre?
Half an hour before curtain-up. That leaves room for the bag check, the stairs and a look at the merchandise kiosk. The entrance sits on a corner where two busy pavements meet, so the queue can spill along Rupert Street on a full night.
Is there a dress code at the Gielgud Theatre?
No, there is no formal dress code — wear what you are comfortable in, and spare a thought for whoever is sitting behind you. The Gielgud is an Edwardian house of 1906 with a handsome domed ceiling, so some people do make an evening of it; equally, jeans at a matinee raise no eyebrows.
Can I buy merchandise at the Gielgud Theatre?
Yes. Kiosks in the foyer and by the bars carry programmes, mugs, T-shirts, keyrings, tote bags and whatever else the current production has produced.
Is there a cloakroom at the Gielgud Theatre, and does it cost anything?
Yes, a small one. Coats and small bags can be left for the performance for a modest charge per item. Large bags and suitcases are not accepted and space runs out quickly, so travel light where you can.
Gielgud Theatre history
From the outside
A magnificent corner building, highly decorated and beautifully ornate, the Gielgud Theatre is absolutely palatial in typically Edwardian style. Inside the seats encircle the stage in a practical, intimate and attractive horseshoe, with an interior a visual feast of cream, coral and gold lit by an immense chandelier.
Garrick Theatre architecture and history
The Garrick theatre first opened in late December 1906, originally built for and called the Hicks Theatre after the famous actor, manager and playwright Seymour Hicks. It was designed by W.G.R. Sprague in classic Louis XVI style, and was built as a sister theatre to the 1907 Queen's Theatre on the adjacent corner of Shaftesbury Avenue.
In 1909, the theatre was renamed The Globe, after the original theatre of that name was knocked down in 1902 to create the Aldwych. The first production was a play written by Winston Churchill’s mother. The theatre’s tabby cat, called Beerbohm, appeared on stage regularly and was incorporated into plays often until he died at the ripe old age of twenty. Look out for his portrait, hung along the corridor near the stalls.
Totally refurbished in 1987, bringing back its splendid circular Regency staircase, oval gallery and tower back to sparkling life, the theatre was finally re-named The Gielgud in 1994, in honour of the British actor Sir John Gielgud and to avoid confusion with the 1997 opening of Shakespeare's re-imagined Globe Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames.
In 2003, Sir Cameron Mackintosh announced plans to refurbish the Gielgud again to create a common entrance with its sister, the Queen's Theatre, which faces magnificent Shaftesbury Avenue.
In 2006 Delfont Mackintosh Theatres took over from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre company and the work on the facade began in early 2007.
Past shows at the Gielgud Theatre
Call It A Day, a popular play by Dodie Smith, ran from 1935 and put on an impressive 509 performances. Terence Frisby's classic, There's a Girl in My Soup, ran for 1,064 performances from 1966, a record that wasn’t broken until Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of the Olivier Award-winning comedy Daisy Pulls It Off in 1983. In 1987 the play Lettice and Lovage was a huge hit starring British actress Maggie Smith. The Garrick has shown a handful of Alan Ayckbourn premieres and Oscar Wilde's comedy, An Ideal Husband, was a show stopper in 1992. The Garrick has also presented One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, The Mikado, The Robin Williams classic Weapons of Self Destruction, the famous musical Hair, Yes Prime Minister and many more stellar performances.
Gielgud Theatre access
The Gielgud Theatre is right next to The Queen’s Theatre, so make sure you get the right door! There’s access for wheelchairs and scooters.
Gielgud Theatre tickets
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