
Author & Researcher: Ian for Hotel-Assist London
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29 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
Greater London
W1D 7ES
UK
Closest tube: Piccadilly Circus (220m)
Hotels: Radisson Leicester Square [4], St Giles Hotel [3], Shaftesbury Piccadilly [4]
Parking: NCP Wardour Street
Buses: 14, 19, 22B, 38, 53, 88, 94, 159
The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue seats 924 people over 4 levels and is the oldest remaining theatre on Shaftesbury Avenu itself. Beware, however, not to confuse it with the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, which has a very different programming policy and is far enough away that if you get a taxi to the wrong one, you probably wont get back to the right one in time for the start of your show.
The Lyric Theatre opened on Shaftesbury Avenue in 1888 to provide a home for operettas, and for many years it housed comic operas, musicals and light comedies. However, nowadays its programming is more diverse, and you can find straight theatre, revivals, musicals, standup comedy, and new work. It has proved varied and entertaining enough to survive in a West End that is dominated by the large, spectacular adapted musicals at some of the bigger theatres, and has carved out a unique space of quirky, populist, entertaining programming that has kept it going for more than a century, and is sure to do so for many years to come.
The Lyric has seen many of the London stages greatest performers tread its boards, including Yvonne Arnaud, the Lunts, Tallulah Bankhead, Judi Dench, and John Malkovich, It has hosted new work by dramatists as significant as Eugene ONeill, J.B. Priestley, and Terence Rattigan. In 2000, it was purchased by Andrew Lloyd Webbers Really Useful Group, and the programming has continued to be as varied as ever, including Festen, Night Of The Iguana, Eddie Izzard, Thriller LIVE, and Al Murray: Pub Landlord. Its vibrant mix of new work with established stars, solid revivals, comedy, and crowd-pleasing musicals have served it well in the last 125 years.
The Lyric is on Shaftesbury Avenue, perhaps Londons most famous street with regard to theatres. The closest tube station is Piccadilly Circus, but, being perched on the edge of Soho, you can eaily reach it from Leicester Square, Oxford Circus, or Covent Garden. If you wish to use a mainline railway station then the closest is Charing Cross. It is just a moment or twos walk from Piccadilly Circus, and is an ideal place to spend the evening if you have been sightseeing during the day.
There are many places to eat and drink in the West End, and almost all tastes will be catered for. For drinks afterwards you could not be closer to Soho, and its many late-night imbibing destinations. If you want a night out in London as well as an evening at the theatre, the Lyric is ideally situated on Shaftesbury Avenue.
If you are driving in the daytime be aware that you will be liable for the congestion charge, although there is the Theatreland Parking scheme which could entitle you to 50% off your off-street parking charge. To qualify you must validate a Q-Park parking ticket at the theatre box office.
In all, check the website for what is currently on, but if you want to enjoy a night out in the West End, at the oldest theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, then the Lyric deserves more than a little of your time and attention.
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| HOTEL / APARTMENT | POSTCODE | MILES | STAR | 23 May | 24 May | 25 May | 26 May | 27 May | 28 May | 29 May | 30 May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEST WESTERN PREMIER Shaftesbury Piccadilly Hotel | W1D 6EX | 0.15 | 4 | Full | Full | £149.00 | £189.00 | £109.00 | £159.00 | £179.00 | £179.00 |
| Le Meridien Piccadilly | W1J 0BH | 0.28 | 4 | £358.80 | £334.80 | £310.80 | £310.80 | £334.80 | £322.80 | £322.80 | £322.80 |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian, Hampshire | WC2H 7LH | 0.38 | 5 | £336.00 | £288.00 | £214.80 | £214.80 | £204.00 | £204.00 | £252.00 | £252.00 |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian, Leicester Square | WC2H 7HL | 0.42 | 4 | £366.00 | £366.00 | £214.80 | £238.80 | £214.80 | £246.00 | £306.00 | £306.00 |
| The Royal Trafalgar - A Thistle Hotel | WC2H 7HG | 0.42 | 4 | £358.80 | £214.80 | £178.80 | £178.80 | £178.80 | £286.80 | £286.80 | £286.80 |
| The Cavendish London - Piccadilly | SW1Y 6JF | 0.48 | 4 | £499.00 | £289.00 | Full | Full | £259.00 | £239.00 | Full | £249.00 |
| 3, Ryder Street Chambers - St James's - Piccadilly Serviced Apartments | SW1Y 6PY | 0.59 | 4A | Full | £265.00 | £310.00 | £269.00 | £185.00 | Full | £235.00 | £205.00 |
| The Westbury Hotel - Bond Street London | W1S 2YF | 0.62 | 5 | £442.80 | £370.80 | £202.80 | £310.80 | £238.80 | £238.80 | £442.80 | £442.80 |
| Brown's - A Rocco Forte Hotel | W1S 4BP | 0.63 | 5 | £558.00 | £438.00 | £354.00 | £402.00 | £354.00 | £402.00 | £438.00 | £438.00 |
| The Bloomsbury Hotel - A member of The Doyle Collection | WC1B 3NN | 0.68 | 4 | £366.00 | £234.00 | £162.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £198.00 | £378.00 |
| St Giles Hotel and Leisure Club | WC1B 3AS | 0.70 | 3 | £129.00 | £129.00 | £129.00 | £129.00 | £92.00 | £90.00 | Full | £129.00 |
| Sanderson - A Morgans Hotel | W1T 3NG | 0.74 | 5 | Full | Full | £310.80 | £310.80 | £310.80 | £274.80 | Full | Full |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian, Kenilworth | WC1B 3LB | 0.81 | 4 | £264.00 | £222.00 | Full | Full | £118.80 | £162.00 | £198.00 | £198.00 |
| The May Fair | W1J 8LT | 0.81 | 5 | £514.80 | £358.80 | £298.80 | £346.80 | £262.80 | £310.80 | £406.80 | £358.80 |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street | WC1B 3QD | 0.81 | 4 | £282.00 | £186.00 | £270.00 | £178.80 | £162.00 | £174.00 | £214.80 | £214.80 |
| myhotel Bloomsbury | WC1B3HD | 0.84 | 4 | Full | Full | £226.80 | £226.80 | £118.80 | £130.80 | £178.80 | £238.80 |
| The Rathbone Hotel | W1T 1LB | 0.84 | 4 | £390.00 | £210.00 | £126.00 | Full | £102.00 | £174.00 | £210.00 | £210.00 |
| Royal Horseguards | SW1A 2EJ | 0.86 | 5 | £396.00 | £276.00 | £252.00 | £252.00 | £240.00 | £312.00 | Full | Full |
| Kingsway Hall | WC2B 5BX | 0.88 | 4 | £274.80 | £190.80 | £118.80 | £154.80 | £130.80 | £166.80 | Full | £214.80 |
| Strand Palace Hotel | WC2R 0JJ | 0.89 | 3 | Full | £217.63 | £112.00 | £112.00 | £112.00 | £162.00 | £184.00 | £162.00 |
| Saint Georges Hotel | W1B 2QS | 0.95 | 4 | £227.00 | £227.00 | Full | Full | £117.00 | £187.00 | £197.00 | £197.00 |
| Flemings Hotel Mayfair | W1J 7BH | 0.95 | 4 | £338.41 | £290.41 | £170.41 | £199.21 | £170.41 | £199.21 | £290.41 | £290.41 |
| Washington Mayfair Hotel | W1J 5HE | 0.97 | 4 | Full | Full | £186.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | Full |
| The Kingsley - A Thistle Hotel | WC1A 2SD | 0.98 | 4 | Full | £240.00 | £162.00 | £180.00 | £168.00 | £192.00 | £240.00 | £228.00 |
| Staunton Hotel | WC1E 6HE | 1.02 | 4G | Full | £189.00 | £189.00 | £189.00 | £159.00 | £159.00 | £189.00 | Full |
| Grange Langham Court Hotel | W1W 6BU | 1.05 | 4 | Full | £191.00 | Full | Full | £126.00 | £191.00 | Full | £239.00 |
| The Academy, The Bloomsbury Town House | WC1E 6HG | 1.07 | 4 | Full | Full | Full | Full | £102.00 | £162.00 | £186.00 | £246.00 |
| Grange Blooms Town House Hotel | WC1B 5BP | 1.11 | 3 | Full | £203.00 | Full | Full | £126.00 | £191.00 | £251.00 | Full |
| The Hallam | W1W 6JF | 1.13 | 3G | Full | Full | £79.00 | £79.00 | £65.00 | £100.00 | £79.00 | £79.00 |
| Chandos House | W1G 9LQ | 1.14 | 4 | Full | Full | Full | Full | £99.00 | Full | Full | Full |
| Montague on the Gardens - A Red Carnation Hotel | WC1B 5BJ | 1.15 | 4 | Full | £186.00 | £174.00 | £174.00 | £174.00 | £174.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 |
| Astor Court Hotel | W1W 6JQ | 1.16 | 3 | Full | Full | Full | Full | £110.00 | £110.00 | £110.00 | £110.00 |
| The Portland Hotel | WC1B 5JH | 1.17 | 4 | Full | £323.00 | Full | Full | £126.00 | £227.00 | Full | Full |
| Beauchamp Hotel | WC1B 5JH | 1.19 | 4 | £275.00 | Full | Full | Full | £126.00 | £167.00 | £227.00 | Full |
| The Lancaster Hotel | WC1B 5JD | 1.20 | 3 | £150.00 | £150.00 | £162.00 | Full | £96.00 | £78.00 | £90.00 | £90.00 |
| Garth Hotel | WC1E 6HJ | 1.20 | 2 | £155.00 | Full | £69.00 | Full | £79.00 | £69.00 | £94.00 | £79.00 |
| Millennium Hotel London Mayfair | W1K 2HP | 1.21 | 4 | £480.00 | £480.00 | £528.00 | £528.00 | £330.00 | £528.00 | £528.00 | £528.00 |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian Berkshire Hotel | W1C 1BY | 1.22 | 4 | £330.00 | £300.00 | £174.00 | £174.00 | £150.00 | £234.00 | £246.00 | £246.00 |
| The Athenaeum | W1J 7BJ | 1.22 | 5 | £366.00 | £366.01 | £299.00 | £299.00 | £275.00 | £299.00 | £366.00 | £366.00 |
| Citadines Prestige Holborn-Covent Garden | WC1V 6LF | 1.26 | 4A | £265.20 | £212.40 | £212.40 | £265.20 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £212.40 | £212.40 |
| Park Lane Mews Hotel | W1J 7BS | 1.27 | 4 | £294.00 | £184.00 | £144.00 | £154.00 | £114.00 | £234.00 | £170.00 | £170.00 |
| Grange Holborn | WC1B 4AR | 1.27 | 5 | £299.00 | £335.00 | £203.00 | £239.00 | £126.00 | £203.00 | £299.00 | £299.00 |
| The Sanctuary House Hotel | SW1H 9LA | 1.28 | 3 | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full | £160.00 |
| Hotel Cavendish | WC1E 6HJ | 1.29 | 4 | £225.00 | £195.00 | £105.00 | Full | £95.00 | £95.00 | £105.00 | £105.00 |
| Chancery Court Hotel, London | WC1V 7EN | 1.29 | 5 | Full | £300.00 | £216.00 | £216.00 | £216.00 | £300.00 | £300.00 | £300.00 |
| Mercure London Bloomsbury | WC1B 5AF | 1.32 | 4 | £229.00 | £169.00 | £139.00 | £159.00 | £139.00 | £129.00 | £219.00 | £189.00 |
| The Marylebone Hotel - A member of The Doyle Collection | W1G 8DN | 1.34 | 4 | £282.00 | £270.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £186.00 | £318.00 | £306.00 |
| Hotel Russell - London, Bloomsbury | WC1B 5BE | 1.37 | 4 | £358.80 | £226.80 | £166.80 | £130.80 | £154.80 | £142.80 | £262.80 | £262.80 |
| Grange Fitzrovia Hotel | W1W 5 N B | 1.42 | 4 | Full | £203.00 | £167.00 | Full | £126.00 | £251.00 | Full | £191.00 |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian Grafton Hotel | W1T 5AY | 1.48 | 4 | £250.80 | £262.80 | £130.80 | £166.80 | £90.00 | £178.80 | £198.00 | £198.00 |
| Station | Zone | Line(s) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piccadilly Circus Station | 1 | Bakerloo - Piccadilly | 0.13 miles |
| Leicester Square Station | 1 | Piccadilly - Northern | 0.34 miles |
| Tottenham Court Road Station | 1 | Central - Northern | 0.58 miles |
| Covent Garden Station | 1 | Piccadilly | 0.68 miles |
| Charing Cross Station | 1 | Bakerloo - Northern | 0.68 miles |
| Station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Charing Cross London Station | 0.71 miles |
| London Waterloo International Station | 1.58 miles |
| London Waterloo Station | 1.70 miles |
| London Waterloo East Station | 1.81 miles |
| London Euston Station | 1.94 miles |