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Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Ultimate guide to the London Coliseum
The London Coliseum is one of the most recognisable and famous theatres in the West End. It's also the largest theatre in the capital, offering a huge space for staging epic opera productions, dance and theatre shows. Find out more about the Coliseum London, including its storied history, what shows are on, and all about London Coliseum seating and booking London Coliseum tickets. History of the venue The Coliseum Theatre London first opened on St Martin's Lane in the West End in December 1904, although it was originally called the London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties. It was designed by the celebrated theatre architect Frank Matcham, and the intent was to create the finest music hall of the age – the 'people's palace of entertainment'. It took a while for the venue to find its true purpose; in the meantime, the owners experimented with everything from plays, operettas and variety acts to hosting a cricket match. Musicals proved a big hit from the 1940s onwards. In 1968, the Sadler's Wells Opera Company (later the English National Opera) moved into the London Coliseum. What's on at the London Coliseum The Coliseum is now the official home of the English National Opera (ENO) and English National Ballet (ENB), so their shows make up the bulk of the programming. It also regularly stages large-scale musicals during the summer. In 2025, for example, the London Coliseum is hosting the ravishing stage musical version of The Great Gatsby. Current and upcoming shows The Great Gatsby is currently playing at the Coliseum. This spectacular stage musical version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's seminal novel was a sensation on Broadway and is the perfect fit for this spectacular venue. Upcoming shows include ENO's productions of Rossini's Cinderella, Bizet's Carmen, Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring, and Handel's Partenope. Dance productions include ENB's gorgeous family Christmas show, Nutcracker, and Akram Khan's spine-tingling version of mystical ballet Giselle. Past events The London Coliseum has seen a number of extraordinary ENO opera productions and ENB dance productions over the years, as well as musicals such as Queen's We Will Rock You, classic musical My Fair Lady, and the joyful Hairspray and On Your Feet. What you need to know about booking London Coliseum tickets It's simple to find the best seats at the Coliseum and make the most of your visit. How to book online Visit Telegraph Tickets to find all the latest shows playing at the Coliseum. Once you've chosen your preferred show, select the date you want to go and choose your seats on the seating map. You can find images on the show page too if you want to see London Coliseum photos. The Coliseum has four seating sections. The stalls are closest to the stage and offer the most excitingly immersive experience. The dress circle gives you a slightly different vantage point from above the stage and also offers excellent views. Higher up are the upper circle and balcony, which still offer great seats but, if price is a consideration, this is where you'll find cheap tickets. Accessibility at the London Coliseum The Coliseum has plenty of assistance for people with additional needs, as well as accessible seating options. There are wheelchair spaces in the stalls, dress circle and stalls boxes, and transfer seats in the dress circle and balcony. There are adapted unisex toilets and two lifts provide access to the venue's bars and restaurants. Age restrictions Each show's page on the Telegraph Tickets site offers helpful information about age restrictions. For example, if you're booking tickets for Nutcracker at the Coliseum, you can see that the show is recommended for ages five and above. Refunds and exchanges Tickets purchased through Telegraph Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded after you have made your purchase, unless the performance is cancelled or rescheduled. In that case, you will be entitled to claim a refund. Theatre capacity The London Coliseum has a seating capacity of 2,359. The venue also boasts the widest proscenium arch in the West End, and it's worth a visit purely to see this beautifully conceived building, although the extravagant shows are clearly the main draw. Planning your visit To make your visit to the Coliseum as smooth and enjoyable as possible, it's worth planning ahead. Where is the London Coliseum? The Coliseum is on St Martin's Lane, London WC2N, in the heart of the West End. It's surrounded by other venues that light up this world-renowned theatre district. It's very easy to combine a theatre trip with other sightseeing or cultural activities, whether that's a visit to Leicester Square or Trafalgar Square, to the National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery, or areas like Chinatown, Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus. There are numerous restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés within walking distance, as well as plenty of excellent transport links. How to get there: directions and transport Plot the best route to the London Coliseum via public transport by visiting the Transport for London website, which includes the underground train system (Tube), overground trains, buses, walking routes with maps, and more. Make sure you leave plenty of time for entering the theatre and having your bag checked (in line with the venue's bag policy), as well as buying a drink and programme, and then finding your seat. Nearest Tube station The closest Tube station to the Coliseum is Leicester Square, which is on the Northern Line and Piccadilly Line and is only a couple of minutes' walk from the theatre. Charing Cross Station is also very close by. It serves the Northern Line, Bakerloo Line and mainline train services. Other forms of public transport Numerous bus and overground train routes take you to the West End. You can also rent a bike through the Santander Cycles scheme if you are a confident cyclist, and it's also pleasant to walk around the area and enjoy this bustling part of London. Places to stay The centre of London has plenty of hotels to suit every preference and budget. Hotels close to the Coliseum include The Savoy, Premier Inn, Radisson Blu, The Dilly, The Cavendish, Strand Palace, The Z Hotel, St Giles London, The Clermont, and The Waldorf Hilton. Dining suggestions You can enjoy a pre- or post-theatre meal at one of the West End's excellent dining spots. And the Coliseum itself has fantastic food options, including a luxurious afternoon tea. Nearby, Covent Garden has dozens of high-quality eateries and, if you're a fan of Asian cuisine, make a bee-line for London's superb Chinatown district. FAQs How big is the London Coliseum? The Coliseum has a capacity of 2,359 across four sections: the stalls, the dress circle, the upper circle and the balcony. It's the largest theatre in London and has the biggest proscenium arch, so watching shows here is a spectacular experience. This huge space allows directors to stage ambitious productions with big casts and orchestras, making it one of the best venues in London to experience a full-scale opera, ballet or musical. Does the London Coliseum have air conditioning? The Coliseum has an effective air-cooling system for the comfort of the performers and audience. Does the London Coliseum have a dress code? There is no set London Coliseum dress code, so you are free to wear whatever you wish. However, in such a majestic setting, you might want to wear a dress or smart trousers to add to the fun of the occasion. What time should I arrive before a show? The Coliseum opens its doors 75 minutes before the show begins, so you're very welcome to arrive early, soak up the atmosphere of this wonderful building, buy a programme, and have a drink in one of the bars (which also open 75 minutes ahead of showtime). The auditorium opens 30 minutes before curtain up. The venue recommends that you arrive no later than 15 minutes before the show begins, so that you're not in a rush to find your seat and get settled. Note that the theatre will get very busy just before the show so, if you want to avoid the rush, try to get there earlier.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Royal Academy of Music to open new campus in Docklands
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) is planning to open a new east London campus which it says will provide "endless possibilities".The London City Island development in Docklands will include four large studios, 10 teaching and practice rooms alongside a grand piano and in-built recording will continue to be based on Marylebone Road in central London for the majority of its teaching, practice and rehearsal sessions, as well as all public principal Jonathan Freeman-Attwood said: "This acquisition is a game changer for the Royal Academy of Music and integral to our future as we take our already world-class facilities to a new level and to a new place." Work on London City Island should start in spring 2026 after designs are completed this hopes the 22-minute journey time from its main base "will provide additional opportunities for students, relieve pressure on the main building".It added that there were "no plans to increase the intake of students, and these new facilities are designed solely to improve the student experience".The building is close to English National Ballet's headquarters and will be designed by AOC Architecture whose recent work includes Young V&A in Bethnal Green, the National Archives in Kew and Somerset House Studios.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Remembering Glastonbury: a key event in contemporary culture
Glastonbury starts on Wednesday and we're looking back on one of the world's most famous music festivals. Olivia looks confident among the Glastonbury festivalgoers (Image: Yui Mok) The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (commonly referred to as simply Glastonbury Festival, known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton, Somerset, most summers. A performance by English National Ballet of 'Lest We Forget' - about the First World War - on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival (Image: Newsquest) In addition to contemporary music, it hosts dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts. Leading pop and rock artists have headlined, alongside thousands of others appearing on smaller stages and performance areas. The Arcadia Spectacular, known as 'The Spider', pictured at Glastonbury in 2014 (Image: Newsquest) Films and albums have been recorded at the festival, and it receives extensive television and newspaper coverage. Andy Parrini, 42, from Rockcliffe, was part of the Arcadia Spectacular team who built 'The Spider' (Image: Newsquest) Glastonbury takes place on 1,500 acres of farmland and is attended by around 200,000 people, requiring extensive security, transport, water, and electricity-supply infrastructure. Chris Salmon, of Baggy Mondays, who was playing at Kendal Calling at Glastonbury Festival 2013 (Image: Newsquest) While the number of attendees is sometimes swollen by gatecrashers, a record of 300,000 people was set at the 1994 festival, headlined by the Levellers, who performed on the Pyramid Stage. Most festival staff are unpaid volunteers, helping it to raise millions of pounds for charities. David Gardiner from Lorton was heading to Glastonbury Festival as a volunteer for WaterAid (Image: Newsquest) Regarded as a major event in contemporary British culture, the festival is inspired by the ethos of the hippie, the counterculture of the 1960s, and the free festival movement. Vestiges of these traditions are retained in the Green Fields area, which includes sections known as the Green Futures, the Stone Circle and Healing Field. Lauren Tobin, 21, from Dalston, said she wouldn't go to Glastonbury because she had a child (Image: Newsquest) Michael Eavis hosted the first festival, then called the Pilton Festival, after seeing an open-air Led Zeppelin concert in 1970 at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. Cathryn Armstrong, 38, of Workington, said she'd like to see Guns N' Roses play (Image: Newsquest) The first festival at Worthy Farm was the Pop, Blues & Folk Festival, on Saturday, September 19, 1970, and attended by 1,500 people. There had been a commercial UK festival tradition which included the National Jazz and Blues Festival and the Isle of Wight Festival. The original headline acts were The Kinks and Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders but these acts were replaced at short notice by Tyrannosaurus Rex, later known as T Rex. Tickets were £1. Other billed acts of note were Steamhammer, Quintessence, Stackridge, Al Stewart, Pink Fairies and Keith Christmas.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kimberley Garner shows off her incredible figure in silk skirt as she attends Sloane Street Garden Party
Kimberley Garner showed off her incredible figure on Saturday when she attended the VIP Sloane Street Garden Party. The reality star, 34, ensured all eyes were on her in a tight, white silk skirt that was bias-cut. She kept it cool by wearing a blue and white striped shirt that was tied in a knot at the bottom. The star accessorised the look with a small white handbag and ensured that she was comfortable in a pair of white trainers. The event was held to celebrate the street's transformation after a staggering £46 million was spent turning it into London's most leafy, luxurious shopping destination. Guests are said to have enjoyed food throughout the afternoon with cocktails and canapés from The Cadogan Hotel's bar. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. There was even entertainment from the English National Ballet School, artist Faye Bridgewater and a bubbleologist. Fashion was also the order of the day and Diptyque fashion illustrations were one of the activities on offer. Kimberley's appearance at the event comes after she revealed she had a new man, handsome trader boyfriend William Claeyssens de Tena, 30, in her life. She stepped out with partner William for the first time at the Chain of Hope Gala Ball in November. Speaking exclusively to the Mail on Sunday, Kimberley confirmed her relationship status, revealing the budding romance was going well, and she was happy. 'We met through friends just last week, so this is our second date,' she added. Kimberley's partner's Instagram says he divides his time between Marbella and London, and he appears to enjoy the high life - sailing, shooting, and attending events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed being some of his hobbies. Her date reveal came after recently revealing she had 'just broken up with someone'. Kimberley's last known romance began in the summer of 2023 when it was revealed that she was going out with financier Andreas Anthis, but the pair broke up in April last year, with Kimberley calling it the 'right decision'. The reality star previously dated her MIC co-star Richard Dinan. Kimberley also revealed she has bought a new house in Belgravia, London, and was 'excited' to live back in the UK after putting her Miami beach house on the market. She said it was a decision which was not driven by the presidential race because she was 'happy' with the result. 'I just bought a new property in Belgravia, so I have been working for the last two months and had my head down,' she said. 'This is my first night out in two months. 'I am selling my flat in America, so I am actually moving my money from the US to London.
Korea Herald
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: Tall and assured, Lee Sang-eun finds freedom in contemporary ballet
English National Ballet lead principal Lee Sang-eun performs in Asia premiere of Johan Inger's 'Walking Mad' with Seoul Metropolitan Ballet Dancers move tirelessly to the gradually intensifying beat of Ravel's "Bolero" -- climbing over, crashing into or vanishing behind a large wooden wall. In the midst all this seeming chaos, one dancer stood out: tall, assured and unmistakably at home. At 181 centimeters tall, Lee Sang-eun, lead principal dancer of the English National Ballet, is impossible to miss. Lee is in Seoul to perform as a guest artist in the Asian premiere of 'Walking Mad,' part of a double bill with 'Bliss' by acclaimed Swedish choreographer Johan Inger. The Seoul Metropolitan Ballet's production runs from Friday to May 18 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. "I first encountered 'Walking Mad' in 2013 as an understudy at the Semperoper Ballett Dresden,' Lee recalled in an interview with The Korea Herald at a rehearsal studio on Nodeul Island. 'I was promoted to principal in 2016, and that's when I finally had the chance to perform on stage. Coming back to it now -- nearly a decade later, and here in Korea -- feels deeply meaningful and joyful.' Having spent many years with ballet companies in Europe, she is no stranger to Inger's works. She performed in several, including "Peer Gynt" and 'Carmen,' for which the choreographer won the Benois de la Danse in 2016, and the experience has made her quite familiar with his movement language. 'Inger's works capture universal stories that resonate emotionally, with a visceral, honest and deeply human quality. That's why I feel his works have such a grounded essence,' said Lee. She suggested audiences tune in closely to the music. 'There are moments where movement and emotion connect through feeling alone. The music becomes a bridge, deepening the narrative. As a performer, I find myself most inspired when that synchronization between music, choreography and dancer happens naturally. That's when it becomes magical.' Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, a contemporary ballet company which inaugurated its season just last year, had sought Lee for a collaboration, as she perfectly aligns with the company's identity. Lee joined Universal Ballet in 2005 but left Korea to pursue more diverse and contemporary opportunities in Europe. In 2010, she joined Semperoper Ballett Dresden, where she danced until 2023. She then joined the English National Ballet when Aaron Watkin, the former artistic director of Semperoper, took the helm at the ENB. Over the past 20 years, she has performed in major repertory works, with choreographic luminaries such as Ohad Naharin and William Forsythe. This is the first time she is presenting a full-length contemporary work to a Korean audience, and Lee is particularly excited about the evolving dance scene in her home country. 'I left Korea partly to pursue more contemporary ballet, and now to see a company here embracing that, with legendary choreographers coming to Korea for the show, it's truly encouraging.' When she left, contemporary ballet was still a fringe interest in Korea, but it was when she danced a contemporary ballet piece that she 'truly felt free.' That sense of freedom was also closely tied to her physicality. Standing at 181 cm, Lee struggled to find compatible partners and roles in Korea. "Unlike classical ballet, where you must perfect your technique within a fixed framework, contemporary ballet is a collaborative process where both the choreographer and the dancer create in an open, evolving world. I really enjoy this creative process." Ironically, she said that after years of dancing contemporary ballet, she found a sense of freedom even within the constraints of classical ballet. 'Because of my height, I did wonder if I could continue ballet and eventually accepted that there might be limits," said Lee. "But despite that, it was still so rewarding. It was always a new challenge, constantly learning, and continuously failing -- and all those processes were all part of the growth.'
