Theatre and Performance Venues in London

Welcome to our collection of unique theatres and performance venues available for hire in London. We are proud to host many of the city’s greatest theatre locations, both well-known conventional theatres with a rich cultural heritage and quirky alternative spaces that would make an ideal space for a live performance or even an interactive event. From small intimate theatres to large scale venues, our list has it all, including those found in London’s iconic West End, often considered the home of theatre, attracting performers and spectators from around the world.

We can connect you with a stage that offers a unique central location, close to fantastic amenities such as hotels, restaurants and transport links to the rest of London and further afield, maximizing convenience and making the experience as hassle-free as possible. The beauty and generous space make theatres attractive for other events as well, including conferences, live music performances, press events and many others.

London City Island

English National Ballet

Our state-of-the-art new home in London City Island opens up multiple opportunities for creation, collaboration, commercial activity and engagement. With four large rehearsal studios, our full height fly-tower Production Studio, social spaces and meeting rooms, English National Ballet has a home to be proud of and to grow in. Our home is the cultural anchor in London’s newest neighbourhood, London City Island. A space where we can share practice, generate ideas and create extraordinary experiences for our audiences and partners. We have excellent transport links, served by the Jubilee and DLR lines at Canning Town – 20 minutes from central London and only five minutes from Stratford, where the new Sadler’s Wells, V&A and London College of Fashion are opening. Once Crossrail opens in late 2019 there will be another fast link to Canary Wharf and Stratford. Our new home has been designed by award-winning architects Glenn Howells Architects. At 93,000 square feet, it is four times the size of our previous buildings. These world class facilities will not only fulfil our needs now, but for generations to come, inspiring and developing the dancers, choreographers, costume-makers, musicians, participants and audiences of the future. The Production Studio Capacity: 500 standing 500 theatre 350 dining 250 cabaret The Production Studio is a blank canvas and can be a productive technical theatre space, an engaging conference or training space, and can transform into a magical hospitality space. With a full height fly tower and a stage space to match London's largest theatres, the Production studio offers a technical space in which to rehearse and produce performances. It is incredibly versatile and can also be used as a dining space, presentation and training venue and for showcasing brands and organisations. The Rehearsal Studios Capacity: 200 standing 100 seated We have four large rehearsal studios, 15 x 15 x 5.5m in size, acoustically treated and featuring state of the art harlequin flooring. Our studios are not only world-class rehearsal spaces but also make the perfect space for a variety of events. Highly suitable for workshops, training sessions, a drinks reception, castings, film and photography and a whole range of other hospitality events. Our studios feature dance mirrors and ballet barres on 3-4 walls (which can be covered if requested) speakers, a 55" screen, a piano which is included within the hire, and lots of natural light from the floor to ceiling windows. The Mezzanine Capacity: 175 standing 100 classroom 75 seated 70 cabaret The Mezzanine is a bright, welcoming space situated on the first floor of the English National Ballet's new home on London City Island. The iconic floor to ceiling shuttered windows gives the area lots of natural light throughout the day whilst also remaining a private space. It is highly suitable for workshops, training sessions and can be used together with the Bickle room to bring the capacity up to 200 standing. This Mezzanine also makes a wonderful setting for a drinks reception and is a highly versatile space for a range of hospitality events. The Bickle Room Capacity: 60 standing 30 seated The Bickle Room is a welcoming space situated on the first floor of the English National Ballet's new home on London City Island. This room makes a great breakout space when hired together with the Mezzanine but can also be used on its own for workshops, training sessions and meetings.

Standing 750

Theatre 500

Dining 350

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Regents Park

229

Central London's most versatile, multi-faceted venue, supporting Grassroots music. 229 is a multi-purpose entertainments venue which hosts gigs, club nights, awards ceremonies, comedy and fashion events, gala dinners and weekend festivals. The venue includes 2 event spaces and a Green Room. Some of the acts to have played at 229 include Kings of Leon, Paul Weller, Pet Shop Boys, Florence and the Machine, Biffy Clyro, Seasick Steve and Foals to name but a few. Managed under the umbrella of the charity, International Students House (ISH), 100% of the profit made by 229 goes directly back support our mission. We believe every young person should have the opportunity to succeed whatever their background. Together with our university partners and supporters, we provide scholarships opportunities, a home and a social programme to enable students to succeed while giving them a place to belong.

Standing 620

Theatre 328

Dining 150

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Dalston

Arcola Theatre

In a converted paint factory at the heart of trendy Dalston, Arcola Theatre is a hub of culture and imagination for creatives and business professionals. Celebrated for its sustainability, it lies just north of the City of London, a one-minute walk from two Overground stations, 20 minutes from Oxford Circus. Arcola hosts hundreds of events each year. Its diverse range of spaces suit anything from meetings for 2, to conferences for almost 200, while the buzzing atmosphere makes it perfect for escaping the clutches of a stale office environment. Both auditoria make for an exciting space to host away days*, presentations and conferences. Events occur on existing sets for Arcola’s productions, bringing quirk and originality to each experience. Upstairs, studios with an abundance of natural light provide spacious environments for meetings and workshops. They are regularly in demand for parties and launches, enhanced by ambient lighting and a private bar. And there’s always the award-winning Arcola Bar, where delegates can relax at the end of a long day with local craft beer, spirits and more. We offer catering options, technical equipment and free Wi-Fi to support your event, and our dedicated technicians, front of house and bar staff – as well as our in-house IT team - can be on hand to ensure you get the most out of your day. You’ll find a fantastic home for your event at Arcola Theatre. Why not get in touch to find out more?

Standing 100

Theatre 197

Cabaret 100

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Milton Keynes

Red Bull Racing Formula One Team

Welcome to the heart of the Red Bull Racing machine – our Milton Keynes headquarters. This is where our path to success is shaped, where the vision of creating the world’s quickest and most competitive race cars comes to life, and where in an intensely focused environment of constant innovation and evolution, our competitive edge is honed to razor sharpness. It’s these qualities of creativity, inventiveness and competitive drive that make our impressive, high-tech factory event spaces the perfect venue for your event. Our new venue for 2019, MK-7 is the embodiment of our competitive vision. Comprising an inspiring set of artistic event spaces designed around our principles of hard work and the pursuit of perfection. MK-7 is a venue built to inspire, to bring out the best in people, and to enable them to fulfil their full potential. There are also event spaces available for hire within the factory itself. Whilst our high-tech factory is closed to the public and with security tightly-controlled, we are delighted that there are certain areas of our Milton Keynes HQ which are available for hosting events. Providing guests with a remarkable and unique insight into the confines of a leading Formula 1 team’s base and how it operates, the factory is not to be missed.

Standing 450

Theatre 300

Dining 170

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Peckham

Asylum Chapel

A beautifully distressed chapel, Asylum is a grade II listed building built in 1826, bombed in WWII. The present use of the chapel is as a flexible space which can be hired for photographic and film shoots, exhibitions, theatre, weddings and funerals. A unique venue in South East London for weddings, corporate events, press shows and private dinner parties.

Standing 150

Theatre 120

Cabaret 80

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Wembley

The SSE Arena - Wembley

The SSE Arena, Wembley is the second largest arena in London and is known best for being a live entertainment venue. It is London's best connected arena, with travel links like no other venue in the south of England, bringing us within easy reach for up to 16.5 million customers each year. Having been at the forefront of the music and live entertainment world for 80 years, this renowned Grade II listed building also has the ability to cater for all types of corporate events for up to 12,000 guests. With 2655 square metres of uninterrupted floor space, it provides great flexibility for your imagination to run away with! This versatile space can be used as a full auditorium for large scale events or as a draped short hall with the use of our in house draping system, allowing to create a blank canvas ballroom. The various layouts can accommodate huge conferences from 1,000 - 12,000 delegates in a theatre style layout, 1,400 for a corporate dinner dance or awards ceremony in a banquet set up and anything from a product launch, to an exhibition or a production heavy fashion show. The arena floor and ceilings have adequate loading limits, along with a mother grid and catwalks for rigging equipment so you can be as creative as you want! With our team of experts on hand to help you make your ideas become a reality, the possibilities are endless. For those looking for a space much smaller, we have some great lounges which are perfect for hosting conferences for up to 200 delegates - Please do have a look at our downloadable documents for further information.

Standing 6000

Theatre 12000

Dining 1400

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Brixton

Electric Brixton

Electric is an iconic, theatrical structure, a venue that is characterful with a contemporary twist. The huge ground floor Main Room and stage are overlooked by a beautiful mezzanine – the Circle Bar, and ideal for live shows with a 1500 capacity and standing receptions of 1700. Electric an ideal setting not only for corporate parties, but also conferences, award ceremonies, dinners, product launches, away days, wedding receptions, bar mitzvahs, filming and much more. Electrics Main Room can accommodate 320 guests seated cabaret style for awards or gala evenings and 180 dining, whilst it also lends itself to smaller numbers of 250 – 800 when the mezzanine isn't in use. We use only the best caterers around for all of our events. We work closely with a number of preferred caterers who all offer fresh, modern and creative catering whilst upholding traditional service values. The entire team are all self-confessed foodies and continuously provide superb food made only from the finest sustainably sourced ingredients. Our contemporary menus suitable for anything from exquisite canapés and formal dinners through to themed bowl food and innovative conference options are sure to tantalise the taste buds and leave your guests coming back for more. As well as exceptional food, we also provide both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages alongside a beautiful array of wonderful cocktails. With ideas from classic favourites through to ingenious mocktails, they’re sure to add the finishing touch to your event. FAQ's Does Electric host birthday parties? No, Electric will not host a birthday party for any age. Can we hire Electric at the weekend? Daytime hire at the weekend is limited due to regular live and club events in the evening, but always ask and we will try and accommodate. Night-time hire is reviewed case by case and always worth asking. Does Electric have preferred suppliers? Yes, although we will always work with the client to ensure the event works best for their needs if they wish to consider outside suppliers. Is parking available? Pay and Display bays are available behind the venue on Buckner Road. They are free after 5.30pm. Is loading access easy? Please direct all deliveries to Buckner Road, for our rear entrance. Flat access to both stage and the main floor. Does Electric provide furniture for events? We do not own any tables or chairs - these must always be hired. Is internet provided at the venue? Internet access is available throughout the venue. Virtual tour (you can use the numbered buttons at the side of the screen to jump between the floors)

Standing 1700

Theatre 350

Dining 200

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Soho, Piccadilly

Karma Sanctum Soho

Karma Sanctum, centrally located in London's buzzy Soho is an award-winning five-star Hotel with a rooftop terrace, cinema and restaurant. Wild Heart Bar & Grill is located on the ground floor and serves a delicious mix of new British cuisine, the perfect venue for private events, parties and product launches. Our unique rooftop terrace one of London's best kept secrets, with a private bar and hot tub. Perfect for birthday parties, private parties and drinks for small or large groups. The cinema is located on our lower ground floor and offers a mix of vintage glamour and opulent design. A versatile space, the perfect location to hold a workshop, seminar or your own private screening, and can also be transformed into a space for intimate group dinners or parties, benefiting from its own private bar. Screening facilities have recently been upgraded with full state-of-the-art Digital Cinema projection, boasting eye-popping image quality and cutting edge entertainment options. Roof Terrace Profile

Standing 150

Theatre 65

Dining 80

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Hammersmith

ReCentre Event Space

Re:Centre provides a rare sense of open space in the heart of London. This 4,000 sq. ft. space is perfect for hosting a wide range of events including talks, exhibitions, performances, large group classes, and workshops. With the majestic River Thames flowing directly in front of our Event Space, and a serene landscaped courtyard at the back, we offer a natural, bright and inspiring venue in which to host your event. Please note that Re:Centre is a carefully curated space, and not simply a space-to-hire, we, therefore, require that all event bookings be assessed to ensure they run in line with our vision and core values.

Standing 100

Theatre 100

Dining 100

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Shoreditch

TT Cinema

Standing 80

Theatre 52

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Camberwell

The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse is one of London’s newly refurbished venues, situated at the heart of Camberwell on Camberwell Road. First opened as The Regal Cinemas in 1940, changed to the ABC Cinemas in 1961 then later bought and managed by Gala Bingo, the venue has played host to a number of events and shows such as “Billy the Kid” and “Wicked, Wicked”. Following on from its recent refurbishment by its new owners, the Grade II Listed Building now boasts of a splendid and classy, yet modern Art Deco, which is suitable for the use of most events and even community functions. This venue is one that has started creating a huge buzz in London’s Venues sector, with modern and state of art facilities to host a huge array of events, shows and functions.

Standing 2850

Theatre 1800

Cabaret 500

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West London

Eventim Apollo

The Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith is a legendary live venue, which has hosted global superstars from world famous musicians and comedians. We are now available to book for a diverse range of private hire and corporate events, from awards ceremonies, dinners and weddings, to cutting-edge product launches and fashion shows. The Hammersmith Apollo comes as a full hire only. High and low season rates are available.

Standing 1500

Theatre 3341

Dining 700

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How to Produce an Interactive Theatre Event

Interactive and immersive theatre is on the rise, where the audience plays an active part in the play and changes how the story unfolds. It’s a new way of bringing the arts to more people and allows them to get much more involved than at a traditional theatre. But how exactly do you go about producing this type of play? And how do you make sure that it’s successful? We have some top tips on how to get your audience engaged so that they leave having been a part of something truly memorable:

Remember That It’s All About the Audience

In interactive theatre more than in any other, the audience calls all the shots. They are the most important part of the play as they will actually be playing their own roles within it. If you don’t have a play that is giving the audience this but instead taking it the power away from at times, this will leave audiences confused. They won’t know what is going on and with no one to guide them down the right path in the play, you are going to be left with customers who are frustrated and annoyed. If the audience needs help to become immersed, then you need to be able to give it.

Be Flexible

No two plays are ever the same in immersive theatre, because the cast is always changing. While you are giving your audience a certain amount of power, it can be easy to want to narrow this down so that they only have a certain number of options to go with, like picking a second path in a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’. While this can be done, it can also make the experience feel restrictive. You are looking for something that’s more organic, so the audience can really make their decisions and the actors take their cues from it.

Use Your Venue

No matter what venue you are in, it can be used to your advantage when it comes to immersive theatre. Look at the different quirks that it has and make those into a part of your play. Each venue has a unique feel to it, so you’ll have to choose carefully before deciding. You don’t want to have an idea in your head that ends up not working because you didn’t consider the venue carefully enough. There are a number of theatres for hire in London, and any one of these traditional venues can be absolutely transformed to accommodate an immersive theatre experience.

Think About Ratio

How any actors do you need to complete your vision? And how many audience members can you accommodate at any one time? Getting this ratio just right is crucial in producing interactive theatre that works. Generally speaking, the more actors there are the better, and unless your play is specifically designed to host a large audience all at once, having more actors that audience can sometimes be a good thing. In a murder mystery type interactive theatre, the audience is sometimes in groups, going around different scenes and trying to find clues.

Trust Your Actors

In interactive theatre, anything can happen, so it’s important that you don’t enclose your actors with set lines or scenes that they have to follow no matter what. The best type of immersive experience is the one that naturally leads you through it to the conclusion, and in order to do that, the actors need the freedom to be able to improvise. Every audience will be different. Some will need encouragement to speak up, and others encouragement to listen. Choosing a cast that has experience in this type of theatre and can handle any type of audience is crucial, and you need to trust them to be able to do it.

Check Your Tech

Your lighting and sound are still just as important in immersive theatre, so you need to make sure that you have the capacity to do all the things that you want to. It can be hard to rig up lighting in different parts of a venue, which is why pre-production is such a crucial stage in any play. Talking with your actors and getting their input on what will work for them will help your tech work in the way that’s simplest for everyone involved, while still providing the experience that you want your audience to be able to enjoy.

Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse

With this type of theatre, you never really know what’s going to happen with each new audience, and every night it will be different. This makes your rehearsal time even more precious. Get test audiences in to try it out and give feedback before opening to the public. This will help you to smooth out any kinks that you didn’t even know were there. The more rehearsal time that you can squeeze in, the better the experience will be for everyone. Remember, because your audience is so close to you, they’re much more likely to notice – and comment on – anything that doesn’t quite fit.

Enjoy It!

Let’s be honest, it’s rare that an opening night of any play goes exactly to plan, and there will always be a certain amount of hiccups along the way. It’s natural to be nervous when you’ve put so much time and energy into producing something, but the best way to make your interactive theatre event a success is to just relax and enjoy it.

There are still many people out there who have never even heard of interactive theatre let alone been a part of it, which is why it’s such a great way to get a new type of audience involved in the arts. If you think carefully about the play that you are producing, and always keep the audience to the forefront of your mind, then you’re sure to be successful.

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Theatre and Performance Venues in London

How to Produce an Interactive Theatre Event