Duke of Yorks.JPG

Duke of York’s Theatre

Serious drama is the order of the day at this Victorian playhouse with a pedigree
  • Theatre | Musicals
  • Covent Garden
Advertising

Time Out says

Whereas yer average West End theatre houses shows that run for years, or even decades, Duke of York's Theatre has a snappier (and more serious-minded) turnover. Its 640-seater auditorium houses an ever-changing line-up of hit dramas transferring from Off-West End and quality new productions of classic plays.

Its substantial theatrical pedigree includes the premiere of J M Barrie's 'Peter Pan' in 1904, which is commemorated in the venue's Barrie bar, decorated from mementoes honouring the boy who wouldn't grow up. It also made opera history at the turn of the century, when composer Puccini visited a production of the play 'Madame Butterfly' and was inspired to turn it into the heartbreaking opera of the same name. A 14-year-old Charlie Chaplin made his only stage appearance in 1905, in a production of 'Sherlock Holmes'. And the Duke of York's made history off stage as well as on; in 1929, a meeting held in the theatre resulted in the creation of actor's union Equity.

Duke of York's Theatre was built in 1892, and was the first playhouse constructed on St Martin's Lane – it's since been joined by London Coliseum, St Martin's Theatre, and Noel Coward Theatre. It's unusual among West End theatres for being a standalone building: originally, dressing rooms were in a neighbouring house, and reached by a covered iron bridge. Outside, it's all late Classical grandeur with ornate doric columns. Inside, it glows in subtle shades of red and tobacco brown, with three balconies and elegantly restrained gilt flourishes – perfectly designed to prepare an audience for some serious drama.

Details

Address
St Martin's Lane
London
WC2N 4BG
Transport:
Tube: Charing Cross
Opening hours:
Temporarily Closed
Do you own this business?Sign in & claim business

What’s on

Woman in Mind

Sheridan Smith’s last West End outing was in Ivo van Hove’s flop ‘musical’ Opening Night – a charming, quirky show that didn’t deserve its meaner notices at all, but was proably also a bit ambitious for Theatreland. It's clearly not been too traumatic, as she reunites with its producers Wessex Grove for a Michael Longhurst-directed revival of Alan Ayckbourn's Woman in Mind. First seen in 1985, it follow Susan, a woman who takes a knock to the head and starts to experience two version of reality – one actual reality, featuring her actual family, and the other fantastical and featuring an entirely imagined family. The play came out when the hyperprolific Ayckbourn was at the zenith of his commercial popularity; he has been a relative stranger to the London stage in recent years, with his lumbering dystopia The Divide his only new effort to gain traction in the last decade and Woman in Mind bein his first major West End revival since 2012. Could Longhurst’s Sheridan Smith-powered revival be the show that powers a full on comeback? Time will tell.
  • Drama

Teeth 'n' Smiles

It’s been years since a David Hare play went to the West End – so in 2026, naturally, there are two of them. Over at the Theatre Royal Haymarket his latest Grace Pervades will star his regular collaborator Ralph Fiennes. And at the Duke of York’s one of his oldest plays – dating back to 1975 – will star an unexpected newcomer. Rebecca Lucy Taylor - aka sardonic pop star Self Esteem – did do a stint in the West End’s Cabaret a couple of years back, but she's never been in a straight up play (or, for what it's worth, had to face theatre critics before).  You probably wouldn't have put money on her drama debut being in a Hare play. But actually Teeth 'n' Smiles makes perfect sense for her, being a late ’60s-set drama that concerns Maggie Frisbee, an embittered, alcoholic rock star left raging and washed up at the end of the decade. The role was originated by a young Helen Mirren – who based her performance on Janis Joplin – and in that context it’s not hard to see why Taylor might have been intrigued. Plus! There are songs for Maggie to perform, originally written by Nick and Tony Bicât, but with new contributions from Taylor herself.  It’ll be directed by Daniel Raggett, who did such an excellent job with West End hit Accidental Death of an Anarchist a couple of years back.
  • Drama
Advertising
London for less
    You may also like
    You may also like