Cambridge Theatre
A guide to the Cambridge Theatre in London's West End
Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2010, the Cambridge Theatre has hosted dozens of fabulous musicals since its founding and is within walking distance of many of the West End's popular restaurants and pubs. Perfect when you fancy a delicious meal in Chinatown before a show or a nice drink at a trendy Soho bar afterwards.
Just 300 metres from vibrant Leicester Square and very near to Covent Garden and Leicester Square Underground stations, the Cambridge Theatre has a capacity of 1,231 seats and features a well-preserved interior. With beautiful chandeliers and elegant candelabras, it's the perfect theatre venue for couples and families alike.
The history
One of the West End's youngest venues, the Cambridge Theatre opened its doors on September 4, 1930. Its first show was Masquerade, a revue by the acclaimed Canadian performer Beatrice Lillie and the successful French impresario Andr‚ Charlot. Some of the theatre's best known productions include The Judge (1967), produced by John Mortimer and starring Patrick Wymark; the revue Sauce Tartare (1949), produced by Cecil Landau; One Mo' Time (1981), the New Orleans Musical starring Vernel Bagneris; and Jerry Springer: The Opera (2003).
The venue benefited from major restoration in the 1980s, which was completed by Carl Toms, a successful set and costume designer. He was educated at London's Royal College of Art and received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design in 1975.
Hosting musicals as well as plays
Despite its status as a musical house, the Cambridge Theatre provides a more intimate atmosphere than some other West End venues. This has enabled it to host numerous successful plays such as Heartbreak House (1943) and The Reluctant Debutante (1955-1956). The theatre was also known for the acclaimed play Return to the Forbidden Planet (1989), which was produced by the Olivier-Award-winning Bob Charlton and ran for three years.
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