About the Sondheim Theatre
The Sondheim Theatre originally opened as the Queen’s Theatre in 1907 and is situated on the famous Shaftesbury Avenue, where many other major West End houses including the Gielgud Theatre are located. The theatre was designed by architect W. G. R. Sprague and has an Edwardian auditorium, but the façade and lobby were destroyed in WWII by a direct hit from a German bomb. The foyer was then rebuilt in a modern style. Further refurbishment took place in 2009, which improved public spaces and increased seating capacity.
In 2019, the Queen’s Theatre was closed for a £13.8 million restoration to improve the facilities and restore some original Edwardian features. The theatre was renamed in honour of prolific composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim on 15 July 2019 and reopened in December of that year.
The Sondheim has housed the legendary musical Les Miserables since 2004, which transferred to the venue from the Palace Theatre and remains one of the must-sees shows in the West End. When the theatre reopened in 2019, a new production of Les Miserables was introduced, with updated staging and more modern direction. Both versions of the show have been huge hits, and Les Miserables tickets remain some of the most popular for theatregoers visiting London.
