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West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of London's "Theatreland" . Along with New York's Broadway Theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of theatre in the English speaking world. Seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London.
Since the late 1990s there has been an increase in the number of American film stars acting on the London stage. For example, in December 2004 Holly Hunter was appearing in By The Bog of Cats and Christian Slater was starring in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Earlier in the same year Kevin Spacey became artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre, where he plans to appear in two productions a year.
Theatreland
London's main theatre district is located in the heart of the West End of the city centre, and is traditionally defined by The Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Kingsway to the east although The South Bank Complex is now considered by some to be part of it. Prominent theatre streets include Drury Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue, and The Strand. This area contains approximately forty large theatres and is often referred to as Theatreland. The works staged are predominantly musicals, classic or middle brow plays, and comedy performances.
Most of the theatres in "Theatreland" are late Victorian or Edwardian, and they are privately owned. Most of them have great character, and the largest and best maintained are splendid. On the other hand leg room is often cramped (people were smaller a hundred years ago) and audience facilities such as bars and restrooms are often much smaller than in modern theatres. The protected status of the buildings, combined with financial constraints, mean that it is very difficult to make substantial improvements to the level of comfort offered. In 2004, it was estimated that an investment of £250 million was required for modernisation, and the theatre owners unsuccessfully requested tax concessions to help them meet the costs.
Long Running Shows
West End shows may run for a varying number of weeks, depending on ticket sales. Musicals tend to have longer runs than do stage plays. The longest running musical in West End history was Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, which closed in 2000 after running for 9,000 performances. , whilst the longest running current musical is Les Misérables. However the non-musical Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap is the longest running show in the world, and has been running since 1953.
London's Non-Commercial Theatres
It should be noted that the term West End Theatre is sometimes used to refer specifically to commercial productions in "Theatreland". However the leading non-commercial (often publicly subsidised) theatres in London, such as the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Globe Theatre, the Old Vic, the Young Vic, the Royal Court Theatre, the Almeida Theatre, the Donmar Warehouse, and the Open Air Theatre, several of which are not located in "Theatreland" arguably enjoy greater artistic prestige. These theatres stage a higher proportion of more demanding work, including premieres of new plays by leading high-brow playrights. Hit plays from the non-commercial theatres sometimes transfer to one of the commercial "Theatreland" houses for an extended second run.
Other London Theatre
There is a great deal of theatre in London outside of the West End. Much of this is known as Fringe Theatre which is the equivalent of Off Broadway Theatre in New York. Fringe venues range from well-equipped small theatres to rooms above pubs, and the performances range from classic plays, to cabaret, to plays in the languages of London's ethnic minorities. The performers range from emerging young professionals to amateurs.
Finally, there are also local theatres in the suburbs which stage a wide range of work, often including touring productions.
Awards
There are a number of annual awards for outstanding achievements in London theatre:
Laurence Olivier Awards
Evening Standard Awards
London Critics Circle Theatre Awards
See also
External links
Official London Theatre website (http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk)
Really Useful Theatres - major London theatre operator (http://www.wayahead.com/useful//actualfront.asp)
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