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Discover moreTheatre Royal Drury Lane unveiled after two-year restoration
Theatre Royal Drury Lane, affectionately known as The Lane, has reopened following a two-year, £60 million restoration. The world-class theatrical and performance space has been entirely restored with the addition of exciting new food and drink spaces which will make this an entertainment and cultural destination alive throughout the day.
G&T provided Construction Management and Cost Management services on the restoration of the Grade I Listed building, which is the oldest theatre site in continuous use in the world. The restoration celebrates the building's long history and cultural legacy, including the Front of House and opulent staircases, designed by Benjamin Dean Wyatt, and the world-famous auditorium, which has been totally refashioned to bring the performer and audience closer together.
© Philip Vile
Acquiring Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2000 enabled Andrew Lloyd Webber to combine his love of musical theatre with a deep interest in architecture in 2019. Alongside his wife Madeleine, this ambitious project sought to bring to life the building's history, creating a space that will see the building busy throughout the day, for those coming to a show and those not.
"I believe The Lane is now one of London's most warm and beautiful auditoriums, and the most versatile historic theatrical space anywhere in the world."Andrew Lloyd Webber
From casual and contemporary, to formal and theatrical, each of The Lane's spaces has its own charm: the spacious and regal Grand Saloon, the relaxing, all-day dining area The Garden serving cocktails, coffee and light bites, a cocktail bar inspired and named after high society photographer and theatre costume designer Cecil Beaton and finally the Rotunda Bar where champagne will flow and elegant Georgian architecture shines.
© Andy Paradise
Exquisite art and sculptures are on display throughout, showcasing a breadth of work from established and emerging talents.
Andrew Lloyd Webber commented: "The task of restoring the Theatre Royal was threefold. How to reinstate Wyatt's glorious "front of house" rooms, how to fix the 1922 auditorium and, third, how to make this extraordinary building a versatile, vibrant heart of the artistic soul of Covent Garden. I believe that The Lane is now one of London's most warm and beautiful auditoriums, and the most versatile historic theatrical space anywhere in the world. The restoration of the Theatre Royal, uniting my two great passions of theatre and architecture, has been a colossal task rendered very difficult by the COVID pandemic. it simply would have ground to a halt without the dedication of our extraordinary craftsmen and the team overseeing the project in, at times, almost impossible circumstances. Madeleine and I hope that the Theatre Royal will become a vital part of the Covent Garden community. We want to welcome you all through its doors all day and every day for everything from cocktails to coffees and lots, lots more."
Madeleine Lloyd Webber said: "From the very start, we wanted to do something different with this iconic building. I wanted to encourage the use of our bars, tea rooms, bistro all day long, whether you have a theatre ticket or not. This was about setting the bar really high on customer experience, from butler service at your theatre seat, to luxury (and plentiful) ladies loos. This star of the West End is about fabulous shows, but also a place to meet and socialise for coffee, cocktails or just enjoy the art and architecture. With a range of brilliant collaborators, we have created something truly special. Covent Garden needs energy and life more now than ever before and we are so pleased that we have played our part in the revival of this building, and London's West End."