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Garrick Theatre (Branagh Theatre)

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Garrick Theatre (Branagh Theatre) Information

Getting There

By Tube

The nearest underground station is Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly). Exit from the station onto Charing Cross Road and head south, past Wyndham's Theatre. Proceed and you will come to the Garrick Theatre on your left-hand side.

From Charing Cross underground (Bakerloo and Northern), exit on Strand, cross over and proceed north on St Martin's Place/Charing Cross Road. Continue past The National Gallery and you will see the theatre on your right-hand side.

From Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly) tube station head down Coventry Street towards Leicester Square. Cross Leicester Square and you will come to Leicester Square underground station. Follow directions above from the tube station.

By Rail

Charing Cross mainline station is the closest and is approximately 10 minutes walk. Exit the station onto Strand, cross over and head up Duncannon Street. Turn right onto St Martin's Place which leads you into Charing Cross Road. Continue north and you will see the Garrick on your right-hand side.

By Car

If you are driving, there are NCP car parks at the following addresses:

Brewer Street
Brewer Street, Soho, London, W1F 0LA

Covent Garden
Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5NT

Shaftesbury
Selkirk House, Museum Street, London, WC1A 1JP

You can see these, and other NCP car parks on their website http://www.ncp.co.uk/

However, you can participate in the Q-Parks Theatreland Parking Scheme and get 50% off your parking costs by validating your parking ticket in the foyer at the theatre.

For more information on Q-Parks Theatreland Parking Scheme either call +44 (0)870 442 0104 or visit Q-Parks website http://www.q-park.co.uk/theatreland
The closest participating car park for the Garrick Theatre is at Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2TS. The rates for this car park are £6.50 per hour, up to 4 hours, and after that it is £38 for up to 24 hours.

Don't forget to pay the £11.50 (£1 less if you register, but that costs you £10 for a car) daily congestion charge for central London which applies from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, if you are driving into London.

Alternatively, plan your journey using Transport for London journey planner https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/

To pay your congestion charge online go to https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge?cid=pp020

Access Information

The theatre has infra-red amplification facilities, disabled facilities, disabled parking and a disabled booking service. For more information on accessibility please contact Nimax Theatres direct on 0844 482 9677 (1000 to 1800 Monday – Friday)

Theatre Information

There are 3 levels within the auditorium, giving a total seating capacity of 732. The majority of seats (556) are located in the stalls and dress circle levels.

The Foyer Bar gives direct access to the toilets. The Circle Bar has an external balcony overlooking Charing Cross Road.

This theatre does not have air conditioning and can get very warm during hot summer evenings!

In The Area

Cash/ATM - If you are in need of a cash machine before you go to the theatre (don't forget, a lot of theatres only take cash payments at the bar!) there is a Barclays Bank nearly opposite the theatre, with several external ATM machines.

Eating – with the location so close to Leicester Square there is absolutely no shortage of restaurants to choose from. Wagamama for Japanese, Walimi for Lebanese, L'ulvio for Italian, & Garfunkels are all located on Irving Street. Or for something a little more traditional Steak & Co is on the corner of Irving and Charing Cross Rd.

Drinking – just a stroll from the theatre is the Garrick Arms pub, with outdoor seating and serving cask ales; or try Weatherspoons The Moon Under Water at Leicester Square

History

In 1889 when the Garrick Theatre opened The Profligate was the first show on the stage. The theatre takes its name from Shakespearean actor David Garrick.

The playwright W S Gilbert, author of the Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas, financed the theatre. This was another London theatre that was designed by Walter Emden, whose other theatre designs include The Globe and the Duke of York's. The Garrick was originally larger than it is today, with 800 seats over 4 levels, but the top level – the gallery – was closed and the seating capacity reduced.
In 1960 the theatre became a Grade II Listed building, but, nevertheless, along with many other theatres in London's West End the Garrick came under threat from redevelopment. In 1968 the Greater London Council proposed redevelopment of Covent Garden which would have affected the theatre. Campaigning and action by theatre support groups including Equity and the Musicians Union helped to get the scheme abandoned.

With a long association with comedy and comedy-dramas the theatre has been home to French comedy A Pair of Spectacles and also The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith. Notable productions included J M Barrie's The Wedding Guest, Water Babies and The Man in Dress Clothes. Since 1980 productions have included No Sex Please – We're British and An Inspector Calls.

Ownership of the theatre transferred to the Stoll Moss Group in 1986 and in 2000 it was to become part of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group. In 2005 Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer purchased the theatre and it joined 4 other theatres operating under the name of Nimax Theatres – the other 4 in the group being the Lyric, Apollo, Vaudeville and Duchess theatres.