Theatre Tickets - Prince of Wales Theatre London

History of the Prince of Wales Theatre London

Mamma Mia tickets

The Prince of Wales Theatre is located near Leicester Square on Coventry Street, London. The building as it stands today was built in 1937, however the London theatre was actually established in 1884 when the original ‘Princes Theatre’ opened on the same site. The original building was commissioned by a wealthy actor / manager named Edgar Bruce, and designed by Charles J Phillips, a leading theatrical architect of the time who also designed Her Majesty’s Theatre in Haymarket.

The original Princes Theatre seated around 800 people over three tiers, and was renamed in 1886 after the then Prince of Wales and future King of England Edward VII. The theatre was extremely successful, particularly in the latter part of it’s life when a series of risqué revues where produced from 1932, described as containing ‘gasp making scenes and blush making costumes’. The spoof productions, including Voila! Les Dames and Encore les Dames earned the theatre the title of ‘London’s Folies Bergere’, after the Parisian music hall famed for it’s risqué shows with actresses dressed in ‘minimalistic’ outfits.

It was in 1937 that a decision was made to utilise the handsome profits generated by the old Prince of Wales Theatre to demolish the old structure and completely rebuild the London theatre with increased capacity and improved facilities. The new building was designed in the fashionable Art Deco style by architect Robert Cromie, well known at the time for designing cinemas. The foundation stone of the new building was laid by Dame Gracie Fields, who sang to the workmen as she laid the stone.

Taking just 9 months to complete, the Prince of Wales Theatre as we know it today was opened on 27th October 1937. The new building boasted an increased seating capacity of around 1100 with a larger stage than it’s predecessor, a dance floor, and a stylish stalls bar with a bar of some 14 meters in length.

The new Prince of Wales continued with the successful risqué revues for a period after re-opening, but ultimately reverted to standard theatrical plays, variety shows, comedies and musicals. The London theatre has seen some of the UK’s greats perform on it’s stage, including Frankie Howard, Peter Sellers, Morecambe and Wise, Mae West, Norman Wisdom, Barbra Streisand, Benny Hill, and Michael Crawford.

Another refurbishment was carried out at the Prince of Wales theatre in 2004 which transformed the theatre into one of the best equipped, stylish and spacious theatres in London. The refurbishment, commissioned by the theatre’s current owners Delfont Mackintosh Theatres cost some 7.5 million pounds, and introduced increased seating capacity, additional bars, and an exterior face lift including LED lighting giving the Prince of Wales a stylish modern look for the new millennium.

Following completion of the 2004 refurbishment, the Prince of Wales was opened in an official ceremony by HRH Prince Charles with it’s current production, the incredible Mamma Mia!

Currently Playing at the Prince of Wales Theatre

The Prince of Wales theatre continues in it's history of success by hosting Mamma Mia! the incredibly popular musical with music from Abba. The musical is now the longest running production in the history of the London theatre.

Mamma Mia tickets continue to be in great demand, and it is recommended you purchase your tickets with Concierge Desk. Although alternative ticketing web sites are sold out for many performances, there is a good chance Concierge Desk will be able to offer availability. We offer live availability for all shows, in other words you can view the exact seats prior to making your purchase. We also have a number of fantastic theatre & meal deals also on offer for Mamma Mia!

Book tickets for Mamma Mia

Theatre Tickets - Prince of Wales Theatre London

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