UK Travel Guide

Theatres
Back

Dominion Theatre

Built in 1929 on a site that was once a leper colony and a brewery which, when its 22-foot vat of ale burst and its contents poured into the street, was responsible for a number of people drowning in alcohol. For its early musicals the Dominion struggled to attract audiences. Turning to cinema it was the venue for the revised The Phantom Of The Opera, starring Lon Chaney. In 1931 the premiere of City Lights was held there, attended by its star Charlie Chaplin, and by King George V. In the following years a number of famous stars appeared in variety, until in 1958 the theatre once again turned to film when the Todd-AO equipment was installed for South Pacific. This four-year success was followed by an even more successful Sound Of Music, which ran from 1965 to 1973. Since then the theatre has played host to a variety of blockbuster films interspersed with Georgian dancers, Chinese acrobats, and pop groups. In 1997 Disney's Beauty And The Beast opened for what was expected to be a long run, but declining audience numbers forced the shows closure at the end of 1999.

Located at: Tottenham Court Road, London, W1

Telephone: 020 7656 1888

Opens: Box Office Open 10:00am - 7:30pm

Cost: £17.50 - £32.50 (Telephone service charge £1.85 pe

Closest Subway Station: Tottenham Court Road Station (Click to see more atrraction at this station)