The oldest, continually running theatre in the world, (the 4th ever to be built), the Theatre Royal Drury Lane has just undergone a £16m renovation to make it one of the best theatres in the world.
We've just spend a lovely afternoon learning about its fascinating 361 year history - a must-do experience for any theatre lover!
As an actor, I found it particularly fascinating to learn that many theatrical terms come from the TRDL:
CREW, RIGGING, DOCK,and other terms are all nautical. This is because ship workers weren't paid when their ships were DOCKed, so the CREW climber the RIGGING in theatres, working backstage at the TRDL to lift the sets, etc.
BREAK A LEG, not "Good Luck" is said before a show. The curtains used to have fragile counter-weights called LEGS. If you did a great performance, the curtain would go up and down for more applause, and the LEGS might break, hence BREAK A LEG.
The tour is great fun and beautifully curated to share it's fascinating stories about the theatre itself, theatre history and theatrical traditions.
It's perfect as a pre-show experience, or just as a wonderful tour about London’s rich theatrical history.
Get the latest booking information here.
Book your tour here.
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