London Repertory

Barbican Hall, Silk St. (☎020 7638 4141; www.barbican.org.uk), in the City of London. Barbican or Moorgate. Recently refurbished, Barbican Hall is one of Europe’s leading concert halls, with excellent acoustics and a nightly performance program. The resident London Symphony Orchestra plays here, and the hall also hosts concerts by international orchestras, jazz artists, and world musicians. Also has a cinema and the Barbican Centre for Arts.
Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Sq. (☎020 7565 5000; www.royalcourttheatre.com), in Chelsea. Sloane Sq. Dedicated to challenging new writing and innovative interpretations of classics. Their 1956 production of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger is universally acknowledged as the starting point of modern British drama. Main auditorium £10-25, concessions £10, standing room 10p 1hr. before curtain. 2nd venue upstairs £15, concessions £10. M all seats £10, with some advance tickets and some released 10am on day of performance. Wheelchair-accessible. Box office open M-Sa 10am-6pm, 10am-7:45pm performance weeks
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk (☎020 7087 7398; www.shakespeares-globe.org), in the South Bank. Southwark or London Bridge. Innovative, top-notch performances at this faithful reproduction of Shakespeare’s original 16th-century playhouse. Choose among 3 covered tiers of hard, backless wooden benches (cushions £1 extra) or stand through a performance as a “groundling”; come 30min. before the show to get as close as you can. Should it rain, the show must go on, and umbrellas are prohibited. For tours of the Globe, Wheelchair-accessible. Performances from mid-May to late Sept. Tu-Sa 7:30pm, Su 6:30pm; June-Sept. Tu-Sa 2 and 7:30pm, Su 1 and 6:30pm. Box office open M-Sa 10am-6pm, 8pm on performance days; Su 10am-5pm, 7pm on performance days. New plays from £20, others from £15, yard (standing) £5.
National Theatre, South Bank (☎info 020 7452 3400, box office 7452 3000; www.nationaltheatre.org.uk), in the South Bank. Waterloo or Embankment. Founded by Laurence Olivier. Bigger shows are mostly staged on the Olivier, which seats 1160. The 890-seat Lyttleton is a proscenium theater, while the Cottesloe offers flexible staging for new works. Complicated pricing scheme; tickets typically start at £10, but contact box office for details. Wheelchair-accessible. Box office open M-Sa 9:30am-8pm, Su performance days noon-6pm
Open-Air Theatre, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park (☎08700 601 811; www.openairtheatre.org), in Marylebone. Baker St. Charming open-air venue in the middle of Regent’s Park. Bring blankets and rain gear; performances are canceled only in extreme weather conditions. Program runs June to early Sept. and includes 2 well-known plays, a musical, and a children’s performance. Occasional Su night jazz and comedy shows. Bring your own picnic supplies or purchase barbecue or buffet dinner inside the venue. Wheelchair-accessible. Performances M-Sa 8pm, matinees Th and Sa 2:30pm; grounds open at 6:30pm and 1:30pm respectively. £10-38, discounts for groups and under 16 (with adult); student and senior standby £10 from 1hr. before curtain. Box office open Mar.-May M-Sa 10am-6pm; June-Sept. M-Sa 10am-8pm, Su (performance days only) 10am-8pm