The Lane: a new chapter for the iconic Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Attention must be brought to what is now a unique West End theatre offering. The Royal Drury Lane closed its doors in 2019 undergoing a £60 million renovation under the lead of LW Theatres, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The unique architecture of this Grade I Regency building has been restored to its former 1812 glory. Open to the public all day, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, affectionately known as The Lane, is reimagined as a destination for entertainment, food, bars, art, architecture and culture, so the iconic interiors can be enjoyed by everyone not just theatre goers in the heart of London’s Covent Garden.

The Lane, Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Image courtesy of Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

The Lane has an illustrious history. Covent Garden orange seller-turned-actress Nell Gwynne made her stage debut at Theatre Royal Drury Lane at just 15 years old, later becoming the long-standing mistress of King Charles II, with whom she had two sons.

Noel Coward hosted two of his most famous productions here: Cavalcade in 1931 and Pacific 1860 in 1946. Cavalcade was a massive spectacle, requiring 400 cast members, two new stage lifts, and 22 scene changes.

In April 1958, My Fair Lady opened at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews reprising their Broadway roles in what became one of the biggest nights in West End history. The show sold out months in advance, with tickets even selling on the black market for five times their face value. At the time, it became the theatre’s longest-running musical, with 2,281 performances over five and a half years.

At the heart of the theatre is The Rotunda Champagne Bar, which proudly features John Cheere’s 18th-century statue of Shakespeare. Surrounded by statues of Garrick and the actor Edmund Kean, the Shakespeare statue was moved from a less prominent area to a plinth at the centre of the theatre. This was a symbolic gesture, a promise of sorts, to bring Shakespeare back to The Lane. 

Shakespeare Statue in Rotunda. © Andy Paradise.

Andrew Lloyd Webber was taken to the Lane as a boy in the late 1950s to see Gielgud as Prospero in The Tempest and recalls ‘He very memorably on the last night broke Prospero’s staff and said Shakespeare would never be heard again in this theatre – that it was lost to American musicals.” This statement is one Lloyd Webber wished to challenge. Proving Gielgud wrong, Shakespeare has indeed found its way back here thanks to Lloyd Webber’s determination.

Renowned artist Maria Kreyn was commissioned to pay homage to the significant playwright with eight paintings capturing the essence of each Shakespearean play. The paintings were a key part of the restoration project and can be found in the niches either side of the Rotunda Bar on the ground floor. The Renaissance style in which she paints disguises the age of these works and they appear to have been in situ here for decades, blending seamlessly with the history of the building.

The playwright is currently being celebrated with a Shakespeare season which began last year starring Sigourney Weaver as Prospero in The Tempest, by multi award winner producer and director Jaimie Lloyd and will continue to show until the 1 February 2025. Followed my Much Ado about Nothing with Tom Hiddleston and Hailey Atwell until 5 April 2025.

The Lane launched their Regency Afternoon Tea with scones, and sweet treats from the well-loved baker to the stars Lily Vanilli.

On the ground floor, you will find the Cecil Beaton Bar serving pastries, coffee & tea in the mornings (and the full bar if you dare to drink before noon).  Cocktails and snacks from noon until late. Design and décor are inspired by Cecil's legendary My Fair Lady costumes and the flamboyant & rebellious group of artists, writers & socialites that surrounded him. Cocktails are crafted by cocktail connoisseur Tristan Stephenson. Arrive early or simply stop by to savour a libation in this stunning place adorned with nostalgic imagery and art.

In December, The Lane launched their Regency Afternoon Tea with scones, and sweet treats from the well-loved baker to the stars Lily Vanilli and a range of savoury bites (instead of sandwiches) from their skilled in-house chefs, serving tea daily from 12noon in the truly exquisite and spacious Grand Saloon with its stunning high vaulted ceilings and marble columns and opulent shimmering chandeliers making afternoons here an indulgent grand affair. Overall, it is a very reasonably priced Afternoon Tea by London standards especially considering a setting that rivals The Ritz. Children are certainly not forgotten with their own afternoon tea menu and free ice cream.

The pre-theatre dining experience is currently being served during their Shakespeare Season,

The pre-theatre dining experience is currently being served during their Shakespeare Season with a curated 3 course seasonal menu and will eventually be served daily. It is a good-looking menu, which will change with the seasons offering a choice of 4 starters, mains and desserts with items suitable for vegans/vegetarians included.The Terrace off the Grand Saloon is a rooftop hideaway and will really come into its own when (if ever) we begin to approach some sunny spring days.

Be sure to pop in when you are next in Covent Garden, be it to take a look at the grandeur of the building or try out one of their many offerings!

Rotunda Champagne Bar:  open daily 10am-11pm; Cecil Beaton Bar: open daily, 10am-late; The Grand Saloon: open daily.The Terrace: open when weather permits.

Regency Afternoon Tea: £59 adults,  £69 with a glass of champagne, £20 per child; Pre-Theatre Dining Experience: £49.50pp with sittings at 5.30pm & 6.00pm.

Location: Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF. Website: thelane.co.uk

Words by Natascha Milsom