Avenue Q

Charles Wyndham had always dreamed of building a theatre of his own and through the admiration of a patron and the financial confidence of friends, he was able to realise his dream when Wyndhams Theatre opened in Charing Cross Road on 16 November 1899.

In 1910 Gerald du Maurier began an association with the theatre which was to last fifteen years and to include the stage debut of screen goddess Tallulah Bankhead. Du Maurier’s small daughter, Daphne, often watched her father’s performance from the wings and, thirty years later, she would present her own play, The Years Between, on the same stage.

In January 1954 a small-scale musical pastiche, which had begun life at the tiny Players Theatre, burst onto the Wyndham stage - Sandy Wilson’s The Boy Friend ran for an incredible 2078 performances before eventually transferring to Broadway. During the sixties and early seventies the theatre continued to provide a setting for stars such as Alec Guinness, Vanessa Redgrave and Diana Rigg. Then, in 1972, came the blockbuster of the decade - Godspell starring famous names in the original cast such as David Essex, Marti Webb, Jeremy Irons, Julie Covington.

More recent times have seen, amongst many distinguished productions, the world premiere of The Ride Down Mount Morgan by Arthur Miller and the British premiere of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women. Twenty-five years after making her debut here, Diana Rigg returned to play a hugely successful season as Medea.

The critically acclaimed comedy, Art began its record-breaking run at the Wyndhams in 1996. Most recent productions include a sold out run of Up for Grabs, starring Madonna, Vincent in Brixton directed by Richard Eyre, The Play What I Wrote, Auntie and Me starring Alan Davies, Franco Zeffirelli's production of Absolutely! (perhaps) starring Joan Plowright and Oliver Ford Davies, Dinner by Moira Buffini, the National Theatre production of Democracy and most recently a short season by Dylan Moran

Travel directions

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Take the Piccadilly or Northern line to Leicester Square station. The theatre is outside the station.

Nearest underground station: Leicester Square

Nearest train station: Charing Cross

Buses: 24, 29, 176