London Coliseum

The London Coliseum is a theatre on St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, designed by Frank Matcham for impresario Oswald Stoll. It opened on 24 December 1904 as one of London’s largest and most elaborate family variety theatres.

Don't miss

• It was the first theatre in England to have a triple revolve installed on its stage.
• The auditorium features a vast three-tier design with Byzantine opulence, including squat columns, bow-fronted boxes with domed canopies, and sculptural groups with lion-drawn chariots.
• The proscenium arch is the widest in London and was one of the first to have electric lighting.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit London Coliseum

Cheapest way inTower Bridge Admission Ticket4.5★ · 141 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$22 per personSee dates →Best full dayTower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Day Ticket4.4★ · 7,292 travelers~24 hoursFree cancellationFrom$51 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleThe British Museum London - Exclusive Guided Museum Tour5★ · 585 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$111 per personSee dates →

Know before you go

• Frank Matcham designed the theatre for Oswald Stoll as a family variety venue.
• It was the first theatre in England fitted with a triple revolving stage.
• The auditorium uses a three-tier design with Byzantine-inspired decoration, domed box canopies and sculptural groups.

A bit of history

The theatre opened on 24 December 1904 as the London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties. Its inaugural variety bill was a total failure and closed in 1906, reopening successfully in December 1907. In 1908 it hosted a cricket match between Middlesex and Surrey. The Sadler's Wells Opera Company moved in 1968, and the company changed its name to the English National Opera in 1974. The theatre hosted the 2004 and 2006 Royal Variety Performances.