Theatre Royal Drury Lane Closes Tonight For Two Year £45m Renovation

The final crowd of theatregoers will enter Andrew Lloyd Webber's Theatre Royal Drury Lane tonight before the longest continually running theatre in the world goes dark for 20 months for a landmark £45 million renovation project.

LW Theatres will breathe new life into the unique and iconic architecture of their Grade 1 Regency building and restore the historic theatre to its former 1812 glory.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "The auditorium will be completely reconfigured into a comfortable and more intimate space. Producers will have the choice of a traditional proscenium arch or in-the-round configuration. We're reducing the audience capacity by 200 to create wider seats, more legroom and better sightlines. The auditorium will also be reshaped to create a tighter curve, bringing the performer and audience closer together."

Access improvements to the building will include a new street level entrance, ramps to the stalls, 5 new accessible WCs and a 16-person passenger lift catering to all levels of the theatre. In a bid to curb bathroom waiting times for women in particular, 20 female cubicles will be installed taking the number of female WCs to x55 - one of the highest provisions in the West End.

Europe's finest craftsmen and talented technicians are working to make this 355-year-old historical survivor fit for the 21st century and beyond. Led by architect Steve Tompkins, the grand cantilevered Wyatt staircases which were lost 100 years ago will be revealed to create new areas for seating and hospitality.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "The improvements planned for Theatre Royal Drury Lane will reinforce that this building is truly one of the greatest musical houses in the world."

The revived Theatre Royal Drury Lane will also be the first commercial theatre in the West End to offer facilities beyond the regular theatrical fare, creating a true destination venue in its own right. Front of house facilities will be open to the public all day and include bars, restaurants and cafes so the iconic interiors can be enjoyed by everyone not just theatre goers in the heart of Covent Garden.

CEO of LW Theatres Rebecca Kane Burton said: "We're going beyond theatre by creating an engaging, inspiring and comfortable space where people can spend quality time with friends, colleagues and loved ones whether that be catching up over coffee, unwinding with a glass of wine, or enjoying a relaxing dinner."

The 45-million-pound revival is entirely funded by LW Theatres with no external support, thus continuing Andrew Lloyd Webber's passion for ploughing every penny generated straight back into the theatres themselves.

Kane Burton said: "Andrew has invested £53 million into LW theatres since 2006 and this project will take our investment to over £100 million. It's easier to plaster up problems than tackle construction challenges, especially when you're looking for a dividend at the end, but Andrew cares passionately about the architectural and historical legacy of his theatres."

Theatre Royal Drury Lane closes its doors to the public for the last time on 5 January and will re-open in September 2020 with a blockbuster show that is transferring from Broadway.