Backstage Theatre Tours
Behind The Seams
Angels Costumes, 1 Garrick Road, London, NW9 6AA
Angels Costumes have been dressing the stars of stage and screen since 1840
It is the world's largest costume house and the Behind the Seams tour is a one-of-a-kind experience - showcasing their extensive costume collection which spans 8 miles worth of rails and over 1 million items.
You'll be guided through Tailoring, Ladies Making, Alterations, Uniform, Badge Room and the Warehouse. You'll hear first-hand accounts of working on the biggest productions such as Downton Abbey, Wicked and Game of Thrones.
Private tours from £585 per tour. Up to 15 people per tour, up to 3 tours at any one time.
Royal National Theatre, Southbank, SE
Upper Ground, South Bank, London, SE1 9PX
Led by experienced guides, visit the unseen parts of the three auditoriums, backstage areas and theatre workshops, where sets and props are created.
Bespoke tours are available for groups of up 20 on most days when the building is open. Multiple tours can be scheduled 15 minutes apart for larger groups. Most tours take place in the mornings from 10.30 or from 17.00 in the evenings.
Private tours 1-20 people from £395 per tour. Max of 22 per tour (£395 + £19.75pp)
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Catherine St, Covent Garden, London,
With over 400 years' of history, this is the oldest, continually working theatre in the world, where many modern theatre traditions began - rich in history, royal scandal, ghosts and more.
Guests will hear about the origins of the words Crew, Drag, Props and Box Office, as well as learning about the origins of pantomime, musicals, naturalistic acting and moving scenery. There’s also the re-enactment of the fight between King George III and the Prince Regent and a speech from the ghost of Hamlet’s father, all done in an entertaining way that is part tour, part performance.
Tour times on request most mornings, subject to performance schedules. Private tours of 20 people per tour.
Groups are £26 per person
Schools are £19 per person
Royal Opera House
Covent Garden, London,
One of the most famous opera houses in the world, the Royal Opera House offers spectacular tours of its unique theatre, right in the heart of Covent Garden.
Private tours available on request from 10.45 onwards with tours starting every 30 minutes. Tours last 75 minutes and groups get 10% discount in the cafe and shop.
Private groups of up to 20 people for £469. Groups of 21-25 from £22.50 per person plus £60 backstop* charge.
Tours starting before the building opens to the public, incur an additional £23 early opening charge.
The Royal Opera House is a working theatre, so no two tours are the same. Sometimes we’ll need to change the route due to other events taking place in the building.
*"backstop" - an additional member of Front of House to manage larger group for health & safety & security protocol.
London Palladium
Argyle St, London,
Step into the captivating world of The London Palladium. It’s with immense joy that we announce the long-awaited opening of our backstage doors after more than half a decade.
Discover the intricate inner workings of our iconic venue, where every corner is steeped in history and every stage holds the echoes of legendary performances. Immerse yourself in the essence of theatre and witness first-hand where dreams are realised, and stories are brought to life.
Tours available at 13.00 & 14.30, every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and will last approximately 1 hour. The tour will be £35.50 or £29.50 for children, and includes tea, coffee and cake post-tour in the opulent Val Parnell bar. Visitors will also have access to purchase limited edition merchandise on the day.
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Bankside, London,
Expert guide-storytellers will provide your group with a fascinating tour of the Globe Theatre auditorium, vividly recreating colourful stories of the 1599 Playhouse, the London Shakespeare would have known and the Globe reconstruction process in the 1990s, exploring our brand-new, walk-through exhibition space, travelling through over 400 years of fascinating history.
Tours available daily and last aproximately 2 hours including entry to the exhibition + the tour. Prices from £26.60 for children aged under 16, and £36.40 for adults aged 16+, with 1 free ticket per ten bought (duducted from cheapest tickets).