Sadler’s Wells is London’s premier dance venue. From flamenco to ballet, tango to crunk, tap to bhangra and more, all genres of dancing are covered at this theatre, which is over 300 years old. It hasn’t always occupied the same site however, as it opened in its present building in 1998, and its history is as varied as its programming, with previous incarnations as a music hall, skating rink and prize fighting arena. In the 1920s Lilian Bayliss intervened as the venue had fallen into decline, and Sadler’s Wells began staging operatic performances such as Madam Butterfly and The Flying Dutchman. It gained a reputation for dance in the second half of the 20th century, and stars like Merce Cunningham and Marcel Marceau would appear. Recent successes include In The Spirit of Diaghilev and the two-week festival of Indian dance curated by Nitin Sawhney. The auditorium has an approximate capacity of 1,500 over three levels and prices vary according to seats. The theatre’s income relies heavily on box office sales as well as funding from the Arts Council, and revenue goes towards commissioning new works – the commission Mambo 3XXI and Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella earned Olivier Award Dance nominations.
Sadler's Wells Theatre
Theatre in Clerkenwell
rated 8 / 10 from 1 review
Address
Rosebery Avenue, London, Clerkenwell, EC1R 4TN
Rosebery Avenue, London, Clerkenwell, EC1R 4TN
Telephone
0844 412 4300
0844 412 4300
Category
Theatres
Theatres
Region
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Website
www.sadlerswells.com
Sadler's Wells Theatre Picture Gallery
All In London Review
London’s finest dance venue
The role of rescuing the venue fell to Lilian Baylis, manager of the Old Vic. Under her management Sadler’s Wells ran a programme that mainly encompassed opera, drama and ballet. Today, Sadler’s Wells is synonymous with dance of all genres: whether it’s flamenco, hip hop, manga-inspired contemporary dance or classical tango. Not only that, but it is in fact London’s premier dance venue, with top choreographers like Pina Bausch and Merce Cunningham having premiered works here, and you’re just as likely to see a performance of The Nutcracker as the musical West Side Story.
The main building encompasses the main auditorium as well as the Lilian Baylis Studio, both of which have been creatively designed to ensure you can always see the performer’s feet, no matter where you are sitting. In addition the Peacock Theatre is also owned by Sadler’s Wells, however this is located just off Kingsway, near Holborn.
There are refreshments provided at the bar and snacks at the outdoor café, but best of all is the restaurant, which has a small yet perfectly formed selection of dishes to appease most palates, from corn fed chicken to comforting fruit crumble, all prepared freshly on the premises.
Reviewed by Leila
Published on Jul 12, 2011
User Reviews
There are no user reviews