Novello Theatre Hotels

The Novello Theatre was built in 1905 as part of the reconstruction of the area at the top of the Strand, and it was originally called the Waldorf Theatre.  It has also been known as the Strand Theatre and the Whitney.  A couple of its biggest successes were Arsenic and Old Lace in 1944 and No Sex Please, We’re British in 1982.  Ivor Novello had an apartment above the venue for nearly 40 years, and after refurbishment in 2005, the theatre was renamed in his honour.  Since then, it has staged productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company amongst other plays and musical shows.

The Novello has 4 licensed bars.  It is air conditioned and has a seating capacity of 1,050 over 4 levels.  The tiers are well-spaced, so all levels give a clear view of the stage, although the seats on the end of the rows have a bit of a side angle.  Also, the front rows of the Dress Circle, Upper Circle and Balcony are affected by safety barriers.  The slip seats in the Dress and Upper Circles have severely restricted views.

There is a wheelchair entrance to the building off Catherine Street and 2 spaces for wheelchair users in Box A.  An adapted toilet is to the right of the Dress Circle.  The auditorium is fitted with an infra-red sound amplification system for the hard of hearing.

The nearest tube stations are Covent Garden (300m), Charing Cross (600m) and Holborn (600m).  Parking can be found at the NCP in Drury Lane.

Recommended Web Sites

In our travels around the web, we found these Novello Theatre web pages useful. Contact us at team@tubehotels.com to list your favourite Novello Theatre website here.