West End theatre

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West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London. West End theatre represents the highest level of commercial theatre in the United Kingdom and, along with New York City's Broadway theatre, the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. Seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London. Prominent screen actors, British and international alike, frequently appear on the London stage. There are about 40 theatres in the West End. The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, opened in 1663, is the oldest theatre in London. The Savoy Theatre—built as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan—was entirely lit by electricity in 1881. The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) announced that 2018 was a record year for the capital's theatre industry: attendances topped 15.5 million for the first time since the organisation began collecting audience data in 1986. Box office revenues exceeded...

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