Was curious to know what the largest theatre's are in terms of seating capacity in the UK?

I have tried looking through google but found nothing.

I'm not sure about Theatre, but I think the largest cinema is in Glasgow, and the largest Arena is the 02.

The Cineworld in Glasgow city centre is the tallest cinema in the world :)

For UK theatres, demolished and existing, see http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/index.html

Surely it would be one in the West End?

Blackpool Opera House is 3000 seated capacity.
London Palladium is 2886 seated capacity.

Whoah thread title! The apostrophe makes it read as "biggest theatre is in the UK". Great! No it's not!

Biggest in terms of area (not just seats) I think is either London Coliseum, 2358 on 4 levels or the Royal Opera House, 2268 on 4 levels.

I don't know about theatres, but wikipedia seems to have a decent list of concert halls here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concert_halls

Royal Albert Hall-London-5544 looks to be the biggest

I once watched Peter Kay at The Hippodrome in Birmingham.
On the back row, I couldn't see a thing.
Anything bigger is too big.

thought manchester men arena was bigger that the o2

thought manchester men arena was bigger that the o2


No the O2's the biggest in the Country now.

O2 and RAH don't really count as theatres though.

London Coliseum is 2358

Nottingham has the 4th largest, not bad really

I always thought it was the Hammersmith Odeon

Hippodrome in Brum claims to be the biggest outside of London.

The theater of dreams, not?

The biggest theatre in the UK, in terms of capacity, is the Edinburgh Playhouse in Scotland, with a capacity of 3059.

Apparently the Liverpool Empire is " the largest two-tier theatre in Britain". Thats from wikipedia though so it may be wrong. The capacity is a total of 2381 .

O2 is an arena and does not really count as a Theatre, especially as Millenium Dome style performances do not happen and it has massively changed configuration since.

The Royal Albert Hall, does performances and shows and I would have easily thought it counts as a theatre as well as a classical music venue. It's very multi-use whilst being regal.

Conclusion: The Royal Albert Hall is the biggest theatre in England and the UK
Current capcity is reduced due to H&S to 5,544 people!

http://mikebm.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/800px-royal_albert_hall.jpg
http://mikebm.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/proms460.jpg
http://www.harmerpr.com/prgeurope/photos/show%20boat_88.jpg
It does look and feel like a theatre to me

The RAH is a concert hall, really.

birmingham hippo is only 1935 seats but it does indeed hold claim to the largest performance space outside of london. I think only the ROH, Colliseum and Drury Lane beat it.....my fav theatre in the world has to be the perfection that is the Bham Rep, not a bad seat in the house, which makes me wonder why they have a graded seating price policy, i love it, so open, so wide and such good stuff!

i think we need to think theatres with proscenium arches on this thread x

brummad, I love your signature

i have better ones....when i asked what the hot runny stuff that comes out of a volcano is called she answered......vulva!

i actually cried for 5 mins facing the whiteboard laughing

i think we need to think theatres with proscenium arches on this thread x

I agree with you. Numerous concert halls are used for theatrical productions (especially musicals) because the companies running the touring productions want to maximise potential revenue through larger audience numbers but these venues are still not, technically, theatres.

The Blackpool Opera House claims to be the largest theatre in the UK with a capacity of 2,920 but, in order to establish whether this is the definitive answer, we should identify the largest in each region.

The region I'm most familiar with is the East Midlands where the largest is the Theatre Royal in Nottingham, which has 1,186 seats:

http://jcal.info/ma/images/theatreroyal.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2586152489_74e12a1739.jpg?v=0

http://www.christmasinnotts.com/webimages/articles/Royal-Centre.jpg

the leeds grand theatre has 1,500 seats

Liverpool Empire is 2,381

The O2 Arena seats 23,000 but it is not a theatre, it's an arena.
The Royal Albert Hall seats 5,544 but it is not a theatre, it's a concert hall.

I believe that the largest theatre in the UK is the Hammersmith Apollo in London, with a seating capacity of 3,632.

Concert arenas all seem to be limited in size...acoustics mean you cannot be past a certain size to hear the instruments playing??

Theatres, similar. The actors don't shout!

So, not really sure if big is best here? Distance from stage front is crucial for the performing arts?

Why does Leeds only have such a tiny little theatre?

^^ Do you mean Leeds Grand? 1,500 seats is just about perfect for a theatre of that type; see also Sheffield Lyceum. They maintain intimacy, have good acoustics, and both audience and performers feel they are sharing the same space, even though there is a proscenium arch between them.

Plus, Leeds doesn't 'only' have such a 'tiny little theatre'. The Grand is one type of theatre; it also has the West Yorkshire Playhouse (with two very different auditoriums), the City Varieties (an old music hall, currently being renovated I think) and probably other venues that don't spring instantly to my mind.

As The Fly stated above, bigger most definitely isn't best when it comes to theatres. The optimum size depends on all kinds of things including stage type, the kind of shows produced there, the audience they're aiming at etc. But in my experience, the best of the major producing theatres are around 400-700 seats; theatres that bring in a lot of touring productions, including ballet and opera, have quite different requirements and they tend to be significantly larger than that.

Why does Leeds only have such a tiny little theatre?

Strange comment Octoman. Leeds Grand Theatre is one of the largest theatres outside London and the city has 5 other theatres plus the new Leeds Arena which is now under construction and will be one of the largest Arena's in the UK

Well leeds arena is not classed as a theatre, so it don't matter.

It's the most Theatre like arena in the world.

http://www.publicpropertyuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/140909-leedsarena.jpg

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/images/imgstore/398_p3q0fx81qs.jpg

Now that it keeps popping to the top, can a mod please fix the title of this thread before I have an embolism?

Interesting articles today from the BBC website and The Herald about Theatre/Arts venues in Glasgow.

"The sheer scale of the city’s collection of theatres, concert halls and auditoriums was noted by the report’s author, with 25 venues – from the SECC to the Pavilion Theatre and The Arches – providing more than 32,000 seats to culture vultures at any one time."

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/glasgow-second-only-to-london-for-culture-in-uk-1.1088862

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12659782

The O2 Arena seats 23,000 but it is not a theatre, it's an arena.
The Royal Albert Hall seats 5,544 but it is not a theatre, it's a concert hall.

I believe that the largest theatre in the UK is the Hammersmith Apollo in London, with a seating capacity of 3,632.

Seems the Hammersmith Apollo is classed more as a Concert Hall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Playhouse

The Edinburgh Playhouse is a former cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland which now hosts touring musicals and music concerts. Its capacity is 3,059, (Stalls: 1,519, Balcony: 860 and Circle: 680) making it the UK's largest working theatre in terms of audience capacity. (The Hammersmith Apollo, which is a similar building, has more seats, but it is only used for concerts, not for musicals).

Love the layout of the Royal Albert Hall!

List of Venues in London (or near) By capacity. Sports, Concert, Exhibition, Arena, Theatre and Major Cinemas.

150000 Brands Hatch Sports
120000 Epsom Racecourse Sports
90000 Wembley Stardium Sports
82000 Twickenham Stadium Sports
80000 Olympic Stadium Sports
80000 Ascot Racecourse Sports
75000 Kempton Park Racecourse Sports
60631 Emirates Stadium Sports
41841 Stamford Bridge Sports
36230 White Hart Lane Sports
35303 Boleyn Ground Sports
32000 ExCel Exhibition Centre
28000 Lord's Cricket Ground Sports
27111 The Valley Sports
26309 Selhurst Park Sports
25700 Craven Cottage Sports
23500 The Kia Oval Sports
23000 02 Arena Arena
20146 The New Den Sports
20000 Olympia Exhibition Centre
19000 Earl's Court Exhibition Centre
18360 Loftus Road Sports
17500 Olympic Aquatic Centre Sports
16000 Olympic Hockey Centre Sports
15500 Crystal Palace Athletics Stadium Sports
15000 Wimbledon Centre Court Sports
14816 Twickenham Stoop Sports
12763 Griffin Park Sports
12500 Wembly Arena Arena
12000 Olympic Basketball Arena Sports
11500 Wimbledon No. 1 Court Sports
10250 Alexandra Palace Exhibition Centre
9300 Brisbane Road Sports
8000 Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium Sports
7000 Olympic Handball Arena Sports
6478 Queen's Club Centre Court Sports
6200 Underhill Stadium Sports
6078 Victoria Road Sports
6000 Courage Stadium Sports
6000 Olympic Velodrome Sports
5544 Royal Albert Hall Concert Hall
4722 Kingsmeadow Sports
4300 Romford Greyhound Stadium Sports
4000 Wimbledon No. 2 Court Sports
3632 Hammersmith Apollo Concert Hall
3500 Beveree Stadium Sports
3500 Crystal Palace Indoor Arena Sports
3000 Champions Hill Sports
2900 Royal Festival Hall Concert Hall
2391 02 Brixton Academy Concert Hall
2358 Coliseum Theatre Theatre
2350 London Forum Concert Hall
2292 Apollo Victoria Theatre Theatre
2286 London Palladium Theatre
2268 Royal Opera House Theatre
2196 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Theatre
2163 Dominion Theatre Theatre
2100 Lyceum Theatre Theatre
2000 02 Empire Shephards Bush Concert Hall
2000 Wimbledon No. 3 Court Sports
1949 Barbican Hall Concert Hall
1800 Roundhouse Concert Hall
1800 Terence McMillan Stadium Sports
1700 New Wimbledon Theatre Theatre
1683 Odeon Leicester Square Cinema
1618 Prince Edward Theatre Theatre
1560 Sadlers Well'sTheatre Theatre
1557 Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Theatre
1550 Victoria Palace Theatre Theatre
1500 Adelphi Theatre Theatre
1500 Harlow Greyhound Stadium Sports
1486 Fairfield's Concert Hall Concert Hall
1400 Palace Theatre Theatre
1400 Shaftesbury Theatre Theatre
1330 Empire Leicester Square Cinema
1300 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre Exhibition Centre
1275 Hackney Empire Theatre
1232 Piccadilly Theatre Theatre
1231 Cambridge Theatre Theatre
1216 Her Majesty's Theatre Theatre
1200 Aldwych Theatre Theatre
1200 Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Theatre
1200 Crayford Grayhound Stadium Sports
1160 Olivier Theatre (National Theatre) Theatre
1160 Prince of Wales Theatre Theatre
1156 Barbican Theatre Theatre
1150 Savoy Theatre Theatre
1145 Scala Concert Hall
1100 New London Theatre Theatre
1100 Queen's Theatre Theatre
1067 The Old Vic Theatre
1050 Novello Theatre Theatre
1012 Phoenix Theatre Theatre
999 Peacock Theatre Theatre
967 Lyric Theatre Theatre
937 Gielgud Theatre Theatre
900 Queen Elizabeth Hall Concert Hall
900 Cadogen Hall Concert Hall
890 Lyttelton Theatre (National Theatre) Theatre
889 Rose Theatre Theatre
888 Theatre Royal, Haymarket Theatre
872 Noël Coward Theatre Theatre
840 Richmond Theatre Theatre
832 Odeon West End Cinema
800 02 Academy Islington Concert Hall
800 The Broadway Theatre Theatre
796 Apollo Theatre
796 Comedy Theatre Theatre
786 Playhouse Theatre Theatre
780 St. John's, Smith Square Concert Hall
759 Wyndham's Theatre Theatre
749 Ashcroft Theatre Theatre
745 Churchill Theatre Theatre
690 Vaudeville Theatre Theatre
656 Garrick Theatre Theatre
640 Duke of York's Theatre Theatre
600 Mermaid Theatre Theatre
600 Blackheath Halls Concert Hall
588 Criterion Theatre Theatre
554 Wigmore Hall Concert Hall
550 St Martin's Theatre Theatre
550 The Lyric Theartre Theatre
535 Bloomsbury Theatre Theatre
535 UCL Bloomsbury Concert Hall
500 Battersea Arts Centre Theatre
500 Queens Theatre Theatre
500 London IMAX Cinema
500 Herne Hill Velodrome Sports
479 Duchess Theatre Theatre
468 Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall Concert Hall
460 Theatre Royal Stratford East Theatre
450 Duke's Hall Concert Hall
432 Fortune Theatre Theatre
421 Greenwich Theatre Theatre
420 The Young Vic Theatre
420 Leicester Square Theatre Theatre
420 King's Place Hall 1 Concert Hall
420 Leicester Square Theatre Concert Hall
408 Ambassadors Theatre Theatre
400 Cottesloe Theatre (National Theatre) Theatre
395 Arts depot Theatre
380 Royal Court Theatre Theatre
380 Trafalgar Studios Theatre
362 Millfield Theatre Theatre
350 Arts Theatre Theatre
340 Unicorn Theatre Theatre
325 Almeida Theatre Theatre
325 Hamstead Theatre Theatre
314 Cochrane Theatre Theatre
285 Prince Charles Cinema Cinema
271 Donmar Warehouse Theatre
240 Cockpit Theatre Theatre
235 Tricycle Theatre Theatre
220 King's Place Hall 2 Concert Hall
200 The Drill Hall Theatre
195 Erith Playhouse Theatre
172 Orange Tree Theatre Theatre
160 Soho Theatre Theatre
160 Jackson's Lane Theatre
158 Compass Theatre Theatre
120 Hocton Hall Theatre
110 Chelsea Theatre Theatre
100 Wharehouse Theatre Theatre
96 South London Theatre Theatre
90 Tabard Theatre Theatre
84 Greenwich Playhouse Theatre
82 Bush Theatre Theatre
70 Jermyn Street Theatre Theatre
57 Baron's Court Theatre Theatre
50 Finborough Theatre Theatre
42 Etcetera Theatre Theatre

Epsom, Kempton and Sandown Racecourses are in Surrey, Ascot is in Berkshire.

Epsom, Kempton and Sandown Racecourses are in Surrey, Ascot is in Berkshire.

Wow. Nitpicker extrodinaire.

1. Sandown (1.3miles from London) is not on my list. Neither is Lingfield (7.5miles) as I couldn't find the information.
2. Kempton Straddles the Greater London Boundry and is within the M25.
3. Epsom is also within the M25 and is 1.5 miles from the GL boundry
4. I'll give you Ascot as it 7 miles from London.
5. I'll add Brand Hatch to the list (4.5miles from London) you probably won't complain because it's in Kent.

The post was about capacity information, not fodder for pedantic wankers.

Wow. Nitpicker extrodinaire.

1. Sandown (1.3miles from London) is not on my list. Neither is Lingfield (7.5miles) as I couldn't find the information.
2. Kempton Straddles the Greater London Boundry and is within the M25.
3. Epsom is also within the M25 and is 1.5 miles from the GL boundry
4. I'll give you Ascot as it 7 miles from London.
5. I'll add Brand Hatch to the list (4.5miles from London) you probably won't complain because it's in Kent.

The post was about capacity information, not fodder for pedantic wankers.

:lol: I live not far from Epsom racecourse and I live in Surrey, not London........And it doesn't matter if they are inside the M25, they're still in Surrey...........now chill out!

Wow. Nitpicker extrodinaire.

1. Sandown (1.3miles from London) is not on my list. Neither is Lingfield (7.5miles) as I couldn't find the information.
2. Kempton Straddles the Greater London Boundry and is within the M25.
3. Epsom is also within the M25 and is 1.5 miles from the GL boundry
4. I'll give you Ascot as it 7 miles from London.
5. I'll add Brand Hatch to the list (4.5miles from London) you probably won't complain because it's in Kent.

The post was about capacity information, not fodder for pedantic wankers.

Iam An Arsenal Fan so I always go to the Emirates stadium only on Champions league games because the price and show is worthy, When I go out I prefer the O2 arena more than central London...My favorite theatres are Drurylane, Piccadilly and Noel Coward Theatre (http://www.noelcowardtheatre.org/). Wembley is the one I would like to visit never got a chance yet...

This thread seems to have gone away from theatres and on to sports venues etc.?

As far as I know, the London Colliseum and Palladium theatres are the largest "theatres" (i.e. proscenium) in the U.K. but I stand to be corrected.

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