Arts Access UK

British theatres are recognised globally for splendid quality and the British stage sees work from great playwrights and known actors. Religious lines were played in the earliest British theatres and with time secular theatre were introduced. British theatres are highly profitable from commercial theatre’s success.

Distinct features of the early British theatres were prolificacy, which resulted in plays not being repetitive. Plays were not performed longer than two days in a row. The low ticket prices were fixed at 1 pence and they also only featured male actors and the men even played female roles with aplomb. Legends such as Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare were 2 of the notable playwrights of the early periods.

The early period theatres featured venues such as Blackfaire Theatre, Whitefrairs Theatre, Salisbury Court Theatre and the Cockpit Theatre.

The British audience of modern times favours performing arts and musical theatre is very popular. Community Theatre and Showcase Theatre are 2 more contemporary theatre genres. The theatres are not very commercial and exhibit an experimental type of performing arts.

Contemporary British theatres include the Apollo Theatre, Dominion Theatre, Cambridge Theatre, Piccadilly Theatre, Duke of York’s Theatre, Noel Coward Theatre, Savoy Theatre, Royal National Theatre and Lyceum Theatre.