Lyric Theatre, London
938 seats over four levels at 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, in the middle of Soho. Hadestown plays here in the evenings (with some matinees), and family shows often run in the daytime.
Still choosing seats? This is a Victorian theatre with pillars on three of its four levels, so the seat number matters here as much as the row does, and in the Stalls it matters a lot. Two picks to look for on the plan: the back of the Stalls, where the price drops from row U and you don't miss much, and the front row, row B, where Hadestown is played almost in your lap. Prices run from around £30 up to around £70, with premium seats from around £90.
Already booked? Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before, no later, because there are bag checks at the door and the foyer is small. The level you've chosen decides how much climbing you do, and it isn't the order you'd expect. The Dress Circle is barely off the foyer, one or two steps. The Stalls are 24 steps down. The Balcony is 60 steps up, and there's no lift.
Each part has its own page: the seating plan, a page for each level from the Stalls to the Balcony, what the Boxes are really like, how to get here, access and facilities, restaurants, bars and hotels nearby, and more about the building.
Quick facts
- Address: 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7ES
- Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus, 2 to 4 minutes
- Capacity: 938 for Hadestown, about 960 normally
- Levels: Stalls, Dress Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony, plus ten Boxes
- Stairs: Dress Circle 1 or 2 off the foyer, Stalls 24 down, Grand Circle 25 up, Balcony 60 up, plus 4 from the street into the foyer. No lift
- Doors: about 45 minutes before. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before, no later
- Operator: Nimax Theatres
What's On at the Lyric Theatre
Hadestown is booking here until Sunday 27 June 2027. That's how far ahead you can book today, and the date moves as the run is extended.
It runs 2 hours 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval, and the age guidance is 8 and over. Evening performances start at 7pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and at 7:30pm from Thursday to Saturday, with matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2:30pm and on Sunday at 3pm. There's no performance on Mondays, and the schedule changes over Christmas.
The Lyric also runs family shows in the daytime, mainly in the school holidays. Tall Stories bring their shows here for long seasons, an hour each with no interval. The Gruffalo played mornings and afternoons through the summer of 2026, and The Gruffalo's Child and Smeds and Smoos have both had seasons here.
Next is Room on the Broom, from Tall Stories, from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027: daytimes, an hour with no interval, for ages 3 and over.
So on a given day this building can be a short show for small children in the morning and a two-and-a-half-hour musical in the evening. It explains the buggy park, the booster seats and the baby changing, which aren't things you'd fit out a Hadestown theatre with. Some Mondays, with no Hadestown that night, the building takes a one-off concert or event instead.
Hadestown ticket prices
Our tickets for Hadestown run from around £30 up to around £70 for standard seats, and the premium seats go from around £90 up to around £140 midweek, and from around £95 up to around £175 at a weekend. Only the premium seats cost more at a weekend, so below those you pay the same on a Saturday as on a Tuesday. Every price includes the theatre's restoration levy.
The dearest seats are the middle of the Stalls, the front side Stalls and the front of the Dress Circle. Dress Circle rows E and F sit just under that, which is why they're the ones to ask for.
All-in pricing, the price you see is what you pay.
Book Lyric Theatre tickets
All-in pricing, the price you see is what you pay.
Lyric Theatre FAQs
How many seats does the Lyric Theatre have?
938 for Hadestown. The building normally holds about 960, and this production takes some seats out, which is why you'll see both figures quoted.
Is this the Lyric Hammersmith?
No. This is the Lyric Theatre at 29 Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End, home of Hadestown. The Lyric Hammersmith is a different theatre in West London, so if your ticket says Shaftesbury Avenue, you're in the right place.
Can I take a bag in, and is there a cloakroom?
Small bags are fine. Suitcases and backpacks may not be allowed into the auditorium, but there's a small cloakroom that takes large bags, suitcases and pushchairs for a small charge, so you can come straight from a station. Every bag is checked at the door, which is why it's worth arriving in good time.
Can I bring my own food and drink?
Only food and drink bought at the theatre can be eaten inside, but you can bring a sealed bottle of water. There are drinks, snacks and ice creams on sale inside.
Is there a dress code?
Wear whatever you're comfortable in. There's no dress code, so jeans and trainers are fine.
Is the Lyric Theatre air conditioned?
It has an air cooling system that circulates fresh air, though the temperature isn't guaranteed. On a hot night, wear something you can take a layer off.
Can I bring children?
Yes, and the building is well set up for them. Hadestown's age guidance is 8 and over. Anyone aged 14 or under has to sit next to an adult aged 18 or over. There are booster seats to pick up when you arrive, a buggy park, and baby changing.
What time does Hadestown finish?
An evening performance at 7:30pm finishes around 10pm, and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when it starts at 7pm, you're out around 9:30pm. A 2:30pm matinee finishes around 5pm, and the 3pm Sunday show around 5:30pm. The daytime family shows are an hour with no interval.
What time does the Box Office open?
From midday on performance days, until the evening show starts. You don't need to go there to buy: book with us online or call 020 7193 9050.
Can I book by phone?
Yes. Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll talk you through the seat numbers before you commit, which is worth doing in a theatre where the seat number decides what you see. The price we tell you on the phone is the price you pay.