I really like this theatre, not just because it’s very close to home for me! Their shows usually start at 8pm, so there’s a little more time to travel there and have a spot to eat after work. The building is quite old, 1910 or thereabouts, so seating isn’t the most comfortable, but it’s gorgeous! The balcony seating is super steep, so don’t go up there if you have a problem with heights. Seriously, steepest seating arrangement I’ve seen yet! Legroom both upstairs and downstairs is sparse, unless you’re on the end of the first few rows in the stalls. Since the rows get gradually wider, a few seats have no other seats in front of them, which is great. Stalls seating incline is on the shallow side, so you have to hope no tall person is in front of you.
Camie T.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Seattle, WA
It would basically take an act of the creator above to get me to see another show at the New Wimbledon Theatre simply due to location. NWT is a very long journey on the Northern line from Islington(and then a 10 minute walk from the station to the theatre). We saw the Yamato Drummers who are a seven-person traveling drumming act from Japan. They did one show and one show only and the turnout was dismal, perhaps 20% of the theatre was occupied. Anywho, the theatre is spacious and old, like all theatres in England. The sound was good and the alcohol selection was rubbish. I swear Carlsberg owns a majority share of all theatres in England. Why must they all serve only Carlsberg, Heineken and Magners? Honestly? Theatres would do much more in alcohol sales if they sold alcoholic beverages that were palate-worthy. It’s a fine theatre. It does its job but it’s far away! P. S. Our seats were in the Stalls J and seats 24⁄25. We had about five feet of legroom which was awesome but our row also became a thoroughfare for toilet traffic. Also note that the slope on the ground floor is very gradual. I’d say that our seats were obstructed because the heads of the people seated in front of us blocked a good portion of the stage.
Boon K.
Rating des Ortes: 3 London, United Kingdom
I really want to like this local theatre, but there are some flaws that you should be aware of. The upper circle seating is very steep, and also most seats have something obstructing the view of the full stage, even if it says otherwise in the online booking. So stick to stall seats. The theatre is very hot — a lack of air conditioning. I went in the evening, when the day outside was 25 degrees, and it was boiling hot inside. Seats are a bit hard and not very well padded. All in all, I guess local theatres are struggling and I can’t really ask for all the comforts of a premium West End Theatre. So 3 out of 5 stars for me.
Paco H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
I really like this venue. The location is good. Easy to get to from either the station or a number of public car parks. There are lots of good restaurants nearby, so if you want to do dinner before or after the theatre, that’s easy. We saw a Christmas panto here and it was really good, even from quite high up. They’re not kidding when they warn you both about the steps you have to climb and about how high up you will be. The balcony is steep and high. I found the toilets and the bar at the balcony level easy to get to and not very crowded. That’s a bonus.
Jason A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Its a pretty impressive place. Legroom was a tad on the snug side in the Dress Circle. I really enjoyed the venue. I found all the staff polite and courteous. I didn’t care for the show, nowt wrong with it, just not my selection, I was taking one for the team !!
Sambee
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
I really enjoyed my experience at the theatre. It was easy to get to with Wimbledon station being a short walk away. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was amazing. When speaking to people before the show I came across several locals, which tells a lot about the company. The show was brilliant, afterwards we went across the road to a bar and continued our night. I was pleasantly surprised by the vibe in Wimbledon. I’d recommend seeing a show and spending a night out in Wimbledon.
Detgoz
Rating des Ortes: 3 London, United Kingdom
It is really a great experience! I love the atmosphere, with the sense of sophistication and cool when you are in this place watching nice Theatre acts. There is a small coffee shop to take your lunch and also to buy for some souvenir items.
Yee Gan O.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Wimbledon Theatre is an impressive building on Wimbledon Broadway and my local large theatre. It offers a variety of professional productions, mainly musicals but also such disparate acts such as the Shaolin Monks to hosting the the royal performance of We Are Most Amused when Prince Charles came to be entertained by comedy acts. The theatre has comfortable seating with good banking offering nice views from all areas. The stage is also suitably sophisticated — for example the performance of Cats that I saw here managed to reproduce the West End trick of elevating the old cat at the end of the show. Kids are also catered for by the yearly panto and shows like Tweenies Live. It’s a good way to watch good theatre locally and frequently shows which have shown in larger venues.
Pootl
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
A good theatre which compares well with those in the West End. Well located for local transport, bars and restaurants. Has a varied programme with high quality theatre, orchestra and ballet groups performing here.
Jmcavo
Rating des Ortes: 4 Scunthorpe, United Kingdom
A lovely grand old theatre the likes of which are slowly disappearing from the towns of the country. It is an architectural delight and transports you to a bygone era where glitz and glamour are the name of the game. It does put on a wide range of productions ranging from comedies and serious plays through to the yearly pantomime and various musicals. Prices are average for an out of west end theatre and there is plenty of parking round about
Cutest
Rating des Ortes: 2 London, United Kingdom
Good venue and friendlystaff. Great night out really. Expensice bar tho!
Kataje
Rating des Ortes: 3 London, United Kingdom
I saw Uri Geller here which was random in itself but the theatre was lovely. We got excellent seats for the price and they had the traditional ice-cream sellers in the interval. There was a bar where you can have pre-performance drinks which wasn’t over priced. I think quite a lot of Pantos are played here.
Haggis
Rating des Ortes: 5 Reigate, United Kingdom
I went to a pantomime here with a group of about 20 of us. It was a cold winter evening and we met in a pub round the corner for a drink first, then to the theatre. I have only been there that one time but it really left a mark on me. Its well located in terms of location. Wimbledon station is up the road with a number of bus routes heading down Wimbledon south way or over Wimbledon Common, Putney way. Wimbledon Rail station goes into Waterloo so handy if coming from the city. The theatre was very quaint and our seats were excellent. All seating looked very good with no real obstructed views. I can see parking being an issue right at the station and with most roads in that area being resident parking only but Morrisons has a car park and the Centre Court shopping centre. At the interval we got a few more drinks, then after the show went out for dinner in Wimbledon. I will definitely be back.
Theduc
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
This place is exceptional. It is a West End theatre in all but location. In fact many shows each year appear here prior to a run in the West End. I am going to see ‘Never Forget’ a new musical based on the music of Take That next week and that is one of the pre West End shows this theatre prides itself in. Beware, that does mean West End refreshment and ticket prices though! Each year it hosts an exceptional Pantomine and the theatre is very popular with the community. It was heavily in debt in 2002 and was saved by intervention by the MP of the time Roger Casale, the council and the Ambassadors Theatre Group who are lovingly restoring it to its former glory. As dmj has said about it Grade 2 listed status, the angel on the top was taken down during the 2nd world war as it was helping German bomber planes locate themsleves and then attack the major rail route between London and the shipping ports of Portsmouth and Southampton. The angel returned in the 1990’s and is the higest landmark in the local area and beautifully glows at night. The nearest station is Wimbledon and buses can take you buses from south wimbledon if using the northern line. Parking is available as pointed out in dml’s review which summed the deal with the shopping centre nicely. Restuarants are plentiful at the doorstep of this gorgeous building, as are pubs on Wimbledon’s very own little Broadway!
David J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
The New Wimbledon Theatre(formerly the Wimbledon Theatre) is one of the prime theatre houses in outside central London. Built in 1910, it is a classic of Edwardian design, with a richly decorated baroque and Adams-style interior. It is a Grade II listed historic building. It’s also one of the largest venues in London, seating 1,700 in a broad auditorium. Taken over by the Ambassador Theatre Group in 2003, it is slowly being restored to its original condition. The theatre presents a varied repertoire, focusing on popular productions, including musicals, opera, comedy, special events and music performances. In recent years, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has had a season at Wimbledon, which has proved extremely popular(the acoustics are well suited to a full-sized orchestra). A speciality is performances designed for the whole family, such as tours from the Moscow State Circus, culminating in one of London’s best pantomime seasons throughout December and January. We saw a stunning pro-am performance of ‘La Cage aux Folles’ there a few years ago, which beat the film versions hands down. The theatre has very good provision for those with disabilities — contact the box office in advance for details. Guide dogs are welcome and the theatre provides state-of-the-art infra-red listening systems. Although parking nearby is a little limited, patrons can use the Centrecourt Shopping Centre Car Park at a reduced rate(inform the box office to validate your ticket). Public transport provision is excellent, as the theatre is adjacent to the bus station, and just five minutes from Wimbledon station, for National Rail, underground and Croydon Tramlink.
Stace
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
The Wimbledon Theatre is a beautiful Grade II listed building, the theatre opened in 1910 and will soon celebrate its centenary. I have performed there myself many accounts and it was a great experience. Over the years i have been told such legendary stars as Ivor Novello, Noël Coward, Marlene Dietrich, Laurel & Hardy, Frankie Howerd, Michael Palin, Joan Collins and Henry Winkler have all graced the New Wimbledon Theatre stage. It has a fantastic large open stage, and has approximently 1600 seats over 3 levels. Parking in london is an absolute nightmare however The Wimbledon theatre provides space at the dock doors for unit vehicles and a council car park which is ideal. Also the tube and tramlick is in 10 minutes of the theatre which is great! The theatre contains many great rooms for many events and this is becoming very popular. There newly refurbished Robert Holmes Room is a delightful private bar for more intimate functions, or you may prefer there Upper Circle Bar which accommodates up to 100 people. These were actually the rooms that i was getting changed to do my next number in the shows and they are very plesent rooms. Inside the Wimbledon Theatre it is simple but elegant and it provides people with a warm welcoming. The theatre has gone from strength to strength and great shows that are coming include, Doctor Dolittle, South pacific, 42nd Street, Snow white and the seven dwalfs, Swan lake and many more. I feel its fantastic that all the shows are for a wide range of audiences and trust me they never lack a lively audience. I also felt that when i have been in to find out information on shows the people at the box office have been very attentive and helpful, i have always had the seat i have asked for. You don’t need to go to the west-end as all the shows are just as good and trust me you will have a enjoyable night out with all the restaurants and bars to finish your evening off.