Dubbed Theatreland, London’s West End is a veritable treasure trove of live performances and electrifying stage shows. Indeed, cited as the largest theatre district in the world, the London scene is bigger than Britain’s film industry and pulls in more crowds than New York’s Broadway! Boasting a long tradition of both established and new acts, there is definitely something to entertain even the most sceptical of theatre goers.

The first playhouse, which was built in 1576 and aptly named The Theatre, set the scene for what was to become a long and successful entertainment genre for England’s capital. And, with added investment over the years, the area now boasts over 25 theatres. Not only that, but 2008 saw a record 13 million people venture into Theatreland to watch the performances on offer.

In addition to the host of visitors drawn to the shows, many well known film stars, from both the UK and across the water, are also attracted to the West End. In fact, since its inception there have been a number of actors and actresses who have taken to the stage, including Dame Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Radcliff and Kevin Spacey.

Managing to superbly fuse the modern with the traditional, London theatre has a knack for knowing just which performances are right for the time: as a result, there is always an interesting mixture of old and new shows available.