Adelphi Theatre, History and Past Productions
The building
There has been a theatre on this stretch of the Strand since 1806, when a merchant built the Sans Pareil for his daughter to perform in. The building you walk into now is the fourth on the site and opened in 1930.
It was designed by Ernest Schaufelberg in a hard, straight-lined Art Deco with almost no curves anywhere in it. The octagonal window above the doors is the giveaway from the street; inside, the ceiling carries a stained glass dome. It has been Grade II listed since 1987.
That is why it feels unlike its neighbours. Most of the theatres around it are Victorian or Edwardian, and this one is fifty years younger.
It is operated by LW Theatres and co-owned with the Nederlander Organization.
The 2026 refurbishment
A £2 million refurbishment ran from April to July 2026, covering the front of the building and the foyer: a new canopy running the full length of the entrance, a remodelled ticket office, a self-service drinks area beside the cloakroom, and better provision for wheelchair users inside the auditorium.
Past productions
The Adelphi has spent most of its modern life staging musicals.
- The Comedy About Spies, August to September 2026
- Back to the Future: The Musical, 2021 to April 2026
- Waitress, 2019 to 2020
- Kinky Boots, 2015 to 2019
- Made in Dagenham, 2014 to 2015
- The Bodyguard, 2012 to 2014
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 2012
- One Man, Two Guvnors, 2011 to 2012
- Love Never Dies, 2010 to 2011
- Chicago, 1997 to 2006, which ran here for nine years
FAQs
How old is the Adelphi Theatre?
There has been a theatre on the site since 1806. The current building opened in 1930 and is the fourth.
Who owns the Adelphi Theatre?
LW Theatres, co-owned with the Nederlander Organization.
What was on at the Adelphi before?
Most recently Mischief's The Comedy About Spies, from August to September 2026. Before it, Back to the Future: The Musical ran from 2021 to April 2026, and before that Waitress, Kinky Boots, Made in Dagenham, The Bodyguard, Sweeney Todd, One Man, Two Guvnors and Love Never Dies. Chicago ran here for nine years from 1997.