London Coliseum, London | What's On, Seats and Tickets

Still choosing seats? The Stalls are the pick, centre rows B to H. Then the front of the Dress Circle. On both circle levels the ends are nearer the stage than the middle, because the circles wrap round the Stalls instead of hanging over them, and they cost less. The trade is the angle.

Booking an opera? Sit further back in the Stalls than you normally would, or take Dress Circle rows A to C. The surtitle screen is high above the stage, the front three rows of the Stalls have to crane to read it, and the back four rows of the Dress Circle can't see it at all.

Already booked? There's a lift to every level except the Upper Circle, and a bar on every level. Allow 20 to 25 minutes before curtain, because around 2,360 people arrive at once and there are security checks at the door.

Below: the seating plan and a page for each level, from the Stalls to the Balcony, which Boxes to book and which to skip, how to get here, access, restaurants, bars and hotels nearby, and more about the building.

Quick facts

Address: St Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ES
Nearest tube: Leicester Square and Charing Cross, about 3 minutes each
Capacity: 2,359
Levels: Stalls, Dress Circle, Upper Circle and Balcony, plus Boxes on three levels
Bars: one on every level, plus the American Bar on the lower ground floor
Doors: bars open 75 minutes before, the auditorium 30. Arrive 20 to 25 minutes before, no later
Owner: English National Opera

What's On at the London Coliseum

Angel's Bone opens English National Opera's 2026/27 season, 16 to 31 October 2026. Two angels fall injured into a suburban garden, and the couple who nurse them back to health then cut back their wings and put them to work. It's Du Yun's Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, about 1 hour 15 minutes with no interval, and there are only six performances.

The rest of the season, in date order:

Tosca, English National Opera, 30 October to 11 December 2026
Iphigénie en Tauride, English National Opera, 6 to 14 November 2026
The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition Final, 8 November 2026, one night
Adriana Mater, English National Opera, 28 November to 12 December 2026
Nutcracker, English National Ballet, 17 December 2026 to 10 January 2027
Romeo & Juliet, English National Ballet, 14 to 24 January 2027
La traviata, English National Opera, 3 February to 13 March 2027
Breaking the Waves, English National Opera, 13 to 25 February 2027
Ballet Icons Gala, 21 February 2027, one night
Trial by Jury & The Zoo, English National Opera, 4 to 12 March 2027

Then the musicals: Legally Blonde The Musical, 22 March to 22 May 2027, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical, with Michael Ball as Willy Wonka, 4 June to 18 September 2027.

Call us on 020 7193 9050 for seat advice on any of them.

Ticket prices

Prices here depend on who produces the show: English National Opera and English National Ballet price their own seasons differently from the musicals and concerts other producers bring in, so the same seat can sit near the top of the price list one month and around the middle the next.

The easiest way to see it is one weekday night from three different producers. For most of the Stalls and the middle of the Dress Circle, English National Opera's Tosca charged around £150, English National Ballet's Nutcracker around £125 and Legally Blonde around £90. The cheapest seats, up in the Balcony, sat between around £20 and around £30 for all three, and the top of the house reached around £150 to around £170. The opera and the musical cost more on a Saturday; the Nutcracker costs the same any night of the week. All-in pricing, the price you see is what you pay.

Book London Coliseum tickets

All-in pricing, the price you see is what you pay.

London Coliseum FAQs

How many seats does the London Coliseum have?

There are 2,359 seats, more than any other theatre in the West End, across the Stalls, Dress Circle, Upper Circle and Balcony.

What's on at the London Coliseum?

Opera, ballet, musicals and concerts, changing every few weeks. English National Opera's season runs from October into March, with Tosca and La traviata among this year's operas, and English National Ballet's Nutcracker takes the Christmas weeks. The full list is above. Traditionally, the theatre staged mostly opera, with some ballet.

Does the Coliseum have a Christmas show?

Yes. English National Ballet brings Nutcracker here every Christmas, and it's the theatre's annual fixture. This season it runs from 17 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, and English National Ballet follow it with Romeo & Juliet from 14 January. It's the most family-heavy run of the Coliseum's year, so the matinees go first.

Is the London Coliseum the home of English National Opera?

Yes. The company owns the building and has performed here since 1968. It's moving its headquarters to Greater Manchester by 2029, but it keeps the Coliseum and keeps performing here, so the opera seasons carry on alongside the ballet and the musicals.

Is there a dress code?

No. Jeans and trainers are fine, including for the opera. Sometimes, and very rarely, there is a dress code, but this is clearly communicated to all ticket buyers well in advance.

Can I take food and drink in?

Sweets and bottled drinks, yes, as long as you don't open them in the auditorium. Hot drinks, food and alcohol bought outside aren't allowed, and alcohol will be taken off you at the door. There are water refill stations on the main levels, so bring a reusable bottle.

Does the London Coliseum take cash?

No. It's card only everywhere, from the bars to the interval ice cream to the shop.

Is there a cloakroom?

Yes. It's small, by the main staircase in the foyer, and costs £2 an item. Coats and anything up to rucksack size go in; suitcases and large bags don't, and for those there's left luggage at Charing Cross station, three minutes away.

Can I bring children?

Under-16s need to be with an adult. Whether under-5s can come depends on the show and sometimes on the performance, so check the show's own page before you book. There are no booster seats.

What happens if I'm late?

You'll watch on a monitor outside the auditorium until there's a suitable break in the performance, and then staff will take you in. That can be a few minutes, or it can be the interval, so aim for the 20 to 25 minutes before curtain we suggest.

Can I buy tickets at the Box Office on the day?

Yes. It opens at 10am when there's an evening show, usually two hours before curtain on matinee-only days, and stays open until half an hour into the performance. Book with us instead and it's all-in pricing, so the price you see is what you pay.

Can I book by phone?

Yes. Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll tell you what's actually free on your date and which of it is the better buy for your budget. In a theatre this size that matters more than usual, and the price we quote is the price you pay.

Is the London Coliseum the same as the Colosseum?

No. The London Coliseum is a theatre on St Martin's Lane, WC2N 4ES, which opened on Christmas Eve 1904 and puts on opera, ballet, musicals and concerts. The Colosseum is the Roman amphitheatre in Rome.