Theatre in Leicester

The city’s largest entertainment venue, on the corner of Victoria Park, De Montfort Hall is the place to go for big shows and high-end production values, with an impressive range of family shows, comedy acts, ballet, opera and plenty of live music action.

A state-of-the-art, award-winning venue, Curve Theatre is a stunning glass and steel structure in the heart of Leicester. Designed by noted architect Rafael Vinoly, it was opened by Her Majesty the Queen. With ten high-end productions a year, including shows like Hairspray and A Clockwork Orange, the theatre is open-plan with no backstage area. Actors and stars get to mingle with the crowd, and the audience can even peek behind the scenes.

A small theatre with a big heart, The Little Theatre on Dover Street has been running for over 90 years with the backing of some very famous thespians, including Sir Anthony Hopkins and Lord Richard Attenborough. The 350-seat auditorium regularly welcomes over 30,000 audience members every year, and is dedicated to comedy for one week annually as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival. The theatre is a big supporter of young actors and directors through its Youth Theatre programme, and showcases budding directors in its innovative One Act Play Festival.

Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre doesn’t host theatrical productions but is home to two state-of-the-art cinema screens and a digital art and culture programme. With 20 screenings a month, including big-name blockbusters and less well-known film offerings from around the world, it also presents local and international artworks in its gallery. With over 200,000 visitors each year, its mix of cultural entertainments is proving hugely successful.

A thriving charity operation, The Y Theatre puts on an eclectic range of programmes, including comedy, theatre, dance, cabaret and family shows, as well as helping to home and support young people aged 16–25 years old. Built in 1900, just across the road from our City Centre hotel, the 300-seat theatre has recently hosted productions as varied as The Wizard of Oz, a gay comedy night and The Nutcracker – a snapshot of an excellent theatre.