Sadler's Wells Theatre

Sadler’s Wells Theatre stands on Rosebery Avenue in Islington, London. It is a performing arts venue on a site that has held six theatres since the late 17th century. The first building opened in the 1680s as a pleasure garden with a mineral spring, where visitors drank the water and watched tumblers and musicians. By the early 18th century the spa had faded, and the place became known for jugglers, dancing dogs and even a singing duck. The wooden auditorium was rebuilt several times, and in 1765 a brick theatre replaced it. The theatre’s fortunes rose and fell through the centuries. In the mid-19th century Samuel Phelps presented Shakespeare seasons here between 1844 and 1862. By the early 20th century the building stood derelict until Lilian Baylis bought and rebuilt it in 1926. Under her leadership Sadler’s Wells became home to companies that grew into the Royal Ballet, the National Theatre and English National Opera. From the 1930s to the 1980s the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company gave 21 London seasons here. Today the theatre has two spaces: a 1,500-seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio. It is chiefly a dance venue, hosting visiting companies and producing original works. Rehearsal rooms and technical facilities fill the site, and a new theatre in Stratford will open in 2025. The building stands as a working centre for the performing arts, where artists create and audiences gather.