performance

National Theatre

sonia.chaves — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:27:25 +0100

Waterloo Bridge, South Bank
London

The National Theatre is open for visitors who wish to take a guided tour of the building and for people attending performances. You will be able to visit the whole theatre including the backstage areas.

There are three different auditoriums which are each used for different performances. The Oliver Theatre is designed as an amphitheatre; Lyttelton Theatre is a traditional theatre and Cottesloe Theatre is a box-like stage.

London Guide | Theatres in London

Abbey Theatre

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:32:53 +0200

26 Lower Abbey Street
Dublin 1

Abbey Theatre is renowned as the new National Theatre of Ireland as the original building, built in 1903, was damaged by a fire in 1951 and so it was rebuilt in Abbey Street near the River Liffey. Today, the theatre hosts the latest shows as well as productions by Irish artists, as it was built to promote new Irish plays and to host performances for touring theatre companies. There are two main theatres in the National Theatre of Ireland, the Abbey Theatre and the Peacock Theatre.

Other theatres in Dublin are the Gate Theatre which hosts contemporary and classical Irish performances, and the Gaiety Theatre which usually hosts Irish productions. If you would like to see modern dance in Dublin, you should go to the Project Arts Centre, or if you fancy a comedy or drama you should go to the Olympia Theatre. The biggest theatre in Dublin is The Point Theatre which can host 8,500 spectators.

Dublin Guide

Grafton Street

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:29:29 +0200

Grafton Street
Dublin 2

Grafton Street starts beside St. Stephen's Green and is a pedestrianised street which is busy at all hours of the day and night as it is the entertainment capital of Dublin. You will find restaurants, cafes and shops along Grafton Street, such as the famous department store, Brown Thomas, and the oldest coffee shop in the city, Bewley's Oriental Café.

The bronze statue of Molly Malone is located at one of the street and has been there since the end of the 20th century. It has become one of the icons in Dublin and is used as a meeting point for young Dubliners. It represents a woman selling fish and there is a legend that Molly Malone has her own song which is called Cockles and Mussels and if you go to Dublin you will probably hear the song being played in souvenir shops.

Dublin Guide | Historical buildings in Dublin

Covent Garden

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:07:45 +0200

Covent Garden market is held at Covent Garden Piazza and has offered antiques, clothing, crafts and food from over 40 stalls for around 300 years. The square was originally designed as a residential area, but today is one of the main entertainment areas in London.

Shops, street performers, pubs, bars, cinemas, theatres and over 1,000 places to eat are found in Covent Garden. There are affordable and expensive restaurants which serve Mediterranean, Chinese or traditional British dishes. Covent Garden has its own underground station and is believed to be the oldest inhabited area in London.

There are other attractions worth visiting near Covent Garden Square, such as the Jubilee Hall, St. Paul's Church, Royal Opera House and London's Transport Museum. The Theatre Museum, National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery are among the main attractions in the area.

London Guide | Shopping in London

The Open Air Theatre

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:39:49 +0200

The Ironworks, Inner Circle, Regent's Park
London

The Open Air Theatre in London was founded in 1932 and is the oldest open-air theatre which is run by professional actors in the world. Over 120,000 people visit this theatre each year, and it is famous for its Shakespeare performances, in particular Midsummer Night's Dream, which are held at the theatre.

Musicals and children's performances are also hosted at the Open Air Theatre. It has a 1,240-seat auditorium and picnic area.

London Guide | Theatres in London

Royal Opera House

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:32:31 +0200

St Bow Street
London

The Royal Opera House, located in Covent Garden, was initially opened in 1728, however, it was rebuilt in 1996 and transformed into the present Royal Opera House which can be visited today. The theatre has two separate stages; Linbury Studio, which is used for opera performances and Clore Studio which is used by the Royal Ballet.

The Royal Opera House in London is open daily and guided tours of the building are available. You will be able to see everything in the guided tour, from the different stages to the amphitheatre, the Royal Ballet studios, the conservatory and the Paul Hamlyn Hall.

London Guide | Theatres in London

Royal Albert Hall

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:29:01 +0200

Kensington Gore
London

The Royal Albert Hall was founded in 1871 and has hosted more than 150,000 performances since it was built. The building is renowned for its fantastic iron and glass dome which accentuates the sound. Today, the Royal Albert Hall is used for numerous functions like concerts, fashion shows, ballets, operas and classical music concerts. It is even used by corporate companies for private functions. The building, shop and restaurant are open during the day and there are guided tours available.

London Guide | Theatres in London

St James's Park

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:28:48 +0200

St James's Park is located in London's city centre and it is surrounded by three palaces. The first and oldest is Palace of Westminster, which is now home to the Houses of Parliament. St. James's Palace and Buckingham Palace are also located in the park.

St James's Park is a good place to go for a picnic as it has great facilities and live music at the bandstand during summer. This park covers 56 acres and is home to the Mall where many parades and national events take place. There are water birds, owls and pelicans living near the garden's lake, but visitors are mainly attracted by the possibility of see the "Changing of the Guard" tradition.

London Guide | Parks and Gardens in London

Banqueting House

sonia.chaves — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:59:12 +0200

Whitehall
London

The Banqueting House is the only part that survived the devastating fire in Whitehall Palace which was built during the 14th century and was home to the Archbishop of York. It was designed by Inigo Jones in 1619 and was finished in 1622 and it looks like a cathedral. Its architectonic style is known as Italianate Renaissance and it was the first building in England where crown glass was used in the windows.

The ceiling in the Banqueting House was painted by Peter Paul Rubens and commissioned by King Charles I in 1636. After Charles death, the Banqueting House served as a Royal Chapel and a museum for the Royal United Service Institution. Today, it often hosts lunchtime concerts.

London Guide | Historical Buildings in London

Edinburgh Dungeons

javier — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:09:24 +0200

31 Market Street
Edinburgh

Travel back in time to discover the darkest and scariest parts of Scotland's history at the Edinburgh Dungeons. There are real actors, performances, special effects and spooky rides, all guaranteed to give you the fright of your life. The Dungeon bases all the performances on real historical events such as the Clan Wars, the brutal fire which destroyed the city and the life of the cannibal Sawney Bean.

Anathomic Theatre is one of the attractions at the Dungeon where you will see how surgery was performed in the 18th century. The Haunted Labyrinth is another popular scare which will take you on a trail through the catacombs.

Edinburgh Guide | Edinburgh with children