146 Best Performing Arts Venues in England

Musicals, live-music acts, and, occasionally, dance or opera productions are on the bill at this theater.

Come November, international jazz superstars rub shoulders with emerging local talent and cutting-edge bands at dozens of venues across the city during the 10 days of the London Jazz Festival. A varied program of around 350 performances, including free concerts and gigs for toddlers, means both jazz connoisseurs and those new to the genre will find plenty to enjoy.

Patterned on the layout of Elizabethan theaters, the Maddermarket has been the base of amateur and community theater in Norwich since 1911.

This impressive modern performance space showcases Shakespeare productions, contemporary theater, music, dance, and comedy. It is also a venue for popular touring shows, including West End musicals.

One of the larger theaters outside London offers a mixture of bands, tribute bands, West End musicals on tour, comedy headliners, and occasional opera and ballet performances.

This converted industrial space has become celebrated for its inspired reworkings of classic musicals, with several of its productions eventually transferring to the West End and even winning Tonys on Broadway. It's not unusual for shows to feature top British talent and stars-of-tomorrow, like Sharon Horgan and Tom Hollander, before they become famous. It also hosts comedy nights.

The open-air Minack Theatre perches high above a beach 3 miles southeast of Land's End and about 6 miles southwest of Penzance. The slope of the cliff forms a natural amphitheater, with bench seats on the terraces and the sea as a magnificent backdrop. Different companies present everything from classic dramas to modern comedies, as well as operas and concerts, on afternoons and evenings between late March and late October. An exhibition center tells the story of the theater's creation. Note that this center is closed afternoons when matinee performances are scheduled.

This acclaimed series of weekend classical concerts takes place October through June in such esteemed venues as Christ Church Cathedral and the Sheldonian Theatre.

Oxford's main performance space, the New Theatre stages popular shows, comedy acts, and musicals.

A fine Victorian auditorium, the New Theatre Royal previews plays and musicals before their London runs and also hosts touring productions and comedy.

A range of innovative and traditional productions are staged at this venue, including plays, comedy, musical revues, and dance performances. It's located on the unversity campus, a walk or short bus ride from the center.

This eclectic venue hosts a busy program of live music, dance, and comedy.

This professional repertory group performs everything from Shakespeare to world premieres of new plays.

Windsor's former fire station has a whole new lease on life as a contemporary arts venue, presenting films, theater, music, dance, and comedy, with plenty of events for kids.

Works by Shakespeare have been performed here every summer (from mid-May to mid-September) since 1932, with casts including luminaries such as Vivien Leigh, Dame Judi Dench, and Damien Lewis. Today, in addition to live music and comedy one-offs, the theater also mounts productions of classic plays, Broadway musicals, and shows for family audiences among its four annual productions. A Midsummer Night's Dream is the one to catch, if it's on—never has that enchanted Greek wood been better evoked, especially when enhanced by genuine birdsong and a rising moon.

There's a covered restaurant for pretheater dining, an informal grill, a pizzeria, and, of course, a bar. You also can order picnic hampers in advance. The park can get chilly, so bring a blanket. Performances proceed rain or shine (umbrellas aren't allowed although rain hats are), with refunds only in case of a very heavy downpour.

In summer, well-loved operas and imaginative productions of lesser-known works are presented under a spectacular canopy against the remains of Holland House, one of the first great houses built in Kensington. The company has successfully branched out into opera for families in recent years, too. There are 1,000 tickets offered free to those ages 7–18 every season. Tickets go on general sale in April (earlier for members). The season runs through August and usually consists of six opera productions, from perennial favorites like Rossini's The Barber of Seville to lesser-performed works such as Edgar by Puccini.

This elegant historic venue hosts musicals as well as opera, classical ballet, concerts, and Christmas pantos.

This theater presents classic and modern dramas as well as dance and music performances.

One of the city's largest theaters presents mainly touring musicals and tribute acts.

Sadler's Wells's West End annex, this modernist theater near the London School of Economics (which sometimes uses it as a lecture hall during the day) focuses on younger companies and features popular dance genres like flamenco, tango, and hip-hop.

This large Art Deco concert hall and sometime cinema hosts concerts by the resident Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as contemporary rock, pop, folk, roots, jazz, and blues performances.

This is London's only theater dedicated solely to contemporary dance, and with tickets often under £20, it's a good value, too. The Resolution festival, held in May and June, is the United Kingdom's biggest platform event for new choreographers. There's also an excellent bar and café.

A wide range of theater, dance, and art exhibitions are on the bill at this arts center in the heart of Hexham.

This huge stadium within the massive National Exhibition Centre (universally known as "the N.E.C.") is located close to the airport. Tickets for all events here should be bought through the Ticket Factory.

This restored Art Deco venue is one of the city's most appealing sites for stand-up comedy, theater, and more. You can also take a heritage tour of the building (tickets must be booked in advance).

For decades, the Royal Court was one of Britain's leading showcases for exciting new theatrical voices and premieres of groundbreaking works, and it still continues to produce important British and international dramas. Ticket prices range from £15 to £49.

The College hosts classical and contemporary music concerts—everything from opera to jazz.

The town of Rye has long been a chosen residence for arty types, from Henry James and Anthony van Dyck to Paul McCartney and Spike Milligan. So it makes perfect sense that, for two weeks every September, the town hosts this excellent art festival, filled with literary talks, film screenings, concerts, and theater performances.

Held from late May through early June, the festival has outstanding classical recitals, plays, author talks, international cinema, dance, comedy, and family events.

The playhouse, the main venue for the Salisbury International Arts Festival, also presents a strong roster of shows by leading touring comedians as well as evenings with leading authors and actors and nostalgic musical revues.