New Theatre to Open in Shepherd's Bush

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Capital Theatre launching with Dirty Dancing next year

Artist impression of how the theatre will look. Picture: Capital Theatre

November 15, 2024

A new theatre is set to open in Shepherd’s Bush next autumn with the launch of a 620-seat venue within the Westfield Centre.

Capital Theatre will be on a 35,000 sq ft site on the south west corner of the site on Ariel Way and its first production is set to be Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage.

The project has been brought forward by West End producers Karl Sydow and Adam Kenwright through Kindred Partners. Sydow will be producing the first show which has had two runs in the West End over the last few years.

The venue is being designed by Haworth Tompkins Architects who built The Bridge Theatre, The Young Vic and were behind the transformation of the Playhouse Theatre into the Kit Kat Club for the ongoing production of Cabaret.

This is not the first time that a theatre has been launched in the area recently. Troubadour Theatres set up a 1,000 venue in White City, but it closed within a year in 2021.

Karl Sydow said, “I began my entertainment journey in 1965 with Rock’n’Roll bands, moved to theatre in 1982, produced my first show in 1988 and received my first Tony nomination in 1991. I have presented shows all over the world from the smallest of the fringe to the largest of West End Theatres and produced Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage since 2004. So at the halfway point in my theatrical life, I’m thrilled to be doing something very special and new to me with a very special friend. It’s time to build and run a venue! We have always had a mission to bring more people to the theatre and by opening the Capital Theatre at Westfield London, we are bringing a theatre to where the people are!”

Adam Kenwright added, “We are so excited today to announce the Capital Theatre: a thrilling, state of the art addition to London’s thriving entertainment scene. We have created a uniquely tailored and designed new space, with the experience of audiences at its heart. London’s theatres are on course to deliver the greatest ever attendance figures in 2024, with 17 million tickets and, for the first time ever, sales in excess of £1 billion. Capital Theatre will build upon this, supported by superb transport links to provide easy access for audiences from across the UK. With Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage as the inaugural show in the venue, we will be launching with a world-renowned production that has a track record of more than a decade’s sold-out seasons in London and throughout the country.”

Laura Waters, General Manager at Westfield London, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to debut Capital Theatre at Westfield London with the world-renowned production of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage. As the UK’s leading destination for shopping and leisure, Westfield London is continually evolving to offer unparalleled experiences, and this purpose-built, state-of-the-art theatre is an exceptional addition. We look forward to welcoming audiences to this spectacular new venue to enjoy a world-class show.”

If the theatre opens on schedule Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage from 23 October 2025 to 1 March 2026.

 

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