Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
London
Grade II listed West End theatre at 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ, open since 1901. Four levels run from the Stalls to the Balcony, a platform stair lift serves the Stalls, and Piccadilly Circus Tube station is about 250m away. Derren Brown: Only Human plays here from 10 October 2026 to 30 January 2027.
About Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
Where is the Apollo Theatre in London?
The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre at 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ, opened in February 1901 to designs by the architect Lewin Sharp. Its nearest Tube is Piccadilly Circus, about 250m away, and wheelchair users can reach one level only, the Stalls, by a platform stair lift.
Searches for the Apollo name also bring up other venues. The Apollo Victoria, and the Apollo venues in Hammersmith and Manchester, are separate buildings with their own addresses and programmes. When a map pin or a taxi booking says Apollo, check that the postcode reads W1D 7EZ before setting off.
How is the Apollo Theatre seating laid out?
The Apollo Theatre seating runs across four levels: the Stalls, the Dress Circle, the Grand Circle and the Balcony, the names the theatre's operator uses. The Stalls is the only level with wheelchair access, by a platform stair lift, and it is also where the wheelchair spaces and the fully adapted toilet are. The three levels above are reached by stairs.
The four levels at a glance
- Stalls: 22 steps down, or the platform stair lift for wheelchair users; home to the 2 wheelchair spaces and the adapted unisex toilet.
- Dress Circle: the first level above the Stalls; no step-free route.
- Grand Circle: the second level above the Stalls, 41 steps up; no step-free route. Some theatre listings use the name Upper Circle for a tier above the Stalls; the four names here are the operator's.
- Balcony: the top level; no step-free route.
Published seat counts for the Apollo Theatre differ between the theatre's operator and theatre listings. If one guest in a group uses a wheelchair, the Stalls is the only level where the whole party can sit on the same floor.
Is the Apollo Theatre accessible?
The Apollo Theatre has wheelchair access to one level only. A platform stair lift takes wheelchair users to the Stalls, where there are 2 wheelchair spaces and a fully adapted unisex toilet. There is no step-free route to the Dress Circle, the Grand Circle or the Balcony. A hearing assistance system is available, and assistance dogs are welcome.
With only 2 wheelchair spaces in the Stalls and stairs to every level above, a group that includes a guest who uses a wheelchair or cannot manage stairs should arrange access well before the day.
How do you get to the Apollo Theatre?
The nearest Tube station to the Apollo Theatre is Piccadilly Circus, on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines, about 250m away. Leicester Square station is also close by. Charing Cross rail station is about 800m from the theatre. For a map, a taxi or a car service, the address to give is 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ.
- Tube: Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines), about 250m.
- Tube: Leicester Square, also close by.
- Rail: Charing Cross, about 800m.
When do the doors open?
The building opens about one hour before a performance, and the auditorium opens about 45 minutes before. That hour gives a group time to meet up before taking their seats.
What is on at the Apollo Theatre?
Derren Brown: Only Human runs at the Apollo Theatre from Saturday 10 October 2026 to Saturday 30 January 2027. The West End run follows the Only Human UK and Ireland tour, and the official London site describes the show as "mind-reading, psychological illusion, and breathtaking storytelling". The content of Only Human remains tightly under wraps, and we keep it that way.
It is the two-time Olivier Award winner's second West End season at this theatre. His earlier show Showman also played the Apollo Theatre, from December 2022 to March 2023.
Past productions at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue include Rain Man, Jerusalem and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
How old is the Apollo Theatre?
The Apollo Theatre opened in February 1901. The theatre's operator gives the date as 21 February 1901 and describes it as the first theatre built in London in the Edwardian era. It was designed by the architect Lewin Sharp, with sculpture on the facade by T. Simpson, and the building is Grade II listed.
Getting There
Accessibility at Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue welcomes all visitors with a range of accessibility facilities. Use the guide below to plan your visit.
Accessibility Notes
Platform stair lift to the Stalls; 2 wheelchair spaces and a fully adapted unisex toilet in the Stalls; no step-free route to other levels; a hearing assistance system; assistance dogs welcome.
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Enquire NowApollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue FAQs
The Apollo Theatre's address is 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ. It is a Grade II listed West End theatre, and Piccadilly Circus Tube station is about 250m away. Use the full postcode when searching a map, because the Apollo Victoria and the Apollo in Hammersmith are different venues with different addresses.
Piccadilly Circus is the nearest Tube station to the Apollo Theatre, about 250m away on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines. Leicester Square station is also close by, and Charing Cross rail station is about 800m away. Piccadilly Circus is also the nearest station for Derren Brown: Only Human at the Apollo Theatre.
No. The Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue and the Apollo Victoria are two separate London theatres. The Apollo Theatre is at 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ. It is also not the Apollo in Hammersmith or the Apollo in Manchester, which are different venues again. The W1D 7EZ postcode is the quickest way to be sure you have the right building.
Published seat counts for the Apollo Theatre differ between the theatre's operator and theatre listings, so there is no single agreed figure. The layout is consistent across sources: four levels, the Stalls, Dress Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony, with wheelchair access by platform stair lift to the Stalls only.
Partly, and only to the Stalls. A platform stair lift gives wheelchair users access to the Stalls, which has 2 wheelchair spaces and a fully adapted unisex toilet. There is no step-free route to the Dress Circle, Grand Circle or Balcony. The access performances for Derren Brown: Only Human are listed in our guide to running time, age limit and what to expect.
Yes. The Apollo Theatre has a hearing assistance system for audience members with hearing loss. Published descriptions of the equipment differ between sources, so it is worth checking how it works before the performance. The system is separate from the sign-language and audio described performances scheduled for individual shows.
Yes. Assistance dogs are welcome at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. If a guest with an assistance dog also uses a wheelchair, the platform stair lift serves the Stalls only, which is also where the 2 wheelchair spaces and the fully adapted unisex toilet are.
Doors at the Apollo Theatre open in two stages: the building about one hour before a performance, then the auditorium about 45 minutes before. For an evening at Derren Brown: Only Human, that leaves time for a group to gather before curtain up. Running time and finish times are in our Only Human guide.
Derren Brown: Only Human plays the Apollo Theatre from Saturday 10 October 2026 to Saturday 30 January 2027. It is his second West End season at the theatre, after Showman, which ran from December 2022 to March 2023. The run is covered on our Derren Brown: Only Human at the Apollo Theatre page, and his live shows on our Derren Brown page.
No. The Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue has no formal dress code, and the theatre's advice is to wear whatever is comfortable. For a group heading to the West End straight from the office, work clothes are fine.
No. The theatre asks that only food and drink bought at the theatre is consumed there. Sealed bottles of water are the exception and are allowed in. Anyone planning a meal with a group should arrange it before arriving at 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ.
Yes. The Apollo Theatre has a small cloakroom that takes large bags and suitcases for a small charge. Items are stored during performance times only, and they may be searched. With space limited, guests coming straight from work or travel may want to bring as little as they can.
Yes. Security checks are in place at the Apollo Theatre. Dangerous items are not allowed, and smart glasses are not permitted in the theatre. Allowing a few extra minutes at the door helps a group take their seats together.