The historic Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End is scheduled to be officially renamed the Judi Dench Theatre in February 2027 to honor Dame Judi Dench.
The Shaftesbury was the last theatre to be built on Shaftesbury Avenue and was originally named The Princes Theatre. Opening in 1911, it has seen many notable productions and famous faces over the last century and it’s now the largest independent theatre in the West End. Notable shows over the earlier decades include Sarah Bernhardt in Daniel (1921), Sybil Thorndike and Henry Ainley in Macbeth (1926) and Funny Face with Fred Astaire (1928). Then followed a period of change when manager Firth Shepard produced successful shows described as a ‘medley of mirth and music’ like Merrie England (1934 and 1945), Fun and Games (1941) and The Shepard Show (1939 and 1946). The Theatre remained open, despite two occasions of bomb damage, during the Second World War, offering audiences a cultural programme of international talent such as Serge Diaghaleff’s Ballet featuring Margot Fonteyn and the Sadler’s Wells Opera and Ballet.
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