The streets in London might have changed a lot, after losing quite a few familiar places and lacking tourists. Though it’s quite sad, on a positive side it could be a chance to look at London again with fresh eyes, and this is exactly how we rediscovered a gem in the West End - The Theatre Cafe.
Not only for tourists
Before the lockdown we’d walked past this theatre-themed café so many times whenever strolling in the area. Being aware of its eye-catching existence, however, the idea of popping in there never came to us, even though we love both theatres and coffee shops. We wondered why, and our conclusion is that we might have biasedly dismissed it as a ‘touristy place’. Well, it might actually attract tourists, but it should also be a cultural den for theatre lovers and locals - we just didn’t see it that way before the lockdown, somehow.
Now we’re glad that our eyes have been refreshed and unbiased. As soon as you open the door you’d be mesmerised by lots of theatrical memorabilia and publicity materials adorning the walls. There is even a glittering stage for live performances at the back. The background music is also all theatre-related, mainly from famous musicals, of course. Being situated in the heart of the West End, it’s a place not only to look back on but also to look forward to the enjoyment of performing arts.
Excitement and relaxation
Despite the colourful, lively, vibrant adornments in the whole shop, we found the atmosphere rather relaxing (maybe because we went there on a quiet Saturday evening, kind of late for just having a coffee). While you can contemplate which shows you’ve liked and which ones you’d like to see next, you could also just feel calm, having nice drinks and snacks, while listening to the nation's favourite musical songs.
They haven’t resumed in-house live performances yet, but if the situation allows, you’ll be able to enjoy seeing stars of the West End and Broadway, performing very closely to you. Even without such special gigs, you wouldn’t like to leave this coffee shop so soon once seated, because, we assure you, the seats are so comfortable!
If you’ve missed theatres but haven’t quite managed to return to see live shows yet, visiting this coffee shop will work as a good reinitiation to recover our theatre-going culture. Besides, it’s a rare place to feel excitement and relaxation at the same time - both are what we need in our daily artistic lives.
The Theatre Cafe announces reopening date
The Theatre Cafe