Lyric Theatre London: What's On and How to Get Tickets: 197 events this week (24 Sept to 25 Sept)

The Lyric sits on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the thick of Soho's theatre row, a few doors down from some of the West End's grandest old houses. It's one of the oldest working theatres in London, and it still runs like one: red velvet, a compact auditorium, no bad seats that are actually bad, just closer or further from the stage.

Shows here rotate between big-name musicals and long-running hits, so what's on changes more than people expect. If you're picking a night, check what's actually playing that week rather than assuming, since a show that was there last year may have moved on or closed.

Getting there is easy. Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square stations are both a short walk, and the surrounding streets are full of places to eat before curtain, from quick pre-theatre menus to slower Soho dinners if you've got time to spare. Arrive with a bit of slack, since this stretch of Shaftesbury Avenue gets busy with pre-show crowds.

Matinees are worth considering if you want a calmer crowd and an easier journey home, especially at weekends when the evening performances draw the biggest audiences. Evening shows carry more atmosphere, more dressed-up energy, and a livelier bar before doors.

Whatever's on, the theatre itself is part of the draw. It's an intimate space by West End standards, so even the cheaper seats tend to feel closer to the stage than you'd expect.