The Peacock Theatre is Sadler’s Wells’ West End venue, which presents dance productions as well as commercial musicals and opera.
The theatre is owned by the London School of Economics and is on long-term loan to Sadler’s Wells, yet the university retain some use of the hall, using it for lectures, conferences and open days.
A theatre has existed on this site since the 17th century. The current building was built in 1960 and named the Royalty Theatre, with MGM hosting various film screenings, most notably Ben Hur, which had a run of nearly a year showing at the Peacock. In 1996, Sadler’s Wells Company moved to the Peacock Theatre, becoming a prolific dance venue for the company.
The theatre is rumoured to be host to one of the West End’s stranger ghosts, allegedly being home to ‘Flipper’, a dolphin who once performed at the venue.