Ambassadors Theatre at a glance
The Ambassadors is one of the smallest theatres in the West End, which actually works in your favour as there’s barely a bad seat in the house.
The Stalls put you right up close. This is an intimate venue, so even the back rows feel near the stage. Because the theatre is so compact, I wouldn’t stress too much about exact seat numbers here; just avoid the very edges if the production uses a wide set.
The Circle is a great money-saving option at the Ambassadors, since the whole theatre is small enough that you’re never far from the action. There’s a short run of stairs to reach Row F, so worth knowing if that’s a concern.
The Ambassadors Theatre sits on West Street, just off Cambridge Circus in the heart of Theatreland, right next door to St Martin’s.
Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines) – about 5 minutes on foot, the closest tube by far
Covent Garden, Charing Cross, Tottenham Court Road and Piccadilly Circus – all around 10-15 minutes on foot, so any of these work if Leicester Square is packed
If you’re arriving by train, Charing Cross station is about ten minutes away on foot.
Space around the theatre is tight and it’s genuinely one of the smallest venues in the West End, so give yourself a little extra time to find the entrance on West Street if you haven’t been before.
The Ambassadors Theatre opened in 1913 as a twin venue alongside the neighbouring St Martin’s Theatre, and the two still stand side by side on West Street today. It’s had a few changes of shape over the years – Ambassador Theatre Group once subdivided it into two smaller spaces, with the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs in residence until 1999, when the original single auditorium was restored and the venue renamed New Ambassadors. A 2007 refurbishment brought back the original Ambassadors name, and the theatre returned to ATG ownership in 2020.
Its biggest claim to fame: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap premiered here in 1952 and ran for more than 20 years before transferring next door to St Martin’s, where it continues today as the longest-running show in theatre history. More recently the Ambassadors has become known for sharp, contemporary work, including Cock, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder and the horror hit Paranormal Activity.
The Ambassadors Theatre has 446 seats across two levels (Stalls and Circle), making it one of the smallest venues in the West End.
The Ambassadors Theatre is on West Street, London WC2H 9ND, just off Cambridge Circus.
Leicester Square is the closest, about five minutes on foot. Covent Garden, Charing Cross, Tottenham Court Road and Piccadilly Circus are all within a 10-15 minute walk.
Yes. There’s step-free access to the Stalls via a platform lift, with two wheelchair spaces in Rows E and G. There’s a hearing enhancement system throughout the auditorium, plus audio described and captioned performances for selected shows.
This is one of the West End’s smaller, more intimate houses, and its single Circle is only five steps up from the foyer, with handrails, so it never feels especially high. There’s no lift anywhere in the building, so all levels are reached by stairs, but the modest scale means the Circle doesn’t have the steep, vertiginous feel of some larger Victorian theatres. If you’d rather stay at ground level altogether, the Stalls are the way to go.
Space is tight at the Ambassadors, so it’s best to travel light – the theatre suggests using a bag storage partner like Stasher for anything larger than you can comfortably keep with you.
See the “Now Playing” section at the top of this page for the current show, and “Coming Soon” for what’s next.
You can book tickets directly through the official ATG Tickets website, which is sometimes the best option so you don’t end up paying extra fees.
However, other websites like London Theatre Direct, Today Tix and Love Theatre can sometimes have discounted tickets available which can be a good deal.
I always recommend looking at several different websites and comparing which has the cheapest seats for where you want to sit.
