The Novello Theatre has four seating levels: Stalls, Dress Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony. It’s a fairly narrow auditorium, which actually works in your favour as it keeps you close to the stage even from the upper levels.
The Stalls are closest to the stage and give you the full impact of the show’s sound and choreography. Because the auditorium is narrow, even the back rows of the Stalls feel reasonably close to the action.
The Dress Circle offers a great overview of the stage and is a popular choice for a party show like Mamma Mia! where you want to see the whole company dancing. Front rows are excellent value.
The Grand Circle sits higher up and further back, at a lower price point. The narrow auditorium means the view is still perfectly good, though you’ll want to avoid the very back few rows if you can.
The Balcony is the highest and most affordable level. It’s steep, so isn’t ideal if you’re not keen on heights, but it’s a solid budget option for a show that’s as much about atmosphere as sightlines.
The Novello Theatre is on Aldwych in Covent Garden. The nearest tube station is Covent Garden (Piccadilly line), about a 7-minute walk away, with Holborn and Charing Cross also within easy reach.
The theatre first opened on 22nd May 1905 as the Waldorf Theatre, designed by W. G. R. Sprague as part of the same Aldwych development as the Aldwych Theatre itself. It’s changed names several times over the decades: it became the Strand Theatre in 1909, briefly the Whitney in 1911, back to the Strand in 1913, and finally the Novello Theatre in 2005, renamed in honour of the Welsh composer and actor Ivor Novello, who lived in a flat above the theatre from 1913 until his death in 1951.
The venue has hosted some huge long runners over the years, including Arsenic and Old Lace in the 1940s and the farce No Sex Please, We’re British, which ran here for over a decade. It’s been owned and operated by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres since 1991, and Mamma Mia! has called the Novello home since 2012.
The Novello Theatre has a capacity of 1,105 across its four levels: Stalls, Dress Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony.
The Novello Theatre is owned and operated by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres.
It opened on 22nd May 1905 as the Waldorf Theatre, later becoming the Strand Theatre and then the Novello Theatre in 2005.
It was renamed in 2005 in honour of Ivor Novello, the Welsh composer, singer and actor who lived in a flat above the theatre from 1913 to 1951.
Mamma Mia! is currently playing at the Novello Theatre, booking through to 2nd October 2027.
Mamma Mia! has been running at the Novello Theatre since 2012.
Covent Garden is the closest, with Holborn and Charing Cross also nearby.
The Stalls and front Dress Circle give the best overall experience for a big party musical like Mamma Mia!, though the narrow auditorium means views are decent from every level.
The Balcony is stairs-only – around 50 steps up with no lift in the building – and the theatre itself describes it as the least suitable level for anyone with limited mobility, which is a fair signal if heights concern you too. Specific rake figures aren’t published, but a single long climb to a top-tier seat of this height is generally the sort of thing that can feel exposed once you’re up there. The Stalls and Dress Circle are much easier alternatives, and Delfont Mackintosh’s access team can talk through seating if you call ahead.
You can book tickets for Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre directly through the official Mamma Mia! website. I’d always recommend booking through the show’s own site or a trusted official retailer to avoid inflated resale prices.
