Leicester Square Theatre

The Leicester Square Theatre (formerly The Venue), is a 420-seat studio theatre in Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London, which opened in 2002 with the premier of Boy George's Taboo. The building originated as the Notre Dame Hall in 1953, replacing an earlier building that had been destroyed by World War II bombing. It was used as a French cultural centre, until the 1970s when the hall became a venue for punk music. This use for live music and as a dance hall, continued until it was converted to a theatre in 2001. Prior to 1988 there was a cinema known as The Leicester Square Theatre. This still exists and is now known as the Odeon West End. The theatre is open-plan with grandstand-style seating, flexible staging and is situated beneath the Notre Dame French Catholic Church.