Introduction
Calling all theatre lovers! This one's for you. If you've been reading up on our blogs, you may have noticed a not-so-subtle pattern. That we are irrevocably in love with London. Look, we may sound a bit cringe. But when Frank Sinatra sang the iconic line about New York City ("If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere"), he forgot that the same goes for our city across the Atlantic pond.
English author and playwright Oscar Wilde famously said "the one who can dominate a London dinner table can dominate the world.” And the wordsmith was not wrong. London may be a hard mistress to conquer, but once you figure her out, you can take on the world.
At the end of the day, no matter how hard London is to pin down, the city has too much to offer to at not least give it the old college try. Plus, there's a reason that London has helped produce some of the best music, art, fashion, films, and food that the planet has ever seen. There's something special in the air here (and it's not the smog). This city is a muse and it's helped produce amazing art time and time again. You want some examples? Sure thing.
Think The Beatles recording Let It Be at Abbey Road Studios in 1969. Or the late great Vivienne Westwood's controversial 2012 collection calling out the climate emergency at London Fashion Week (or any of her other boundary-pushing London Fashion Week shows).
Or London serving as the backdrop for wildly popular television shows like Killing Eve, Fleabag and Only Fools and Horses. Or a charming little Bear called Paddington who stole the nation's hearts back in 1958. And who could forget that cinematic masterpieces like Oliver, Mary Poppins, Alfie and Notting Hill were all set in good old London town?
What we're trying to say is none of this is a coincidence. London has been a catalyst for the work of artists, filmmakers and musicians across the decades. That's an indisputable fact. But you know what's also an undisputable fact? The fact that London has some of the best theatres in the entire planet.
The UK may be a small island, but London's theatre scene is a big reason why our nation's capital is world-famous. And one of the reasons that people flock in their millions to London each year. If we do say so ourselves, London is the theatre capital of our Earth (move over, Broadway!)
Theatres have served as cultural hubs for the community for as long as they've been around. Fun fact: one of the first recorded UK theatre spaces, The Playhouse, was built in London's Finsbury Fields way back in 1576! And not too long after that, theatres starting popping up all over London. Another fun fact: iconic venues like Shakespeare's Globe was built way back in 1599! And one last fun fact: Shakespeare's Globe is the only Central London building to this day with a thatched roof!
London changed for the better after theatres started popping up. They brought people together, exposed working-class folks to the arts, and even helped some civilians learn how to read! And although (pretty much) everyone in London is literate today, theatre venues still do so much for the city.
As well as being cultural hotspots and safe spaces for artists to express themselves, theatres shine the spotlight on budding writers, provide a place for stories to be told, educate audiences about important historic events, and rake in lots of tourism and moolah for London. Theatres help make you laugh, make you cry (in a good way) and most importantly, they provide top-notch entertainment for their audiences.
And in its true London fashion, the array of theatre shows are eclectic to say the least. From a teeny tiny one-woman show to an avant-garde experimental play, to a grand West End theatre musical extravaganza, London has a theatre to suit everyone. And another great thing about London theatres? A lot of them give folks the option to book theatres as private hire, too. Product launches, conferences, award ceremonies, performances, fashion shows, concerts, theatre private hires can cater to almost any event you've dreamed up.
Top players in the theatre game include the Novello Theatre, the National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe theatre. But what about Proud Embankment? It'd be silly not to chuck this venue in the mix. Especially if it concerns private hire.
But wait. We can bet you that since you're here reading this, you're trying to organise an event in London. And now you are looking for a theatre private venue hire to fit your vision. But alas, you have as many questions about London venue hire as there are tube stations in this magic city.
We can hear your torrent of fretting questions. "Do you know any theatres that are easily accessible?" "Or any theatres in London with high ceilings and an adjoining foyer?" "What about a newly refurbished venue hire with dressing rooms a green room and rehearsal rooms?"
"Do you know any theatres with good transport links and additional spaces for meeting rooms?" "Or can you recommend any theatres venues to host my product launch?" "Or my friend's upcoming gala dinner?" "What about cheap theatre hire in London, any ideas?"
You may have questions now, but by the end of this article, you'll have a much clearer vision on which theatre to choose for your upcoming private hire event. In this blog, we're going to take a deep-dive on Proud Embankment and why it is one of the very best performance spaces come private hire in the whole of London. Are you ready? Let's get into it!
Proud Embankment
Proud Embankment is our primary venue located in London's West End, an area with a rich history. If you're looking for a cool venue in central London for your next hire, we've got just the ticket. A 20-minute tube journey to London Bridge station, you'll find iconic London spots like Covent Garden and Tower Bridge just a short walk away from our flagship venue. And for all you transport enthusiasts that fancy fitting in a museum trip before a show, Proud Embankment is just 5 minutes away from the London Transport Museum! Talk about killing 2 birds with 1 stone, hey?!
A Unique Layout
For those who have not had the pleasure of being inside Proud Embankment before, let us paint you a word picture. Imagine you've just walked in from Waterloo Station and stepped inside Embankment. Look, it's so majestic, newcomers need a couple of minutes to look around and simply take it all in. Anyway, you're inside Embankment for the first time.
You look around - and it's stunning. The sheer grand size of it is enough to wow you. It's huge and tall like an auditorium. And as we know from years of experience, the acoustics are out of this world. So whether you're putting on a comedy show, a fashion show or otherwise, you'll rest easy knowing our unique venue will be the perfect space for your next event.
The walls are lined with deep, plush banquettes. We don't know about you, but there's something special in being holed up in a booth watching a show. Whether you want to cram yourself and your best friends into a corner booth, sink into the seat with your work pals around the large tables, or take up space whispering sweet nothings in that special someone's ear, the banquettes are an ideal space to enjoy the show. And feel like you've gone back in time in the process.
What if there are no available booths? Don't worry, we've got you covered. There are plenty of tables in the centre of the room. And arguably, they're an even better seat than the banquettes. "Why's that?" You ask? Because they're right next to our pièce de résistance: the stage. AKA, you're right in the middle of the contorting, fire-breathing, all-singing, all-dancing aerial action. What could be better? But of course, we can change the seating arrangements and chairs to fit the structure of your event.
Oh, and how could we forget? Our newly refurbished venue has 2 floors! A grand gold and black staircase sits at the end of the catwalk stage and leads you up to the second level. For a cabaret company like ours, high ceilings are vital to ensure our aerial performances go off without a hitch. So if we can host that, we can host anything!
But seriously, it looks like something out of a movie. Whether you're looking to book for a drinks reception, award ceremonies, gala dinners or corporate events, our palatial staircase makes the perfect opportunity for a grand entrance! Plus our 2 floors make an ideal spot for some good old-fashioned people watching at your next private hire. And you'll be confident that it's big enough to hold all your guests and have room for a cheeky dance.
Capacity
Speaking of size, let's talk capacity. When it comes to West End theatre, we've established that Proud Embankment is large and in charge. But since you're searching for a private hire, you want the logistics. So let's get into it! Proud Embankment has a 300 seated capacity and a whopping 750 standing capacity. Let's do some hypotheticals. Are you looking for a big space to host your best pal's 30th (who somehow has hundreds of friends)?
Or are you and your performing arts club searching for somewhere to host your award ceremony? What about your (hypothetical) stressed fiancée spouting off about not finding a large enough wedding reception venue in the centre of London? Or is your employer stressing about not selecting a venue in time for the upcoming company awards ceremonies? Whether they're hypothetical or not, consider these problems sorted. There's more than enough room for all of your guests to eat, drink, socialise, party and everything in between!
Technical Support and Amenities
Now we're getting into the nitty gritty. We've said this before and we'll say it again. Anyone who's looking for a private hire in London needs to do their due diligence. Part of this research process is reading up on the amenities a potential private hire can offer you. Sadly, not everyone has the time to pour through Google trying to get your bearings on this. But don't worry, we're stepping in.
Proud Embankment has a whole host of technical support and amenities. Look, a place known for throwing the best cabarets in the country (and possibly the planet) is more than equipped with the premier amenities needed to make this happen. What are we on about? We're talking lighting, sound, and all the extra bits in between. And don't worry, our palatial venue has it all.
Our state-of-the-art sound system fills each corner to the brim with thumping sound in the highest audio quality. Since we throw multiple cabaret extravaganzas each week (and have hosted a bunch of celebrity gigs, shout out Drake!) it's imperative that our sound system is festival-level good.
Remember we mentioned our impressive high ceilings? Well, they're adorned with stage lights and an ultra-modern lighting rig so the venue explodes with bright colours. Our rig is on par with nightclub lighting technology (makes sense as we turn into a super club after hours) and has adaptable colourways which are easily interchangeable to suit the mood of your event.
Got a company awards ceremony on the horizon? We've got energy screens and a projector. Need to arrive a bit before your private event for whatever reason? We grant early access to guests. Want to party late into the night at your University reunion? We've got a late-night licence. Not to mention that we've got air conditioning, dressing rooms and additional spaces for you and your guests to get ready.
Professional Staff
You know what they say, it takes a village to raise a child. And it takes a strong team to successfully pull off private events. Our team of hands-on staff are present during private hires and are dedicated to helping your event go off without a hitch. Communication is incredibly important to us, and we liaise closely with our clients throughout each partnership to help pull off the event of your dreams. Who has the time to find a venue and catering - especially when some venues don't let you bring in external caterers? At Proud Embankment, this problem becomes a non-issue.
Not only do we provide all staffing for your private event, we offer full, in-house catering and drinks. We take inspiration from our cabaret dinner menu, which changes seasonally to keep the cuisine as fresh and interesting as the cabarets themselves. And our late licence allows us to serve alcoholic drinks until 3am! Alexa, play Kool & The Gang's Celebration.
Conclusion
By now, you should have all the ins and out's as to why Proud Embankment is an excellent theatre space for private hire. If you're keen to chat with one of our team about potentially working together, contact us here.
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