Rosebery Avenue · Islington · London EC1R 4TN
Sadler's Wells: the earliest finish in London
Contemporary dance programmes frequently run ninety minutes straight through with no interval. That means a seven-thirty start finishes at nine, which is an hour and a half earlier than almost every other venue in London and completely changes what the evening can be.
A common finish time here, and it is not a misprint. Ninety minutes without an interval is a standard contemporary dance format. Book the car for half ten and you will spend an hour and a half waiting for it.
Dance runs to its own clock
This is the practical difference between Sadler's Wells and every other venue on this site.
Straight through
A very common contemporary dance format. No interval, and out by nine.
Two or three works
With intervals, so closer to two hours. Out around half nine or ten.
Narrative dance
Conventional theatre timing. Out around ten.
It varies by production
The house publishes running times. Send us the finish and the collection is exact.
What Sadler's Wells puts on
It is Britain's principal dance house, and the programming is broader than people expect.
| What is on | Typical length | Out by |
|---|---|---|
| Contemporary dance | 90 min, no interval | 21:00 |
| Mixed bills | Two hours with intervals | 21:45 |
| Full-length narrative dance | Two and a half hours | 22:00 |
| Flamenco and international seasons | Varies | 21:30–22:00 |
| Hip hop and street dance | 90 min to two hours | 21:00–21:45 |
| Christmas family productions | Shorter, with matinees | Afternoon and early evening |
Islington from Kent
EC1 sits on the northern edge of the City. The early finish means the return runs on roads that are still moving.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Evening out | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 13 miles | 45–70 min | 30–45 min |
| Bromley & Orpington | 14 miles | 50–75 min | 35–50 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 21 miles | 55–85 min | 40–55 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 26 miles | 65–90 min | 45–60 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 29 miles | 60–90 min | 45–60 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 35 miles | 70–100 min | 55–70 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 37 miles | 70–105 min | 55–75 min |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 61 miles | 95–130 min | 80–95 min |
Making use of an early evening
You have the rest of the night
A nine o'clock finish is the most underused feature of any London venue. There is time for a proper dinner afterwards rather than a rushed one before, time to go on somewhere, and time to be home in Kent well before midnight on a weeknight. Tell us what you want to do after and we will price the whole evening as one job.
Rosebery Avenue is a bus route
The road outside carries buses and has restrictions to match, so set-down is brief and collection sits on the quieter residential streets behind towards Amwell Street. It is a couple of minutes' walk and the vehicle can actually pull away, which the avenue does not allow.
The Peacock Theatre is not here
Sadler's Wells also programmes at the Peacock Theatre on Portugal Street near Holborn, which is a different building a mile and a half away. Tickets say which. It is a genuine source of confusion and worth checking before you travel.
A good weeknight option from Kent
Because it finishes early, this is one of the few central London venues that works properly on a Tuesday. Leave after work, watch something, eat, and be home at a reasonable hour. Most London evenings from Kent do not allow that.
Sadler's Wells questions
Timings above everything else.
What time do performances finish?
Often at nine, which surprises people. Contemporary dance frequently runs ninety minutes with no interval. Mixed bills and full-length works run later, to around ten. The house publishes running times, so send us the finish.
Is Sadler's Wells the same as the Peacock Theatre?
No. Sadler's Wells also programmes at the Peacock Theatre near Holborn, a different building a mile and a half away. Your ticket says which one, and it is worth checking.
Where do you collect?
The quieter residential streets behind the theatre, towards Amwell Street. Rosebery Avenue is a bus route with restrictions, so waiting there is not possible.
Can we do dinner afterwards?
Yes, and that is the advantage of an early finish. Tell us where and we will price the whole evening as one job rather than as separate trips.
Does it work on a weeknight from Kent?
Better than almost any other London venue. A nine o'clock finish means you are home at a reasonable hour, which most London evenings from Kent do not allow.
How long does it take from Kent?
Forty-five minutes to two hours in the evening depending on where you start, and quicker on the way back because you travel before the late rush.
Do they do family shows?
Yes, particularly at Christmas, with matinees. Those are daytime traffic and a different planning exercise.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking and unaffected by traffic or the running time.
Dance, opera and guides
The Islington and WC2 stages.