Many other important theatres are situated beyond the traditional West End theatre land. They include the Royal National Theatre on the South Bank; the nearby Young Vic, Old Vic and Globe Theatres; Sadler's Wells in Rosebery Avenue and Barbican Arts Center to the East; and the Royal Court Theatre in Chelsea. Many of the theatres, especially in the West End, are receiving houses, and often feature transfers of major productions from the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

The Royal National Theatre was founded in 1963 and is one of United Kingdom's two foremost prominent publicly funded theatre companies. The theatre is located next to the Thames in the South Bank area of central London, and contains three stages. The theatre presents a varied program, including Shakespeare and other international classic drama as well as new by contemporary playwriters.

The second of the two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies in the United Kingdom is the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). It is located primarily at Stratford-upon-Avon, with bases also in London and Newcastle upon Tyne. RSC's London presence has included many different tenancies, among these Aldwych Theatre, The Place in Duke's Road, Euston, The Barbican Theatre and The Pit in the City.

There are more that one hundre theatres in London, but if you want to go to the theatre while in London the best is to book tickets in advance, especially if you want to go at the end of the week or if you want to go to one of the more popular plays. It is easy to book online, many website offer this service. You can also get your hotel to arrange the booking for you, or you can go and buy the ticket at the theater.

After the show many people go to nearby restaurants to eat. It can get very busy at these restaurants, so again it is a good idea to make a reservation in advance especially if you have a specific restaurant in mind.