Behind the Scene
A tribute to London's theaters as they are in the 21st century, photographer Peter Dazeley immerses us in British history and heritage.
“The world is a stage”, the sign at the entrance to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre once read. As a born and bred Londoner and regular theatre goer, nevertheless set out to photograph what goes on behind the scenes in London’s amazing theatre buildings, without their usual audiences. Absolutely deserted, they reveal their architectural treasures.
Our gaze is always on the stage, but what about the dressing rooms, balconies and red-and-gold ornamentation? “The weird thing about theatres is that we buy our tickets, we sit down, and we look forward in the dark to be amazed and entertained. We never see the beauty of our wonderful theatres and their heritage.” explains the photographer.
For Peter Dazeley, “There’s something really special about the atmosphere in all these theatres. I can feel the performances, over the years, in the fabric of the buildings I photograph.” For these buildings are above all key witnesses to history. A case in point is the St. Martins Theatre, where Agatha Christie's play The mousetrap has been performed since 1952.
Images of London's 53 theaters are collected in a second edition of London Theatres, available
Moulin Rouge! The Musical © Peter Dazeley
