Judi Dench to get her own West End theatre
Cementing the icon
Cultural icon Judi Dench is to become part of the London landscape in plans to rename the Shaftesbury Theatre the Judi Dench Theatre.
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a core component of London’d West End theatre scene, sitting on Shaftesbury Avenue. But from February 2027 it will be known as the Judi Dench Theatre as a tribute to the 91-year-old actor.
The theatre currently stages performances of Avenue Q, a show that opened in March and is scheduled to run until January 2027. It’s not clear if the show will run on later into the year, or if plans are afoot to have a fresh production in to company the renaming.
Dench’s relationship with the place is a long-standing one, rooted in the 1980s when the Theatre of Comedy company leased the theatre. Dench was a founding member of the company, alongside stars like Maureen Lipman and Wendy Craig — while the whole thing was spearheaded by Ray Cooney.
The current owners of the Shaftesbury theatre, the Taffner family, were also involved with the Theatre of Comedy back in the 1980s. Donald Taffner, who died in 2011, also produced the As Time Goes By reunions — which some younger readers may not appreciate was Dench’s most memorable role to some for many years.
“The Shaftesbury Theatre has always held a special place in my heart. My relationship to the Theatre of Comedy and to the Taffner family goes back many years and to have this beautiful theatre renamed after me is truly overwhelming,” says Dench.
It’s an industry love-in that has spilled out onto the street of London. But we’re not complaining when it’s in celebration of a true UK icon.
“Aside from business, my parents would often talk about how much they enjoyed spending time with Judi and Michael in both NY and London. We are therefore delighted to recognise her extraordinary talent and extensive contribution to many in the renaming of our theatre,” says Donald Taffner Jnr., theatre chairman and son of Donald Taffner. Dench was married to actor Michael Williams until his death in 2001.
Judi Dench announced her plans to retire from acting in 2023, owing to her declining sight. She suffers from macular degeneration, for which there is limited treatment available.
However, she had continued to pick up roles, particularly as a voice actor. She is heard in The Magic Faraway Tree and Barry Cryer celebration film Joke.
Her more recent live action starring roles include the lead of Red Joan, Trevor Nunn’s KGB spy drama. It’s available to stream on Netflix in the UK (but not on ad-supported plans to due licensing restrictions).
