Shaftesbury Theatre to Be Renamed After Judi Dench in 2027

London's Shaftesbury theatre will be renamed the Judi Dench theatre in February 2027, honoring the actor's contributions to British theatre. Dench, 91, is only the second non-royal woman to have a West End theatre named after her, following Gillian Lynne in 2018. The theatre, one of the largest independent venues in London and the only West End location with an opening dome, has a long association with Dench through her involvement with Ray Cooney's Theatre of Comedy Company and DLT Entertainment. The renaming follows a renovation including restoration of the dome and backstage area. The theatre's chief executive Eleanor Lang stated the move celebrates brilliant women in West End theatre names. Dench called the honor 'truly overwhelming.' The Shaftesbury was originally called New Princes theatre before being renamed in 1962 after the original Shaftesbury theatre destroyed in the Blitz. Most West End theatres are named posthumously after men like John Gielgud, Harold Pinter, and Noël Coward. Dench has also been honored with a street named 'Dench Close' in Swindon as part of a James Bond-themed development.