About the Samuel French Bookshop at the Royal Court Theatre

For nearly two hundred years, Samuel French has been a haven for theatre lovers and theatremakers in London, stocking a huge range of plays and theatre books, and offering expert advice.

You can now find our Bookshop at the Royal Court Theatre, one of the most important centres of new writing in British theatre. It occupies the beautiful Balcony Bar on the first floor. Simon - our shop manager from the store on Fitzroy Street for thirty years - is on hand to help and answer questions. The shop is a friendly place to browse and read, enjoy a coffee and take part in live events with playwrights.

At the heart of a wide range of plays and theatre books is our unrivalled selection of Royal Court Playtexts.  Scripts for current productions sell for just £4.00, and for many past productions at only £5.00, while stocks last, both in store and online.

Opening Hours

Our standard opening hours are 11.30am–5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.
On performance nights, there is a smaller bookstall in the downstairs bar from 6pm until curtain.

Special Opening Hours and Closure Dates

Monday 30 August: Closed
Tuesday 31 August - Friday 3 September: 11.30am to 5.30pm
Saturday 4 September: Closed
Monday 6 - Thursday 9 September: 11.30am to 5.30pm
Friday 10 September: 11.30am to 7.45pm
Saturday 11 September: 11.30am to 7.45pm

Got a question about visiting us or a particular book order? Contact our bookshop team on 020 7565 5024 or at [email protected]

Photo: Helen Murray

You can find us at our new address:  Samuel French Bookshop, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS.

The Royal Court is next to Sloane Square station (District and Circle lines) and the local area is serviced by several bus routes. The Royal Court is also a 15 minute walk from Victoria Bus, National Rail and Underground stations.

We regularly run free events where we'll have a chat with a writer, offer the opportunity for audience members to ask questions about writing for the stage, and to get a copy of the playtext signed too. Events are free and you don't need a ticket to attend. Please sign up to our mailing list to hear about upcoming events.