Short Courses

2025-09-10 Episode 8: At the theatre – The London Letter Challenge

Episode 8: At the theatre

Easy English level – Pre-intermediate, A2

Introduction

Astrid and Eden are in the West End of London looking for a theatre. They find one, but after a lot of singing and dancing, will they find the letter?

Language in this episode

Vocabulary for entertainment

theatre

a musical

a play

a comedy

a museum

an art gallery

TRANSCRIPT

Paula
Astrid and Eden have another clue. They’re in London’s West End – that’s where all the theatres are!

Astrid
So, we’re looking for a theatre. It could be any of these. The West End is full of theatres.

Eden
The singing. The dancing. I love musicals.

Astrid
Me too.

Eden
Look! It’s Chinatown – let’s go have a look.

Astrid
Mmm, doesn’t that food smell amazing. I love all the colours.

Eden
Me too.

Astrid
But wait. We’re in the West End for a theatre.

Eden
You’re right. So, where are we going?

Astrid
I just love London. All the museums.

Eden
Yes! The Science Museum and The Natural History Museum – with the dinosaurs!

Astrid
And the art galleries. I want to be an artist.

Astrid
So, I think the clue means a theatre near here. ‘Shaftesbury Avenue has many of these’ – we’re on Shaftesbury Avenue. ‘But not 15’. Hm?

Eden
‘Curtain up and enjoy the singing.’

Astrid
‘Curtain up’, like the curtain on a stage – they say that in the theatre. And ‘singing’, so it must be a musical.

Eden
But I still don’t know what 15C means.

Astrid
Me neither. Look! That’s a play. I hear it’s really funny.

Eden
It’s a comedy. I saw it last year. I laughed so much – it was so funny.

Astrid
Hey, Edes. It must be one of these theatres. Shall we try?

Paula
So, Astrid and Eden are going into a theatre to find a letter. 

Eden
This is so cool. Look at the stage!

“To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

A 5, 6, 7, 8.

We’re in a musical!

Wait, wait, wait! 15C? Check the seats!

Astrid
It’s here! It’s the letter H.

Paula
Well, that’s six letters that Astrid and Eden have found now. They’re doing very well! But Graham and Harry can’t find the letter at Leake Street.

BBC Learning English

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