100 Theatres showcases an eclectic range of paintings of theatres, from ancient to modern and from the smallest travelling theatre in Rome to one of the largest in New York. We are lucky to still have some of them; it is surprising how many of these world-famous theatres were scheduled for demolition in the second half of the twentieth century: Carnegie Hall in the 1950s and several London West End Theatres in the 1960s. Some of course did not survive, demolished to make way for yet another modern office block.

In this book Paul Tracey has painted some of our most attractive survivors and even a couple that are no longer with us. There is a broad mix of the familiar and lesser-known but equally important buildings.

Many of the paintings are accompanied by notes, old postcards of the buildings and programmes featuring some of the actors who performed there. The introduction is written by the bestselling author Tracy Bains, who worked in the theatre as a young woman.