Historically, Sunday Performances were controlled by a series of statutes, stretching back to the Sunday Observance Act 1780, via the Sunday Entertainments Act 1932 and Sunday Theatre Act 1972. These rules seek to limit the number of performances on Sundays by making them unlawful if commercial (i.e. entrance is not free).

Since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force, there are no special rules relating to Sunday performances, although it remains to be seen whether local authorities will try to continue to control these, by way of special restrictions on the venue licence.

Even if the venue licence allows Sunday performances, venue operators have found it difficult to open a venue, often because of the lack of a negotiated pay settlement with the technical staff employed at the venue. This is now changing, with some West End and South Bank performances on Sundays.