Lyric Theatre (London)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lyric Theatre | |
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| The Lyric Theatre in April 2007 | |
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| Address | |
| City | |
| Designation | Grade II |
| Architect | C. J. Phipps |
| Owned by | Nimax Theatres |
| Capacity | 967 on four levels {Originally 1,306) |
| Type | West End theatre |
| Opened | 17 December 1888 |
| Production | Cabaret |
| www.the-lyric-theatre.co.uk | |
| Coordinates: | |
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster.
Designed by architect C. J. Phipps, it was built by producer Henry Leslie with profits from the Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson hit Dorothy, which he transferred from the Prince of Wales Theatre to open his new venue on December 17, 1888. It was the second theatre to be constructed on this stretch of Shaftesbury Avenue and is now the oldest on the street. The foyer and bars were refurbished in 1932-33, and the facade was restored in 1994. At present it seats 967 on four levels, although it originally was designed with a seating capacity of 1,306. The theatre still uses an electric pump to operate its iron curtain.
Early in the theatre's history, it staged mostly light operas, and later it was a home to light comedies and straight dramas.
The theatre retains many of its original features (including being built behind an original 1767 house front, at the rear to Great Windmill Street, the former house and museum of Sir William Hunter) and the theatre was Grade II listed by English Heritage in September 1960[1].
[edit] Notable productions
- 1892: The Mountebanks
- 1894: His Excellency
- 1896: The Sign of the Cross
- 1899: Florodora
- 1910: The Chocolate Soldier
- 1911: The Girl in the Taxi
- 1919: The Bird of Paradise, which starred Henry Daniell as Hoheno
- 1922: Lilac Time
- 1924: The Street Singer
- 1926: The Gold Diggers starred Tallulah Bankhead
- 1931: Strange Interlude
- 1934: The Royal Family, by George S. Kaufman, directed by Noel Coward, with Madge Titheradge, Marie Tempest and Laurence Olivier
- 1935: Tovarich
- 1946: The Winslow Boy
- 1950: The Little Hut
- 1955: South Sea Bubble
- 1958: Irma La Douce
- 1964: Robert and Elizabeth
- 1969: Plaza Suite
- 1972: How the Other Half Loves
- 1981: Tonight at 8:30; Arms and the Man
- 1983: Blood Brothers; Pack of Lies
- 1984: Loot
- 1989: Steel Magnolias
- 1990: Five Guys Named Moe
- 1995: Ain't Misbehavin'
- 1998: An Ideal Husband
- 2000: Brief Encounter
- 2001: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- 2002: The Constant Wife
- 2004: Beautiful and Damned
- 2005: Death of a Salesman
- 2006: The Night of the Iguana, Smaller, Grumpy Old Women; Cabaret
[edit] References
- ^ English Heritage listing details accessed 28 April 2007
- Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950, John Earl and Michael Sell pp. 124-5 (Theatres Trust, 2000) ISBN 0-7136-5688-3
- Who's Who in the Theatre, edited by John Parker, tenth edition, revised, London, 1947, pps: 477-478.
[edit] External links
- Lyric Theatre history with archive programmes and many images
- History of productions at the theatre
- Profile of the theatre
