Lyric Theatre (London)

Infobox Theatre
name = Lyric Theatre


caption = The Lyric Theatre in April 2007
address = Shaftesbury Avenue
city = Westminster, London
country =
designation = Grade II
latitude = 51.511111
longitude = -0.133889
architect = C. J. Phipps
owner = Nimax Theatres
capacity = 967 on four levels {Originally 1,306)
type = West End theatre
opened = 17 December 1888
yearsactive =
rebuilt =
closed =
othernames =
production = THEATRE DARK, prior to Flamenco Flamen'ka
currentuse =
website = www.nimaxtheatres.com/lyric.asp

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 [ [http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=2&id=427103 English Heritage listing details] accessed 28 April 2007] .

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: ""; "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"
*2008: "Flamenco Flamen'ka

References

* "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.

External links

* [http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LyricTheatre.htm Lyric Theatre history with archive programmes and many images]
* [https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/lyrictheatre.asp History of productions at the theatre]
* [http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/theatre-breaks/cabaret-theatre.html Profile of the theatre]