Queen's Theatre - History
The Queen’s Theatre can be found on Shaftesbury Avenue in London. If you are arriving through London Underground the station you will require is Piccadilly Circus and if you are getting there via the railway system, the nearest train station is Charing Cross.
With a portrait of Queen Alexandra hanging in the foyer of the venue, the theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue was named The Queen’s Theatre after much in the way of debate. The 1,000 seat auditorium was one of many children from the famous architect W G R Sprague, designer of more than thirty of London’s famous theatre venues. His other works include the Gielgud Theatre, which is also found on Shaftesbury Avenue, leading to it becoming known as The Queen Theatre’s twin. When it opened in October 1907 it was famed for its architecture that hinted at the Edwardian architectural styles and brought with it much in the way of complimentary press.
The venue opened with a production in the form of Sugar Bowl, which was a comedy performance penned by Madeleine Lucette Riley. It was the beginning of what was to become rather lacklustre years for the theatre’s early days as many productions (including this one) had limited runs. The venue would not find its feet until 1909 when it changed hands to new owners Brodribb Irving and Dorothea Baird, under which many acclaimed plays were staged and the theatre cemented itself as an established venue amongst London’s theatreland. Audiences were treated to great performances of such classics as Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
But the real test of the theatre’s staying power arrived in 1914 with Potash and Permutter, a play from Montague Glass. It was met with audience and critical praise, which kept the play afloat for as many as six hundred performances.
The theatre was facing the Great War, like all of the venues at the time and although it did not succumb to any damage during this period there was always the risk of plays under performing. People were known to stay away during those difficult times, but the theatre prospered.
The venue had survived one war, but it was not to be so lucky during the Second World War, when a bomb directly hit the theatre in September 1940. At the time the venue was enduring greatly with a highly popular show in the form of Rebecca. There was much in the way of destruction and for nearly twenty years the venue was seemingly lost from the public. But during this period its legacy continued as pre war plays from John Gielgud that starred Alec Guinness, George Devine and Peggy Ashcroft amongst others were having a large impact once the war was over. Without these productions it is felt in some quarters that there would be no National Theatre or a Royal Shakespeare Company. Its long awaited reopening took place on the 8th July 1959.
Since it reopened, the years have been good for the venue, with the 60s seeing productions like The Aspern Papers and A Suite in Three Keys (Noel Cowards last showing in the West End). In the 70s Otherwise Engaged and Saturday Sunday Monday were the staples of the schedule and as the decades continued, so did the high quality shows.
Today the theatre is still enjoying great success with plays that continue to wow audiences and critics alike. o refurbish both venues.
