West End history: A beginner’s guide to Theatreland

Read all about the momentous historical events in the West End.

Over the years, London’s West End has transformed massively. Some of the capital’s oldest theatres are now unrecognisable; the landscape of central London has changed greatly. If we were to list every single change in the West End, you’d be reading for hours on end.

West End history: What you need to know

Saying this, there are some historical events which have changed the trajectory of London theatre that are too important to dismiss. Read all about the momentous historical events in the West End.

1663: Theatre Royal Drury Lane founded

First built on the orders of Restoration-era dramatist and theatre manager Thomas Killigrew, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane is the West End’s oldest theatre. Theatre Royal Drury Lane was originally known as the Theatre Royal in Bridges Street, and King Charles II’s mistress Nell Gwynn is said to have trodden the boards of the theatre.

1806: The Sans Pareil Theatre was founded

The Sans Pareil Theatre was built by John Scott, investing £10,000 in buying the leases of old properties located at the side, and in the rear, of his dwelling house, and built a small theatre. On 75% of the programmes there was a line in italics stating that “the whole of this evening’s entertainment is written by Miss Scott.” Now, the Sans Pareil Theatre is known as the Adelphi Theatre.

1889: The Lyric and Garrick Theatres opened

Although it was the second theatre to be built on Shaftesbury Avenue, the Lyric Theatre is now the oldest along the famous West End street. The Lyric Theatre initially staged light operettas when it first opened before subsequently staging light comedies and dramas.

The Garrick Theatre was built in the same year, with deep excavations made at the time of building the venue so that the back of the Dress Circle would be level with the street. During the build they discovered a Roman river running through the land and had to find a way to divert it.

1930: The shortest run in West End theatre history

Some shows run for decades, others haven’t even had one full run-through. The Intimate Revue ran for just half a performance at the Duchess Theatre on 11 March, 1930. After some of the scene changes began taking up to 20 minutes each, seven scenes were scrapped in order to get to the finale before midnight. The performers were under-rehearsed and were laughed off stage by the audience members, with the show closing the next day.

1946: An Inspector Calls makes its British premiere

J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls is a gripping three-act drama that takes place over the course of one evening. The play is a scathing attack on the theatregoing upper classes and caused a stir at the time. An Inspector Calls is typically studied by GCSE Drama and English students, and remains a firm favourite.

1952: The Mousetrap opens at the Ambassadors Theatre

Originally written by Agatha Christie to celebrate Queen Mary’s 80th birthday, nobody could have expected The Mousetrap to be so successful. The Mousetrap is now the longest-running play of all time and a legendary piece of theatre history. Although over ten million people have seen The Mousetrap, it’s a tradition that no one reveals the murderer’s identity, the only way you’ll find out is by seeing this theatrical event for yourself.

1963: The National Theatre is founded

The National Theatre Company was born in 1963, but a National Theatre location wouldn’t exist until 1976. For the first 13 years, its founding members including Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier performed at the Old Vic. After growing demand, the National Theatre opened on the Southbank, quickly becoming one of the capital’s most prestigious theatres. Now, the National is made up of three venues: the Olivier, The Lyttelton and The Dorfman.

1985: Les Misérables opens

Since premiering in 1985, Les Misérables has been produced around the world in 44 countries, translated into 22 languages and been seen by over 70 million people. The first reviews in 1985 were negative, saying it was too over the top, but its continuous West End run shows that the musical is still a big hit today. The musical features the most powerful, spine-tingling songs including “I Dreamed a Dream”, “Can You Hear The People Sing”, “On My Own”, “Bring Him Home” and “One Day More”.

1986: The Phantom of the Opera opens

Just one year later, West End audiences were treated to The Phantom of the Opera. Featuring a score from the legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and produced by theatrical juggernaut Cameron Mackintosh, The Phantom of the Opera is the epitome of the musical theatre genre. Combining spectacular scenery and jaw-dropping special effects with some of the most mesmerising music in theatrical history, this show will captivate you with its beauty and majesty. You’ll struggle not to be swept up in this haunting love story and moved by the tragic figure that is the Phantom.

1990: A fire destroys the Savoy Theatre

The inside of the Savoy Theatre, where many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas were first staged, was destroyed by a fire while it was being renovated, leaving only the stage and backstage areas intact. It took 3 years to rebuild, and a cause of the fire is still unknown to this day. A spokesman for the fire department said flames as high as 50 feet destroyed the roof and interior floors of the 19th century theatre.

2004: The History Boys premieres at the National Theatre

The History Boys by Alan Bennett opened at the Lyttelton Theatre in 2004 and played to sell-out audiences with its limited run being frequently extended. Richard Griffiths, James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey, Sacha Dhawan, Samuel Barnett and Andrew Knott were among the original cast and the production was then made into a hugely successful film in 2006.

2013: The Apollo Theatre roof collapses

76 people were injured after part of a ceiling in the Apollo Theatre collapsed during a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, bringing down part of the lighting rig. Luckily, there were no fatalities. After an investigation, it was understood that the collapse occurred owing to weak and old materials.

2019: The Piccadilly Theatre roof collapses

During a performance of Death of a Salesman at the Piccadilly Theatre, the roof collapsed. Nobody was seriously injured, however performances were cancelled for a short period of time. Death of a Salesman later reopened in the West End.