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Wikipedia

Aldwych Theatre

November 28, 2023

The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971.[1] Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels.[2]

Aldwych Theatre
Aldwych Theatre in 2006
AddressAldwych
London, WC2
United Kingdom
Coordinates51°30′47″N 0°07′07″W / 51.512948°N 0.118634°W / 51.512948; -0.118634
Public transit Covent Garden
OwnerJames Nederlander
DesignationGrade II
TypeWest End theatre
Capacity1,200
ProductionTina
Construction
Opened1905; 118 years ago (1905)
ArchitectW. G. R. Sprague
Website
http://www.aldwychtheatre.com

History edit

Origins edit

The theatre was constructed in the newly built Aldwych as a pair with the Waldorf Theatre, now known as the Novello Theatre. Both buildings were designed in the Edwardian Baroque style by W. G. R. Sprague. The Aldwych Theatre was funded by Seymour Hicks in association with the American impresario Charles Frohman, and built by Walter Wallis of Balham.

The theatre opened on 23 December 1905 with a production of Blue Bell, a new version of Hicks's popular pantomime Bluebell in Fairyland. In 1906, Hicks's The Beauty of Bath, followed in 1907 by The Gay Gordons, played at the theatre. In February 1913, the theatre was used by Serge Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky for the first rehearsals of Le Sacre du Printemps before its première in Paris during May.[3] In 1920, Basil Rathbone played Major Wharton in The Unknown.

From 1923 to 1933, the theatre was the home of the series of twelve farces, known as the Aldwych farces, most of which were written by Ben Travers. Members of the regular company for these farces included Ralph Lynn, Tom Walls, Ethel Coleridge, Gordon James, Mary Brough, Winifred Shotter and Robertson Hare.[4] In 1933, Richard Tauber presented and starred in a new version of Das Dreimäderlhaus at the Aldwych under the title Lilac Time. From the mid-1930s until about 1960, the theatre was owned by the Abrahams family.[5]

Post-war years and the Royal Shakespeare Company edit

In 1949, Laurence Olivier directed the first London production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire at the Aldwych Theatre. Starring as Blanche DuBois was Olivier's wife Vivien Leigh, who later won an Academy Award for the role in the 1951 film of Williams' play. Bonar Colleano co-starred as Stanley.

On 15 December 1960, after intense speculation, it was announced that the Royal Shakespeare Company, headquartered in Stratford-upon-Avon and under the directorship of Peter Hall (director) was to make the Aldwych Theatre its base in London for the next three years. In the event the company stayed for over 20 years, finally moving to the Barbican Arts Centre in 1982. The theatre was sold to the Nederlander Organization immediately afterwards.[6] Among numerous RSC productions staged at this venue were The Wars of the Roses, "Ondine" with Peter Hall's wife Leslie Caron, The Greeks, and Nicholas Nickleby, as well as the transfer of most of the Shakespeare productions that were first staged at the RSC's Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford. During absences of the RSC, the theatre hosted the annual World Theatre Seasons, foreign plays in their original productions, invited to London by the theatre impresario Peter Daubeny, annually from 1964 to 1973 and finally in 1975. For his involvement with these Aldwych seasons, run without Arts Council or other official support, Daubeny won the Evening Standard special award in 1972.

In 1990–91, Joan Collins starred in a revival of Private Lives at the Aldwych. The theatre is referred to in Julio Cortázar's short story Instructions for John Howell (Instrucciones para John Howell) in the anthology All Fires the Fire (Todos los fuegos el fuego).

21st century edit

 
Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage playing at the theatre in 2007

Since 2000, the theatre has hosted a mixture of plays, comedies and musical theatre productions. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Whistle Down the Wind played until 2001, and Fame enjoyed an extended run from 2002 to 2006. From 2006 to 2011, it was the home to the British musical version of Dirty Dancing.[7][8] Beautiful: The Carole King Musical ran from 2015 to 2017.

In March 2018, the theatre opened the world premiere of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.[9]

Productions edit

Recent and current productions edit


Notes edit

  1. ^ Aldwych Theatre listing details – English Heritage. Retrieved 3 April 2007
  2. ^ . Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  3. ^ Lucas, John. Thomas Beecham: An Obsession With Music, Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2008, p. 94. ISBN 978-1-84383-402-1
  4. ^ "Mr Ralph Lynn", The Times, 10 August 1962, p. 11
  5. ^ Theatre Postcard site. Retrieved 19 March 2007
  6. ^ "Aldwych sold for $2.1 million", The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 January 1982, p. 8. Retrieved 26 July 2013
  7. ^ Winterman, Denise (24 October 2006). "The Time of Your Life". BBC News. from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
  8. ^ "The insider's guide to 'Dirty Dancing'". CNN. 25 October 2006. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
  9. ^ a b Ali, Jade (9 September 2019). "TINA: The Tina Turner Musical extends its run until summer 2020". London Theatre Direct. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Top Hat to transfer into the West End next April". The Stage. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Top Hat confirms October closure at Aldwych". whatsonstage.com. Whats on Stage. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  12. ^ . Playbill. 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  13. ^ "Andrew Lloyd Webber's STEPHEN WARD to Close at the Aldwych Theatre, March 29". broadwayworld.com. Broadway World. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.

References edit

  • Who's Who in the Theatre, edited by John Parker, tenth edition, revised, London, 1947, p. 1183.
  • The Oxford Companion to the Theatre Fourth edition, edited by Phyllis Hartnoll, Oxford, 1983
  • Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950, John Earl and Michael Sell pp. 97–8 (Theatres Trust, 2000) ISBN 0-7136-5688-3

Nearby tube stations edit

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aldwych Theatre.
  • Official website  
  • History of the Aldwych Theatre

November 28, 2023
aldwych, theatre, west, theatre, located, aldwych, city, westminster, central, london, listed, grade, july, 1971, seating, capacity, three, levels, 2006addressaldwychlondon, wc2united, kingdomcoordinates51, 512948, 118634, 512948, 118634public, transitcovent, . The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster central London It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971 1 Its seating capacity is 1 200 on three levels 2 Aldwych TheatreAldwych Theatre in 2006AddressAldwychLondon WC2United KingdomCoordinates51 30 47 N 0 07 07 W 51 512948 N 0 118634 W 51 512948 0 118634Public transitCovent GardenOwnerJames NederlanderDesignationGrade IITypeWest End theatreCapacity1 200ProductionTinaConstructionOpened1905 118 years ago 1905 ArchitectW G R SpragueWebsitehttp www aldwychtheatre com Contents 1 History 1 1 Origins 1 2 Post war years and the Royal Shakespeare Company 1 3 21st century 2 Productions 3 Recent and current productions 4 Notes 5 References 6 Nearby tube stations 7 External linksHistory editOrigins edit The theatre was constructed in the newly built Aldwych as a pair with the Waldorf Theatre now known as the Novello Theatre Both buildings were designed in the Edwardian Baroque style by W G R Sprague The Aldwych Theatre was funded by Seymour Hicks in association with the American impresario Charles Frohman and built by Walter Wallis of Balham The theatre opened on 23 December 1905 with a production of Blue Bell a new version of Hicks s popular pantomime Bluebell in Fairyland In 1906 Hicks s The Beauty of Bath followed in 1907 by The Gay Gordons played at the theatre In February 1913 the theatre was used by Serge Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky for the first rehearsals of Le Sacre du Printemps before its premiere in Paris during May 3 In 1920 Basil Rathbone played Major Wharton in The Unknown From 1923 to 1933 the theatre was the home of the series of twelve farces known as the Aldwych farces most of which were written by Ben Travers Members of the regular company for these farces included Ralph Lynn Tom Walls Ethel Coleridge Gordon James Mary Brough Winifred Shotter and Robertson Hare 4 In 1933 Richard Tauber presented and starred in a new version of Das Dreimaderlhaus at the Aldwych under the title Lilac Time From the mid 1930s until about 1960 the theatre was owned by the Abrahams family 5 Post war years and the Royal Shakespeare Company edit In 1949 Laurence Olivier directed the first London production of Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire at the Aldwych Theatre Starring as Blanche DuBois was Olivier s wife Vivien Leigh who later won an Academy Award for the role in the 1951 film of Williams play Bonar Colleano co starred as Stanley On 15 December 1960 after intense speculation it was announced that the Royal Shakespeare Company headquartered in Stratford upon Avon and under the directorship of Peter Hall director was to make the Aldwych Theatre its base in London for the next three years In the event the company stayed for over 20 years finally moving to the Barbican Arts Centre in 1982 The theatre was sold to the Nederlander Organization immediately afterwards 6 Among numerous RSC productions staged at this venue were The Wars of the Roses Ondine with Peter Hall s wife Leslie Caron The Greeks and Nicholas Nickleby as well as the transfer of most of the Shakespeare productions that were first staged at the RSC s Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford During absences of the RSC the theatre hosted the annual World Theatre Seasons foreign plays in their original productions invited to London by the theatre impresario Peter Daubeny annually from 1964 to 1973 and finally in 1975 For his involvement with these Aldwych seasons run without Arts Council or other official support Daubeny won the Evening Standard special award in 1972 In 1990 91 Joan Collins starred in a revival of Private Lives at the Aldwych The theatre is referred to in Julio Cortazar s short story Instructions for John Howell Instrucciones para John Howell in the anthology All Fires the Fire Todos los fuegos el fuego 21st century edit nbsp Dirty Dancing The Classic Story on Stage playing at the theatre in 2007Since 2000 the theatre has hosted a mixture of plays comedies and musical theatre productions Andrew Lloyd Webber s musical Whistle Down the Wind played until 2001 and Fame enjoyed an extended run from 2002 to 2006 From 2006 to 2011 it was the home to the British musical version of Dirty Dancing 7 8 Beautiful The Carole King Musical ran from 2015 to 2017 In March 2018 the theatre opened the world premiere of Tina The Tina Turner Musical 9 Productions editThe Beauty of Bath 1906 The Gay Gordons 1907 It Pays to Advertise 1923 A Cuckoo in the Nest 1925 Rookery Nook 1926 Thark 1927 Plunder 1928 A Cup of Kindness 1929 A Night Like This 1930 Little Ladyship 1939 Nap Hand 1940 Jane 1947 Letter from Paris 1952 The Whole Truth 1955 Man Alive 1955 The Collection 1962 by Harold Pinter A Penny for a Song 1962 by John Whiting The Homecoming 1965 by Pinter Old Times 1971 by Pinter The Balcony 1971 by Jean Genet Travesties 1974 by Tom Stoppard Private Lives 1990 91 by Noel Coward starring Joan Collins The Importance of Being Earnest 1993 by Oscar Wilde An Inspector Calls 1993 1995 Indian Ink 1995 1996 by Stoppard Whistle Down The Wind 1998 2001 by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman The Secret Garden 2001 by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman Fame The Musical 2002 2006 by Jacques Levy and Steve Margoshes Dirty Dancing The Classic Story on Stage 2006 2011 by Eleanor Bergstein Top Hat 2012 2013 Stephen Ward 2013 music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Beautiful The Carole King Musical 2015 2017 featuring the music of Carole King Tina The Tina Turner Musical 2018 present featuring the music of Tina TurnerRecent and current productions editA Round Heeled Woman 30 November 2011 14 January 2012 Top Hat the Musical April 2012 26 October 2013 10 11 by Irving Berlin Stephen Ward the Musical December 2013 March 2014 12 13 by Andrew Lloyd Webber Don Black and Christopher Hampton Beautiful The Carole King Musical 25 February 2015 5 August 2017 La Soiree 16 November 2017 5 February 2018 Tina The Tina Turner Musical 21 March 2018 present 9 Notes edit Aldwych Theatre listing details English Heritage Retrieved 3 April 2007 Aldwych Theatre Seating Plan Archived from the original on 29 November 2010 Retrieved 16 November 2010 Lucas John Thomas Beecham An Obsession With Music Woodbridge The Boydell Press 2008 p 94 ISBN 978 1 84383 402 1 Mr Ralph Lynn The Times 10 August 1962 p 11 Theatre Postcard site Retrieved 19 March 2007 Aldwych sold for 2 1 million The Sydney Morning Herald 14 January 1982 p 8 Retrieved 26 July 2013 Winterman Denise 24 October 2006 The Time of Your Life BBC News Archived from the original on 29 May 2007 Retrieved 15 May 2007 The insider s guide to Dirty Dancing CNN 25 October 2006 Retrieved 26 May 2007 a b Ali Jade 9 September 2019 TINA The Tina Turner Musical extends its run until summer 2020 London Theatre Direct Retrieved 23 June 2020 Top Hat to transfer into the West End next April The Stage 11 November 2011 Retrieved 26 October 2013 Top Hat confirms October closure at Aldwych whatsonstage com Whats on Stage 21 June 2013 Retrieved 26 October 2013 Andrew Lloyd Webber s Stephen Ward Will Premiere at West End s Aldwych Theatre in December Playbill 27 June 2013 Archived from the original on 20 October 2013 Retrieved 26 October 2013 Andrew Lloyd Webber s STEPHEN WARD to Close at the Aldwych Theatre March 29 broadwayworld com Broadway World 24 February 2014 Retrieved 24 February 2014 References editWho s Who in the Theatre edited by John Parker tenth edition revised London 1947 p 1183 The Oxford Companion to the Theatre Fourth edition edited by Phyllis Hartnoll Oxford 1983 Guide to British Theatres 1750 1950 John Earl and Michael Sell pp 97 8 Theatres Trust 2000 ISBN 0 7136 5688 3Nearby tube stations editCovent Garden HolbornExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aldwych Theatre Official website nbsp History of the Aldwych Theatre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aldwych Theatre amp oldid 1184887922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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