Lyric Theatre (London)

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The Lyric Theatre is a theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue London, the heart of the West End. Built in 1889, it is now the oldest surviving theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. Its capacity is 932. The theatre was designed by C.J. Phipps in the late Victorian era when the West End was being built up as a centre of theatre.

Henry Leslie, the producer of Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson's smash hit Dorothy made so much money from Dorothy's record-setting run that he was able to build the theatre.

[edit] Early years

The Lyric Theatre was known first for its staging of light operas, such as W. S. Gilbert's His Excellency In 1894. It then staged comedies and dramas.

[edit] Recent years

It staged Beautiful and Damned, a light musical based on F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda in May 2004. Festen, Death of a Salesman, Night of the Iguana, the latter Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller plays were also recent productions. After a short West End run of the hit touring comedy, Grumpy Old Women, the theatre will stage Cabaret in September 2006.

[edit] External links

• Lyric Theatre History With archive programmes and many images.