Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The interior of the third and largest theatre to stand at Drury Lane, c. 1808
Address	Catherine Street
City	Westminster, London
Designation	Grade I listed
Architect	1663 Thomas Killigrew
Owned by	Really Useful Theatres
Capacity	2,196 (4 levels)
Type	West End theatre
Opened	1663
Rebuilt	1674 Christopher Wren 1794 Henry Holland 1812 Benjamin Dean Wyatt
Previous names	Theatre Royal, Bridges St
Production	The Lord of the Rings
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
	Coordinates: 51°30′46″N 0°07′14″W / 51.512778, -0.120556

Currently home to Lord Of The Rings, the musical. The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663, making it the oldest London theatre.^[1] For its first two centuries, Drury Lane could "reasonably have claimed to be London's leading theatre"^[2] and thus one of the most important theatres in the English-speaking world. Through most of that time, it was one of a small handful of patent theatres that were granted monopoly rights to the production of "legitimate" (meaning spoken plays, rather than opera, dance, concerts, or plays with music)^[3] drama in London. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The City of Westminster is a London borough with city status, situated to the west of the City of London and north of the River Thames. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Buckingham Palace, a Grade I listed building. ... Thomas Killigrew (1612 - March 19, 1683), was an English dramatist. ... The Really Useful Group (RUG) is a international company set up in 1977 by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. ... West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... Sir Christopher Wren, (20 October 1632–25 February 1723) was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of his time. ... Henry Holland ( July 20, 1745 - June 17, 1806) was an architect to the English nobility who trained under Capability Brown and later married his daughter. ... Benjamin Dean Wyatt, stipple engraving by T. Blood, after Samuel Drummond. ... This article is about the musical. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... Covent Garden is a district in central London and within the easterly bounds of the City of Westminster. ... The City of Westminster is a London borough with city status, situated to the west of the City of London and north of the River Thames. ... The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Drury Lane is a street in the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The patent theatres were the theatres that were licenced to perform spoken drama after the English Restoration of Charles II in 1660. ... A monopoly (from the Greek language monos, one + polein, to sell) is defined as a persistent market situation where there is only one provider of a product or service, in other words a firm that has no competitors in its industry. ... Bold textBold textBold textBold textDrama was introduced to England from Europe by the Romans and auditoriums were constructed across the country for this purpose. ...

The first theatre on the location was built at the behest of Thomas Killigrew in the early years of the English Restoration. Actors appearing at this "Theatre Royal in Bridges Street" included Nell Gwyn and Charles Hart. It was destroyed by fire in 1672. Killigrew built a larger theatre in the same spot, designed by Christopher Wren; renamed the "Theatre Royal in Drury Lane," it opened in 1674. This building lasted nearly 120 years, under leadership including Colley Cibber, David Garrick, and Richard Brinsley Sheridan. In 1791, under Sheridan's management, the building was demolished to make way for a larger theatre which opened in 1794. This enormous new Drury Lane survived just 15 years, burning down in 1809. The building that stands today opened in 1812. It has been home to actors as diverse as Shakespearean Edmund Kean, comedian Dan Leno, comedy troupe Monty Python (who recorded a concert album there), and musical composer and performer Ivor Novello. Today, the theatre is owned by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and generally stages popular musical theatre. It is a Grade I listed building. Thomas Killigrew (1612 - March 19, 1683), was an English dramatist. ... King Charles II, the first monarch to rule after the English Restoration. ... Nell Gwynn was one of the first English actresses and the mistress of King Charles II. Nell Gwyn (or Gwynn or Gwynne), born Eleanor, (2 February 1650 - 14 November 1687), was one of the earliest English actresses to receive prominent recognition, and a long-time mistress of King Charles II... Charles Hart (1625 – August 18, 1683) was a British Restoration actor. ... Sir Christopher Wren, (20 October 1632–25 February 1723) was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of his time. ... Colley Cibber, actor, playwright, Poet Laureate, first British actor-manager, and head Dunce of Alexander Popes Dunciad. ... David Garrick by Thomas Gainsborough. ... Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Sheridan (October 30, 1751 – July 7, 1816) was an Irish playwright and Whig statesman. ... Sir John Gilberts 1849 painting: The Plays of William Shakespeare, containing scenes and characters from several of William Shakespeares plays. ... Edmund Kean (March 17, 1787 – May 15, 1833) was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever. ... Dan Leno (born George Wild Galvin, (December 20, 1860 - October 31, 1904) was an English music hall comedian whose act typically revolved around cockney humour and dressing up as a pantomime dame. ... Monty Python, or The Pythons, is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ... Ivor Novello David Ivor Davies (January 15, 1893 – March 6, 1951), better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the early 20th century. ... Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is a highly successful English composer of musical theatre, and also the elder brother of Julian Lloyd Webber. ... The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in history Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. ... Buckingham Palace, a Grade I listed building. ...

First theatre: 1663

Thomas Killigrew as he appeared in 1650

After the decade-long Puritan Interregnum, which had seen the banning of pastimes regarded as frivolous, such as theatre, the English monarchy was restored to the throne with the return of Charles II in 1660. Soon after, Charles issued Letters Patent to two parties licensing the formation of new acting companies. One of these went to Thomas Killigrew, whose company became known as the King's Company, and who built a new theatre in Drury Lane. The Letters Patent also granted the two companies a shared monopoly on the public performance of legitimate drama in London; this monopoly was challenged in the 18th century by new venues and by a certain slipperiness in the definition of "legitimate drama," but remained legally in place until 1843. The new playhouse, architect unknown, opened on 7 May 1663 and was known from the placement of the entrance as the "Theatre Royal in Bridges Street."^[4] It went by other names as well, including the "King's Playhouse." The building was a three-tiered wooden structure, 112 feet long and 59 feet wide; it could hold an audience of 700.^[5] Set well back from the broader streets, the theatre was accessed by narrow passages between surrounding buildings.^[6] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Thomas Killigrew (1612 - March 19, 1683), was an English dramatist. ... A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was any person seeking purity of worship and doctrine, especially the parties that rejected the Reformation of the Church of England. ... The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule in the land occupied by modern-day England and Wales after the English Civil War. ... King Charles II, the first monarch to rule after the English Restoration. ... Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. ... Letters Patent by Queen Victoria creating the office of Governor-General of Australia Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of an open letter issued by a monarch or government granting an office, a right, monopoly, title, or status to someone or some entity such as... Thomas Killigrew (1612 - March 19, 1683), was an English dramatist. ... The Kings Company was one of two enterprises granted the rights to mount theatrical productions in London at the start of the English Restoration. ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1663 (MDCLXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

The King himself was a not infrequent attendee of the theatre's productions, as was Samuel Pepys, whose private diaries provide much of what we know of London theatre-going in the 1660s. The day after the Theatre Royal opened, Pepys attended a performance of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher's The Humorous Lieutenant. He has this to say in his diary: Samuel Pepys, FRS (23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for his diary. ... Sketch of Francis Beaumont Francis Beaumont (1584 – 1616), was an English dramatist most famous for his collaborations with John Fletcher. ... John Fletcher (1579-1625) was a Jacobean playwright. ... The Humorous Lieutenant, also known as The Noble Enemies or Demetrius and Enanthe, is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy written by John Fletcher. ...

Performances usually began at 3 p.m. to take advantage of the daylight: the main floor for the audience, the pit, had no roof in order to let in the light. A glazed dome was built over the opening, but judging from another one of Pepys' diary entries, the dome was not entirely effective at keeping out the elements: he and his wife were forced to leave the theatre to take refuge from a hail storm.^[8]

Location of the Theatre Royal on a map of London from 1700; the inset shows the streets as they are in 2006.

Green baize cloth covered the benches in the pit and served to decorate the boxes, additionally ornamented with gold-tooled leather, and even the stage itself.^[9] The backless green benches in the pit were in a semicircular arrangement facing the stage, according to a May 1663 letter from one Monsieur de Maonconys: "All benches of the pit, where people of rank also sit, are shaped in a semi-circle, each row higher than the next."^[10] The three galleries formed a semicircle around the floor seats; both the first and second galleries were divided up into boxes. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Baize is a coarse woollen or cotton cloth, often coloured red or green. ...

The King's Company was forced with some reluctance to commission the technically advanced and expensive Theatre Royal playhouse by the success of the rival Duke's Company, which was drawing fascinated crowds with their "moveable" or "changeable" scenery and visually gorgeous productions at Lincoln's Inn Fields. Imitating the innovations at Lincoln's Inn Fields, the Theatre Royal also featured moveable scenery with wings or shutters that could be smoothly changed between or even within acts. When not in use, the shutters rested out of sight behind the sides of the proscenium arch, which also served as a visual frame for the on-stage happenings. The picture-frame-like separation between audience and performance was a new phenomenon in English theatre, though it had been found on the Continent earlier. However, theatre design in London remained ambivalent about the merits of the "picture-box" stage, and for many decades to come, London theatres including Drury Lane had large forestages protruding beyond the arch, often including the thrust stages found in the Elizabethan theatres. The players could still step forward and bridge the distance between performer and audience, and in addition, it was not unusual for audience members to mount the stage itself. Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The interior of the Auditorium Building in Chicago built in 1887. ... A production of Godspell performed on a 3/4 thust stage In theater, a thrust stage (also known as a platform stage or open stage [1]) is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its up stage end. ... English Renaissance theatre is English drama written between the Reformation and the closure of the theatres in 1642. ...

Killigrew's investment in the new playhouse put the two companies on a level as far as technical resources were concerned, but the offerings at the Theatre Royal nevertheless continued to be dominated by actor-driven "talk" drama, contrasting with William Davenant's baroque spectacles and operas at Lincoln's Inn Fields.^[11] Internal power structures were the main reason for this difference: while Davenant skilfully commanded a docile young troupe, Killigrew's authority over his veteran actors was far from absolute.^[12] Experienced actors Michael Mohun (who Pepys called "the best actor in the world") and Charles Hart held out for shares and good contracts in the King's Company, and they despised baroque spectacle. Such a division of power between the patentee Killigrew and his chief actors led to frequent conflicts. These were bad for the Theatre Royal as a business venture; but on the other hand, its strong and confident actors and their insistence on dialogue and literary quality over ornament and visual effects were good for the rebirth of English drama. It was mostly at struggling Theatre Royal, rather than at efficiently run Lincoln's Inn Fields, that the plays were acted that are classics today. This applies especially to the new form Restoration comedy, dominated in the 1660s by William Wycherley and the Theatre Royal's house dramatist John Dryden. Actors such as Hart and Charles II's mistress Nell Gwyn developed and refined the famous scenes of repartee, banter, and flirtation in Dryden's and Wycherley's comedies, and these actors made a creative contribution which John Harrington Smith has claimed was almost on a level with that of the dramatists. Another factor in the direction the drama took at this time was the appearance of actresses for the first time on the British stage. Their presence encouraged playwrights to focus on outspoken female characters, daring love scenes, and provocative breeches roles. William Davenant Sir William Davenant (February 28, 1606 - April 7, 1668), also spelled DAvenant, was an English poet and playwright. ... This naval battle was one of the sets for Elkanah Settles Empress of Morocco (1673) at the theatre in Dorset Garden. ... Michael Mohun (1616?—1684) was a leading British actor both before and after the 1642—1660 closing of the theatres. ... Refinement meets burlesque in Restoration comedy. ... William Wycherley in 1675. ... John Dryden John Dryden (August 19 {August 9 O.S.}, 1631 - May 12 {May 1 O.S.}, 1700) was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator and playwright, who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles... Nell Gwynn was one of the first English actresses and the mistress of King Charles II. Nell Gwyn (or Gwynn or Gwynne), born Eleanor, (2 February 1650 - 14 November 1687), was one of the earliest English actresses to receive prominent recognition, and a long-time mistress of King Charles II... A breeches role (also pants role or trouser role) is a role in which an actress appears in male clothes (breeches being tight-fitting knee-length pants, the standard male garment at the time breeches roles were introduced). ...

The Great Plague of London struck in the summer of 1665, and the Theatre Royal, along with all other public entertainment, was shut down by order of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London on 5 June. It remained closed for 18 months until the autumn of 1666, during which time it received at least a little interior renovation, including widening of the stage.^[13] Although the theatre survived the Great Fire of London, which raged through the city in September 1666, it burned down six years later on 25 January 1672. A bill of mortality for the plague year of 1665. ... Current Lord Mayor of London John Stuttard during the parade on November 11th, 2006 Michael Berry Savory, Previous Lord Mayor (2004–2005) The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the Mayor of the City of London and head of the Corporation of London. ... An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions. ... Motto: Domine dirige nos Latin: Lord, guide us Shown within Greater London Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region Greater London Status sui generis, City and Ceremonial County Admin HQ Guildhall Government  - Leadership see text  - Mayor John Stuttard  - MP Mark Field  - London Assembly John Biggs Area  - City  1. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Detail of painting from 1666 of the Great Fire of London by an unknown artist, depicting the fire as it would have appeared on the evening of Tuesday, 4 September from a boat in the vicinity of Tower Wharf. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events England, France, Munster and Cologne invade the United Provinces, therefore this name is know as ´het rampjaar´ (the disaster year) in the Netherlands. ...

Second theatre: 1674

A longitudinal section through a playhouse drawn by Christopher Wren, believed to be Wren's plan for the second Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. 1: Proscenium arch. 2: Four pairs of shutters across the stage. 3: Pit. 4: Galleries. 5: Boxes.

The King's Company never recovered financially from the loss of the theatre in Bridges Street. The competitive pressure from the Duke's Company forced them to keep investing, however, and construction work began immediately on an even larger and more luxurious theatre which housed an audience of 2,000. This was the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, designed by Christopher Wren,^[14] which opened on 26 March 1674. The new house was financed through selling more company shares, which meant that yet more money had now to be made from ticket sales. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The term, longitudinal means front-to-back or top-to-bottom as opposed to transverse which means side-to-side. In automotive engineering, the term, longitudinal refers to an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back. ... Cross section may refer to the following In geometry, Cross section is the intersection of a 3-dimensional body with a plane. ... Sir Christopher Wren, (20 October 1632–25 February 1723) was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of his time. ... The interior of the Auditorium Building in Chicago built in 1887. ... Sir Christopher Wren, (20 October 1632–25 February 1723) was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of his time. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 19 - England and the Netherlands sign the Treaty of Westminster. ...

The second theatre complex was composed of the large auditorium by Wren and, by the time of Garrick's management, comprised ten connected structures. These buildings contained a warren of offices, practice rooms, storage space and dressing rooms used by the theatre management and performers, nearly seventy people total, as well as some fifty technical staff members.^[15] Additionally three rooms were provided for scripts, including a library for their storage, a separate room for copying actor's parts and a special library for the theatre's account books, ledger books and music scores. This jumble of rooms often made communication among various departments difficult, a problem that David Garrick corrected during his tenure as manager. The entire complex occupied 13,134 square feet bounded by Drury Lane (east), Brydges Street (west), Great Russell Street (north) and Little Russell Street (south).^[16] A square foot is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 foot long. ...

Entering the theatre from Drury Lane, theatre-goers navigated narrow passages that led under over-hanging apartments to entrances for the various lobbies; one for each of the three main sections of the theatre: the pit, gallery and boxes. The new theatre interior retained the green cloth of the first, but seems to have been built according to a more rectilinear plan. Henri Misson, a visitor from France, offers a description of the theatre in 1698:

As Misson points out, the seating was divided by class, and tickets were priced accordingly. Box seats, used by the nobility and wealthy gentry, cost 5 shillings; the benches in the pit which often sat some gentry, but also critics and scholars, cost 3 shillings; tradesmen and professionals occupied the first gallery with seats costing 2 shillings, while servants and other "ordinary people," as Misson refers to them, occupied the 1 shilling seats of the upper gallery. Seats were not numbered and offered on a "first come first served" basis, leading many members of the gentry to send servants to reserve seats well ahead of performances.^[18] The social structure of Britain has clearly changed with the centuries and it is difficult to adequately discuss the topic in a single article. ... Before decimalisation in 1971, a shilling had a value of 12d (old pence), and was equal to 1/20th of a pound: there were 240 (old) pence to the pound. ...

The image to the right shows a cross-section of a playhouse drawn by Wren, and is thought to be a plan for the 1674 Theatre Royal. The second Amphitheatre mentioned by Misson, in the rear, is the lower gallery.

The stage in 1674

All of these spectators had a clear view of the stage. The stage was 45 feet wide and 30 feet deep with a raked floor from the footlights to the backdrop. The angle of the rake rose one inch for every 24 inches of horizontal stage, therefore an actor standing at the back of the stage was 15 inches above an actor at the footlights. The stage floor included grooves for wings and flats in addition to trap doors in the floor. The proscenium arch covered the stage equipment above the stage that included a pair of girondels—large wheels holding many candles used to counteract the light from the footlights. Towards the latter part of the 18th century, doors were placed on either side of the stage, and a series of small spikes traced the edge of the stage apron to prevent audiences from climbing onto the stage. At the very back of the stage, a large door was placed that opened to reveal Drury Lane.^[19] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

An added difficulty for Killigrew and his sons Thomas and Charles was the political unrest of 1678–1684 with the Popish Plot and the Exclusion Bill crisis distracting potential audiences from things theatrical. This affected both the King's and the Duke's companies, but most of all the King's which had no profit margin to carry them through the lean years. In 1682 the companies merged, or rather, the King's was absorbed by the Duke's. Led at the time by Thomas Betterton, the United Company, as it was now called, chose Drury Lane as their production house, leaving the Duke's Company's theatre in Dorset Garden closed for a time. In 1688 Betterton was removed from managerial control by Alexander Davenant, son of William Davenant, the original patent holder for the Duke's Company. Davenant's management (with Charles Killigrew) proved brief and disastrous, and by 1693 he was fleeing to the Canary Islands in the wake of embezzlement charges. The Theatre Royal found itself in the hands of lawyer Christopher Rich for the next 16 years.^[20] The Popish Plot was an alleged Catholic conspiracy. ... During the reign of Charles II of England, the Exclusion Bill crisis ran from 1678 till 1681. ... Thomas Betterton (c. ... The Dorset Garden Theatre, on the Thames. ... William Davenant Sir William Davenant (February 28, 1606 - April 7, 1668), also spelled DAvenant, was an English poet and playwright. ... Anthem: Arrorró Capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 13th  7,447 km²  1. ... Christopher Rich (1657—1714) was a lawyer and theatrical manager in London in the late 17th and early 18th century, and the father of the important impresario John Rich. ...

Neither Davenant's nor Killigrew's sons were much better than crooks,^[21] and Rich attempted to recoup their depredations of the company's resources by cost-cutting tyranny, pitting actor against actor and slashing salaries. By 1695 the actors, including day-to-day manager and acting legend Thomas Betterton, were alienated and humiliated enough to walk out and set up a cooperative company of their own. Nine men and six women departed, all of them established professional performers, including such draws as tragedienne Elizabeth Barry and comedienne Anne Bracegirdle, leaving the United Company — henceforth known as the "Patent Company" — in "a very despicable condition," according to an anonymous contemporary pamphlet: Elizabeth Barry changed like Nature which she represents, from Passion to Passion, from Extream to Extream, with piercing Force and with easy Grace. Elizabeth Barry (1658–November 7, 1713) was an English actress. ... Anne Bracegirdle, (c. ...

A private letter from 19 November 1696 reported that Drury Lane "has no company at all, and unless a new play comes out on Saturday revives their reputation, they must break."^[23] The new play, Rich's last hope, is assumed to have been John Vanbrugh's The Relapse, and it turned out the success the company needed. Christopher Rich continued as its head until 1709, when the patent in question was actually revoked amid a complex tangle of political machinations. A lawyer named William Collier was briefly given the right to mount productions in Drury Lane, but by 1710 the troupe was in the hands of the actors Colley Cibber, Robert Wilks, and Thomas Doggett — a triumvirate that eventually found themselves sharply satirised in Alexander Pope's Dunciad. In 1713 Barton Booth replaced Doggett. is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1696 had the earliest equinoxes and solstices for 400 years in the Gregorian calendar, because this year is a leap year and the Gregorian calendar would have behaved like the Julian calendar since March 1500 had it have been in use that long. ... Sir John Vanbrugh in Godfrey Knellers Kit-cat portrait, considered one of Knellers finest portraits. ... John Vanbrugh (1664–1726), author of The Relapse. ... Colley Cibber, actor, playwright, Poet Laureate, first British actor-manager, and head Dunce of Alexander Popes Dunciad. ... Robert Wilks ( 1665 - September 27, 1732) was a British actor and theatrical manager who was one of the leading managers of Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in its hey day of the 1710s. ... Thomas Doggett (or Dogget), (ca. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Alexander Pope The Dunciad is a landmark literary satire by Alexander Pope published in three different versions at different times. ... Barton Booth (1681- May 10, 1733) was one of the most famous dramatic actors of the first part of the 18th century. ...

David Garrick, the theatre manager 1747–1776, is portrayed in the title role of Richard III in this painting by William Hogarth.

Cibber was the de facto leader of the triumvirate, and he led the theatre through a controversial but generally successful period until 1733, when he sold his controlling interest to John Highmore. It is likely that the sale was at a vastly inflated price and that Colley's goal was simply to get out of debts and make a profit (see Robert Lowe in his edition of Cibber's Apology). Members of the troupe at the time were most displeased; an actor's revolt was organised and executed; Charles Fleetwood came to control the theatre. Fleetwood's tenure was tumultuous; his abolition of the practice of allowing footmen free access to the upper gallery led to riots in 1737, and Fleetwood's gambling problems entangled the theatre in his own financial difficulties.^[24] It was during this period that actor Charles Macklin rose to fame, propelled by a singular performance as Shylock in an early 1741 production of The Merchant of Venice, in which he introduced a realistic, naturalistic style of acting, abandoning the artificial bombast typical to dramatic roles prior.^[25] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... David Garrick by Thomas Gainsborough. ... Frontispage of the First Quarto Richard The Third. ... William Hogarth (November 10, 1697 – October 26, 1764) was a major English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, and editorial cartoonist who has been credited as a pioneer in western sequential art. ... Charles Fleetwood (d. ... A footman is a male household servant. ... Charles Macklin (1697?‑1797) was an actor and dramatist born in the north of Ireland, and one of the most distinguished actors of his day, shining equally in tragedy and comedy. ... Shylock After the Trial by John Gilbert (late 19th century) Shylock is a central character in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a pound of flesh from the title character. ... Portia and Shylock (1835) by Thomas Sully The Merchant of Venice is one of William Shakespeares best-known plays, written sometime between 1596 and 1598. ...

The facade on Bridges Street. Added in 1775, this gave the theatre its first on-street entrance.

In 1747 Fleetwood's playhouse patent expired. The theatre and a patent renewal were purchased by actor David Garrick (who had trained under Macklin earlier) and partner James Lacy. Garrick served as manager and lead actor of the theatre until roughly 1766, and continued on in the management role for another ten years after that. He is remembered as one of the great stage actors and is especially associated with advancing the Shakespearean tradition in English theatre — during his time at Drury Lane, the company mounted at least 24 of Shakespeare's plays.^[26] Some of Shakespeare's surge in popularity during this period can be traced to the Licensing Act of 1737, which mandated governmental approval of any play before it could be performed and thereby created something of a vacuum of new material to perform. Garrick shared the stage with company including Peg Woffington, Susannah Cibber, Hannah Pritchard, Kitty Clive, Spranger Barry, Richard Yates and Ned Shuter. It was under Garrick's management that spectators were for the first time barred from the stage itself.^[27] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... David Garrick by Thomas Gainsborough. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... The Licensing Act or Theatrical Licensing Act of 1737 (citation ) was a landmark act of censorship of the British stage and one of the most determining factors in the development of Augustan drama. ... Margaret Peg Woffington (c. ... Hannah Pritchard (1711-1768) was an English actress. ... 1735 painting of Clive in her role as Philida Catherine Kitty Clive (née Raftor; 1711-6 December 1785) was a British actress of considerable repute on the stages of London. ... Spranger Barry (November 23, 1719 – January 10, 1777), British actor, was born in Dublin, the son of a silversmith, to whose business he was brought up. ...

Garrick commissioned Robert Adam and his brother James to renovate the theatre's interior, which they did in 1775. Their additions included an ornate ceiling and a stucco facade facing Bridges Street. This facade was the first time any structure that might be considered part of the theatre proper actually abutted the street: the building, like the 1663 original, had been built in the centre of the block, hemmed in by other structures. The narrow passage from Bridges street to the theatre now became an interior hallway; some theatre office space also went up behind the new facade.^[28] Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 1728 - 3 March 1792) was a Scottish architect, interior designer and furniture designer, born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland. ... James Adam (21 July 1732 – 20 October 1794) was a Scottish architect and furniture designer, but was often overshadowed by his older brother and business partner, Robert Adam. ... Stucco is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water which is applied wet, and hardens when it dries. ...

With a series of farewell performances, Garrick left the stage in 1776 and sold his shares in the theatre to the Irish playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Sheridan and his partners completed their purchase of Drury Lane two years later, and Sheridan owned it until 1809.^[29] Sheridan premiered his own comedy of manners The School for Scandal in 1777. Active management of the theatre was carried out by a number of parties during Sheridon's ownership, including himself, his father Thomas, and, from 1788 to 1796 and 1800 to 1802, the popular actor John Philip Kemble.^[30] Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Sheridan (October 30, 1751 – July 7, 1816) was an Irish playwright and Whig statesman. ... The comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young. ... The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by R. B. Sheridan. ... Thomas Sheridan (1719 - 1788) was a stage actor and a major proponent of the elocution movement. ... John Philip Kemble (February 1, 1757 - February 26, 1823), was an English actor. ...

Third theatre: 1794

The theatre pictured as it was in 1809 (from an 1811 engraving). The view is from the north-east, looking down Russell Street at its intersection with Drury Lane. This shows the rear of the theatre with its dressing rooms and stage door.

The theatre was in need of updating by the end of the 18th century and was demolished in 1791. A third theatre was designed by Henry Holland and opened on 12 March 1794. This was a cavernous theatre, accommodating more than 3,600 spectators.^[31] The motivation behind building on such a large scale? In the words of one owner: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Henry Holland ( July 20, 1745 - June 17, 1806) was an architect to the English nobility who trained under Capability Brown and later married his daughter. ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

New technology facilitated the expansion: iron columns replaced bulky wood, supporting five tiers of galleries. The stage was large, too: 83 feet wide and 92 feet deep. Holland, the architect, said it was "on a larger scale than any other theatre in Europe." Except for churches, it was the tallest building in London.^[33] General Name, symbol, number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... It has been suggested that Ecclesia (Church) be merged into this article or section. ...

The "very popular notion that our theatres ought to be very small" proved hard to overcome, however. Various accounts from the period bemoan the mammoth size of the new theatre, longing for the "warm close observant seats of Old Drury," as one May 1794 theatre-goer put it.^[34] Actress Sarah Siddons, then part of the Drury Lane company, called it "a wilderness of a place" (and left Drury Lane along with her brother John Philip Kemble in 1803). Not only was any sense of intimacy and connection to the company on stage lost, but the very size of the theatre put a great deal of the audience at such a distance from the stage so as to make hearing a player's voice quite difficult. To compensate, the productions mounted in the new theatre tended more toward spectacle than the spoken word.^[35] An example of such a spectacle is a 1794 production that featured real water flowing down a rocky stream into a lake large enough on which to row a boat. This water issued from tanks in the attics above the house, which were installed — along with a much-touted iron safety curtain — as proof against fire.^[36] Sarah Siddons Sarah Siddons (1755–1831) was a British actress, the best-known of the 18th century. ... John Philip Kemble (February 1, 1757 - February 26, 1823), was an English actor. ... The ornately decorated safety curtain of the Vienna State Opera House. ...

After standing only 15 years, the third Drury Lane theatre building burned down on 24 February 1809. This painting from the period, artist unknown, shows the view of the fire from the Westminster Bridge.

Richard Sheridan continued as theatre owner during the entire lifetime of this third building. He had grown in stature as a statesman during this time, but troubled finances were to be his undoing. The 1794 rebuilding had cost double the original estimate of £80,000, and Sheridan bore the entirety of the debt. Productions were more expensive to mount in the larger structure, and increased audience revenues failed to make up the difference.^[37] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster, with a glimpse of Westminster Abbey behind the tower of Big Ben. ...

An assassination attempt against King George III took place at the theatre on 15 May 1800. James Hadfield fired two pistol shots from the pit toward the King, sitting in the royal box. The shots missed by inches, Hadfield was quickly subdued, and George, apparently unruffled, ordered the performance to continue.^[38] It has been suggested that Selective assassination be merged into this article or section. ... George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 1738 – 29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // ON MAY 5 1853 MR.FADER HAD SEX WITH A MAN NAME MR WIEN THEN THEY HAD SON NAMEDMRS COTURE AND MR MANOOGIAN WENT INTO MRS HASKELLS OFFICE NAKED AND DANCED AROUND AND MASTERBATED ON HER CHEST AND SHE LICKED IT OFF THEN THEY HAD ORAL SEEX WITH NAPLOEAN OF... James Hadfield or Hatfield (1771/1772 – January 23, 1841) attempted to assassinate George III of the United Kingdom in 1800 but was acquitted of attempted murder by reason of insanity. ...

On 24 February 1809, despite the previously mentioned fire safety precautions, the theatre burned down. Already on the shakiest financial ground, Sheridan was ruined entirely by the loss of the building. He turned to brewer Samuel Whitbread, an old friend, for help. Whitbread agreed to head a committee that would manage the company and oversee the rebuilding of the theatre, but asked Sheridan to withdraw from management himself, which he did entirely by 1811.^[39] is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Samuel Whitbread II by John Opie Samuel Whitbread (1758 - June 6, 1815) was an English politician. ...

Modern theatre: 1812

The present-day Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, sketched when it was new, in 1813

The present Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, designed by Benjamin Dean Wyatt on behalf of the committee led by Whitbread, opened on 10 October 1812 with a production of Hamlet featuring Robert Elliston in the title role. The new theatre made some concessions toward intimacy, seating 3,060 people, about 550 fewer than the earlier building (though this size is still considered an extremely large theatre). In 1820 the portico that still stands at the theatre's front entrance on Catherine Street was added, and in 1822, five years after gas lighting was installed, the interior underwent a significant remodelling. The colonnade running down the Russell Street side of the building was added in 1831.^[40] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1097x977, 1086 KB)The drawing is in the public domain and was scanned from the Survey of London, volume 35, The Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden (1970). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1097x977, 1086 KB)The drawing is in the public domain and was scanned from the Survey of London, volume 35, The Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden (1970). ... Benjamin Dean Wyatt, stipple engraving by T. Blood, after Samuel Drummond. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the overture by Tchaikovsky, see 1812 Overture; For the wars, see War of 1812 (USA - United Kingdom) or Patriotic War of 1812 (France - Russia) For the Siberia Airlines plane crashed over the Black Sea on October 4, 2001, see Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 1812 was a leap year starting... Hamlet and Horatio in the cemetery by Eugène Delacroix For other uses, see Hamlet (disambiguation). ... Robert William Elliston (April 7, 1774 - 1831), was an English actor. ... Categories: Architectural elements | Stub ... Gas lighting is the process of burning piped natural gas or coal gas for illumination. ... Enormous colonnade of the Kazan Cathedral in St Petersburg. ...

Productions relying more on scenery and effects than on dialogue and acting remained commonplace in the new facility. The 1823 production of Cataract of the Ganges had a finale featuring a horseback escape up a flowing cataract "with fire raging all around."^[41] Effects for an 1829 production were produced by hydraulic apparatus that reportedly could discharge 39 tons of water.^[42] Table of Hydraulics and Hydrostatics, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ...

There were those concerned that the theatre was failing in its role as one of the very few permitted to show legitimate drama. Management of the theatre after it reopened in 1813 fell to Samuel Arnold, overseen by an amateur board of directors and a subcommittee focusing on the theatre as a centre for national culture. (Lord Byron was briefly on this subcommittee, from June 1815 until leaving England in April 1816.)^[43] Actor Edmund Kean was the on-stage highlight; like Macklin before him, he made his reputation as Shylock, premiering in the role in 1814. Kean remained until 1820, but despite his popularity, the committee-led efforts to appeal to culture yet still turn a profit eventually proved a failure, and in 1819 the theatre and all its accompanying rights were leased to Robert Elliston. Lord Byron redirects here. ... Edmund Kean (March 17, 1787 – May 15, 1833) was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever. ... Shylock After the Trial by John Gilbert (late 19th century) Shylock is a central character in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a pound of flesh from the title character. ...

Elliston went bankrupt and was unable to renew his lease in 1826. An American, Stephen Price, followed (1826–1830); then through most of the remainder of the 19th century, Drury Lane passed quickly from one set of hands to another. In 1833, Alfred Bunn gained control of both Drury Lane and Covent Garden, managing the former from 1833 to 1839, and again from 1843 to 1850. In 1837, actor-manager Samuel Phelps (1804–1878) joined the company at Drury Lane, appearing with William Charles Macready, the gifted actor-manager in a number of Shakespeare plays. He also created the role of Captain Channel in Douglas Jerrold's melodrama, The Prisoner of War (1842), and of Lord Tresham in Robert Browning's A Blot in the 'Scutcheon (1843).^[44] Macready was briefly manager in 1841–1843, putting significant reforms in place. Nevertheless, most productions there were financial disasters.^[45] Alfred Bunn (born April 8, 1796 in London; died December 20, 1860 in Boulogne-sur-Mer) was an English theatrical manager. ... Samuel Phelps (1804-1878) was an English actor, born in Devonport. ... William Charles Macready (March 3, 1793 - April 27, 1873), English actor, was born in London, and educated at Rugby. ... Douglas Jerrold may be Douglas William Jerrold (1803-1857) British dramatist Douglas Francis Jerrold (1893-1964) British writer and publisher This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914). ... Robert Browning (May 7, 1812 – December 12, 1889) was a British poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. ...

The theatrical monopoly first bestowed by Royal Letters Patent 183 years earlier was abolished by the Theatres Act 1843, but the patent had been largely toothless for decades and this had little immediate effect. On the other hand, other theatres, used to presenting musical entertainments, continued to do so, and Drury Lane continued as one of the most accepted venues for legitimate theatre. The 19th-century run of financial and artistic failures at Drury Lane was interrupted by four plays produced over a twenty-five-year period by the actor-playwright Dion Boucicault: The Queen of Spades (1851), Eugenie (1855), Formosa (1869), and The Shaughraun (1875). But this period of general decline culminated with F. B. Chatterton's 1878 resignation; in his words, "Shakespeare spells ruin, and Byron bankruptcy."^[46] During the 19th century, Drury Lane staged ballet as well, with performers including Italy's Carlotta Grisi.^[47] The Theatres Act 1843 (6 & 7 Vict. ... Poster for a production of Boucicaults farce Contempt of Court, c. ... The Shaughraun is a melodramatic play written by Irish playwright Dion Boucicault. ... Painting of ballet dancers by Edgar Degas, 1872. ... We dont have an article called Carlotta grisi Start this article Search for Carlotta grisi in. ...

One famous musical director of Drury Lane was the French eccentric conductor and composer of light music Louis-Antoine Jullien(1812–1860) who invited successfully Berlioz to come and give concerts in the Theatre.

The theatre today. The sign for The Producers faces Russell Street; the front entrance is through the portico facing Catherine Street on the right.

The house's fortune's rose again under the management of Augustus Harris from 1879. In the 1880s and 1890s, the theatre hosted many of the productions of the Carl Rosa Opera Company. Productions relying on spectacle became even more the norm at Drury Lane in the later parts of the century, under the managements first of Augustus Harris (1879–1896) and then of Arthur Collins (1896–1923).^[48] Examples include the successful 1909 The Whip, which featured not only a train crash complete with hissing steam, but also a horserace: twelve real horses jockeying on an on-stage treadmill. Harris instituted an annual pantomime in 1889; starring already well-known comedian Dan Leno, the performances were a major success. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2816x2112, 3479 KB) Summary Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JF Photo taken by User:Edward on 19 March 2006 with a Casio EX-S600. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2816x2112, 3479 KB) Summary Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Catherine Street, London WC2B 5JF Photo taken by User:Edward on 19 March 2006 with a Casio EX-S600. ... The Producers is a critically acclaimed comedy-musical adapted by Mel Brooks from his 1968 film of the same name. ... Categories: Architectural elements | Stub ... Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris (1852-1896) was an actor, impresario, and dramatist. ... Carl August Nicholas Rosa (1843, Hamburg - April 30th 1889, Paris) was an English musical impresario, his family name (which he subsequently changed) being Rose. ... Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris (1852-1896) was an actor, impresario, and dramatist. ... The Whip is a play first performed in 1909 at the Drury Lane Theatre in London. ... The Christmas Pantomime colour lithograph bookcover, 1890 Pantomime (informally, panto) refers to a theatrical genre, traditionally found in Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland, which is usually performed around the Christmas and New Year holiday season. ... Dan Leno (born George Wild Galvin, (December 20, 1860 - October 31, 1904) was an English music hall comedian whose act typically revolved around cockney humour and dressing up as a pantomime dame. ...

The last major interior renovation was in 1922, leaving a four-tiered theatre able to seat between 2,200 and 2,300 people.^[49] Composer and performer Ivor Novello, immensely popular in his time though little-remembered today, presented his musicals in Drury Lane from 1931 until the theatre was closed in 1939 because of World War II. During the war the theatre served as the headquarters for the Entertainments National Service Association; it sustained some minor bomb damage as well. The theatre reopened with Noel Coward's Pacific 1860 in 1946.^[50] Ivor Novello David Ivor Davies (January 15, 1893 – March 6, 1951), better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the early 20th century. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Entertainments National Service Association, or ENSA was an organisation set up in 1939 by the British Government to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War 2. ... Sir Noël Peirce Coward (December 16, 1899 – March 26, 1973) was an English actor, playwright, and composer of popular music. ...

In the post-war years, a number of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals made their London debuts in Drury Lane, including Oklahoma! (1946), South Pacific (1951) and The King and I (1953). American imports also included Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady, which began a five-year run in 1958.^[51] Comedy troupe Monty Python also performed one of their reunion shows here. Today, the theatre is part of the West End theatre scene, still generally staging popular musical productions. It is owned and managed by Really Useful Theatres, a division of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group. Long-running recent productions include 42nd Street (1984–89) and Miss Saigon (1989–1999). A revival of Mel Brooks' musical The Producers, closed in January 2007, and the theatre is now hosting a musical adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Rodgers (left) and Hammerstein (right), with Irving Berlin (middle) and Helen Tamiris, watching auditions at the St. ... The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in history Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. ... Oklahoma! was the first musical play written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II (see Rodgers and Hammerstein). ... For other other uses, see South Pacific South Pacific is a musical play, with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by both Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. ... The King and I is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, with a script based on the book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. ... Lerner and Loewe is a designation for the musical comedy writing team of lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe. ... My Fair Lady is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, based on George Bernard Shaws Pygmalion. ... Monty Python, or The Pythons, is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ... Monty Python Live at Drury Lane is a record released by Monty Python in 1974. ... West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... Th