Ever imagine this elegant structure once echoed with laughter from comic operas? That’s the Playhouse Theatre. It stands here near Trafalgar Square on Northumberland Avenue.
The Playhouse Theatre has a rich story. Its story is full of twists and turns. It even includes a near-disastrous railway station collapse.
Originally, it was known as the Royal Avenue Theatre. Sefton Henry Parry built it in 1882. He hoped the railway company would buy it from him. The first show was Jacques Offenbach’s Madame Favart. For years, comic operas and burlesque shows filled its stage. Arthur Roberts, a music hall star, was a regular performer here at the Playhouse Theatre.
By the 1890s, the Playhouse Theatre shifted to drama. Annie Horniman, a tea heiress, sponsored Florence Farr’s plays. Farr asked George Bernard Shaw to debut his play here. Arms and the Man was a hit. It allowed Shaw to focus on playwriting full-time. Actress Gladys Cooper even managed the Playhouse Theatre for a while.
In 1905, disaster struck during rebuilding. Part of Charing Cross railway station collapsed. The roof fell onto the train lines. Part of the station crashed through the Playhouse Theatre’s roof. Six people died. Many more were injured.
The Playhouse Theatre was repaired. It reopened in 1907. The Drums of Oudh and Toddles were the opening plays. Shaw even wrote a sketch for the event. The Interlude at the Playhouse was his contribution.
The rebuilt Playhouse Theatre had fewer seats. It now held 679 people. W. Somerset Maugham’s Home and Beauty premiered here. It ran for 235 shows. Many famous actors performed here. Alec Guinness made his stage debut here.
In 1951, the BBC took over the Playhouse Theatre. It became a recording studio. The Goon Show and Hancock’s Half Hour were recorded here. The Beatles, Queen, and the Rolling Stones played here. Pink Floyd even broadcast a live concert.
By 1976, the BBC left. The Playhouse Theatre was in danger of demolition. Rock band Queen filmed their music video “A Kind of Magic” here in 1986.
In 1987, Robin Gonshaw restored the Playhouse Theatre. It reopened with the musical Girlfriends. Jeffrey Archer bought it in 1988. For a time, it was called the MI Group Playhouse. The Peter Hall Company called it home in 1991. Critically acclaimed plays were performed. Julie Walters starred in The Rose Tattoo.
Ray Cooney bought the Playhouse Theatre in 1992. He staged his farce It Runs in the Family. In 1996, Patrick Sulaiman Cole bought it. A Doll’s House was a hit. The Playhouse Theatre closed for refurbishment. It reopened with Anton Chekhov’s The Wood Demon.
Since the late 1990s, successes include Naked and An Inspector Calls.
Ted and Norman Tulchin’s Maidstone Productions purchased the Playhouse Theatre in 2002. ATG Entertainment managed the venue. Vincent in Brixton and Hedda Gabler were award-winning productions.
More recently, the Playhouse Theatre hosted Dancing in the Streets and La Cage Aux Folles. In 2013, ATG acquired full ownership.
In 2019, The Jamie Lloyd Company took residence. They planned revivals. Cyrano de Bergerac starring James McAvoy was one of them.
During the pandemic, the Playhouse Theatre was renovated. It reopened as the Kit Kat Club. Cabaret began in 2021. The layout was changed to in-the-round. The capacity was reduced to 550.
Today, the Playhouse Theatre continues to evolve. It embraces its history. It creates new memories. It offers diverse entertainment for all.