Her Majesty’s Theatre

Her Majesty's Theatre

Her Majesty’s Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The theatre was established by architect and playwright John Vanbrugh, in 1705, as the Queen’s Theatre. It first became the King’s Theatre in 1714 on the accession of George I, and was renamed Her Majesty’s in 1837. Most recently, the theatre was known as His Majesty’s theatre from 1901 to 1952, and it became Her Majesty’s on theAccession of Elizabeth II. Since the First World War, the wide stage has made the theatre suitable for large-scale musical productions.

About Her Majesty’s Theatre in brief

Summary Her Majesty's TheatreHer Majesty’s Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The theatre was established by architect and playwright John Vanbrugh, in 1705, as the Queen’s Theatre. Since the First World War, the wide stage has made the theatre suitable for large-scale musical productions, and the theatre has accordingly specialised in hosting musicals. It first became the King’s Theatre in 1714 on the accession of George I, and was renamed Her Majesty’s in 1837. Most recently, the theatre was known as His Majesty’s theatre from 1901 to 1952, and it became Her Majesty’s on theAccession of Elizabeth II. The building was Grade II* listed by English Heritage in 1970, and LW Theatres has owned the building since 2000. The land beneath it is on a long-term lease from the Crown Estate, and is ultimately owned by the Company of Comedians. The Phantom of the Opera, by Andrew Lloyd Webber, played continuously at the theatre between 1986 and March 2020. It is the second oldest theatre in London that remains in three shape, after Lincoln’s Inn, founded in 1660. Theatre provided the first alternative to the Theatre Royal, Dr63, built in 1663 and the Theatre Inn, Lincoln’s Inns, founded 1660. The theatre site was held on a renewable lease in 1740 and was ultimately owned as it is today, by the Crown estate.

It opened as the Comedians’s Theatre on December 14, 1704, and received Queen Anne’s authority to form a Comedians’ Company on 14 December 1704 and opened the theatre as the Crown’s Comedians’ Theatre. It has a capacity of 1,216 seats, and has hosted premieres by major playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw, J. M. Synge, Noël Coward and J. B. Priestley. In the early decades of the 20th century, Tree produced spectacular productions of Shakespeare and other classical works. Between 1711 and 1739, more than 25 operas by George Frideric Handel premiered here. It also hosted the Ballet of her Majesty’s Theater in the mid-19th century. It hosted the first London performances of Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, Così fan tutte and Don Giovanni, before returning to hosting the London premieres of such operas as Bizet’s Carmen and Wagner’s Ring Cycle. In 1847, it hosted the opera company that was to move to the theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1847. It was also home to Chu Chin Chow and the most recent production, The Phantom Of The Opera, which played continuously from 1986 to March 2020, and featured a cast of more than 100 actors. The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art was established in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy in the theatre.