Noël Coward Theatre

The Noël Coward Theatre stands in St Martin’s Lane, City of Westminster, a West End playhouse built in 1903 as the New Theatre. Its classical exterior and Rococo interior were designed by W. G. R. Sprague, who also planned the adjacent Wyndham’s Theatre. The auditorium uses a cantilever structure, so no pillars block the view from any seat. A gilt trophy above the proscenium symbolises peace and music. The building is listed Grade II, protecting its historic fabric. The theatre has long been a stage for new plays and revivals by leading figures. Noël Coward’s first work, I’ll Leave It to You, opened here in 1920. John Gielgud managed seasons in the 1930s, directing and starring in Richard of Bordeaux and presenting Hamlet with Peggy Ashcroft and Laurence Olivier. During the Second World War the Old Vic company used the building, with Ralph Richardson and Olivier appearing in repertory. Visitors find a restored Edwardian interior of gilded plaster and deep reds. The stalls slope gently towards a wide stage framed by boxes on three sides. Above, a domed ceiling with chandeliers reflects the Rococo detailing. The street outside, New Row, keeps the scale intimate. From the entrance on St Martin’s Lane, the theatre’s classical façade signals its place among London’s historic playhouses.