Q Theatre

The Q Theatre was a small London theatre near Kew Bridge in Brentford, west London. It opened in 1924 on the site of an old roller-rink and film studio. The building seated 490 people in 25 rows with a central aisle. It belonged to a group of independent theatres that took chances on new and experimental plays. These plays often moved on to the West End after proving themselves at the Q. The theatre launched the careers of many actors and directors. Dirk Bogarde, Joan Collins and Vivien Leigh all began there. Peter Brook and Tony Richardson directed plays at the Q. Terence Rattigan and William Douglas-Home had their first plays staged there. The opening night in 1924 featured Gertrude Jennings’s The Young Person in Pink. Jack de Leon ran the theatre with his wife Beatie. She managed the company while he wrote, directed and promoted plays. The Q became known for trying out new work before it reached the West End. Later it trained actors like Jill Bennett and Geraldine McEwan. The theatre closed in 1958 and was replaced by an office block.