Shaftesbury Theatre (1888–1941)

The Shaftesbury Theatre stood on the south side of Shaftesbury Avenue, just east of Gerrard Place in the City of Westminster. It was built in 1888 for Ellen Wallis, a Shakespearean actress, by her husband John Lancaster. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps and built by Messrs. Patman and Fotheringham. It opened with a production of As You Like It on 20 October 1888. The stage measured 28 feet 6 inches square and could seat 1,196 people. The theatre’s first major success came with The Belle of New York in 1898, produced by Broadway’s George W. Lederer. H. B. Irving became lessee and manager in 1908, presenting a successful season of plays. Robert Courtneidge took over for much of the early 20th century, producing comic operas and Edwardian musical comedies. Among his hits were Tom Jones in 1907 and The Arcadians in 1909, which ran for a record 809 performances. Basil Rathbone appeared there in 1914 as the Dauphin in Henry V. During the Second World War, the theatre was severely damaged by bombing in 1941. The lease was abandoned, and the site became a car park for over 40 years. Advertising boards surrounded the empty space until the current Soho fire station was built on the site in 1983. The theatre’s history reflects the rise and fall of London’s West End stage.