The Shaftesbury Theatre
The theatre that saw the cast of Hair naked first!
Location: 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP
Description: The Shaftesbury Theatre was designed for Walter and Frederick Melville by architect Bertie Crewe. It was officially opened as the New Prince's Theatre, on 26th December 1911 with The Three Musketeers.
In 1919 Gilbert and Sullivan operas, presented by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company did well and became a regular attraction here through the 1920s.
Sherlock Holmes actor Basil Rathbone appeared here in May 1933 when he played Julian Beauclerc in a revival of Diplomacy.
On 27th September 1968, American hippie rock musical Hair opened here after a year on Broadway. The previous day the Theatres Act came into place essentially abolishing Lord Chamberlain's powers of censorship dating back to 1737. This allowed the show's famous nude scene to go ahead, pushing the boundaries of what audiences had seen on stage in the West End.
Part of the ceiling fell in on 20 July 1973, forcing the closure of the show, after 1,998 performances. A year later it was Grade II listed by English Heritage.
|
The theatre that saw the cast of Hair naked first! |
Ranking This Month: 2406/3012
Pages Hit This Month: 3
Your Comments:
Other places nearby:
The Rose Theatre», 1.4km
The Lyceum Theatre», 0.4km
The First ever London Theatre», 2.0km
Magic St Georges Hall», 0.7km
The Players' Theatre», 0.3km
Playwright Harold Pinter's Home», 4.2km
Wood Green Empire», 5.3km
Shakespeare's Curtain Theatre», 2.0km
Oscar Wilde Statue», 0.4km
Fortune Street Park», 1.4km
Location Pinpointed:
pinpointing the forgotten and lost history of London
Shady Old Lady »» Car Reviews »» Classic Telly »» Peckish © 2022 The Shady Old Lady, Privacy Policy
