Place    From 1903  To 1958

Gaiety Theatre

Categories: Theatre

 Before the Aldwych development in 1906 the street pattern was very different.  The site between the current Lyceum Theatre and the current corner, Silken Hotel, was occupied by the Lyceum Theatre, which moved in 1834 to its current site.  Another theatre was built on this in-between site and took the name The Gaiety in 1868.  George Edwardes took over the management in about 1886 and in the 1890’s introduced the new style, now known as Edwardian musical comedy, which was very successful, especially the dancing Gaiety Girls.  Then the Aldwych redevelopment happened.  The Gaiety was demolished in 1903 and rebuilt on the new Aldwych corner site.  More success followed but by 1939 it was run down and so it closed.   The building was damaged by WW2 bombs and was demolished in 1956. Arthur Lloyd has a magnificent page on this theatre.

From Londonist we learn "Before the Gaiety was torn down {1956}, however, some of the internal fixtures from the auditorium were mysteriously saved and now grace the upstairs bar of The Victoria pub near Lancaster Gate tube."

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Gaiety Theatre

Commemorated ati

Gaiety Theatre

On this site stood the Gaiety Theatre, built in 1903 for impresario George Ed...

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Gaiety Theatre - SWET

Gaiety Theatre On this site until 1957 stood the re-sited Gaiety Theatre whic...

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Other Subjects

Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff

Actor. Born as William Henry Pratt at the house with the plaque. His acting career began in the theatre in Canada, where he adopted his stage name. Arriving in Hollywood he appeared in dozens of si...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre, TV & Radio, Canada, USA

1 memorial
Harold Pinter

Harold Pinter

Playwright, actor and director. He trained and performed as an actor before taking up writing. His first play to be produced in London's west-end, 'The Birthday Party' was received with almost univ...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous, Theatre

1 memorial
Lord Richard Attenborough, CBE

Lord Richard Attenborough, CBE

Actor, director, producer. Born Cambridge. Older brother of TV wildlife presenter Sir David. Died, aged 90 years, on 24 August 2014.

Person, Benefactor, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre

1 memorial
People's Palace

People's Palace

Proposed by Walter Besant, the first People's Palace was built by the Beaumont Trustees, ‘Unitarian philanthropists’, to replace Beaumont's Philosophical Institution which had been in Beaumont Squa...

Building, Education, Sport / Games, Theatre

3 memorials
Apollo Theatre

Apollo Theatre

A Grade II listed building, designed by architect Lewin Sharp. It was the venue for the first British production of Harold Brighouse's very English comedy 'Hobson's Choice', which curiously had it...

Building, Theatre

1 memorial