Group    From 1806 

Adelphi Theatre

Categories: Theatre

Founded as the Sans Parail by John Scott, and his daughter Jane, who was an early playwright-actor-manager. 1819 it re-opened as the Adelphi Theatre, named for the Adelphi development opposite. 1858 the theatre was rebuilt. In 1879 the Gatti brothers took it over and also, 1887, created the Adelphi Theatre Restaurant next door, to the west. 1897 one of the regular performers, William Terriss, was murdered as he entered the theatre by the Maiden Lane entrance. 1901 the theatre was rebuilt to designs of Ernest Runtz and for three years known as the Century Theatre. The theatre was rebuilt again in the 1930s and in this design the theatre, the facade at least, took over one bay of the restaurant. This is the building we see today, although the facade is now even flatter than it was in the 30s. Our picture, from the the magnificent Arthur Lloyd, shows the 1858 building.

The Gatti's set up a electricity suppy for another nearby restaurant and also used it in 1885 to provide lighting to this theatre, making the Adelphi the first London theatre to be lit with electric light, according to the ODNB.  But the Savoy Theatre, claims this crown in 1881.

The Theatres Trust have a detailed description of the various changes the theatre has been through.

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Adelphi Theatre

Creations i

Terriss

City of Westminster William Terriss, 1847 - 1897, hero of the Adelphi melodr...

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Other Subjects

Circus Friends Association

Circus Friends Association

Founded, as the Circus Fans' Association, in 1934 at Olympia, with the 'involvement and encouragement of Bertram Mills' Circus, to 'champion the cause of the circus in England, to right injustice, ...

Group, Community / Clubs, Theatre

1 memorial
Sir Oswald Stoll

Sir Oswald Stoll

Theatre manager impresario. Born Melbourne, Australia. Moved when young to England and helped his mother manage a music hall in Liverpool. Very successful and merged with his competitor to form the...

Person, Theatre, Australia

2 memorials
Ben Jonson

Ben Jonson

Playwright and poet. Born in Westminster, possibly, and a committed Londoner, though also of proud Scottish descent. Imprisoned three times, once for his first play which was deemed to be "lewd, se...

Person, Theatre, Scotland

3 memorials
Roy Kinnear

Roy Kinnear

Character actor.  Born Lancashire.  Played Mr. Salt in the 1971 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'.  Died following a fall from a horse while filming in Spain.

Person, Cinema, Humour, Theatre, TV & Radio, Spain

1 memorial
Lady Winifred Fortescue

Lady Winifred Fortescue

Writer and actress. Born as Winifred Beech in a Suffolk rectory. Died France. 1914 she married John Fortescue (1859-1933, librarian, archivist at Windsor Castle and British Army historian), despit...

Person, Benefactor, Literature, Theatre, France

1 memorial