Building    From 1705 

His Majesty's Theatre / Her Majesty's Theatre

Categories: Theatre

In 1705 Vanbrugh completed the Queen's Theatre, named in honour of Queen Anne, which quickly became informally known as the Haymarket Opera House (not to be confused with the Theatre Royal Haymarket / Haymarket Theatre nor with the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden). On the accession of George I in 1714 it became the King's Theatre and now formally changes names depending on the gender of the monarch. Initially it was not a success because of its terrible acoustics and in 1709 it was turned over to Italian opera. It was here that Handel produced 'Rinaldo', his first opera in England. After a fire in 1789 the theatre was rebuilt. See Little Whig and Kitt Catt for the strange story of the original foundation stones. In 1816-18 Nash and George Repton made alterations to the building which included the addition of the Arcade on the west side. The current theatre, designed by C.J. Phipps in 1897 for Herbert Tree, is the fourth on the site.
In 1948, the Government of New Zealand leased the site comprising the bombed rubble of the Carlton Hotel, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Royal Opera Arcade. New Zealand House, built on the site of the Carlton Hotel, was opened in 1963.

2023: On the coronation of King Charles III this theatre changed its name from Her Majesty's Theatre to His  Majesty's Theatre.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
His Majesty's Theatre / Her Majesty's Theatre

Commemorated ati

Her Majesty's Theatre - H Tree

This theatre was founded in 1897 by Herbert Tree, actor, and directed by him ...

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Her Majesty's Theatre - SWET

Theatreland - Heart of the performing arts in London Her Majesty's Theatre ...

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Royal Opera Arcade

The "plaque" is actually a very dull modern notice inside the arcade so for o...

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Thomas Doggett

This plaque raises some questions. Firstly, how could he have 'died a pauper'...

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Other Subjects

Finsbury Park Empire Theatre

Finsbury Park Empire Theatre

Designed by Frank Matcham. One of London’s most popular variety theatres. Here, in January 1921, the magician P. T. Selbit performed the illusion of "sawing a lady in half" - its first public perfo...

Building, Theatre

1 memorial
Laurence Housman

Laurence Housman

Radical playwright, writer, illustrator, socialist, pacifist and founding member of the Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage. The photo shows Housman in 1914. Brother to A. E. Housman. Studied art an...

Person, Art, Gender Issues, Theatre

1 memorial
Dorothy

Dorothy

Comic opera set in rural Kent in 1740. The plot surrounds the Squire's daughter, Dorothy and her cousin Lydia, who, tired of the social rounds, decide to pose as villagers during the festival of th...

Event, Theatre

1 memorial
Nigel Playfair

Nigel Playfair

Actor and theatre manager. Born Nigel Ross Playfair in London. In 1918 he formed a syndicate to take over the derelict Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. It became a highly successful drama venue, with ...

Person, Theatre

1 memorial
John Heminge

John Heminge

Fellow actor and friend of William Shakespeare and Henry Condell. Heminge and Condell had been co-partners with Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre. On his death the plays existed only in the form of...

Person, Theatre

1 memorial