The Royal Brunswick Theatre was built on the site of a previous theatre, the Royalty Theatre (1785-1826) which had burnt down. The Royal Brunswick, designed by Stedman Whitwell, was constructed, stretching from (what is now) Ensign Street with its back on Dock Street.
It opened on Monday 25 February, with an auditorium that held 2,000, with a production of 'The Mermaiden's Well'. The construction of the theatre was still not finished so during the daytime workmen were on site, as well as those involved in rehearsals, etc.
Just 3 days after the theatre opened, on the Thursday morning, the roof collapsed killing 11-16 people (accounts differ) including one of the owners of the theatre, and around 20 people were seriously injured.
Londonist has published the remarkable first-hand account of the aftermath of the disaster by one of the men who had been working nearby, constructing St Katharine Docks, and were called on to help dig out the wounded and the dead.
We note that the bollards do not appear in the drawing from Spitalfields Life, nor in the drawing that Londonist shows but this probably doesn't mean anything - artists might consider bollards distracting details, best not included.
Information from Arthur Lloyd, Londonist, Spitalfields Life.
See Sailors' Home for what was then built on the site.
