West End theatre in London
Wyndham's Theatre is aWest End theatre , one of two opened by actor/managerSir Charles Wyndham (the other is theCriterion Theatre ). Located onCharing Cross Road in theCity of Westminster , it was designed c. 1898 byW. G. R. Sprague , the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916. It was designed to seat 759 patrons on three levels; later refurbishment increased this to four seating levels. The theatre wasGrade II* listed byEnglish Heritage in September 1960.[ 1]
Wyndham had always dreamed of building a theatre of his own, and through the admiration of a patron and the financial confidence of friends, he was able to realise his dream. Wyndham's Theatre opened on 16 November 1899, in the presence of thePrince of Wales . The first play performed there was a revival ofT. W. Robertson 'sDavid Garrick Lena Ashwell playing the lead role inMrs Dane's Defence [ 2] [ 3]
In 1910,Gerald du Maurier began an association with the theatre which lasted 15 years and to include the stage debut of the screen actressTallulah Bankhead . Du Maurier's small daughter,Daphne , often watched her father's performance from the wings. Thirty years later she presented her own play,The Years Between J. M. Barrie 'sDear Brutus
In April 1953, the theatre premieredGraham Greene 's first play,The Living Room Dorothy Tutin .[ 4] Sandy Wilson 'sThe Boy Friend Players' Theatre , was moved to the Wyndham stage. It ran for 2,078 performances, before eventually transferring toBroadway . During the 60s and early 70s, the theatre continued to provide a setting for stars such asAlec Guinness (Wise Child Vanessa Redgrave andDiana Rigg .
The blockbuster of the 1970s decade –Godspell David Essex ,Marti Webb andJeremy Irons .
Wyndham's Theatre just before its opening on 16 November 1900 Among more recent distinguished productions were the world premiere ofThe Ride Down Mt. Morgan Arthur Miller and the British premiere ofEdward Albee's Three Tall Women Maggie Smith . Twenty-five years after making her debut there, Diana Rigg returned to play a hugely successful season asMedea . The critically acclaimed comedy,Art Yasmina Reza , began its record-breaking run at Wyndham's in 1996 withAlbert Finney ,Tom Courtenay andKen Stott in the cast. It opened in October 1996, and transferred to theWhitehall Theatre in October 2001.
Madonna made her West End debut there in 2002, performing in a sell-out production ofUp For Grabs . This was followed by many other dramatic productions, includingDinner and theNational Theatre 'sDemocracy Holly Hunter inBy The Bog Of Cats , American TV starRuby Wax in a children's stage version ofThe Witches Eve Ensler 'sThe Vagina Monologues Sharon Osbourne and her daughter Aimee, who dropped out the night before the production opened. In 2005, theatre patrons sawHelen McCrory star alongsideSienna Miller ,Reece Shearsmith andClive Rowe in a production of Shakespeare'sAs You Like It [ 5]
A large-scale replica of the facade of the theatre was constructed at theUniversal Studios theme park inOrlando, Florida , as part of the park's London-themed area.[ 6]
Delfont Mackintosh era [ edit ] In May 2005, the theatre was taken over bySir Cameron Mackintosh 's Delfont-Mackintosh Ltd., which began operations of the venue in September 2005. In October 2005, the theatre presentedTom Stoppard 'sHeroes , a translation of the French playLe vent des peupliers byGérald Sibleyras , which starredRichard Griffiths andJohn Hurt .[ 7]
The following year the theatre hosted a new production ofJoanna Murray-Smith 's playHonour Martin Jarvis andNatascha McElhone , which ran between 7 February and 6 May 2006. It later hosted the West End transfer of theMenier Chocolate Factory 's hit production ofStephen Sondheim 's musicalSunday in the Park with George Jenna Russell and ran till September. Between December 2006 and April 2007, the theatre presented the West End commercial transfer ofAlan Bennett 's National Theatre hitThe History Boys
Bill Kenwright 's production ofSomerset Maugham 'sThe Letter Chita Rivera was forced to postpone a scheduled London return.Shadowlands , based on the life story ofC. S. Lewis opened in October 2007, starringCharles Dance andJanie Dee , before another return ofAlan Bennett 'sThe History Boys
The theatre closed temporarily for refurbishment works, before reopening in September 2008 withKenneth Branagh starring inMichael Grandage 's production ofChekhov 'sIvanov Tom Stoppard was the opening play in theDonmar West End twelve-month season at Wyndham's, with tickets at Donmar Warehouse prices.[ 8]
The Donmar West End season also includedDerek Jacobi starring inTwelfth Night Yukio Mishima 'sMadame de Sade Jude Law inHamlet
[ edit ] Dinner Harriet Walter Democracy Michael Frayn , starringColm Meaney Dylan Moran : Monster IIBy the Bog of Cats (1 December 2004 – 26 February 2005) byMarina Carr , starringHolly Hunter The Witches Ruby Wax The Vagina Monologues Eve Ensler As You Like It William Shakespeare , starringHelen McCrory ,Sienna Miller andClive Rowe Heroes Gérald Sibleyras , starringRichard Griffiths ,John Hurt andKen Stott Honour Joanna Murray-Smith , starringDiana Rigg andMartin Jarvis Sunday in the Park with George Stephen Sondheim , starringDaniel Evans andJenna Russell A Voyage Round My Father John Mortimer , starringDerek Jacobi The History Boys Alan Bennett The Letter Somerset Maugham , starringJenny Seagrove andAnthony Andrews Shadowlands William Nicholson , starringCharles Dance andJanie Dee (transferred to theNovello Theatre )The History Boys Alan Bennett , starringDesmond Barrit The Shawshank Redemption An Inspector Calls J. B. Priestley Avenue Q Gielgud Theatre )[ 9] Bill Bailey – Dandelion Mind[ 10] Clybourne Park Bruce Norris (transferred from theRoyal Court Theatre )The official poster for the 2011 production ofMuch Ado About Nothing David Tennant andCatherine Tate Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare , starringDavid Tennant andCatherine Tate Driving Miss Daisy Alfred Uhry , starringJames Earl Jones andVanessa Redgrave Christmas with the Rat Pack: Live from Las Vegas (20 December 2011 – 7 January 2012)The Rat Pack: Live From Las Vegas Jackie Mason – FearlessThe King's Speech Oscar-winning film )Abigail's Party Mike Leigh , starringJill Halfpenny Dreamboats and Petticoats Playhouse Theatre )Quartermaine's Terms Simon Gray , starringRowan Atkinson Relatively Speaking Alan Ayckbourn , starringFelicity Kendal andKara Tointon Barking in Essex Clive Exton , starringLee Evans andSheila Hancock The Weir Conor McPherson , starringBrian Cox ,Ardal O'Hanlon andDervla Kirwan Uncle Vanya Three Sisters Skylight David Hare , starringBill Nighy andCarey Mulligan King Charles III Mike Bartlett , starringTim Pigott-Smith A View from the Bridge Arthur Miller , starringMark Strong ,Nicola Walker andPhoebe Fox American Buffalo David Mamet , starringDamian Lewis ,John Goodman andTom Sturridge The Mentalists Richard Bean , starringStephen Merchant andSteffan Rhodri The Father Florian Zeller , in a translation byChristopher Hampton , starringKenneth Cranham andClaire Skinner Hangmen Martin McDonagh , starringDavid Morrissey People, Places and Things Denise Gough The Truth (27 June 2016 – 3 September 2016) byFlorian Zeller , in a translation byChristopher Hampton , starringTanya Franks andAlexander Hanson No Man's Land Harold Pinter , starringIan McKellen andPatrick Stewart The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini , adapted byMatthew Spangler , starringBen Turner Don Juan in Soho Patrick Marber , starringDavid Tennant ,Adrian Scarborough andGawn Grainger Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Audra McDonald Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle (9 October 2017 – 6 January 2018) bySimon Stephens , starringAnne-Marie Duff andKenneth Cranham Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene O'Neill , starringJeremy Irons andLesley Manville The Height of the Storm (9 October 2018 – 1 December 2018) byFlorian Zeller , in a translation byChristopher Hampton , starringJonathan Pryce andEileen Atkins Bill Bailey - Larks in Transit [ 11] The Catherine Tate Show Live [ 12] The Price Arthur Miller , starringDavid Suchet The Starry Messenger (29 May 2019 – 10 August 2019) byKenneth Lonergan , starringMatthew Broderick andElizabeth McGovern Fleabag Phoebe Waller-Bridge , starringPhoebe Waller-Bridge The Man in the White Suit (8 October 2019 – 7 December 2019) bySean Foley , starringStephen Mangan ,Kara Tointon andSue Johnston Curtains Kander and Ebb , starringJason Manford ,Ore Oduba andCarley Stenson Leopoldstadt Tom Stoppard (production previously played here from January to March 2020, when theatres closed due toCOVID-19 pandemic )Life of Pi Oklahoma! Rodgers and Hammerstein The Old Man and the Pool (12 September 2023 - 7 October 2023) byMike Birbiglia King Lear William Shakespeare , starringKenneth Branagh The Unfriend Stephen Moffat starringLee Mack ,Sarah Alexander andFrances Barber , directed byMark Gatiss Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene O'Neill , starringBrian Cox ,Patricia Clarkson andLouisa Harland , directed byJeremy Herrin Next to Normal Tom Kitt andBrian Yorkey Oedipus Sophocles , starringMark Strong andLesley Manville , directed byRobert Icke Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright Steve Pemberton andReece Shearsmith , directed bySimon Evans Born With Teeth Liz Duffy Adams , starringNcuti Gatwa andEdward Bluemel All My Sons Arthur Miller , starringBryan Cranston ,Marianne Jean-Baptiste andPaapa Essiedu [ edit ] Michael Grandage Company [ edit ] ^ Historic England ."Details from listed building database (1292230)" .National Heritage List for England . Retrieved2 March 2017 .^ Hartnoll, Phyllis (1967).Oxford Companion to the Theatre (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 1018. ^ Walker, Dave (18 September 2014)."An actor's life for me: Lena Ashwell" .The Library Time Machine . Retrieved18 October 2019 . ^ Samantha Ellis."The Living Room, London, April 1953 | Stage" .The Guardian . Retrieved2 March 2017 . ^ Billington, Michael (22 June 2005)."As You Like It" .The Guardian . Retrieved16 December 2021 . ^ "On the Road to Diagon Alley: The London Embankment" .Themeparkinsider.com . Retrieved2 March 2017 .^ Aleks Sierz,"Sir Tom in the doghouse" ,The Telegraph , 10 October 2005. Retrieved 15 December 2012. ^ "The Stage / Shenton's View / Patron saint of ladies loos" .blogs.thestage.co.uk . Archived fromthe original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved14 January 2022 .^ "AVENUE Q Finds A New Home In The West End" .Westend.broadwayworld.com . 21 January 2010. Retrieved2 March 2017 .^ "Wyndhams Theatre London - The Kite Runner, Don Juan in Soho, Lady Day at Emersons Bar & Grill, Tickets, Info, Reviews" .Wyndhams-theatre.com . 17 December 2016. Retrieved2 March 2017 .^ "Bill Bailey - Larks in Transit" .London Theatre Guide . Retrieved22 September 2018 .^ "The Catherine Tate Show Live is coming to the West End" .Evening Standard . Retrieved17 October 2018 .Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950 , John Earl and Michael Sell pp. 150 (Theatres Trust, 2000)ISBN 0-7136-5688-3
Leicester Square
