Probably the most famous theatre in London, the Theatre Royal Haymarket has had a fascinating history. It started life without a licence, saw riots when the Licencing act was introduced, saw twenty people killed trying to see the King at the theatre and had one manager running the theatre from the debtor's prison! Below we chronicle the first 250 years of the Theatre Royal's life taking us to the early 1970's by which time things had quietened down !

1720 Built by John Potter, a carpenter, on the site of the King's Head Inn and the Gun Smith shop. December 29th opening night La Fille a la Mode , presented by His Grace The Duke of Montagu.

1726 Still without license. Aaron Hill actor/manager produces Henry V .

1729 Hurlothrumbo ran 30 nights, the theatre's first major success.

1730 Henry Fielding, novelist and dramatist produces, opening with a burlesque, Tom Thumb ,

1733 Theophilus Cibber took charge presenting The Comedians of His Majesty's Revels , the actors who had revolted against the Drury Lane management.

1734 Henry Fielding's play The Historical Register causes the Lord Chamberlain to introduce the censorship of plays, after the audacious caricaturing of Sir Robert Walpole Prime Minister.

1737 Under George II the Licensing Act came into effect. British citizens flooded the theatre to voice their grievance, British Grenadiers enforced the Riot Act and closed the theatre.

1758 Cibber obtained a general licence helped by the Duke of York for four month of plays.

1766 Foote, the subject of a crude jest, loses his leg in a Royal hunting party accident. To make amends the Duke of York secured a warrant and patent from his brother, King George III.

1776 Foote, a public scandal causes his death in 1777.

1794 Twenty persons killed trying to see His Majesty at an evening performance.

1805 The Tailors , a revival of Samuel Foote's play, caused the city tailors to barrack the performance and troops were called in to disperse them.

1804 Colman trys to manage the theatre from the King's bench debtor's prison

1820 The old Playhouse was closed and a new theatre erected a little to the south, gaining a vista from St. James' Square. Designed by Court architect John Nash during the remodelling of Regents Park and Regents Street.

4 July 1821 The new Theatre Royal Haymarket opens with The Rivals under a 99 year lease from the Crown, costing £356.9s.d.

1837 Benjamin Webster introduces in 1843 the use of gaslight..

1862 400 nights of Our American Cousin with Edward Southern as Lord Dundreary adds a new word, 'dreary', to the dictionary. Buckstone clears over £30,000.00 profit.

1873 A new concept - matinees and morning performances were introduced.

1879 Reconstruction caused a small riot.

1887 BeerbohmTree installs electric light .

1893Oscar Wilde premieres his first comedy A Woman of No Importance , followed by An Ideal Husband .

1895 Trilby ran for over 260 performances, from the profits of which Beerbohm Tree builds Her Majesty's Theatre across from the Haymarket, and established RADA.

1897 The Little Minister - J.M. Barrie with Cyril Maude and Winifred Emery.

1914
Ibsen's Ghosts premiere performance.

1920 J.M.Barrie's Mary Rose had a run of 399 performances.

1939 John Gielgud produces a repertory season commencing with The Circle and Love for Love , followed by Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Duchess of Malfi.

1945 Present Laughter (Noel Coward), Lady Windermere's Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) alternated with This Happy Breed.

1962 John Gielgud directs School for Scandal with Ralph Richardson, Margaret Rutherford, Anna and Daniel Massey and The Tulip Tree (N.C.Hunter) with Celia Johnson, John Clemente, Lynn Redgrave.

1971 Louis I Michaels becomes lessee, bringing classic grandeur such as Voyage Round My Father (John Mortimer) starring Alec Guinness, succeeded by Michael Redgrave.

Location

Theatre Royal Haymarket,
Haymarket,
London,
SW1Y 4HT

Tube Piccadilly Circus

Theatre Royal Haymarket

All London Theatres