UK – London – His Majesty’s Theatre

Dates: 1897 – present  

Official website: http://www.reallyusefultheatres.co.uk/our-theatres/her-majestys

The current His Majesty’s Theatre was designed by C J Phipps and was opened in 1897. The previous theatre was demolished in 1892. In 1896, the actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree laid the foundation of the new theatre.
Prior to 1897, the site had been used for performance continuously since 1705. See the Official History page for more details.

It has been announced in April 2023 that following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the theatre is to be renamed His Majesty’s Theatre.

The home of The Phantom of the Opera since 1986.

Original Stage Machinery

• Thunder Run

Equipment

1971 (from The Stage Guide)
Electrics: Strand Light Console. Dimmers – 152 (109 x 2kW, 28 x 2.4kW, 15 x 3kW); 7 presets; no groups. Circuits – FOH 32; Flies 84; Stage dips 27. Socket type – 15A BESA. Total capacity available – 1000A on 3 phases. Special effects supply – 200A on 1 phase. Follow spots – 2 sunspots in rear of Balcony. 

Links to information about equipment at His Majestys Theatre over the years

JTM (Strand)

STM (Strand)

Light Console (Strand)

Documents

Her Majestys Theatre - Arthur Lloyd 
[External Website]
From Arthur Lloyd website

His Majestys Theatre 
[External Website]
From Historic Theatre Photographs

Poster - Television Night (March 1939)
[External Website]
From Victoria & Albert Museum

Dimmer banks at Her Majesties Theatre (1954)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[631kb  JPEG]
From John Gray Photo Collection

Photo: One of the two main dimmer banks - Her Majesties Theatre (1954)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[631kb  JPEG]
From John Gray Photo Collection

[13] Circuit Relay Panel - Her Majestys Theatre (1954)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[548kb  JPEG]
From John Gray Photo Collection

[13] John Gray at the Light Console at Her Majesties Theatre (1954)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.2Mb  JPEG]
From John Gray Photo Collection

[13] The Light Console at Her Majesties Theatre (1954)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[578kb  JPEG]
From John Gray Photo Collection

Audio Recording of Strand Mechanical Dimmers at Her Majestys Theatre on their last night (March 1978)
[Youtube Video]
From Hugh Chinnick Collection

Unusual prepares Her Majestys Theatre for Phantom return (June 2021)
[External Website]

Mentions of His Majestys Theatre in indexed journals

Operette at the Opera House, Manchester (1938)

Location

View in Google Maps

1933 – British Pathe

Past Productions / History

Information from official history website

See also the Theatres Trust page about Her Majesty’s

• May 2023 – Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the theatre was renamed His Majesty’s Theatre. 
• The Phantom of the Opera (July 2021 – )
• 2020 – Following the unplanned closure of venues due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus in March 2020, a large-scale refurbishment of the stage took place. 
• 1994 – A major building refurbishment, including a new roof, is completed without missing a single performance of The Phantom of the Opera
• The Phantom of the Opera (1986 – 2020)
• The Scarlet Pimpernel (1985) transferred from Chichester Festival Theatre, featuring Donald Sinden
• Bugsy Malone (May 26 1983 – Feb 11 1984) the first stage version
• Amadeus (1981) transferred from the National Theatre, featuring Frank Finlay as Salieri, for a 15 month run
• The Streets of London (21 October 1980 – 31 January 1981) by Dion Boucicault
• On the Twentieth Century (?April 1980) starring Julia McKenzie & Keith Michell
• Rookery Nook (1979/80)
• Secret Policeman’s Ball (27–30 June 1979) benefit in aid of Amnesty International – performances didn’t begin until late into the evening, after the 7.30pm performance had finished. 
• The Matchmaker (Opens August 30 1978, closed October 14 1978) by Thornton Wilder
• The Travelling Music Show (Previews from 16 March 1978, opened 28 March 1978) 112 performances starring Bruce Forsyth. Directed by Burt Shevelove. 
• The dimming system was completely replaced at this point – see above for audio recording of the last night of the mechanical dimmers. 
• Cause Celebre (4 July 1977 – 4 March 1978) starring Glynis Johns
• Godspell (10 May 1977 – 18 June 1977) 98 performances (Revival, produced by Cameron Mackintosh)
• Fire Angel (24 March 1977 – 7 May 1977) 42 performances
• Toad of Toad Hall (22 December 1976 – 15 January 1977) Matinee performances during the run of Ipi Tombi
• A Poke In The Eye (With A Sharp Stick) (1-3 April 1976) in aid of Amnesty International – three nights of comedy directed by Jonathan Miller. The shows were filmed and released as ‘Pleasure at Her Majesty’s‘
• Ipi Tombi (19 November 1975 – March 16 1977) 712 performances. Transferred to Cambridge Theatre. 
• Thomas and the King (16 October 1975) 33 performances
• Jeeves (22 April 1975) 38 performances ?
• West Side Story (19 December 1974) 334 performances (first West End revival)
• The Good Companions (1 July 1974) 275 performances
• Pirandello’s Henry IV (20 February 1974 – ?) starring Rex Harrison & Yvonne Mitchell
• Pippin (30 October 1973 – ?) 85 performances
• Applause (1972) starring Lauren Bacall
• Company (18 January 1972 – 4 November 1972) 344 performances
• Ambassador (19 October 1970) – 86 performances
• Fiddler on the Roof (1967) featuring Topol as Tevye and Miriam Karlin as Golde
• Lock Up Your Daughters (1962)
• Bye Bye Birdie (1961)
• West Side Story (12 December 1958 – June 1961) the original London production, featuring George Chakiris as Riff
• The Teahouse of the August Moon (1954) featuring Eli Wallach
• Paint Your Wagon (1953) 
• Brigadoon (1949) featuring Noele Gordon
• Edward My Son (1947) Robert Morley & Peggy Ashcroft
• Funny Side Up (11 January 1940 – ) Produced, Written by and Starring Stanley Lupino. Also starring Florence Desmond, Sally Gray, Freddie Carpenter’s Dancers. Decor by Doris Zinkeisen. 
• Magyar Melody (20 January 1939 – ) Full performance televised on March 27th 1939
• The Boy David (1936) J M Barrie’s final play
• The Happy Hippocrite (1936) featuring Ivor Novello and Vivien Leigh
• Falstaff (1935) featuring the comedian George Robey
• Conversation Piece (1934) by Noel Coward
• The Merry Wives of Windsor (1933) featuring Lady Tree, aged 70 years, returning to her husband’s theatre
• The Good Companions (1931) featuring John Gielgud as Inigo Jollifant
• Bitter Sweet (1929)
• Hassan (1923) Henry Ainley & Isabel Jeans in Basil Dean’s production
• Chu Chin Chow (1916) produced by and starring Oscar Asche – run of 2238 performances
• Pygmalion (1914) George Bernard Shaw’s original production, featuring Mrs Patrick Campbell
• 1904 – Herbert Beerbohm Tree instigated a drama school in his flat under the copper dome of the roof (known as the Dome Room) which eventually became the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
• The Last of the Dandies (1901) featuring Beau Brummell. Sarah Bernhardt also featured in a season of French dramas.
• Twelfth Night (1901) featuring Herbert Beerbohm Tree as Malvolio
• Seats of the Mighty (1897)
• 1897 – Theatre opens, managed by actor Herbert Beerbohm Tree.

Keywords: her majestys theatre