UK – London – Gillian Lynne Theatre

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Official website: https://www.reallyusefultheatres.co.uk/our-theatres/gillian-lynne

Renamed the Gillian Lynne Theatre on 1 May 2018 – the first West End theatre to be named after a non-Royal woman. The renaming ceremony was held on 22nd June 2018. 
The venue was originally to be named the New Winter Garden Theatre, Drury Lane. It eventually opened as The New London Theatre on 2 January 1973, and was designed by architect Paul Tvrtkovic and scenic designer Sean Kenny, modelled after the Walter Gropius Total Theatre Project, and seated 960 on 2 levels. The capacity is reported on another website as being 1106 seats.
One of the few theatres to have an escalator from street level to the auditorium level. 

In 1991 the venue was purchased by Really Useful Theatres. 

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Equipment

British Performing Arts Yearbook 1994
Lighting Control: Kleigl Performer 2
215 circuits, 125 operational, operated from above dress circle – no supply for temporary board. 
2 x Patt.765 followspotsj, operated above dress circle.

Sound: 12:2 mixing desk, operated at auditorium right – 4 x Bose speakers. FOH – 2 amps, 5 various mics, Revox reel-to-reel tape system – PA system. 

Rob Halliday programmed Cats onto an ETC Expression 2x during the 1990s.

Exhibits from this venue in the Backstage Heritage Collection

  • IDM Control Desk (1972)
  • IDM Sperry Memory Rack (1972)

    • Links to information about equipment at New London Theatre over the years

  • IDM (Strand)
  • Expression (Electronic Theatre Controls / ETC)
  • Performer (Kliegl)

    • Documents


    Gillian Lynne Theatre - Arthur Lloyd 
    [External Website]
    From Arthur Lloyd website
    Cats - David Hersey
    Cats - David Hersey (April 1981)
    [LX Plan - click on the thumbnail]
    From DHA Designs

    LSI: Moving With The Times (March 2021)
    [External Website]
    From Lighting & Sound International

    Unusual Rigging plays fairy godmother to get Cinderella show-ready! (April 2021)
    [External Website]

    LSI: Crazy for You (October 2023)
    [External Website]
    From Lighting & Sound International

    Mentions of New London Theatre in indexed journals


    New Winter Garden Theatre Drury Lane (1970)

     

     

    Location


    View in Google Maps

    Productions at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

    • My Neighbour Totoro (8 March 2025 – )
    • The Wizard of Oz (15 August – 8 September 2024) starring Aston Merrygold, The Vivienne
    • Standing at the Sky’s Edge (9 February 2024 – 3 August 2024)
    • Crazy for You (previews 24 June 2023, opens 3 July 2023, due to close 20 January 2024)
    • The Lehman Trilogy (24 January 2023 – 20 May 2023)
    • The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (from July 18 2022 – 8 January 2023)
    • Cinderella (Original Preview dates from 28 August 2020, opening date was  23 September 2020. Postponed to previews from 19 March 2021 and opening on 7 April 2021 but then postponed again to Opening Night on 25 June 2021. This was delayed, eventually opening on 18 August 2021. Will close 12 June 2022) New Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, starring Carrie Hope Fletcher
    • Refurbishment during Covid closure (see Moving with the Times article above, March 2021)
    • School of Rock (24 October 2016 to 1st March 2020)

    Productions at the New London Theatre

    • Show Boat (19 April 2016 – 27 August 2016)
    • War Horse (28 March 2009 – 12 March 2016)
    • Imagine This – A New Musical (19 November 2008 – 20 December 2008)
    • Gone With The Wind – A New Musical (22 April 2008 – 14 June 2008)
    • RSC Season: King Lear and The Seagull (14 November 2007 – 12 January 2008)
    • Blue Man Group (10 November 2005 – 24 June 2007)
    • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat (3 March 2003 – 3 September 2005)

    • 1983 Newspaper advert for CATS

      Umoja (6 September 2002 – 8 February 2003)

    • Cats (11 May 1981 – 11 May 2002) 8949 performances. Making full use of the revolve on which the front section of stalls seating was built. Led to wonderfully enticing newspaper adverts (see right) warning that ‘Latecomers Not Admitted While Auditorium is in Motion’.
    • Theatre used as a Television Studio (1977 – 1980)
      • Benson & Hedges Masters Snooker Tournament (7-11 February 1977, 6-10 February 1978)
      • Music Video ‘We Are The Champions’ for Queen was shot at the theatre in October 1977.
      • Mike Yarwood – BBC1 Special (April 1977)
      • BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1977
      • BBC Song for Europe competition March 1977
      • This Is Your Life (1978 – 1981)
        Andrew Lloyd Webber was featured in a November1980 transmission of this biographical TV show, and realised that the venue would work perfectly for his new production ‘Cats’.
        At the end of the 21st season of the show, the venue was converted back into a live theatre, for the production of ‘Cats’.

    • Surprise Surprise (19 December 1977 – 14 January 1978) Circus/Theatre/Magic/Cabaret
    • Laser Light Circus (3 August 1977 – ?beyond 26 August 1977) running continuously noon to 10pm daily. 25 minute show, by Holoco.  “For the first time, holograms of people, plus amazing 6-laser displays.”
    • Lionel (May 16 1977 – ?) Musical about the life of Lionel Bart, starring 13 year old Todd Carty 
    • Pinocchio – Da Silva Puppet Theatre (December 1976) matinees only
    • Evening News British Film Awards (tx 24 November 1976)
    • Dance Theatre of Harlem (17 November 1976)
    • So Who Needs Men? (Previews 5 October 1976, Opened 7 October 1976, Closed ?)
    • This Is Your Life  – 21 Years of Independent Television (TV Show) (tx 22 September 1976)
    • Leave Him To Heaven (June 3 1976 – ?) by Ken Lee
    • State Theatre of Northern Greece – Electra / Women in Power (1-6 December 1975)
    • Evening News British Film Awards (tx 12 November 1975)
    • Bruce Forsyth (October 14 1975 – ?) 150 minute show
    • Kwa Zulu (July 28 1975 – ?) 
    • Thurber (23 June 1975 – July 12 1975) one-man show with William Windom
    • Deja Revue (Previews from 19 December 1974, opened December 30 1974 – ?beyond April 9 1975) starring Sheila Hancock and George Cole
    • Conquering Joy Of Sammy Cahn’s Songbook (15 September 1974 – ?November 1974) With Richard Leonard, Lorna Dallas, Terry Mitchell, Laurel Ford, Sammy Cahn
    • The Wolf (2 April 1974 – ?25 May 1974) starring Edward Woodward, Judi Dench, Leo McKern (?4 April 1974 – 19 April 1974) Milo O’Shea, Prunella Scales, John York (20 April 1974 – around 25 May 1974). Originally produced at Oxford Playhouse. Transferred to Apollo Theatre: November 1973. Transferred to Queens Theatre Dec 3 1973. 
    • Grease (Previews 16 June 1973, Opened 26 June 1973, Closed 16 February 1974) starring Richard Gere as Danny Zuko
    • The Unknown Solider and His Wife (Previews 2 January, opened 11 January 1973 – ?) Opening Production, starring Peter Ustinov and Brian Bedford
    • Marlene Dietrich TV special recording (1972)  This took place on 23 & 24 November 1972, before the theatre had officially opened.

    Construction of the New Winter Garden Theatre (as it was originally to be known) was by Cubitts (main contractor)

     

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