UK – London – Ambassadors Theatre

Dates: 1913 – present

Official website: http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/ambassadors-theatre

Designed by W.G.R.Sprague as a development consisting of two theatres (St Martins Theatre construction was delayed by the First World War, and opened in 1916)

Selected Past Productions

  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (10 October 2024 – 15 February 2025)
  • Kathy & Stella Solve A Murder (25 May – 14 September 2024)
  • Harry Clarke (9 March 2024 – 11 May 2024)
  • The Enfield Haunting (30 November 2023 – 2 March 2024)
  • Private Lives (31 August 2023 – 25 November 2023)
  • Rose (23 May – 18 June 2023)
  • Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial (6 April 2023 – 20 May 2023)
  • My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) (25 January – 1 April 2023)
  • One Woman Show (13 December 2022 – 21 January 2023)
  • Mad House (14 June 2022 – 4 September 2022)
  • Cock (Opened 5th 4th
  • The Shark is Broken (Opens 
  • Baby Reindeer (Due to open 2nd
  • Ghost Stories (3 October 2019 – 4 January 2020)
  • Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 The Musical (15 June – 28 September 2019)
  • The Twilight Zone (4 March 2019 – 1 June 2019)
  • Songs for Nobodies (9 January 2019 – 23 February 2019)
  • Switzerland (1 November 2018 – 5 January 2019)
  • Foxfinder (6 September 2018 – 24 October 2018)
  • Pressure (6 June 2018  – 1 September 2018)
  • Mindgame (15 May 2018 – 2 June 2018)
  • All Or Nothing (28 March 2018 – 12 May 2018)
  • Beginning (17 January 2018 – 24 March 2018) by David Eldridge, transfer from the National Theatre
  • 2014 – Stephen Waley-Cohen announced plans to sell the venue to Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, who originally intended to rename the theatre after Stephen Sondheim once the sale is completed. 
  • Stomp (4 October 2007 – 7 January 2018)
  • Little Shop of Horrors (29 June 2007 – 8 September 2007) Menier Chocolate Factory’s revival
  • 4 April 2007 – Announced that ATG had sold the venue to Stephen Waley-Cohen, who renamed the venue The Ambassadors and carried out extensive refurbishments
  • Whipping It Up (22 February 2007 – 16 June 2007) starring Richard Wilson & Richard Bathurst
  • Love Song (24 November 2006 – 24 February 2007) by John Kolvenbach starring Cillian Murphy and Neve Campbell
  • Waiting for Godot (September 2006 – November 2006)
  • On The Third Day (22 June 2006 – 29 July 2006)
  • Hamlet (20 February 2006 – 22 April 2006)
  • Journey’s End (24 June 2005 – 28 January 2006)
  • Telstar (24 June 2005 – 10 September 2005)
  • Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (19 April 2005 – 18 June 2005)
  • Ying Tong: A Walk with the Goons (14 February 2005 – 19 March 2005)
  • Sweeney Todd (13 October 2004 – 5 February 2005) Watermill Theatre production
  • Guantanamo: Honour Bound To Defend (23 June 2004 – 4 September 2004)
  • The Shape of Things (17 May 2004 – 12 June 2004)
  • Stones in His Pockets (14 July 2003 – 1 May 2004) transferred from Duke of Yorks Theatre
  • The Bomb-Itty Of Errors (? to 12 July 2003)
  • Abigail’s Party (3 Dec 2002 to April 5 2003) transferred to the Whitehall Theatre
  • The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband ( to 30 November 2002) starring Alison Steadman and Daisy Donovan
  • The Vagina Monologues (10 May 2001 – October 2001 then 26 February 2002 to 22 June 2002) (transferred to the Arts Theatre 23 October – 26 Feb 2002 and then 25 June 2002 – 12 October 2002) designed by Bunny Christie, lighting by Chris Davey
  • Pub Landlord Live starring Al Murray
  • Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett starring John Hurt (Previewed 25 January 2000, Opened 27 January 2000, Closed 11 March 2000)
  • Spoonface Steinberg by Lee Hall (Previewed 4 January 2000, Opened 5 January 2000, Closed 22 January 2000)
  • Some Explicit Polaroids by Mark Ravenhill (Previewed 12 October 1999, Opened 14 October 1999, Closed 20 November 1999)
  • 1999 – Venue returned to its’ original design and renamed the New Ambassadors
  • Frantic Assembly: Sell Out (to July 4 1999) Written by MIchael Wynne, choreography by T.C.Howard, Lighting by Natasha Chivers. Soundtrack/DJ: Andy Cleeton. 
  • Holy Mothers (to July 3 1999) directed by Richard Jones, designed by Stewart Laing. 
  • Double Bill: About the Boy / B22  (28-30 November, 3/4 December 1998)
  • Double Bill: The Crutch / Four (30 November, 3/4 December 1998)
  • Double Bill: Bluebird and In the Family / Trade (27 November 1998 – ?)
  • Real Classy Affair (October 1998 – 7 November 1998) starring Liza Walker, Jason Hughes, Joseph Fiennes
  • Crave (8 September 1998 – 3 October 1998) directed by Vicky Featherstone
  • Yard Gal (May 1998)
  • Never Land (from 8 January 1998) directed by Steven Pimlott, starring Michelle Fairley, Shiela Gish, Anthony Calf, Pip Donaghy
  • Bazaar (from 25 November 1997) starring Adrian Edmondson, Nitzan Sharron, Nicholas Woodeson
  • One More Wasted Year (from 18 November 1997)
  • Faith (October – November 1997)
  • The Censor (previews 4 September 1997, opened 8 September 1997 , closed 27 September 1997)
  • Sizwe Banshi Is Dead (?24 June 1997 – ?) 
  • Things Fall Apart (opened 12 June 1997, to 21 June 1997) 
  • Cockroach, Who? (?11 February 1997 – 1 March 1997) Stage Space.  Directed by Caroline Hall. 
  • Backpay (previews 6 February 1997, opened 10 February 1997, closed 1 March 1997) Circle Space. Directed by Mary Peate. 
  • The Fever (opened 8 January 1997, to 25 January 1997) Stage Space. Performed by Clare Coulter
  • Shopping & F**king (opened 7 January 1997, to 1 February 1997) Circle Space. Directed by Max Stafford-Clark for Out of Joint. Limited run.
  • 1996 – Venue bought by The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and split into two small spaces (Stage Space and Circle Space), by creating a false floor at circle level. 
  • East is East (22 November 1996 – ) 
  • Ashes to Ashes (12 September – 26 October 1996) starring Lindsay Duncan & Stephen Rea. Theatre Downstairs. 
  • Dames At Sea (?30 May 1996 – ?) starring Sara Crowe, Kim Criswell, Peter Duncan
  • Trainspotting (previews 11 December 1995, opened , closed ? January 1995)
  • Burning Blue (?October 1995 – 2 December 1995)
  • The Killing of Sister George (previews 25 April 1995, opened 26 April 1995, closed ?) by Frank Marcus, starring Miriam Margoyles, Josephine Tewson, Serena Evans
  • 900 Oneonta (? start date, running 25 October 1994, to 30 November 1994) by David Beaird, transfer from The Old Vic, starring Eddie Izzard
    • Improv with Eddie Izzard on Friday nights during his run at 10.15pm. 
  • The Cryptogram (from 13 June 1994 – ?) by David Mamet. Starring Lindsay Duncan & Eddie Izzard.Directed by Gregory Mosher. World Premiere.  
  • April in Paris (Previews from 25 January 1994, opened 1 February 1994, closed 30 April 1994)
  • Vita & Virginia (previews 1 October 1993, opens 10 October 1993, closed ) by & starring Eileen Atkins, also starring Penelope Wilton, directed by Patrick Garland
  • From A Jack To A King (previews from 16 July 1992, opened 20 July 1992, closed ?) transfers in July 1992 from Boulevard Theatre, closed end of May 1992. 
  • Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know (previews from 20 May, opened 26 May 1992 for 6 weeks, to 4 July 1992) starring Derek Jacobi & Isla Blair. Devised & Directed by Jane McCulloch
  • Thunderbirds F.A.B. (19 September 1991 – extended to 11 Jan 1992 ) starring Paul Kent & Wayne Forester. Direct from run at The Mermaid
  • Kit & The Widow (from 8 May 1991 for 6 weeks)
  • My Lovely… Shayna Maidel (2 April 1991 – 27 April 1991) by Barbara Lebow, starring Anita Dobson and Peter O’Brien
  • The Rod, Jane and Freddy Christmas Show (December 1990 matinees)
  • The Mystery of Irma Vep (Previews 25 October 1990, Opened 30 October 1990, Closed 5 January 1991) by Charles Ludlum. Starring Nickolas Grace, Edward Hibbert. Directed by Maria Aitken. Set Design by Poppy Mitchell. Costumes by Hugh Durrant. Lighting Design by Chris Ellis. 
  • Les Liasions Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton with Alan Rickman – RSC production (October 1986 to September 1990)
  • 84 Charing Cross Road (2nd year, in 1983) starring Doreen Mantle and Ronnie Stevens
  • Dangerous Corner (17 December 1980 – 26 September 1981) by J.B.Priestley
  • Dylan Thomas Growing Up (March 1980)
  • Mother Dear (1980)
  • Bodies (1979-80)
  • The Mousetrap (25 November 1952 – 23 March 1974) – the show transferred to St Martins Theatre, next door, opening on 25 March 1974, so keeping the continuous run.
  • The Mask of Virtue (1935) starring Vivien Leigh in her West End debut. 
  • To See Ourselves (December 11, 1930 – ?)
  • Rope (1929) by Patrick Hamilton
  • Charles I (September 21 1922 – )
  • The Curates Egg (1922)

Equipment

From the 1971 The Stage Guide
Electrics: Strand Grand Master on SL gantry. Dimmers – 48 (450 to 1875W all +/- 1/3). Total capacity to stage – 100A on each of 3 phases. Special effects supply – 50A on 1 phase. No follow spots. Footlights can be covered. 
From the 1978 and 1987 British Theatre Directory:

Switchboard: Strand SP60/3 in Prompt Side stage box
2003: Arri Image 250 (72 circuits)

The Theatres Trust

Ambassadors Theatre on the Theatres Trust Database

Links to information about equipment at Ambassadors Theatre over the years

  • SP Series (Strand)
  • Grand Master Board (Strand)
  • Image (Arri)
  • Documents


    Ambassadors Theatre - Arthur Lloyd 
    [External Website]
    From Arthur Lloyd website

    Mousetraps Record Run (September 1957)
    [External Website]
    From BBC Rewind

     

     

    Location


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