The theatre was built for three actor-managers, H. J. Montague, David James, and Thomas Thorne. It opened on 16 Apr. 1870 with Andrew Halliday's For Love or Money, and had its first success shortly afterwards with Albery's Two Roses, which introduced to London a young actor named Henry Irving. After a further period of success with straight plays, the theatre was devoted to farces, of which one, Confusion (1883), by Joseph Derrick, ran for a year. In 1890 the building was closed for reconstruction, a new frontage, which still stands, being added. On 13 Jan. 1891 the theatre reopened. In 1915 the theatre became the home of Chariot's revues, which continued until 1925, when the building was closed for reconstruction. It reopened on 23 Feb. 1926.

In 1970 the theatre was  bought  by  the  impresario Peter Saunders from the Gatti family, who had owned it since 1892. After reconstruction and redecoration it opened with a revival of Maugham's Lady Frederick on 24 June, followed by William Douglas Home's new comedy, The Jockey Club Stakes, on 30 Sept.

In: Hartnoll, Phyllis, ed. The concise Oxford companion to the theatre. 1st ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1972.   ISBN 0-19-281102-9. p.

Author: Hartnoll Phyllis