Built by George Edwardes of the Gaiety for the American impresario Augustin Daly, it housed the most famous musicals of the day. The French Renaissance front of lush yellow stone, designed by Spencer Chadwick with Phipps's assistance, set a new standard of opulence for the West End. The interior, instead of the usual pale delicate colouring, was a riot of 'ruby, Venetian red, dull silver and burnished gold', a herald of the plush and gold of the next two decades.