Prince of Wales Theatre
Address
Prince of Wales Theatre
31 Coventry Street
London
W1D 6AS
History:
The Prince of Wales Theatre was designed by Robert Cromie and has 1,160 seats on 2 levels.
Built in 1884, the Prince’s Theatre was renamed The Prince of Wales in honour of the future King, Edward VII, two years later. From its inception, The Prince of Wales Theatre had great success; the musical comedy Dorothy that ran from 1886 to 1888 made its author enough money to build the Lyric Theatre just around the corner on Shaftesbury Avenue. Initially, the Prince of Wales Theatre was known for its musical comedies and wordless mime performances, but staged its first straight play in 1898, Pelléas et Mélisande. From then on, the Prince of Wales Theatre varied its productions and these varying styles brought varying success.
From 1932 the theatre became known as London’s Folies Bergere. It presented a series of risqué revues, advertised as having some ‘gasp-making scenes and blush-making costumes’. The Daily Mail described Voila! Les Dames (1935) as ‘The Show for the tired business man’. These shows were so successful that they funded the rebuilding of the theatre. The old one closed on 16 January 1937, demolition began on 25 January, and just nine months later the newly built theatre reopened. The architect, Robert Cromie, who was best known for designing cinemas, had managed to increase the seating capacity by fifty percent, enlarge the stage and provide improved facilities for both public and artists. Moving the boiler and air conditioning plant up into the tower enabled Cromie to create a large, stylish stalls bar, complete with dance floor, where the bar itself was 14 metres long.
Throughout the 1950s the theatre was home to variety and revues. Famous names who trod the boards include Norman Wisdom, Peter Sellers, Bob Hope, Gracie Fields, Benny Hill, Hughie Green, Frankie Howerd and Morecambe and Wise. This pattern was interrupted in 1959 by The World of Suzie Wong, the story of a Hong Kong prostitute and her artist lover that became the longest running play to date with 832 performances.
Since the current building was opened, the Prince of Wales Theatre has enjoyed great success in a variety of productions, notably a run of Broadway musicals in the 1960’s, including Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand (1966), Sweet Charity (1967) and Burt Bacharach’s Promises Promises (1969). Other notable productions in recent years include Underneath The Arches (1982-1983) and Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s record breaking Aspects of Love starring Michael Ball (1989-1992), which was the Prince of Wales’ longest running production before Mamma Mia.
A revival of The Threepenny Opera (1972) directed by Tony Richardson saw Vanessa Redgrave make a rare musical appearance as Polly Peachum and also featured Joe Melia, Hermione Baddeley, Diana Quick, Miriam Margolyes and Barbara Windsor. Later the same year the Julian Slade musical Trelawny transferred from Sadler’s Wells where it had brought a young Gemma Craven into the public eye.
Harry Secombe played a straight role as a plumber who makes it good in The Plumber’s Progress (1976), winning the hand of the burgher’s daughter from the lecherous Prince, one Simon Callow. In 1982 Roy Hudd and Christopher Timothy assumed the personae of Flanagan and Allen in Underneath the Arches that became the longest running show for 13 years. (The real Flanagan and Allen had appeared at the Prince of Wales in September 1945).
The Prince of Wales Theatre - circa 2002 However, the show that smashed all previous records was Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love (1989), based on the novel by David Garnett, which played to over 1 million people at 1325 performances. More recently the theatre has been home to musicals and dance shows such as West Side Story, Fosse, The Witches of Eastwick, Rent and the British premiere of The Full Monty. The Prince of Wales closed for renovation in July 2003. Since then it has undergone a £7.5 million refurbishment making it one of the most stylish, spacious and comfortable theatres in the West End. It was officially reopened by the Prince of Wales on 10 June 2004 when he attended a Gala performance of Mamma Mia! in aid of the Prince’s Trust.
The Prince of Wales is owned and managed by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres Limited who have undertaken the £7.5 million refurbishment programme to give the West End one of its most stylish, spacious and comfortable theatres.
Nearest Underground
The Prince of Wales Theatre is conveniently located between Leicester Square (Northern and Piccadilly lines) and Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines) tube stations.
Directions:
Take the Bakerloo or Piccadilly line to Piccadilly Circus. The theatre is a 5 minute walk.
Train
Kings Cross St Pancras:
From Leicester Square, take Piccadilly Line northbound. Estimated time 10 mins.
Euston:
From Leicester Square, take Northern Line northbound. Estimated time 10 mins.
Marylebone:
From Piccadilly Circus, take Bakerloo Line northbound. Estimated time 15 mins.
Paddington:
From Piccadilly Circus, take Bakerloo Line northbound. Estimated time 20 mins.
Waterloo:
From Leicester Square, take Northern Line southbound. Estimated time 5 mins.
Charing Cross:
From Leicester Square, take Northern Line southbound. Estimated time 4 mins. Alternatively, Charing Cross mainline Station is a five minute walk from the Prince Of Wales. Just walk through Leicester Square walk down through Trafalger Square. Although the tube is quicker in theory, walking will eliminate waiting time and you can be more confident of getting your train on time.
London Bridge:
Follow instructions above to Charing Cross. From Charing Cross Mainline Station, trains to London Bridge run every 10 minutes. Estimated time 25 mins.
Liverpool Street:
From Piccadilly Circus, take Piccadilly Line eastbound and change at Holborn. Take Central Line eastbound. Estimated time 25 mins.
Victoria:
From Piccadilly Circus, take Piccadilly Line westbound and change at Green Park. Take Victoria Line southbound. Estimated time 15 mins.
Buses : Numbers 14, 19 and 38. Check routes before you travel.
Air-Conditioned: Yes
