The Novelty Theatre (later renamed the Great Queen Street Theatre from 1900 to 1907, and the Kingsway Theatre from 1907 to 1941) was a London theatre. It opened in 1882 in

Great Queen Street Great Queen Street is a street in the West End of central London in England. It is a continuation of Long Acre from Drury Lane to Kingsway. It runs from 1 to 44 along the north side, east to west, and 45 to about 80 along the south side, w ...

and was accessed off Little Queen Street until 1905, and from the new Kingsway road from 1905 onwards. It hosted the London premiere of ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish and nb, Et dukkehjem; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having bee ...

'' in 1889. The theatre closed in 1941 and was demolished in 1959.

History

The first theatre on the site was built to designs by

Thomas Verity Thomas Verity (1837–1891) was an English theatre architect during the theatre building boom of 1885–1915. Verity began his career articled in the architecture department of the War Office, assisting in the erection of the South Kensi ...

with decorations by E. W. Bradwell, and opened on 9 December 1882. Its first show was the comic opera ''Melita or the Parsee's Daughter'',"Novelty Theatre, Great Queen Street, Holborn, London"
Arthur Lloyd (2008) composed by Henry Pontet, with a libretto by Juba Kennerley. It hosted, among other notable works, a revival of ''

Les Cloches de Corneville ''Les cloches de Corneville'' (''The Bells of Corneville'', sometimes known in English as ''The Chimes of Normandy'') is an opéra-comique in three acts, composed by Robert Planquette to a libretto by Clairville (Louis-François Nicolaïe), Loui ...

'' and ''Ascot'', by Percy Fendall, in 1883.

Edward Solomon Edward Solomon (25 July 1855 – 22 January 1895) was an English composer, conductor, orchestrator and pianist. He died at age 39 by which time he had written dozens of works produced for the stage, including several for the D'Oyly Carte Oper ...

and James Mortimer's ''Polly or The Pet of the Regiment'' played at the theatre in 1884. ''The Blue Bells of Scotland'', by

Robert Williams Buchanan Robert Williams Buchanan (18 August 1841 – 10 June 1901) was a Scottish poet, novelist and dramatist. Early life and education He was the son of Robert Buchanan (1813–1866), Owenite lecturer and journalist, and was born at Caverswall, S ...

, premiered at the theatre in 1887, followed by

James Mortimer James Mortimer may refer to: * James Mortimer (chess player) (1833–1911), American/British chess player, journalist, and playwright * James Mortimer (dogshow judge) (1842–1915), British dogshow judge * Jim Mortimer (1921–2013), British trade u ...

's ''The Alderman'' and Fred Marsden's ''Bob'', both in 1888. The Russian National Opera Company produced ''The Demon'' at the Novelty in 1888, and the theatre hosted the London premiere of

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

's ''

'' in 1889. In August 1896, Wilfred Moritz Franks accidentally stabbed Temple E. Crozier fatally onstage during a performance of Frank Harvey's melodrama, ''Sins of the Night''. ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'' was presented at the theatre in 1897. Its interior was rebuilt in 1898-1900 and 1907, reopening after the two reconstructions as the Great Queen Street Theatre (1900–1907) and Kingsway Theatre (1907–1941) respectively. From 1900 to 1907, W. S. Penley managed the theatre, producing and starring in ''A Little Ray of Sunshine'' by

Mark Ambient Harold Harley (20 June 1860 – 11 August 1937), known by his pen name Mark Ambient, was an English actor and dramatist. He is particularly noted as a writer of the musical comedy ''The Arcadians (musical), The Arcadians'', first produced in 190 ...

and revivals of ''

The Private Secretary ''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...

'' and ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot inc ...

'' in 1900. It also featured the 1915 premiere of Pearn and

Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

's ''

The Starlight Express ''The Starlight Express'' is a children's play by Violet Pearn, based on the imaginative novel ''A Prisoner in Fairyland'' by Algernon Blackwood, with songs and incidental music written by the English composer Sir Edward Elgar in 1915. Produc ...

'' and the London premiere of the musical '' Oh, Boy!'' in 1919, which ran for 167 performances. In 1934

Winifred Carter :''not to be confused with Winifred S Carter, an American celebrity chef and cookery author also active from the 1920s–40s''. Winifred Carter (c. 1883–1949) was an English author and playwright, who was particularly active from the 1920s–4 ...

's historical play ''

The Queen Who Kept Her Head ''The Queen Who Kept Her Head'' is a 1934 historical play by the British writer Winifred Carter. It is based on the life of Catherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII, who outlived him. It ran for twenty two performances at the Kin ...

'' appeared at the theatre. Wearing, J. P. ''The London Stage: 1930−1939'', Rowman & Littlefield (2014), p. 342 In 1939 it hosted the premiere of

Rutland Boughton Rutland Boughton (23 January 187825 January 1960) was an English composer who became well known in the early 20th century as a composer of opera and choral music. He was also an influential communist activist within the Communist Party of Gre ...

's third symphony and finally closed on 11 May 1941. It was heavily bomb-damaged during the

Blitz Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to: Military uses *Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign *The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War *, an Imperial German Navy light cruiser b ...

and remained closed until its demolition in 1959. Its site is now occupied by an extension of Newton Street into Great Queen Street, and an office block.

Notes

References

*Mander, Raymond and Joe Mitchenson (1968) ''Lost Theatres of London'', Hart-Davis MacGibbon. *Adams, William Davenport.
''A Dictionary of the Drama''
Chatto & Windus, 1904

External links

Novelty Theatre
on glopad

at the Arthur Lloyd site

by the painter and illustrator John Jellicoe for ''The Sporting and Dramatic News'' {{Authority control Former theatres in London Theatres completed in 1882 Buildings and structures demolished in 1959 1941 disestablishments in England Former buildings and structures in the London Borough of Camden Theatres in the London Borough of Camden Demolished buildings and structures in London