The Opera Comique was a 19th-century theatre constructed in

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

, London, between

Wych Street Wych Street was in London where King, Melbourne and Australia Houses now stand on Aldwych. It ran west from the church of St Clement Danes on the Strand, London, Strand to meet the southern end of Drury Lane. It was demolished by the London Count ...

, Holywell Street and the

Strand Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline *Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa *Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa * Strand Street, ...

. It opened in 1870 and was demolished in 1902, to make way for the construction of the

Aldwych Aldwych (pronounced ) is a street and the name of the List of areas of London, area immediately surrounding it in central London, England, within the City of Westminster. The street starts Points of the compass, east-northeast of Charing Cros ...

and Kingsway. The theatre was built cheaply as a speculative venture, and was known as one of the "rickety twins" along with the adjacent

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and gra ...

. Numerous managements presented plays in English, French and German, and the house was also used for

extravaganzas An extravaganza is a literary or musical work (often musical theatre) usually containing elements of burlesque, pantomime, music hall and parody in a spectacular production and characterized by freedom of style and structure. It sometimes also ha ...

and English versions of French opéras bouffes. It is best remembered as the theatre where several early

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...

operas had their first runs, between 1877 and 1881.

History

Background and early years

In the 16th century

Lyon's Inn Lyon's Inn was one of the Inns of Chancery attached to London's Inner Temple. Founded some time during or before the reign of Henry V, the Inn educated lawyers including Edward Coke and John Selden, although it was never one of the larger Inns. It ...

, one of the

Inns of Chancery The Inns of Chancery or ''Hospida Cancellarie'' were a group of buildings and legal institutions in London initially attached to the Inns of Court and used as offices for the clerks of chancery, from which they drew their name. Existing from a ...

attached to London's

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wal ...

, stood on the site. By the 1860s the area had deteriorated greatly, and the old inn had been converted into what the historians

Mander and Mitchenson Raymond Mander (15 July 1911 – 27 December 1983) and Joe Mitchenson (4 October 1911 – 7 October 1992) were theatre historians and joint founders of a large collection of theatrical memorabilia. Both began their careers as actors, but what b ...

describe as "dwellings of a dubious nature".Mander and Mitchenson, p. 62 In 1864 part of the area was cleared, and the impresario Sefton Parry built a new theatre, the

Globe A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. A model globe ...

, which opened in 1868. He acquired an adjacent site, bounded by

, Holywell Street and the

, on which he built the Opera Comique two years later.Mander and Mitchenson, p. 128 The architect was Francis Fowler."The New Opera Comique", '' The Era'', 30 October 1870, p. 13 Parry's construction of the theatres was a speculative venture: he hoped to make large profits from compensation when the area was demolished, which was even then in contemplation. It remained in contemplation for more than thirty years. The two theatres, which backed on to each other, became known as "the rickety twins": both were of such flimsy construction that performers could hear each other through the common wall.Goodman, p. 34 Despite the nickname, the Opera Comique was by no means a twin of the Globe, being only about half the size, with a seating capacity of 862, compared with more than 1,500 at the Globe. Another way in which the two theatres differed was that, unlike the Globe, the Opera Comique was largely underground. It was entered through tunnels from three streets (including the Strand) and was nicknamed the "Theatre Royal Tunnels". It was reportedly draughty, and its long flight of stairs leading down to the level of the stalls was a dangerous fire hazard. Despite this and the flimsy construction, the theatre attracted high praise from the press after it opened. '' The Era'', commented, "For elegance of design and perfect adaptability to the requirements of dramatic art it is not surpassed, if indeed it be equalled, by any existing Theatre". Another London journal reported: :We are almost inclined to pronounce it ''the'' prettiest theatre in London. It is in the flat horse-shoe form, the stage being well within sight and hearing of every part of the auditorium. This comprises rows of comfortable and elegant stalls on the floor, with three tiers or circles extending nearly round the house as dress-circle, family-circle, and amphitheatre, respectively, and six private boxes on either side of the stage. The design of construction reflects the highest credit on Mr F. H. Fowler, the architect, and the chaste and elegant decorations of Mr K. W. Bradwell deserve great praise. The theatre opened under the name "Royal Opera Comique" on 29 October 1870. A company from the

Théâtre Déjazet The Théâtre Déjazet is a theatre on the boulevard du Temple (popularly known as the 'boulevard du crime’) in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, France. It was founded in 1770 by Comte d'Artois who later was crowned Charles X. It was then close ...

in Paris, led by the veteran actress

Virginie Déjazet Pauline Virginie Déjazet (30 August 17981 December 1875) was a French actress, famous soubrette, and a well-known travesti performer. Life Déjazet was born in Paris in 1798, and made her first appearance on the stage at the age of five. I ...

, presented

Victorien Sardou Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 18318 November 1908) was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-centur ...

's comedy ''Les Prés Saint-Gervais'' and two shorter pieces, to an audience that included the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

. The following year, French drama continued, when the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

company made its first appearance outside France, an event that caused considerable interest.Mander and Mitchenson, p. 131 The first home-grown production at the theatre was a musical play in 1871, ''Marie'', with music by

Richard D'Oyly Carte Richard D'Oyly Carte (; 3 May 1844 – 3 April 1901) was an English talent agent, theatrical impresario, composer, and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian era. He built two of London's theatres and a hotel empire, while also establi ...

and a libretto by E. Spencer Mott. This accompanied an English adaptation of

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

's ''

Le Médecin malgré lui ''Le Médecin malgré lui'' (; "The doctor/physician in spite of himself") is a farce by Molière first presented in 1666 (published as a manuscript in early 1667) at le théâtre du Palais-Royal by la Troupe du Roi. The play is one of sever ...

''. The production was not a success.Ainger, p. 92; and "Original Correspondence", ''The Era'', 10 September 1871 Opéras bouffes by

Hervé Hervé is a French language, French masculine given name of Breton language, Breton origin, from the name of the 6th-century Breton Saint Hervé. The common latinization of the name is Herveus (also ''Haerveus''), an early (8th-century) latinizati ...

, Offenbach and Lecocq, and

F. C. Burnand Sir Francis Cowley Burnand (29 November 1836 – 21 April 1917), usually known as F. C. Burnand, was an English comic writer and prolific playwright, best known today as the librettist of Arthur Sullivan's opera ''Cox and Box''. The son of ...

followed."The Opera Comique Theatre", ''The Era'', 15 October 1898, p. 11 After short seasons starring the Italian tragedienne

Adelaide Ristori Adelaide Ristori (29 January 18229 October 1906) was a distinguished Italian tragedienne, who was often referred to as the Marquise. Biography She was born in Cividale del Friuli, the daughter of strolling players and appeared as a child on the ...

and then the English operetta star

Emily Soldene Emily Soldene (30 September 1838 – 8 April 1912) was an English singer, actress, director, theatre manager, novelist and journalist of the late Victorian era and the Edwardian period. She was one of the most famous singers of comic opera in t ...

, Carte became manager of the theatre in 1874, and presented ''The Broken Branch'', an English version of

Gaston Serpette Henri Charles Antoine Gaston Serpette (4 November 1846 – 3 November 1904) was a French composer, best known for his operettas. After winning the prestigious Prix de Rome as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, he was expected to pursue ...

's operetta ''La branch cassée'', starring

Pauline Rita Pauline Rita (1 June 1842 – 28 June 1920), born Margaret Glenister, was an English soprano and actress. During her early career, she was best known for her performances in operettas and comic operas at the Opera Comique and was associated wit ...

. Carte's first attempt to found "a permanent abode for Light Opera" failed, and the theatre passed into other hands for the next three years. The word "Royal" was dropped from the name of the theatre in 1876. Burnand and Charles Morton were both briefly managers there, presenting extravaganzas and comic operas respectively. Morton's season in 1876 included well-received productions of Offenbach's '' Madame l'archiduc'' and Lecocq's ''

La fille de Madame Angot ''La fille de Madame Angot'' (''Madame Angot's Daughter'') is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Lecocq with words by Clairville, Paul Siraudin and Victor Koning. It was premiered in Brussels in December 1872 and soon became a success in ...

'', featuring Soldene and

Kate Santley Evangeline Estelle Gazina (c. 1837Culme, John ''Footlight Notes'', No. 361, 14 August 2004, accessed 7 September 2012; an"Kate Santley by Sarony Cabinet Card" ''Remains to Be Seen'', accessed 7 September 2012 – 18 January 1923), better known u ...

and, in the second piece,

W. S. Penley William Sydney Penley (19 November 1851 – 11 November 1912) was an English actor, singer and comedian who had an early success in the small role of the Foreman in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Trial by Jury''. He later achieved wider fame as produc ...

, promoted from the chorus. Morton also presented a successful double bill of

's ''

Trial by Jury A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions. Jury trials are used in a significant ...

'' and Offenbach's ''

Geneviève de Brabant ''Geneviève de Brabant'' is an opéra bouffe, or operetta, by Jacques Offenbach, first performed in Paris in 1859. The plot is based on the medieval legend of Genevieve of Brabant. For the 1867 version two additional characters, men-at-arms, w ...

''. After Morton a succession of managements between May 1876 and September 1877 staged productions that made little impact.

Gilbert and Sullivan

In November 1877 the Comedy Opera Company, managed by Carte, took on the lease and staged the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's ''

The Sorcerer ''The Sorcerer'' is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It was the British duo's third operatic collaboration. The plot of ''The Sorcerer'' is based on a Christmas story, ''An Elixir of Lo ...

''. This was followed in 1878 by the same team's ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, whic ...

'', which became a hit, running for 571 performances, the second-longest theatrical run in history, to that date. During the performance on 31 July 1879, Carte's former business partners in the Comedy Opera Company (with whom Carte, Gilbert and Sullivan had split) tried to seize the set, creating a celebrated fracas. Over Christmas 1878, during the run of ''H.M.S. Pinafore'', the theatre was renovated and redecorated by E. W. Bradwell, reopening on 1 February 1879. ''The Era'' commented, "We can hardly overpraise the beauty and grace of the Opera Comique as it now appears to the delighted audience.""Opera Comique"
. ''The Era'', 9 February 1879, reprinted at ''The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive''. Retrieved 8 July 2010 Two more Gilbert and Sullivan successes followed, now produced by the

D'Oyly Carte Opera Company The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company is a professional British light opera company that, from the 1870s until 1982, staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas nearly year-round in the UK and sometimes toured in Europe, North America and elsewhere. Th ...

: ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 ...

'' (1880) and, finally, ''

Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced ...

'' (1881), which was later transferred to Carte's new and larger theatre, the

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

. During this period, Carte also presented various companion pieces with the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, including the 1877 revival of ''

Dora's Dream ''Dora's Dream'' is a one-act operetta, with music composed by Alfred Cellier and a libretto by Arthur Cecil. The piece was first performed at the Royal Gallery of Illustration on 3 July 1873, with Fanny Holland and Arthur Cecil starring in the ...

'' by

Arthur Cecil Arthur Cecil Blunt (1 June 1843 – 16 April 1896), better known as Arthur Cecil, was an English actor, comedian, playwright and theatre manager. He is probably best remembered for playing the role of Box in the long-running production of ''Cox a ...

and

Alfred Cellier Alfred Cellier (1 December 184428 December 1891) was an English composer, orchestrator and conductor. In addition to conducting and music directing the original productions of several of the most famous Gilbert and Sullivan works and writing th ...

; '' The Spectre Knight'' (1878); revivals of ''

''; several pieces by

George Grossmith George Grossmith (9 December 1847 – 1 March 1912) was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades. As a writer and composer, he created 18 comic operas, nearly 100 musical ...

beginning in 1878: ''Beauties on the Beach'', ''A Silver Wedding'', ''Five Hamlets'', and ''

Cups and Saucers ''Cups and Saucers'' is a one-act "satirical musical sketch" written and composed by George Grossmith. The piece pokes fun at the china collecting craze of the later Victorian era, which was part of the Aesthetic movement later satirised in ''Pati ...

''; revivals of Gilbert's ''

After All! ''After All!'' is a one-act comic opera with a libretto by Frank Desprez and music by Alfred Cellier. It was first performed at the Savoy Theatre under the management of Richard D'Oyly Carte, along with ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' and another short piece ...

''; a ''Children's Pinafore'' with an entirely juvenile cast (1878); '' In the Sulks'' (1880); and ''

Uncle Samuel ''Uncle Samuel'' is a one-act comic opera with a libretto by Arthur Law and music by George Grossmith. It was first produced at the Opera Comique on 3 May 1881 to 8 October 1881, as companion piece to ''Patience''. The piece also toured from Dec ...

'' (1881).

Later years

Once D'Oyly Carte left the Opera Comique the theatre's fortunes declined. It was unoccupied from October to the end of 1881. At the start of 1882,

John Hollingshead John Hollingshead (9 September 1827 – 9 October 1904) was an English theatrical impresario, journalist and writer during the latter half of the 19th century. After a journalism career, Hollingshead managed the Alhambra Theatre and was later th ...

and Richard Barker presented ''Mother-in-Law'', a frivolous comedy by

George R. Sims George Robert Sims (2 September 1847 – 4 September 1922) was an English journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist and ''bon vivant''. Sims began writing lively humour and satiric pieces for ''Fun'' magazine and ''The Referee'', but he was soon co ...

, which ran in a double bill with a

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

called ''Vulcan'', until May. They were followed by a spoof called ''The Wreck of the Pinafore'' by H. Lingard and

Luscombe Searelle William Luscombe Searelle (1853 – 18 December 1907) was a musical composer and impresario. He was born in Devon, England, and brought up in New Zealand, where he attended Christ's College, Christchurch. Searelle began working as a pianist ...

, described by ''The Era'' as "curious and impudent", which ran until October. During the rest of the 1880s a succession of managements presented a wide range of genres, from adaptations of French plays,

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, Sheridan,

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 ...

, and a

Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

adaptation by the novelist's son, to musical shows, including ''The Fay o' Fire'' by Edward Jones and Henry Herman, which ''The Era'' later described as "notable as introducing Miss

Marie Tempest Dame Mary Susan Etherington, (15 July 1864 – 15 October 1942), known professionally as Marie Tempest, was an English singer and actress. Tempest became a famous soprano in late Victorian light opera and Edwardian musical comedies. Later, sh ...

to the regular stage". Composers whose works were presented at the Opera Comique in this period included Julia Woolf,

Meyer Lutz Wilhelm Meyer Lutz (19 May 1829 – 31 January 1903) was a German-born British composer and conductor who is best known for light music, musical theatre and burlesques of well-known works. Emigrating to the UK at the age of 19, Lutz started as ...

and

Victor Roger Victor Roger (22 July 1853 – 2 December 1903) was a French composer. He is best known for his operettas, particularly the lighter kind known as the "vaudeville-opérette". His thirty theatre works, composed between 1880 and 1902, also include p ...

. Performers included

Nelly Bromley Eleanor Elizabeth Emily (Nelly, sometimes Nellie) Bromley (30 September 1850 – 27 October 1939) was an English actor and singer who performed in operettas, musical burlesques and comic plays. She is best remembered today for having created the ...

Frank Wyatt Frank Wyatt (7 November 1852 – 5 October 1926) was an English actor, singer, theatre manager and playwright. After beginning his career as an illustrator and painter, in 1877 Wyatt began a stage career in comedy, Victorian burlesque, pantomim ...

Johnston Forbes-Robertson Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson (16 January 1853 – 6 November 1937''Sir Johnston Forbes Robertson, Beauty And Grace in Acting'', Obituaries, ''The Times'', 8 November 1937.) was an English actor and theatre manager and husband of actress Gertru ...

Julia Gwynne Julia Gwynne (1856 – 10 June 1934) was an English opera singer and actress best remembered for her performances with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from 1879 to 1883. She married producer George Edwardes. Life and career Gwynne was born Juli ...

and Penley. Opera-comique-1887

The theatre was again renovated in 1885, under the proprietorship of the actor-manager,

David James Dewi, Dai, Dafydd or David James may refer to: Performers *David James (actor, born 1839) (1839–1893), English stage comic and a founder of London's Vaudeville Theatre *David James (actor, born 1967) (born 1967), Australian presenter of ABC's ''P ...

. ''The Era'' thought that the refurbishments made it "one of the most convenient, handsome, and acceptable places of entertainment in London"."The Opera Comique Theatre", ''The Era'', 4 April 1885, p. 8 James had bought adjoining premises in Holywell Street to make room for an extension to the theatre. The bars and circulation areas were, according to ''The Era'', much improved, a spacious smoking room was added, and new emergency exits were installed. In 1891,

George Edwardes George Joseph Edwardes (né Edwards; 8 October 1855 – 4 October 1915) was an English theatre manager and producer of Irish ancestry who brought a new era in musical theatre to the British stage and beyond. Edwardes started out in theatre ma ...

took on the management of the theatre and presented a burlesque of ''Joan of Arc'' by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

, J. L. Shine and

Frank Osmond Carr Frank Osmond Carr (23 April 1858 – 29 August 1916), known as F. Osmond Carr, was an English composer who wrote the music for several Victorian burlesques before turning to the new genre of Edwardian musical comedy, and also composing some comic ...

, with a cast including Arthur Roberts and

Marion Hood Marion Hood (1 April 1854 – 14 August 1912) was an English soprano who performed in opera and musical theatre in the last decades of the 19th century. She is perhaps best remembered for creating the role of Mabel in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Th ...

. It was well received and ran from January to September. After that, the theatre reverted to its pattern of rapidly changing productions and short-lived managements. A feature of the early 1890s was the frequent presentation of adaptations from, or original works by, novelists such as

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

and George Moore. A further season of French plays, performed in their original language, was followed by a German season, also given in the original, in 1894, which ran for more than two months. In early 1895, "

Nellie Farren Ellen "Nellie" Farren (16 April 1848 – 29 April 1904) was an English actress and singer best known for her roles as the "principal boy" in musical burlesques at the Gaiety Theatre. Born into a theatrical family, Farren began acting as a ch ...

started her unfortunate season here with a bad comedy … and a worse burlesque", according to ''The Era''. Later that year

Augustus Harris Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris (18 March 1852 – 22 June 1896) was a British actor, impresario, and dramatist, a dominant figure in the West End theatre of the 1880s and 1890s. Born into a theatrical family, Harris briefly pursued a comme ...

presented

Charles Villiers Stanford Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (30 September 1852 – 29 March 1924) was an Anglo-Irish composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Romantic music, Romantic era. Born to a well-off and highly musical family in Dublin, Stanford was ed ...

's comic opera ''Shamus O'Brien'', which ran for two months, from March to May. Osmond Carr's ''The Maid of Athens'', ran for a month in June 1897, after which, said ''The Era'', "nothing worthy of any record whatever has been attempted at this temple of the drama, which has had a singularly eccentric and mostly disastrous career." A revival of a musical adaptation of ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...

'', with music by

Walter Slaughter Walter Alfred Slaughter (17 February 1860 – 2 March 1908) was an English conductor and composer of musical comedy, comic opera and children's shows. He was engaged in the West End as a composer and musical director from 1883 to 1904. Life ...

, opened for the Christmas season of 1898 and ran until mid-February 1899. In March 1899,

Horace Sedger Horace Sedger (1853–1917) was an American-born British theatre manager and impresario. He was particularly associated with light opera, and presented works by composers including Isaac Albéniz, Edmond Audran, Ivan Caryll, Alfred Cellier, Charl ...

announced a burlesque for the Opera Comique, ''Great Caesar'', by

Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

and Walter Rubens and

George Grossmith Jr. George Grossmith Jr. (11 May 1874 – 6 June 1935) was an English actor, theatre producer and Actor-manager, manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies. Grossmith was also a ...

, but he changed his plans and presented it at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

. The Opera Comique closed in 1899 and was compulsorily purchased by the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

for £40,000.''The Pall Mall Gazette'', 3 January 1900, p. 6 It was demolished in 1902 when the area was redeveloped to create

(named after old Wych Street) and Kingsway."Our London Correspondence", ''

The Manchester Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', 17 October 1902, p. 4

References and sources

References

Sources

* * * * * * *

External links

Information about the Opera ComiqueArticle on the Opera Comique and other London theatres
{{Authority control Former buildings and structures in the City of Westminster Opera in London Former theatres in London Opera houses in England Music venues completed in 1870 1899 disestablishments in England 1870 establishments in England Theatres completed in 1870 Buildings and structures demolished in 1902 Demolished buildings and structures in London