The Players' Theatre was a London theatre which opened at 43 King Street, Covent Garden, on 18 October 1936. The club originally mounted period-style musical comedies, introducing Victorian-style music hall in December 1937. The threat of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

German

bombing A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechanica ...

prompted a move in October 1940 to a basement at 13

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, Piccadilly and then after the cessation of hostilities, to Villiers Street, Charing Cross, opening on 14 February 1946. Other intermediate locations of the theatre include the

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and the St John's Wood private residence of a member, Francis Iles (Anthony Berkeley). Overwhelmed by debt, the theatre closed in 2002, although the Players' Theatre Club continues to perform music hall shows in other venues. Appearing at the Players' Theatre were Leonard Sachs (who was often the chairman), Patricia Hayes, Hattie Jacques, James Robertson Justice, Peter Ustinov,

Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...

Ian Carmichael Ian Gillett Carmichael, OBE (18 June 1920 – 5 February 2010) was an English actor who worked prolifically on stage, screen and radio in a career spanning 70 years. He found prominence in the films of the Boulting brothers, including '' ...

, Joan Sterndale-Bennett, Vida Hope, and

Denis Martin Denis Martin (1920 – October 1988) was a Northern Irish singer, actor and theatre producer active in the 1940s to 1980s. Martin won the All-Ireland tenor competition at Feis Ceoil in 1944, He then moved to England where he performed as a sin ...

, who eventually became Director of Production. In 1967, Decca Records issued an LP, ''A Night of Music Hall'', from The Players' Theatre, (London's Victorian Theatre) with 19 songs and duets encompassing a typical evening at the Players, chaired by Don Gemell. The recorded artists were

Stella Moray Stella Moray (29 July 1923 – 6 August 2006) was an English character actress who appeared on stage, film and television in dramas, comedies and soap operas. She seldom headlined on stage but was a stalwart stand-in and understudy, and when sh ...

, Maurice Browning, Margaret Burton, Patsy Rowlands, Hattie Jacques,

John Rutland John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

, Joan Sterndale Bennett, Josephine Gordon, Robin Hunter, Daphne Anderson,

and Bill Owen, with Peter Greenwell and Geoffrey Brawn (piano). At the time of the recording the membership of the theatre club was over 5,000.Cover notes for Ace of Clubs SCL 1238, ''A Night of Music Hall'' from The Players' Theatre, (London's Victorian Theatre), Decca Record Company, 1967. The name of the nightly show was ''Late Joys'' which derived from a hotel on the site of the building at 43 King Street: "Evans – Late Joy's", Joy having been the owner of the song and supper room before a comedian from Covent Garden, Evans, took over. Following the closure of the theatre, the Players' Theatre Club continues to perform music hall shows throughout the year in other venues such as the Museum of Comedy, the Royal Oak pub in Tabard Street and the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly.

References

Notes Bibliography *

External links

Players' Theatre Club official site
{{Coord, 51.508099, -0.124134, type:landmark, display=title Entertainment in London 1936 establishments in England 2002 disestablishments in England