Novelty Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Novelty Theatre was a London
theatre. It was located on Great Queen Street
, accessed off Little Queen Street until 1905, and from the new Kingsway
road from 1905 onwards. The theatre closed in 1941 and was demolished in 1959.
and decorations by E. W. Bradwell, opening on 9 December 1882. Its first show was the comic opera Melita or the Parsee's Daughter, composed by Henry Portet, with a libretto by Juba Kennerley. It hosted, among other notable works, a revival of Les Cloches de Corneville
and Ascot, by Percy Fendall, in 1883. Edward Solomon
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
, premiered at the theatre in 1887, followed by James Mortimer
'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
's A Doll's House
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
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 and revivals of The Private Secretary
and Charley's Aunt
in 1900. It also featured the 1915 premiere of Pearn and Elgar
's The Starlight Express
and the London premiere of the musical Oh, Boy!
, in 1919 which, ran for 167 performances.
In 1939 it hosted the premiere of Rutland Boughton
's third symphony and finally closed on 11 May 1941. However, it was heavily bomb-damaged during the Blitz
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.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
theatre. It was located on Great Queen Street
Great Queen Street
Great Queen Street is a street in central London, England in the West End. 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, west to east...
, accessed off Little Queen Street until 1905, and from the new Kingsway
Kingsway (London)
Kingsway is a major road in central London in the United Kingdom, designated as part of the A4200. It runs from High Holborn, at its north end in the London Borough of Camden, and meets Aldwych in the south in the City of Westminster at Bush House. It was built in the 1900s...
road from 1905 onwards. The theatre closed in 1941 and was demolished in 1959.
History
The first theatre on this site was built to designs by Thomas VerityThomas Verity
Thomas Verity 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 Kensington Museum...
and decorations by E. W. Bradwell, opening on 9 December 1882. Its first show was the comic opera Melita or the Parsee's Daughter, composed by Henry Portet, with a libretto by Juba Kennerley. It hosted, among other notable works, a revival of Les Cloches de Corneville
Les cloches de Corneville
Les cloches de Corneville is an operetta in three acts, composed by Robert Planquette to a French libretto by Louis Clairville and Charles Gabet based on a play by Gabet.In 1876, the director of the Théâtre des Folies-Dramatiques, Louis Cantin, hired Planquette to compose the operetta,...
and Ascot, by Percy Fendall, in 1883. Edward Solomon
Edward Solomon
Edward Solomon was a prolific English composer, as well as a conductor, orchestrator and pianist. Though he died before his fortieth birthday, he wrote dozens of works produced for the stage, including several for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, such as The Nautch Girl, among others.-Early...
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
Robert Williams Buchanan was a Scottish poet, novelist and dramatist.- Early life and education :He was the son of Robert Buchanan , Owenite lecturer and journalist, and was born at Caverswall, Staffordshire, England...
, premiered at the theatre in 1887, followed by James Mortimer
James Mortimer
James Mortimer was an American chess player, journalist, and playwright who spent the last 40 years of his life in Britain.-Life:...
'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 Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
in 1889. In August 1896, Wilfred Moritz Franks accidentally stabbed Temple E. Crozier fatally onstage during a performance of Frank Harvey
Frank Harvey
Frank Harvey was an English screenwriter who jointly won a BAFTA Award with John Boulting and Alan Hackney for I'm All Right Jack in 1960. He was born 11 August 1912 in Manchester. During his career he was nominated for a second BAFTA for Private's Progress. He died 6 November 1981 in Ottery St...
's melodrama, Sins of the Night. The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice is a tragic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. Though classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is perhaps most remembered for its dramatic...
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
W. S. Penley
William Sydney Penley was an English actor, singer and comedian best remembered as producer and star of the phenomenally successful 1892 Brandon Thomas farce, Charley's Aunt and as the Reverend Robert Spalding in many productions of The Private Secretary.-Life and career:Penley was born at...
managed the theatre, producing and starring in A Little Ray of Sunshine and revivals of The Private Secretary
The Private Secretary
The Private Secretary is a popular 1883 farce in three acts, by Sir Charles Henry Hawtrey. The play was adapted from the German Der Bibliothekar, a book by Gustav von Moser....
and Charley's Aunt
Charley's Aunt
Charley's Aunt is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. It broke all historic records for plays of any kind, with an original London run of 1,466 performances....
in 1900. It also featured the 1915 premiere of Pearn and Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
's The Starlight Express
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.- Production :...
and the London premiere of the musical Oh, Boy!
Oh, Boy! (musical)
Oh, Boy! is a musical in two acts, with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. The story concerns befuddled George, who elopes with Lou Ellen, the daughter of Judge Carter. He must win over her parents and his Quaker aunt...
, in 1919 which, ran for 167 performances.
In 1939 it hosted the premiere of Rutland Boughton
Rutland Boughton
Rutland Boughton was an English composer who became well known in the early 20th century as a composer of opera and choral music....
's third symphony and finally closed on 11 May 1941. However, it was heavily bomb-damaged during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
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.
External links
- Novelty Theatre on glopad
- www.arthurlloyd.co.uk Novelty Theatre at the Arthur Lloyd site
- 1882 drawing of the play Melita at the theatre by the painter and illustrator John Jellicoe for The Sporting and Dramatic News