Lyric Shaftesbury Theatre

Theatre History

The History of The Lyric Shaftesbury Theatre

The Lyric Shaftesbury theatre is the oldest surviving theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, founded in 1888 the venue has survived both World Wars and is still an active part of the West End.

Initially the Lyric was used to house light operattas such as 'Dorothy' and moved on in later years to show more main stream dramas and farcical comedies. Alan Ayckbourn's play 'How the Other Half Lives' played at the theatre along with 'Habeas Corpus' an Alan Bennett production in which he himself took a small role. The Andre Roussin play 'The Little Hut' ran at the Lyric Shaftesbury for 1,261 performances before closing.

Amongst the renowned playwrights showcasing at the Lyric many famous names have crossed its threshold including Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh. The Lyric remains a strong force in London's West End to this day, attracting popular modern productions including most recently 'Grumpy Old Women', 'Smaller' starring Dawn French and Alison Moyet and of course 'Cabaret'.