THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE |
London's oldest Theatre, dating back to 1663
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The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is in Covent Garden, and dates back to 1663, making it London’s oldest theatre. It was also the first theatre to be given a license to perform legitimate
theatre, meaning speech based productions as opposed to musicals,
operas or ballets. Despite this, in the past it was known for housing
plays that replied heavily on elaborate scenery and special effects,
rather than those trivial details like dialogue, or plot. For example,
the notes of an 1823 production show the finale was to include a
thrilling escape scene, involving an actor riding away on horse back
through a part of the stage encircled by fire. This began to change
however, when Shakespearean actor Edmund Keane made his name at Drury
Lane acting as Shylock, in The Merchant of Venice. He became very popular here, and the theatre has also housed famous acts such as the comedy troupe Monty Python and composer Ivor Novello.
The front of the theatre today
Photo © Andyrob (CC)
Did You Know?
The theatre became famous for spectacular productions during the early 20th century. For example, the successful 1909 The Whip,
which featured not only a train crash complete with hissing steam, but
also a horse race, comprising of twelve real horses jockeying on an
on-stage treadmill.
David Garrick, the theatre manager in 1745, is portrayed in the title role of Richard III in this painting by William Hogarth
Source WikiMedia (PD)
Apparently the theatre is also home to some frequently appearing ghosts.
These appearance come in the form of anything from actors killed in the
building, to a mysterious ‘Man in Grey’ whose 18th century skeleton was
supposedly found in the walls of the site in 1848. My personal
favourite however, is the ghost of Joe Grimaldi. He only appears to
nervous actors and guides them on stage, mysteriously disappearing with
a smile as applause sounds at the end of the show.
The interior of the third and largest theatre to stand at Drury Lane, c1808
Source WikiMedia (PD)
Did You Know?
Drury
Lane is one of the world's most haunted theatres. The most famous ghost
is the "Man in Grey," who appears dressed as a nobleman of the late
18th century: powdered hair beneath a hat, a dress jacket and cloak or
cape, riding boots and a sword. Legend says that the Man in Grey is the
ghost of a knife-stabbed man whose skeletal remains were found within a
walled-up side passage in 1848.
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