UK – London – Phoenix Theatre

Dates: 1930 – present

Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, Bertie Crewe and Cecil Masey, and built on the site of a Music Hall, the Alcazar, which was demolished in 1930.

Once – Get-In (March 2013)

Once – Get-Out (March 2015)

There are 1,012 seats over three levels: Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle.

Past Productions

Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Previews from 17 November 2023, Opened 14 December 2023)
2 month tech / build period for Stranger Things due to need to support scenic automation & flying equipment from concrete base in theatre foundations.
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical ( – 26 Aug 2023)
A Streetcar Named Desire ( – 6 May 2023)
Noises Off (January 19 2023 – March 11 2023)
Dick Whittington (5 December 2021 – 9 January 2022)
Come From Away (opened 30 January 2019, closing 7 January 2023)
Chicago (26 March 2018 – 5 January 2019)
The Exorcist (October 20 2017 to March 10 2018)
The Girls (Feb 21 2017 – July 15 2017)
Dirty Dancing (December 6 2016 – January 2017)
The Last Tango (September 22 2016 – November 2016)
Guys and Dolls ( to August 21 2016) transferred from the Savoy Theatre
Bend it Like Beckham (15 May 2015 – )
Once: The Musical (March 2013 – 21 March 2015) opening night: 9 April
Goodnight Mr Tom ( – January 2013)
Blood Brothers (November 1991 to November 10th 2012) 21 year run
Into the Woods (25 September 1990 – 23 February 1991)
The Baker’s Wife (27 November 1989 – 16 January 1990) Costumes by Andreane Neofitou. Lighting by David Hersey. Designed by John Napier. Directed by Trevor Nunn.
The Merchant of Venice (1 June 1989 – ?November 1989) Peter Hall Company. Designed by Chris Dyer. Lighting by Mark Henderson. Music by Robert Lockhart. Sound Design by Paul Arditti. Starring Dustin Hoffman.
Richard III
Richard II
Much Ado About Nothing
As You Like It
The Common Pursuit
J J Farr
Court in the Act
Wildfire
The Cocktail Party
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Strippers
Trumpets and Raspberries
The Ratepayers’ Iolanthe (Preview 22 August, Opened 23 August 1984, closed 29 September 1984) adapted from Gilbert & Sullivan by Ned Sherrin and Alistair Seaton
Peg (Previews 6 April, Opened 12 April 1984, Closed 11 August 1984) A romantic new musical, starring Sian Phillips and Ann Morrison (as Peg)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Previews from 9 December 1983, Opened 14 December 1983 , Closed 3 March 1984) starring Dana (later Denise Nolan) and Mike Newman
Theatre Dark
The Rules of the Game (8 December 1982 – 8 January 1983) starring Leonard Rossiter, Mel Martin, Stephen Chase
One Mo’ Time (24 November 1981 – 17 July 1982) transferred from Cambridge Theatre
Satyricon (Previews 2 May, Opened 5 May 1981 – 20 June 1981) All-male version
That’s Showbiz (11 February 1981 – 4 April 1981) “sensational variety spectacular”, featuring Bobby Davro, Dr Hot and Neon, The Stutz Bearcats, The Clark Brothers, Ken Goodwin
A Sunday performance of the show on 8 March 1981 was cancelled due to the management not meeting Equity’s terms for Sunday performances, at a time when these were subject of extra regulation. The management wanted to give performers Monday & Tuesday off, and run performances Wednesday through to Sunday.
The Biograph Girl (19 November 1980 – 10 January 1981) musical
Night and Day (8 November 1978 – 1979)
Kings & Clowns (1 March 1978 – ) starring Frank Finlay. Leslie Bricusse musical.
The Apple Cart (Previews 3 November, Opened 7 November 1977, Closed 28 January 1978) starring Keith Michell, Penelope Keith, Nigel Stock, June Jago, Paul Hardwick. Chichester Festival Theatre production. Directed by Patrick Garland. Went on Australian Tour on closing.
The Belle of Armherst (Previews 9 September, Opened 14 September 1977, closed 29 October 1977) starring Julie Harris as Emily Dickinson
The Red Devil Battery Sign (7 July 1977 – ?26 July 1977) starring Keith Baxter, Estelle Kohler. By Tennessee Williams.
The Magic of Young Houdini (Previews 6 December 1976, opened 14 December 1976, closed 15 January 1977) A marvellou magical musical mystery show. Matinees only. Written by Barbara D’Amato & Anthony D’Amato.
Carte Blanche (Previews 20 September, Opened 30 September 1976, Closed 2 July 1977) “An adult entertainment”,”The sexiest show in London”. Evening shows only. “As featured in Playboy and Penthouse magazines”.
The Pleasure of His Company (7 July 1976 – 28 August 1976) starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Dinah Sheridan, David Langton, Wilfred Hyde White.
Bus Stop (12 May 1976 – 8 weeks) starring Lee Remick, Keir Dullea, Alfred Marks, Miriam Karlin
13 Rue De L’Amour (March 17 1976 – 8 weeks) starring Glynis Johns and Louis Jordan
I Do, I Do (Previews 19 January 1976, Opened 21 January 1976 – 8 weeks) starring Rock Hudson and Juliet Prowse
Norman Is That You? (Opened 16 April 1975 – ) starring Harry Worth, Avril Angers
The Gingerbread Lady (Previews from ?18 October 1974, opened 23 October 1974-1975) by Neil Simon, starring Elaine Stritch
Edith Evans and Friends (19 September 1974 – 5 October 1974) starring Edith Evans
Play Mas (opened 21 August 1974, closed 16 September 1974) by Mustapha Matura, starring Rudolph Walker
Bloomsbury (Previews 3 July 1974, Opened July 10 1974, Closed 17 August 1974) by Peter Luke, starring Daniel Massey, Yvonne Mitchell, Clive Francis, Penelope Wilton, Moyra Fraser
Design for Living (Previews 20 November 1973, opened 21 November 1973, closed 8 June 1974) by Noel Coward, starring Vanessa Redgrave, Jeremy Brett, John Stride, Peter Bayliss
Two Gentlemen of Verona (26 April 1973 – 10 November 1973) Musical, from The New York Shakespeare Festival. Directed by Mel Shapiro. Lighting by David Hersey.
Canterbury Tales (21 March 1968 – 31 March 1973. 2080 performances) starring Wilfred Brambell, Jessie Evans, Kenneth J Warren. Adapted by Nevill Coghill & Martin Starkie. Music by Richard Hill and John Hawkins.
In At The Death (21 April 1967 – ?) starring Jean Kent, Terence Alexander, Charles Stapley, Julian Holloway. Comedy thriller.
Lady Windermere’s Fan (1967) starring Coral Browne, Isabel Jeans, Douglas Byng, Ronald Lewis, Juliet Mills. Directed by anthony Quayle. Scenery & Costumes by Cecil Beaton.
1966 – Refurbishment. The Noel Coward Bar opened by Noel Coward in 1969.
Love for Love (April 1943) starring John Gielgud
Harlequinade (8 September 1948 – ?) by Terence Rattigan
The Browning Version (1948)
Tonight at Eight Thirty (1936 – ?)
Private Lives (24 September 1930 – 20 December 1930) a limited run starring Noel Coward, Gertrude Lawrence, Adrienne Allen, Laurence Olivier (after a premiere at the Kings’ Theatre, Edinburgh on 18 August 1930)

Equipment

1972 (from The British Theatre Guide)
Switchboard: Strand L.P. Board located in OP Stage Box Dress Circle level; 120 ways. FOH Spots 36 Patt 264, 4 Patt 23N 3 Battens 4 colours each; Floats 4 colour, 8 Batten type; Dips 6 each side plus Dips for Ground Row & Float; 1 Spot Bar, 12 way.
Sound Equip: 4 15-column speakers fitted adjacent to Proscenium Arch.
Dressing Rooms: 16; 2 Showers; 1 Bathroom plus 2 Dressing Rooms with Showers.
Orchestra Pit: 10.

1971 (from The Stage Guide)
Electrics: Strand LP board in FOH. Dimmers – 120; 3 presets; 6 groups. Circuits – FOH 36; Flies 49; Stage dips 11. Socket type – 15A BESA and 30A Reyrolle. Total capacity available – 300A on 3 phases. Special effects supply – 180A on 3 phases. Follow spots – 2 x Patt.265s in projection box.