Built at the instigation of impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte, on the former site of the Savoy Palace, for the staging of the works of Gilbert & Sullivan. The first production at the venue was their operetta Patience.
The Savoy Theatre became famous as the first public building in the world to be lit by incandescent electric lights (see The White Heat of Revolution).
There’s plenty of information about the electrical installation at the Savoy in the 1960 TABS article featured below.
Architect: C.J.Phipps
2005 The theatre was sold to Ambassador Theatre Group and the Tulbart Group
2004 The Savoy Hotel Group, including the theatre, sold to Quinlan Private
Blithe Spirit (16 November 2004 – 2005) The Peter Hall Company
The Pirates of Penzance (6 January 2004 – )
Peter Pan (15 December 2003 – )
Of Mice and Men (21 October 2003 – 6 December 2003) starring Matthew Kelly and George Costigan
Bea Arthur (12 September – 18 October 2003)
HMS Pinafore (23 December 2002 – 1 March 2003)
Life X 3 (previews from 26 September 2002, closed 7 December 2002)
The Mikado (25 June – 14 September 2002) starring Jasper Carrott
The Yeoman of the Guard (12 April 2002 – 8 June 2002)
Iolanthe (15 February 2002 – 8 April 2002)
Return to the Forbidden Planet (Previews from 10 December 2001, Closed 19 January 2002)
Antarctica (Previews from 25 September 2001. Closed 3 November 2001)
Ute Lemper (2-14 July 2001)
The Pirates of Penzance (20 April 2001 – 16 June 2001)
The Importance of Being Earnest (17 January 2001 – 14 April 2001) starring Patricia Routledge. Directed by Christopher Morgan.
The Mikado (?20 September 2000 – 13 January 2001)
Enigmatic Variations (24 May 2000 – 29 July 2000) starring Donald Sutherland, John Rubenstein. Directed by Anthony Page.
HMS Pinafore (23 February – 22 April 2000)
Tess of the D’Urbervilles (previews from 30 October 1999, opened 10 November 1999, closed 15 January 2000)
Hay Fever (previews from 9 June, opened 14 June 1999, closed 11 September 1999) starring Geraldine McEwan, directed by Declan Donnellan.
The Gin Game (30 March 1999 – 22 May 1999) starring Joss Ackland, Dorothy Tutin
Richard III, Royal Shakespeare Company (18 Jan 1999 – 27 March 1999) starring Robert Lindsay
Somewhere (5-21 June 1997)
Plunder (?1996-?1997)
A Letter of Resignation () starring Edward Fox
The Magistrate () starring Ian Richardson
The Pet Shop Boys in concert ()
The Importance of Being Oscar () starring Simon Callow
1997: A group led by Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen was given management of the theatre by the Savoy Group.
When We Are Married (?1996-?1997)
Communicating Doors (transferred here in 1996)
Dead Funny ()
She Loves Me (July 12, 1994 – July 1995?)
Travesties (24 March 1994 – 4 June 1994)
Relative Values (1993)
July 19, 1993: The theatre reopened after a complete refurbishment
February 12 1990: A large fire in the auditorium destroyed much of it, although the fire curtain was in position and did an excellent job of preventing damage to the stage, and the auditorium doors prevented any damage to the foyer areas. The fire started during decoration works while the theatre was dark, and wasn’t detected until the smoke drifted up to the adjacent Savoy Hotel smoke detectors. The auditorium was restored to the 1929 designs, and reopened on 19 July 1993. During renovation an extra storey was added above the theatre that includes a health club for the hotel, with a swimming pool above the stage. The production of the Ben Travers farce ‘Thark’ starring Griff Rhys Jones and Dinsdale Landen which was due to open on February 20th was cancelled. It was a transfer from the Lyric Hammersmith.
It’s Magic (preview 7 December 1989, opens 8 December 1989 – 3 February 1990) starring Paul Daniels
The Pirates of Penzance (September 6 1989 – November 29 1989) in rep with The Mikado (September 12 1989 – December 2 1989) D’Oyly Carte Company
Sugar Babies (1988 – 1989)
Kiss Me Kate, Royal Shakespeare Company (15 January 1988)
A Man For All Seasons (from 19 October 1987)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Previews from April 25, Opened May 7th 1987, closed 4 July 1987) starring Ernie Wise and Lulu
Killing Jessica (Opened November 12 1986, closed 30 January 1987) directed by Bryan Forbes
3 June 1929: Theatre closed for refurbishment. Theatre auditorium redesigned by Frank A Tugwell with decoration by Basil Ionides. New Strand Electric lighting control desk installed. Reopened on 21 October 1929.
The Young Idea (1923)
The Pirates of Penzance (December 1908 – ?)
Caesar & Cleopatra (1907) by George Bernard Shaw. London premiere.
September 16 1907 – Theatre reopens with new owners, Messrs Vedrenne & Barker, following the sale by Mrs D’Oyly Carte.
The Pirates of Penzance (30 June 1900 – ?)
The Gondoliers (7 December 1889 – ?) premiere production
Captain Billy (23 September 1891 – ?)
The Pirates of Penzance (March 1888 – ?)
Iolanthe (25 November 1882 – ) 398 performances – the first new theatre production to be illuminated by electric lights
Patience (1881) Transferred, with new sets and costumes, from the Opera Comique, to open the Savoy Theatre. The production opened 23 April 1881.
10 October 1881 – Theatre opened by impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte. The first public building (in the world) to be lit throughout by electricity. The opening was originally planned to take place on 6th October, but was delayed due to complications in the electrical installation.
