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Hello and welcome to the December 2005 Special Feature.

This month the feature is on the Royal English Opera House - now the Palace Theatre, in London's West End - and comprises of an article from the Royal Institute of British Architects 1892, shown right.

The book is principally concerned with American Theatres but the article on the Royal English Opera House is interesting enough to warrant inclusion on this site, not least because very little written material on the original building exists.

This magnificent building was designed by Richard D’Oyly Carte with G H Holloway providing the drawings and J G Buckle as consultant. The architect was T E Colcutt.

The Royal English Opera House was unfortunately a major failure and the building was quickly converted, only a year later, in 1892, to a Variety Theatre by Walter Emden, and renamed The Palace Theatre of Varieties.

Click the image right to begin this month's feature.

For more information on the building in its current form, The Palace Theatre, please see the January 2005 Special Feature.